So this is kind of personal, but something I need to ask. I am just wondering how people integrate psychedelics into friendships? For me where I am from, these things are taboo. If i talked openly about my experiences and beliefs even to my best friend I would be labeled insane and locked away.

Now I do have some turned on friends but they are sort of shady and more colleagues then close friends. Thankfully for me I have my cousins who are hardcore explorers of these realms, but they live out of state. So although I do have some outlet I guess I am curious how those who don't have any outlet handle situations where they have no one to really open to about these experiences?

The question is: What the relationship between your psychedelic experiences and your friendships/ relationships in general? Also, to what degree do you share your real beliefs about these things with people in your everyday life?

Thankfully I found this place where I can share openly!!

I am pretty out-of-the-closet as it were in relation to my psychedelic usage. Obviously I don't introduce myself to every new person with: "Hi, I'm Nathanial, and I'm a drug user," but most of my close friends know my feelings on the matter. Most people, seeing that I'm still the same me, just happier and less neurotic take it in stride. Some of them claim they are 'worried about me,' which is validating, and I do my best to reassure them and not talk about it when they're around.

One person, who started off vehemently anti-drug has actually approached me and said she wanted to start exploring psychedelics (progress!).

I question the quality of your friendship if your 'friends' would report you and call you insane if you told them about your personal/spiritual beliefs. Can I ask what region of the country you live in?
I'm fairly lucky to live in New England, where people tend to be a bit more open minded, or at least, aren't disparaging to my face (outside of Boston, that is ).

If you honestly don't feel like you can out yourself, you know you've always got friends like us online, who will be accepting of whatever you do.

Lots of love
~ND

My psychedelic drug usage is not something that I go around telling all of my friends about. With that being said, if there is something being talked about in a conversation with people I know, and something that I have learned through psychedelics is relevant to everyone present, I have no problems talking about it. If you can convey your experience in a responsible, benign manner, I think you would be surprised at how many people will take you seriously (i.e. not going around braggin about how hard you were tripping when you took a tenstrip). The difference in my eyes is the focus being on the wisdom attained versus the taking of the drug. Usually, in these situations, I condense what I have to share into something that can be stated and thought about, but doesn't provoke me talking more about drug experiences. Of course if people are genuinely curious I am more than happy to share my musings on the matter

With that being said, I have some really close tripper friends that I connect with on a whole different level than even my own genetic family. Some experiences with them have just been so integral to my development as a conscious being that this unbreakable bond is formed. These kind of friendships are important to have if you are serious about psychedelic exploration imo because sharing and learning about your experiences with others not only helps you understand the experiences better (teaching others about a subject forces you to have a deep understanding on the subject) but also gives you food for thought that might not otherwise come into your world! And above all, being able to passionately share experiences that have had such a profound impact on your own life without worrying about ridicule is a wonderful feeling indeed.

This is one of the reasons I use the nexus! Such a wonderful place full of wonderful ideas and people. So much to be learned.

Love and Light Brother!

anon_003 I am pretty similar to you. Unfortunately my tripper group is located far away now, but when we do reconnect its usually epic and glorious. For example meeting up and camping in the rockies tripping on top of a mountain alone. With people around town though I don't totally hide my feelings, but rather tone them down substantially.

Nathaniel.Dread I do wish I could be open the way you seem to be. I have tripped with a lot of my close friends but, it seems to me as a lot of people around here they feel almost guilty for feeling good. They seem to have some sort of ingrained christian guilt about tripping, it being unnatural etc.

I guess I exaggerated a bit with my best friend locking my in an insane asylum, but he just doesn't see eye to eye with me on entheogens which is disparaging but also good that someone who has tried them is honest with me. He keeps me level headed.

Anyways, I think I just feel a bit let down by society in general especially midwestern suburbia with their lifestyle choices and judgements towards those who live alternatively. I just wish I didn't have to tip-toe around the way I really feel, which is that we are capable of feeling incredible amounts of bliss and love if we just allow ourselves , using psychedelics as tools to help us achieve this. I just want to scream it from the mountain tops sometimes.

For me personally using psychedelics cautiously has broken down barriers and transformed me, taken me from sickly to very healthy, From depression, to a state of near constant elation with life in general. I see no good reason why I should I have to be careful about what I say other then I upset the status quo and make bullies unhappy. This is my frustration.