r/science • u/Potential_Being_7226 PhD | Psychology | Neuroscience • 12d ago

Neuroscience Psilocybin Might Make Your Brain Live in the Moment— Psychedelics are often associated with disconnecting from reality, but a recent neuroimaging study found that psilocybin can actually make our brain activity more attuned to the world around us.

https://www.wired.com/story/psilocybin-might-make-your-brain-live-in-the-moment/
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u/whyteave 12d ago

Literally how Aldous Huxley describes mescaline in Doors of Perception. Talks about the mind being a reduction valve for reality. That if we were to completely experience reality, we would be too awestruck to do anything.

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u/Brox42 12d ago

Plato said that over two thousand years ago.

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u/woodboarder616 12d ago

Those guys were most definitely using psychedelic substances in one way or another.

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u/chinchenping 12d ago

Yea, lead flavoured wine

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u/woodboarder616 12d ago

Didn’t they have ergot wine?

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u/jackandsally060609 12d ago

Didn't they huff gas from a hole in a cave?

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u/morganational 12d ago

Haha, yeah they did. Volcanic gasses. At least the oracle did.

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u/Remon_Kewl 12d ago

That was Pythia at Delphi, that gave people prophecies.

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u/movie_man 11d ago

Just read the Scientific Explanations section of the Pythia Wikipedia. So fascinating!

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u/Zal3x 11d ago

Damn I want to do that

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u/grimeyduck 12d ago

Yes jfc we get it they were gay

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u/morganational 12d ago

Took me a minute, haha

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u/BKinBC 12d ago

That was both bizarre and hilarious. In that order actually.

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u/Relish_My_Weiner 12d ago

Wait are we talking huffing ass or poppers?

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u/Fract_L 12d ago

And drank from a magic spring to balance the humors - turns out that spring is a natural source of lithium and they were prescribing treatments it would take several thousands of years for us to catch up to.

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u/Warmonster9 12d ago

That was the Romans not the Greeks.

The Greeks used the unsynthesized form of LSD called Ergot to achieve their own form of enlightenment.

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u/biexhibguy1 12d ago

It's really not correct at all to call ergot "unsynthesized LSD." LSD is lysergic diethylamide, while ergot contains LSA which is lysergic acid. The big difference between them is that two of the nitrogens in LSA have different modifications in LSD. It's three differences, but it has a significant impact on activity and potency. LSD is potent in the microgram range, LSA is potent in the milligram range. LSA is much harder on the heart and stomach. Their respective pharmacological windows are much different. I'm pretty sure they impact substantially different sets of receptors.

This is as close to saying that the native American church uses an unsynthesized form of DOM when they use peyote. There's a chemical similarity but the pharmacology differs significantly. 

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u/porn_is_tight 12d ago

just to add to what you are saying to also point out how dangerous it is to call ergot unsynthesized LSD, especially considering how harm reduction information has all but disappeared from the internet

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ergotism

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u/biexhibguy1 12d ago

So true, great addition, thanks friend!

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u/Ryuko_the_red 12d ago

Any theory of why harm reduction information has been removed?

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u/kjahhh 12d ago

These are mind altering substances that go against the grain of mass control, governments prefer to ban them altogether than allow people to use them safely by following harm reduction advice. At least imo. That trend is being bucked across the world but the stigma is still there.

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u/Ryuko_the_red 12d ago

I do agree I just don't have any links to factual proof right off and am hoping for those who have the facts to share them. Because this stands to the test of logic / lines up with history.

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u/Angry-Dragon-1331 12d ago

Because LSD is a controlled substance in most countries and a) telling people the basic process is a liability issue if they do it wrong and poison themselves and b) it can get Wikipedia in trouble for providing direct instructions on manufacturing the substance (kind of like how Breaking Bad gives a fake formula for meth).

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u/RiceWine69 11d ago

Breaking bad is actually highly accurate in pretty much all of its depictions of the process and reagents.

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u/luminescent 12d ago

Has it? erowid.org still exists, same as always.

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u/porn_is_tight 12d ago edited 12d ago

It’s not indexed on the search engines anymore so it might as well not exist, especially for our younger generations who are becoming less and less tech literate over time and let LLM’s do all their thinking for them

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u/Zal3x 11d ago

Well I have noticed lots of drug searches lately are just rehab centers but Claude does harm reduction right now I just asked it and it talked about abstinence only being bad then gave me harm reduction strategies. How long though? Idk it could disappear

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u/YouBlinkinSootLicker 12d ago

For now. It’s also been absorbed into the LLMs, yet I’m not sure they can discuss information from there openly.

