Hey, C, I can relate to some of what you're saying here, I think.
I spent two years
rigorously exploring the LSD spaces. Every weekend at least; a few times a week at most. This was two solid years, followed by sporadic use of psychs ever since. I usually have to talk myself up before any sort of trip because I got really familiar with how gnarly the gnarly side can
really be.
After those two years, smoking herb became anxiety/paranoia roulette. If I choose to smoke or ingest cannabis these days I sometimes find that I have to talk myself down from extreme ledges of instantaneous illogical belief or existential disbelief. Once I had convinced myself that I was just realizing I was still in an acid or dmt trip after eating a strong brownie my wife had made. That everything leading up to that point was a hallucination and I was about to break back into where I really was.
Then other times I just smoke a joint and feel pretty groovy.
I've been trying to cultivate a closer relationship with dmt since I learned to make it. My relationship with altering substances since the heavy acid use has sort of hindered the progress I desire. It's tricky and leaves me feeling disappointed with myself.
I'd be interested in looking at what you've written down if any of this sounds familiar.