We Do Drugs Because It Feels Good: An Interview with Dr. Ingrid Walker

Jump to Section

Jump to Section

The war on drugs has made us paranoid, and generations of drug advocates have had to adapt the conversation about drug use to a certain kind of academic, scientific and philosophical speak wreathed, not in direct admission of use, but rather a distant clinical mystique. Standing out from this traditionally safer approach is Dr. Ingrid Walker, a self-proclaimed multi-drug user.

She made a stir in her 2013 Ted Talk when she admitted that at times she indulged in amphetamine use and has upped the ante with her new book, High: Drugs, Desire & A Nation of Drug Users. In High she uses myriad testimonials from drug users of all types as a qualitative ballast to her painstaking collection of quantitative data gathered from the most up to date and thorough research sources to show what most self-reflective drug users already know; we do drugs because it feels good.

This concept, obvious to most, but systematically stigmatized by the war on drugs has created a manic situation in which we all secretly enjoy our highs while socially propagating the now well documented manufactured image of the junkie, stoner and burnout. Dr. Walker focuses not just on our enjoyment of drugs, but on our self medication, self soothing and our conditioning to trust a doctor’s advice with unquestioning faith. She reveals the mechanism that drives police department budgets to generate busts and incarcerate low level users to justify their department’s existence. High is not a long winded way of saying we do drugs to feel good, but rather an incisive and comprehensive look at the soul of American drug use in its joys and hypocrisy.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Walker in her office at the University of Washington to discuss the war on drugs, the benefits and pitfalls of our present national policy and how we might see a better approach to drugs, moving forward.

Dr. Ingrid Walker at a book signing in Tacoma, WA
Dr. Ingrid Walker at a book signing in Tacoma, WA

Can you tell me about what got you interested in the subject of getting high?

I grew up in various cultural contexts in which getting high was normalized. Not in a “get wasted” way, but mostly as a part of a regular, everyday lifestyle. From an early age, I knew that the media representation of drug users was a small slice of the reality. I also know people whose lives were devastated by drug war policies.

What pushed me to finally write this book, though, was two things: the George W Bush administration’s broad linkage of the drug war to terrorism and the dominance of drinking culture in the US. The tagline was “If you use drugs, you support terrorism.” This was 4 months after 9-11. It was an obscene media campaign. Also, I am a minimal to non-drinker, so I spend a lot of time out with people, watching them drink. I witness their deep enjoyment of wines and spirits—and often their overuse of these substances— even as I hear them say things about illicit drugs and users that are flat-out wrong. As a drug user and as a drug researcher, I share information that surprises them.

So, I wonder: what if illicit drugs were as familiar and regulated as wine, beer, and liquor? What if you could say you enjoyed those drugs? What would it take to begin to undo the very effective education we’ve had in the U.S. to think that all users are addicts? What if we could imagine a more informed, broad spectrum of drug use? We celebrate and promote certain intoxications—why not all of them? There isn’t a scientific, medical, or social reason not to.

What caused the war on drugs? Was it for the health and safety of the American public?

I love the idea that the war on drugs is a public health effort. From the US drug schedule to various laws related to it, none of it is based in science or medicine. Ironically, the war on drugs was an outgrowth of alcohol prohibition zealotry once that law was repealed. Henry Anslinger’s Bureau of Narcotics had free reign to demonize and prey on certain populations, which continues today. But the drug war also has a broader context that folds in all the worst of US culture: moralism, xenophobia, capitalism, and a desire to police people’s behaviors. In High, I write about the escalation of the drug war as dangerous political theater from Reagan to Bush W. but there are such excellent books that cover the complex factors that caused the war on drugs that I’ll just suggest that readers check out: The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander; The Politics and Morality of Deviance by Ben-Yehuda and Nachmann; Forces of Habit, David Courtwright; Crack in America by Craig Reinarman. But one of the best quick and dirty introductions to the crazy that is the history of the US drug war is an introductory chapter in a textbook, The American Drug Scene, Inciardi and McElrath. The chapter, “The Evolution of Drug Taking & Drug Seeking in America,”  lays out the entire history of what we loved to use and get high on and then the policies that outlawed that drug, followed by the next drug that was going to save us from the first one. It’s class US cultural behavior involving the drug industry, medical and psychological practices, and user interest that led to the ratcheting up of criminalization.

Why did you make such an effort in your book to share personal stories from everyday users?