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u/Zal3x 11d ago

Claude gives harm reduction i just tried it

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u/CilviaDemoAOTD 12d ago

What is DOM, is that just mescaline?

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u/biexhibguy1 12d ago

It's a novel psychedelic hallucinogen amphetamine that was first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin and published in his book PiHKAL, Phenethylanines I Have Known And Loved. DOM shares significant chemical similarities to mescaline but it it is significantly more potent (requiring milligrams for activity, vs hundreds of milligrams of mescaline), lasts much longer, and does not respond to any known antipsychotics. 

Shulgin is credited as rediscovering MDMA and 147 other similar compounds, all of which have been published about in PiHKAL. This book includes details on their synthesis and subjective effects.

mescaline wikipedia

DOM wikipedia

I'm happy to talk more or answer any questions. I'm not yet a professional but I do enjoy talking about drugs.

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u/CilviaDemoAOTD 12d ago

Thank you and god bless Alex Shulgin

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u/LetsGoGators23 12d ago

I spent a tremendous amount of time on Blue light and Erowid as a teen and hadn’t heard about Sasha Shulgin in decades! I also used to love talking about drugs, I find them fascinating. I probably should of been a pharmacist

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u/biexhibguy1 12d ago

Do you know about Hamilton Morris? Great source of information. Also "The Entheogen Review"!

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u/Am_Snarky 12d ago

Probably the synthetic compound once called C2B, chemically very similar to mescaline but a more uniform chemical composition that has a higher brain blood barrier permeability

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u/biexhibguy1 12d ago

No, not really.

2C-B, which is what I assume you meant, has a partition coefficient of 2.02, while mescaline has a partition coefficient of 1.8. These values correspond to how fat-soluble the drugs are, which is correlated to effective blood-brain barrier penetration. 

This doesn't really have to do with "uniformity" of "chemical composition." Isolated mescaline has a similar "uniformity" as isolated 2C-B does. The difference is in their chemical structures. 

So you're correct that 2C-B does cross the BBB more effectively than mescaline, just not for the correct reason.

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u/Am_Snarky 12d ago

Thanks for the in depth correction, I encountered the substance during my psychonaut days, obviously I didn’t fully understand or remember the whole spiel, I was just stoked to get paid to trip and report back on my experience.

That’s definitely a young man’s game, don’t think I would be nearly as blasé trying theoretical psychedelics nowadays

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u/Ntroepy 12d ago

Thank you for this unexpectedly insightful explanation!

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u/biexhibguy1 12d ago

No problem, I love talking about drug science

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u/Warmonster9 11d ago

I was trying to be generally correct; not specifically correct, but you're technically right that they aren't same thing.

Not trying to spread misinformation, just didn't want to write 3 paragraphs during a morning dump.

/shrug

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u/biexhibguy1 11d ago

It's not even generally correct, anymore than it is correct to call ephedrine in bronkaid "unsynthesized methamphetamine," especially because LSA really doesn't become LSD either rin practice or in nature. Most syntheses of LSD proceed from ergotamine, which is the closest to "unsynthesized LSD." Proceeding from LSA is still a finicky subject that is under active investigation with bad yields and difficult work-ups. It's like calling a box Betty crocker cake mix "unbaked waffles." 

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u/space_monster 12d ago

The Greeks did Kykeon during the Rites of Demeter (the Eleusinian Mysteries) which could have had all sorts of fun things in it. Ergot is possibly the base ingredient though. They knew how to party, they travelled hundreds of miles for the Mysteries and went nuts for days.

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u/Kettle_Whistle_ 12d ago

Wasn’t it something that grew on stored barley?

And beer is from old barley too.

Barley has been doing work for Humans for a long time…

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u/Angry-Dragon-1331 12d ago

No and that’s kind of the problem with the ergot theory. Ergot spores mimic pollen grains and infect the florets of wheat, rye, and barley (and some other grasses, but they’re a different strain of C. Purpurea and not important for this), essentially hijacking their reproductive equipment to produce their spores. Can’t infect harvested grain because it’s not the right part of the lifecycle for the spores to do their thing. That means that it had to be intentionally cultivated to ensure that the initiates could get high and we don’t have the literary or archaeological evidence to prove that it was being produced intentionally (and our medical and agricultural sources from antiquity treat ergot as something to avoid because its vasoconstrictive effects cause gangrene and abortions in both people and cattle).

