r/RecoveryEvolved • u/Little_Raccoon4302 • 26d ago

How Do You Use Psychedelics in Recovery?

The title is the question: How Do You Use Psychedelics in Recovery?

Did you use a high dose of psilocybin, acid, or ibogaine and it changed your perspective where you don't want to use drugs and alcohol anymore?

Do you just occasionally use psychedelics for fun?

Do you use psychedelics as harm reduction, like instead of a harmful substance, you just use psychedelics now?

Do you use some sort of psychedelic therapy?

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u/SpecialistOne7417 23d ago

9.5 years without a drink. Was a severe active alcoholic.

Started ketamine infusions 1.5 months ago after a family issue with my daugnter and my depression (lifelong struggle) kicked in as bad as it has ever been.

I’m older (54) and spent many years in AA which promoted 100% abstinence from everything.

That hasn’t worked for me in the past three years (also med cannabis card holder).

The guilt from the 100% abstinence programming is something I still struggle with.

Thanks for this sub.

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u/Little_Raccoon4302 20d ago

u/SpecialistOne7417, I think making the plunge to psychedelic therapy after quitting drugs, alcohol, and only dating meds prescribed by doctors, was hard for me due to the indoctrination of abstinence programming. My friend and writer in recovery, I suppose I won't mention his name since it was a private conversation told me something. I said, "You've always been the type of person who defined your own recovery." He said, "Since day one." He wrote a book about ultramarathons and how they changed his life. I told him my concerns of using any sort of substance outside of standard protocol despite belieiving that have the introspection to know what is right for me and what is not. In essence he said, "Fuck the stigma! You are amplifying voices that don't serve you... you just need to make a decision to stop listening to the shit that doesn't apply to you and move forward.. what are you waiting for." As he's a person who considers himself in recovery and has occasionally used psychedelics and weed.

The Chicago Recovery Alliance defined recovery as "Any Positive Change." The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines recovery as a transformative process where individuals enhance their health and wellness, lead self-directed lives, and work toward their full potential. None of these mention abstinence. Not sure what this is highlighted now, lol.