Users know that the hype of the drug war is total bullshit, right? We laugh about it. But I started to realize that even colleagues of mine who maybe had used cannabis but nothing else really believed it. Media and popular culture are effective teachers. Decades of cheesy and terrifying PSAs and the replication of those characterizations in film and television has been incredibly effective. It’s why I begin the book with my own use and with a chapter called “Picture a Drug User.” Turns out, our learned pictures are really, really wrong. So giving users a platform, a place to tell their varies stories, was a main goal. I originally had two books – one focused on user narratives and art and an academic book. When I realized I wanted US audiences outside  of academia to read this, I knew I had to combine the two. Cultural change comes from one-on-one experiences. When Americans realized they knew trans people and children, for example, suddenly transgender social justice was a public conversation. Lifting the silencing effects of criminalization is, for me, the main focus of this book. If more users tell their stories, more Americans will realize how damaging drug prohibition is. And if the opiate overdose crisis doesn’t ring that bell, I don’t know what will. Black markets are a danger to public health. Period.

Somebody’s mom is worried that legalized marijuana is going to turn their child into a heroin addict as a gateway drug. What does the data tell us about this kind of thing?

I’m a mom. I just felt like I should lead with that. The notion of gateway drugs has been debunked in studies of all kinds. Most importantly, though, any practice is culturally contextualized. There’s nothing that is a straight up road to addiction. Many users who suffer drug abuse or substance use disorder have reasons that are social/environmental as much as anything. Similarly, those who resolve substance use disorder often have compelling reasons to do so (jobs, resources, family, etc.) We hear about the extreme cases of addiction. That is the totality of what is represented in the media. So, marijuana is not a gateway drug any more than running on the weekends will lead to running 100 mile ultramarathons. Sure, some runners start as weekend warriors and end up running across Patagonia. They are in the minority. It’s worth noting, though, that many people who habitually use any psychoactive substance are managing their experience. A lot of people who use marijuana to a great extent are using it for psychological or physical pain. Sometimes we see that as “addiction.” Do we see people who take an antianxiety med every day as addicted?

Dr. Ingrid Walker at a book signing in Tacoma, WA
Dr. Ingrid Walker at a book signing in Tacoma, WA

Many psychedelic advocates draw a sharp line of distinction between psychedelics and “hard drugs” like meth and heroin, claiming consciousness expansion as a noble venture, while harder drugs for pleasure are looked down on. How does this affect the conversation?

First, I think that’s really insulting: my high is better than yours. I’ve used all of those drugs and can say that I gravitate toward hallucinogens more than the others for my own reasons. But I also know that people use drugs for different reasons. Sometimes we want to feel intoxicated at a rave. Sometimes we want to be introspective in the woods. And sometimes we just want to get loaded and forget. People also use alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, and other drugs in these ways.

Secondly, I think it’s an artifact of the drug war that we make these distinctions. It’s not based in science or in any kind of data. In fact, while I celebrate the legalization of cannabis in the US, I am worried that it has been a capitalistic venture—not a venture based in understanding of the drug itself or in any sense of public health. This is demonstrated by the incredibly high THC content in much of the legalized product—it’s like anything else we commodify in this country. We want more. I’d like to see longitudinal studies about drug use that situates the use in various contexts, understands the intersections of that drug with economic class, ethnicity, gender, and region for those users. If we’re going to make distinctions about drugs, we might want to base those distinctions in research on how users employ them and what their effects are. There’s a great study done by the Global Drug Survey called the Net Pleasure Index. It shows that people rank hallucinogens at the top of the cost/benefit analysis calculus of use. But they do that because the downsides of using regularly are less with hallucinogens. So, maybe I’m not going to trip every day. In my case, I won’t use meth everyday, either. But if I did, both would have a strong impact on the downside.

One thing that stands out in your work is your claim that it’s ok for us to do drugs for pleasure. What’s your justification for this?

More than 90% of the users of all drugs use without any abuse problems. So, don’t ask me. Ask millions of happy, drug-using Americans. This is true for every drug but…wait for it…nicotine. That one’s not so fun to try to stop using. But booze, heroin, meth, Oxy, ecstasy, etc. etc. are all used primarily for pleasure by people who can use and walk away. And they’re mostly using for some kind of pleasure. If we use substances in self-regulating ways, It seems to be ok to do drugs for pleasure.

It’s got to be a little unnerving being a professor at a well respected University and being so outspoken not just about drug advocacy, but also your personal use. Does this ever make you nervous?