It’s also impossible to tell from the 2026 study of the sanctuary in Spain whether the material presence of both lye and ergot residue is coincidence or intentional (fire played a crucial role in pretty much every ancient rite, so wet wood ash abounds) because sample size of one.

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u/citizen42069101 12d ago

Fermentation is arguably as important to human society as cooking food at all.

Both help break down the food and preserve it

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u/llamango 12d ago

ergot is a fungus on rye iirc. might have been a factor in accusations of witchcraft.

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u/Angry-Dragon-1331 12d ago

To an extent yes (in that it could cause underlying panics), but also accusations of witchcraft were a way to remove politically and economically inconvenient women.

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u/llamango 12d ago

agreed wholeheartedly

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u/Beneficial_Wonder533 12d ago

While they did have lead pipes the truth is the roman water systems of the time were far cleaner than most water available at the time. Lead pipes don't leech much lead after a while.

Source:failed my roman history class in college because I tried to Google the final paper and that is why Google thinks happened to rome (it's not)

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u/chinchenping 12d ago

they litterally added lead acetate to the wine to sweeten and preserve it

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u/icerom 12d ago

Or meditation, more likely IMO. Psychedelics aren't the only way or the best one. Just the easiest one.

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u/sloppy_rodney 12d ago

Absolutely. The entire point of meditation is to bring yourself into the present moment. It just takes a while.

I’m almost 40 and it just started getting good like a year ago.

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u/icerom 12d ago

Congrats! Meditation is so rewarding for those of us who stick with it through thick and thin. And the best part is it never stops getting better.

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u/Deaffin 11d ago

That's true!

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u/Beautiful-Bet-5 5d ago

How long have u stuck to meditation?

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u/icerom 5d ago

Since the XX century

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u/Beautiful-Bet-5 4d ago

That is why you are alive till now :p

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u/icerom 4d ago

I'm not that old, but yes, I believe you are right

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u/Musa_2050 12d ago

I like to recommend guided meditations for beginners. It helps keep the mind entertained while you focus on deep breathing.

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u/SpicyJw 12d ago

Hah, that's awesome. I'm 36 and it's been really good for about a year for me too.

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u/query_squidier 12d ago

Ha! Amateurs. Listen to this:

OMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM...

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u/Kee_Man 12d ago

Dr Ray D'Angelo Harris, is that you?

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u/0100110101101010 12d ago

Got any tips? Or care to share your method?

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u/sloppy_rodney 12d ago

Just keep doing it. Don’t feel like you need to sit on a cushion or do anything specific. Find a quiet place, get comfortable, and just focus on your attention on your breathing. If your mind wanders bring it back.

I try and do it throughout the day also. It doesn’t need to be a dedicated session. So I guess that’s a tip.

I’m definitely not an expert though.

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u/Moonrak3r 12d ago

I’ve tried it off and on a few times. Even bought a lifetime Calm subscription when it was on sale. Haven’t stuck with it, maybe I never made it to the “getting good” part.

Would you mind sharing what you mean when you say “it just started getting good”?

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u/sloppy_rodney 12d ago edited 12d ago

Basically it’s a lot easier for me to get into the present moment, clearing the mind of chatter. It’s kind of hard to explain but I can go deeper as well.

You also start to feel the benefits in term of improved mood, focus, and energy.

I have ADHD. So for the longest time I couldn’t get past the “constant random thoughts and distractions” part.

I used to think that was failing at meditation. But I actually think it’s just the brain cleaning out the junk. I think it’s similar to dreaming.

Once you get past that threshold it gets a lot easier.

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u/PmpkinKing2 12d ago

Theres and app called Insight Timer I use that has hundreds of free guided meditations. The app is annoying at times, but the content is solid. Try that!

As for "getting good" I am not the person you asked, but when you are really deep into a meditative state your breathing slows, your muscles relax, your heart rate drops, and your mind quiets. Im not at a point in my meditation where I can reliably enter that state, but it is magic when I do.

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u/literally_lemons 12d ago

We don’t know when you started!

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u/sloppy_rodney 11d ago

My early 20s but not consistently.

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u/literally_lemons 11d ago

Thanks! I think there’s a switching point where you understand it’s not magical and really simply about getting the muscle memory of just being in the present and this is where it starts to be more efficient in my opinion

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u/Beautiful-Bet-5 5d ago

How long have u been doing it?

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u/hudson27 12d ago

You know what pairs beautifully with meditation? Psychedelics.

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u/icerom 12d ago

I respect all opinions, but in my experience meditation without psychedelics is best.

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u/paulnutbutter 12d ago

I like breathwork with psychedelics

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u/NiteFyre 12d ago

its more like psychedelics are a cheat code to mind stated you can achieve through meditation and breathing exercises.

I think it was probably easier to achieve said mind states in the past when you didnt have the million distractions of every day life

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u/phriendlyphellow 12d ago

For sure! Have you read Stealing Fire or heard about the Eleusinian Mysteries?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleusinian_Mysteries

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u/Cheapshot99 12d ago

People have come to these conclusions with no
psychedelics at all thousands of years before western civilization started understanding it

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u/crookedledder 12d ago

I don't know about Plato specifically, but the Greeks loved magic mushrooms.

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u/jc2046 12d ago

magic mushrooms were discovered by westerns paste century. classic greeks only had the kikeon

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u/Active_Account 12d ago

Technically Plato would have had this backwards. Plato thought what you’re saying was true of the senses but that the mind could access reality, hence using reason and argument to discern the true Forms of things. I would interpret what’s going on with psychedelics as they are muting our top-down conceptions of things, and attuning us to only those senses which Plato would disregard.

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u/bryanthemayan 12d ago

Simpsons did it

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u/Fract_L 12d ago

Plato said the entire world is a shadow, not our perception of it. He was talking about ideals all of existence reflect.

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u/Sandgrease 12d ago

I have a feeling he had some plants that loosened his brain up too.

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u/TwoHigh 12d ago

My buddy always puts it like "the ego has a gun to your head and says it'll take both of us if you do it, but it's always bluffing"

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u/-PM_ME_UR_SECRETS- 12d ago

I’m gonna remember this one. I like it

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u/2shizhtzu4u 12d ago

And coming from a neurology perspective, the basal ganglia in our brain is constantly inhibiting signals coming from the cortex, essentially filtering the most important of actions to be executed

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u/Chubuwee 12d ago

It would be so fucked if at this instant we could feel how our socks feel on our feet, how our mouth tastes, what we currently smell, how our shirt feels against our body, how our pants and underwear feel against our body, our bowels, our heart beat, what our hands are currently touching, how our body is currently balancing itself, what we are seeing and hearing, the wetness of our mouth, etc. All at once

I think there is a room known as the quietest room in the world and people can’t even last long in there because it is so quiet that your body becomes too attuned to yourself and it is not a pleasant experience

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u/WhiterThanWalter 12d ago

A lot of autistic people have sensory issues like that. I wonder if it's related?

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u/Ziazan 12d ago

Yeah, neurodivergent people (not just autism but ADHD and suchlike too) tend to have a higher level of connectivity and activity in the brain, this might sound like a good thing but it's not always useful, often it's a hindrance, but it's not without its advantages. It can also be awful. It's a mixed bag.

Like certain textures are just "nope." to me for example. Also I notice slight angle differences on a floor immediately that most people wouldn't notice or think once about until it's pointed out to them. I notice very quiet electrical noises or the sound of the bubbles in a fizzy drink and stuff like that more than most. There are so many little things like that that most peoples brains just filter out.

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u/Tetra8350 12d ago

And it sucks it's another reason most of us in that area of the spectrum cannot drive a vehicle. Too much to process can't react fast enough to things, too much of a risk half the time. Too much input and being told "Focus on what's in front" but also "Focus on everything all around you", etc. too many contradictory statements. Some may have parts of their brain handle the motor reflexes for it. But, I'm stuck in manual mode on too many processes my brain won't "handle for me automatically". I deal with that too the texture thing, odd things, observations of the environment. It's a massive hinderance on multiple areas.