Sure. I’ve worked hard for my position and my reputation. I also know that there are thousands of people who know me as a drug user. I figure if I can’t be open about this, given the many social privileges I enjoy, then who else can? To be clear, I let the university know I was going to do this book. It’s based in extensive research across 5 fields. I didn’t make this stuff up. My use practices are simply part of a context in which it’s important to speak truth to misinformation and power. The drug war has succeeded—and medicalization goes unchecked—because we are cowed. I’m not willing to let the misinformation have free reign in the social dialogue anymore. I will admit that when I announced my drug use in my TED talk, I held my breath for about a year afterwards, waiting for blowback. There wasn’t any. The book was underway, and it clarified for me how ready we are to have a real conversation about drug use, informed by strong research and many users’ experiences. There are other projects that privilege individual user narratives. I think it’s going to be a social justice movement.

What would you say most people who are anti-drug need to know about drugs and their place in American life? What might surprise them?

For me, the biggest surprise was the magnitude of the data points. I knew most users weren’t people with addiction, but even I was blown away that way over 90% of users of all drugs do not suffer drug addiction. If that’s true, what else do we have wrong? (A lot, it turns out.) We have greatly overemphasized addiction as an outcome of using drugs for a lot of reasons. And there are a lot of other factors that we have wrong. We need research that looks into self-regulating drug use to better understand it and users. The other thing that people who are anti-drug should know is that we’re all drug users. We use psychoactive drugs all the time, from antidepressants to caffeine. Alcohol is a lot like other drugs in important ways. The difference is that we’ve legalized it and we have used harm reduction principles to learn how to use it responsibly, for the most part. Some people abuse it. Some episodically overdo it. Most people use it regularly throughout the afternoon and evening as part of a balanced life.

How do we approach drugs with a higher danger of addiction in this conversation. Are you afraid people will read your book and decide to shoot up?

I’m afraid humans will do all kinds of things that are risky. But my experience of drugs and drug user networks is that most of us want to introduce each other to new experiences in safe ways. I guess I will rely on people to have common sense and to help each other stay safe. Shooting up isn’t inherently bad, though it comes with a lot of risks. The drugs themselves are the biggest wildcard right now. The reason we’re seeing so many OD deaths from opiates is adulterated drugs or drugs that are being passed off as one thing (heroin) but are another (fentanyl, for ex.). Combining drugs is as big a problem. And there are a LOT of OD deaths that are not opiate related. They might be people who are combining benzodiazepines and alcohol, for example. If we could have more informed conversations about drugs, balancing harms and risks with pleasure, as we have with alcohol, we’d be in a better place.

What can other countries approach to drug use teach us in the United States?

Many countries (25-30) have regularized successful harm reduction practices such as medically supervised safe drug consumption sites. Some have decriminalized drugs, minimizing black markets. Or they have research centers that look at drug “use” as well as abuse. The Global Commission on Drug Policy, a well-informed, international body, has commissioned research in key areas. Their very first report in 2011 utterly shamed the US for exporting the drug war and amplifying criminalization which has, in turn, amplified black markets. We think of ourselves as an evolved, developed country, but the US is way behind international best practices.

Advocates have used the argument that drugs can be therapeutic, or necessary for health, but why has no one argued from the perspective of them just feeling good?

Good question. I have! Actually, many researchers in the UK, Australia, and Canada have, as well as some of us here in the US. Pleasure is clearly why people use, so it’s critical to researching and understanding drug use. The reason legalization advocates have pushed in the therapeutic realm is that it’s more likely to get a foothold there due to our medicalized culture. It worked for cannabis. And it will work for hallucinogens. There are FDA Phase 3 studies going on right now with psilocybin and MDMA for psychedelic therapies in treating PTSD, depression, etc. But that raises a question: why would we wait for people to be hurt before we encourage them to have pleasurable experiences? The logic of therapeutics comes from many places, both the history of synthesized psychedelics (psychology) and treating the mind/body as a place of medical oversight. But, of course, many people used psychedelics for entheogenic purposes for centuries before science discovered them. So our view in the contemporary US is very limited. Many drugs we now consider safe for daily use (caffeine, for example) were once outlawed.

ING1

Does capitalism have a role to play in the way the United States treats drugs and drug users?

That’s a great question and is probably an entire book unto itself. Short answer: yes. Think about the ways that most states, who have domain over alcohol laws, have made it available nearly everywhere. If you’ve worked in the food industry, you know that this is where the house makes profits. If we look at how the legalization of recreational marijuana has evolved, it’s almost terrifying to see the industrial level of production of high-potency products. It’s a huge industry already.

That said, we’re a capitalist system. And I, for one, would like access to regulated, reliable drugs. I’d like to know that what I’m using has some control for safety and quality in dosage and content. I’d like to be able to get it easily. So, it makes sense that the market will drive legalization. The trick is how states put in place safeguards and regulations—something hard to do after the fact.

Are pharmaceuticals safe to use and do they count as drug use if a doctor prescribes them?