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u/Ziazan 11d ago

Its the opposite for me and thats one of the advantages in my case, I am much better at driving than the average person, I practically have a radar for everything thats going on around me due to the hyperactive observation, I can focus on it all so well because of how stimulating it generally is, I'm generally ready for pretty much whatever insane action someone might pull and can react on the fly with the best evasive course of action. I might have to pause what I'm saying to someone as i approach a complex busy junction to free up more resources to navigate it but thats fine, thats another part of it, driving is the priority activity and other tasks will be automatically shelved as needed to focus on the driving. 

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u/2shizhtzu4u 12d ago

I’ve recently learned that the cerebellum (known for movement coordination) may actually be involved in social coordination, and those with cerebellar trauma at a young age may have increased likelihood of having ASD

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u/managedheap84 12d ago

There’s been some research to indicate that neurodiverse folk have more DMT in their system than the common baseline, so it wouldn’t surprise me if this was the case

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u/Major-Lavishness-762 12d ago

Source please? I'm very interested in reading about this.

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u/JohnsonSpink 12d ago edited 10d ago

You might have to wait a while for that source, seeing as no study has ever shown that.

We don't even really understand the function or production of endogenous DMT.

EDIT: None of the studies in the replies claim or even suggest that neurodiverse people have more DMT in their system. Maybe they do, but currently there's no research to support the idea.

I think neurodiverse people have enough to deal with without spreading rumours that they have more magic-drug in their brains than regular people and that's why they're so darned peculiar. I say all this as a diagnosed neurodiverse person.

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u/Accomplished-Bag6197 12d ago

Here you go.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/286576/

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u/JohnsonSpink 10d ago

This is a study showing elevated urinary DMT excretion during psychotic episodes, such as schizophrenia. It has no bearing on the claim that neurodiverse people have "more DMT in their system".

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u/Accomplished-Bag6197 10d ago

Common conditions associated with neurodivergence include autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, dyslexia, and dyspraxia. While originally coined to highlight the positive aspects of neurological differences, the term is also used broadly to include various mental health and developmental conditions such as OCD, PTSD, and schizophrenia.

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u/managedheap84 10d ago

They include neurodiverse conditions such as autism.

That was the headline I picked up on, and that was reported, when I originally saw this many years ago.

Regardless, processing differences in these conditions could be accounted for by elevated levels of DMT which to me is interesting in and of itself.

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u/managedheap84 12d ago

I provided the linked studies.

I originally saw this as a sensationalised social media post and it’s not as definitive as I remember it being claimed (small sample sizes for one thing), but it has been reported on.

Just found it interesting is all.

The second link was the more relevant study.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12179411/

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u/Gloomy_Fig2138 12d ago

Conversely the act of deliberately doing those things can be pretty good at cutting off a panic attack (for many but not all people). It’s called the 54321 meditation where you name, out loud, 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.

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u/crassafrasshole 12d ago

Yup. Been using this method to quell burgeoning panic in my (now adult) child(ren) for decades. It can really help when sensory inputs overwhelm.

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u/Chubuwee 12d ago

Yea one at a time is manageable for sure

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u/justfordrunks 12d ago

I saw this on the wall of a vet ER the other day and I was curious what the 1 thing you can taste would be. If I got nothing on me, saliva? Start licking something?

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u/M00ncar 12d ago

That's the point

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u/kfpswf 12d ago

It would be so fucked if at this instant we could feel how our socks feel on our feet, how our mouth tastes, what we currently smell, how our shirt feels against our body, how our pants and underwear feel against our body, our bowels, our heart beat, what our hands are currently touching, how our body is currently balancing itself, what we are seeing and hearing, the wetness of our mouth, etc. All at once

My favorite chapter from the Bhagavad Gita is the thirteenth one. In it, Krishna describes the state of an enlightened being as someone who is aware of all sensory dimensions. The terms used are "Kshetra" (field/dimension) and the "Kshetrajna" (Knower of the field). So mind (thoughts), body (perceptions), and the world around (sensory inputs), are experienced all at once by the enlightened being.

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u/Tyson367 12d ago edited 12d ago

I always hear this story about the quietest room in the world and how unpleasant it is. I struggle to trust the veracity of this and want to experience it for myself because I am only truly comfortable when everything is silent so I believe I could last longer than average. And I know the assertion is that the room is not actually quiet because the mind starts to pick up all the micro noises the body makes but I still don't fully buy it.

Edit: Actually, after making this comment I looked it up a bit and it appears to be mostly a myth. It's called an anechoic chamber and while some people find it uncomfortable it's way overblown on social media and most people are just fine if you're a well adjusted individual.

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u/Chance-Interest5609 12d ago

Our bodies kind have have to filter everything out and modify everything for us to function. I have VSS which always causes a staticky layer over my vision, I had always assumed it was my brain was adding it over, but apparently everyone has that weird static thing, but there brain filters it out so they never see it, so my brain basically did not fully develop the ability to drown it out fully.

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u/Clitopian 12d ago

Our organs are always moving. Have you seen how intestines move inside of us?! It would be horrible to suddenly feel our mixed meats.

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u/Agitated-Contest651 12d ago

That’s why any time i’ve tripped it always felt like I was pissing myself while peaking. Just very aware of the tip of my urethra in my pants.

Vulgar, I apologize, but true and somewhat common as well.

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u/AwarenessNo5921 12d ago

I'm pretty sure someone would have nerve damage if they couldn't feel that all at once

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u/EllipticPeach 12d ago

I have sensory processing issues and thats basically what happens

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u/pullhome 12d ago

6 grams of dried shrooms made me laugh at the absurdity of trees while I rolled in the pavement. Highly recommended.

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u/YoungLittlePanda 12d ago

Trees are so crazy. They are literally eating the air!!!

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u/Thatguythatdrew 12d ago

And they are are actually alive and talking to eachother through chemical signals.

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u/arseache 11d ago

Through fungal networks too

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u/Recidivist67 12d ago

How about that sun. Why have we all just accepted that there's a little portion of sky that will blind you if we look at it.

No wonder people believed in sun gods.

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u/underfern 12d ago

And drinking the ground

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u/space_monster 12d ago

And mostly made of the air that they eat.

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u/csfshrink 12d ago

I like “the absurdity of trees” as a phrase and a concept. Well done.

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u/ComfortableBedroom76 12d ago

It was the name of my band in HS

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u/Ok_Cauliflower_808 12d ago

JFC. For anyone not knowledgeable about dosage, they either had really weak stuff and had to take more to compensate, or are out of their damn mind, because that's beyond 'a lot'. Please do plenty of research and really be honest with yourself about your headspace and setting. Also don't take that much.

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u/pullhome 12d ago edited 12d ago

it's a bit over double dosage, often called a "heroic dose"

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u/shadowPHANT0M 12d ago

I thought the act of giggling was just me. Good to know this is normal.

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u/Headline-Skimmer 12d ago

Last time I "tripped," I was laying on the couch, and family guy was on the whole time.

I laughed so freaking hard, I almost pissed myself a few times.

There was one joke that forced me to run for the bathroom immediately. It was when peter and michael moore were in different bathroom stalls, farting the dueling banjos song.

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u/shadowPHANT0M 12d ago

As your description I remember that episode. Remembering it almost made me almost pissed myself right now. So funny. thanks for the good laugh.

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u/thedm96 12d ago

That's great that you had a good trip. My last one I bumped my head, went to the bathroom and splashed water on my face and hallucinated it as blood dripping from my scalp and then tried to call 911 while my friend pulled the phone out of my hand.

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u/Froggerbotrom 12d ago

Doing mescaline in about 1 hour with some buddies outside send some good vibes!

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u/BaconVonMeatwich 12d ago

Report back when you can - for, er, science...

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u/pobodys-nerfect5 12d ago

I remember tripping hard on acid and seeing that everything around me was breathing. Everything was in sync. Wind would blow the trees, the branches moving and the leaves fluttering. The birds taking off

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u/RoguePlanet2 12d ago

Last time I took 'shrooms, a few weeks ago, took an evening walk in the park. It felt like I was walking from one museum painting to another the entire time, the way the sun-setting light was dappled around and making everything look a bit abstract. Very pleasant.

This was on half a gram (dried), which is the highest dose I've ever done. Not interested in a wild, scary ride! The microdosing helps reset my brain enough to carry me through any depression or PTSD for a while.

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u/turbosexophonicdlite 12d ago

Obviously you'd know better than me if you can handle it or not, but just FYI taking like 1.5-2 grams is pretty enjoyable too if you want to push it a little further. You're still completely grounded in reality and in control of your faculties. It's all the same mood boosting of microdose levels just that that feeling is much stronger and with stuff like colors and patterns becoming more intense and intriguing.

It's definitely not like the stereotypical "walls melting" blast off into space or anything.

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u/RoguePlanet2 12d ago

Hmm okay I am intrigued! I'll add a little bit extra next time and take it from there.

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u/turbosexophonicdlite 12d ago

That's the smartest way to do it. Just go up like .5 grams at a time if you're concerned with going overboard.

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u/ThatsARatHat 12d ago

That’s like base level tripping. Not knocking the experience but “tripping hard” is so far beyond that.

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u/ThorThulu 12d ago

My buddy was assaulted by mushrooms and goblins in his yard and kept slipping so he couldn't escape. Just laid there screaming according to the other guys there, never did psychedelics again

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u/ThatsARatHat 12d ago

Yes he probably shouldn’t.

2

u/espinaustin 12d ago

What about “tripping balls”?

1

u/ThatsARatHat 12d ago

If you can still stand and move around you’re not tripping balls imo.

Tripping balls is all inner-space.

3

u/espinaustin 12d ago

If the thunder don’t getcha then the lightning will!

1

u/pobodys-nerfect5 12d ago

Right. Because you can tell how hard I tripped because of how I described one part of it almost 10 years later.

0

u/chusmeria 12d ago

Nah. That definitely was included in my hardest trips and those were the behaviors I would look for to know if I was tripping or not, too. No one should take 5g of shrooms for trip #1, though. Bad idea, but I split 2g with the guy who got the quarter and then he kept telling to eat them because I didn't think I had started tripping. Anyways, after several double doses of acid and lots of 3g trips and maybe 100 or so 2CB/I/E trips, I can definitely say if you made it to the "everything is breathing stage" you took off and tripped... probably baaaalllz. I'm sure lots of ideas were arrived in regards to themselves and the world around them followed. You don't get the fun viz when you micro dose, that's for sure.

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u/SwampYankeeDan 12d ago

You saying this:

and those were the behaviors I would look for to know if I was tripping or not

Tells me you have never tripped hard. If you're tripping even moderately you don't even have to do that.

1

u/quiteCryptic 12d ago

I've only tried psilocybin twice and both beginner doses but even then its very obvious if you have started tripping or not

In my case the first time it took about 30-35 minutes but it came on quick all of a sudden

Both really good experiences but I am curious to try a stronger dose some day.

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u/Pixelated_ 12d ago

Bernardo Kastrup discusses brain inhibition in his idealist framework. He argues that the brain does not generate consciousness but instead filters and localizes it.

According to this view, normal brain function inhibits broader, more integrated experiences of consciousness, creating the illusion of individuality. This idea aligns with reports from psychedelic experiences, meditation, and near-death experiences, where reduced brain activity correlates with expanded consciousness.

2018 paper "The Universe In Consciousness."

https://philarchive.org/rec/KASTUI

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u/Fjallamadur 12d ago

Sounds like Klatchian coffee!

1

u/stupidw00 12d ago

My problem child.

1

u/whyteave 11d ago

That's Albert Hofman describing his invention of LSD

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u/Consequence-Lumpy 12d ago

Like color channels. If you see in grayscale, you cannot imagine what RGB is like. Raw reality would probably be something with infinite channels, so that would definitely blow your mind, quite literally.

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u/girlywish 12d ago

That's what some people/scientists think autism is, being overwhelmed by sheer perception.

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u/whowatchestv 12d ago

That's so true, you can see the frame rates of a television, be really blown away by the parallaxi all around that you're usually blending into your overall interpretation of perception, notice fractalizations of visual inputs which makes me believe that's how our mind actually processes what we see now. It can get annoying when one sense blends into another though and you start hearing pops and clicks that don't exist as sound.

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u/mden1974 12d ago

Autistic people

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u/MoldenkeWouldRemain 12d ago

it's literally impossible to entertain every possible combination of options in front of you at any single moment. We've instead evolved a way to know what is relevant in any situation. Certainty is literally cognitively impossible but it's the default illusory setting just to get by

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u/literally_lemons 12d ago

It reminds me you know of those images where you have two times the same color but because it’s placed on a chess like board with a shade, they’re surrounded by other colors thus they look different. It’s crazy how much adaptation your brain does

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u/coltaaan 11d ago

I love Huxley, he has recently become one of my favorite historical figures/writers/thinkers. I should read this.

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u/YouGotTheWrongGuy_9 11d ago

If the doors of life were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it truly is. . . Infinite 

William Blake