They can be safe if used as indicated by a physician, although we’ve seen that even that got out of hand with the overprescription of opiates. We think of drugs and many other kinds of things in very oversimplified ways. Drugs aren’t good or bad. They’re not safe or risky. They are agents that have effects on our bodies and brains. We know very little about the drugs we are prescribed by physicians and that’s a problem. The pharmaceutical industry has excelled at dodging regulations and testing of drug effects. Marcia Angell, physician and former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, wrote a great expose on big pharma called The Truth About Drug Companies. She and other scholars cite endless evidence of the ways in which big pharma has shaped medical practice through the AMA and APA. It can be hard to think of pharmaceutical drugs as agents unto themselves because, like everything else, we use them in cultural contexts of authorization and access that lead us to believe they are benign.

How might you define addiction and when would you recommend someone seek help for their potential drug overuse?

The newest DSM V (diagnostic tool for psychologists) has a longer set of indicating factors that are polythetic, a cluster of certain number of these factors may indicate drug abuse disorder or what we think of as addiction. So I’d start there, though looking anything up on the internet can be misinforming. Addiction treatment is an industry. It’s important to know that. It’s a big business and, overall, it has a low success rate. If I feared I was unable to stop using a drug, I would first go to a psychologist to talk about it and have some feedback about my suspicion about myself and I would ask for resources. Some programs are better than others, some fit people’s needs better than others. Cognitive behavioral therapy works for some people. Something more intense, like aversion therapy, is more effective for other people.

Does drug use have philosophical value? Are there any examples of drug using philosophers who’ve used the perspectives they have gained to some kind of constructive end?

I feel like you should answer this one. Drugs are the playground of poets and philosophers, from laudanum to cocaine and psychedelics. Didn’t William Blake write that the road to excess leads to the palace of wisdom? Many philosophers have explored and gone down the rabbit hole of substance use. Some of them reflect anti-drug thinking of their times. Aldous Huxley’s Doors of Perception is a favorite. William James’s writing about pluralistic universes and co-consciousness is intriguing. Frederick Nietzsche, Henri Bergson, Walter Benjamin, Michel Foucault, and many others used the phenomenology of getting high to experience a kind of alterity that I argue is key to understanding the self. Marcus Boon’s book, The Road of Excess, is a beautifully written and fun read on this whole question.

What has your own drug use taught you?

It’s taught me to let go. Of many things, but mostly of fear. I like hallucinogens best and, immediately, on my first trip, I was confronted with my fears. And the great thing about tripping is that you learn, you feel, that these are experiences that are constructed. You can dissipate them. So tripping has led me to have a stronger mind and sense of self. Everytime I return to that space, I find that I see those distant constructs and smile. I know they are not real. And I’m willing to explore anything within myself, now. That is a gift. Also, and this is for those moms / parents who are worried: drug use taught me who I am. I learned what too much was. I learned what accountability and safety are. I learned responsibility. If most users are not the ones we see in the movies, maybe I’m not alone in that experience.

How can people get your book?

If you’re in the PNW, at your local independent bookstore! Or, at Amazon.

***

61V6RANx5TL

Psychedelic Resources

A Foraging Trip: Where Do Magic Mushrooms Grow?
Eager to learn more about the origin of psilocybin species? Read this article to find out where magic mushrooms grow and more!

How to Make Shroom Tea: Best Recipe and Dosage
A step by step guide on how to brew shroom tea, and why entheogenic psilocybin tea is a preferred method for psychedelic connoisseurs.

R. Gordon Wasson: Author and Mushroom Expert
Learn about R. Gordon Wasson, the “legendary mushroom expert” and popular figure within the psychonaut community.

Shrooms vs Acid: Differences and Similarities Explained
Ever wondered what the differences are between shrooms vs acid, or if you can take both together? This guide explains what you need to know.

Quantum Mechanics, Reality, and Magic Mushrooms
Scientist and author Dr. Chris Becker takes an in-depth approach in understanding how we perceive reality through magic mushrooms and quantum mechanics.

Psilocybin Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
Our ultimate guide to Psilocybin has everything you want to know about this psychedelic fungi from its uses to its legal status.

The Psilocybin Experience: What’s the Deal With Magic Mushrooms?
From microdoses to macrodoses, the psilocybin experience has been sought after both medicinally and recreationally for millennia.

Psilocybin and Magic Mushroom Resources
Curious to learn more about psilocybin? This guide is a comprehensive psilocybin resource containing books, therapeutic studies, and more.

Paul Stamets Profile: Mushroom Guru, Filmmaker, Nutritionist, Scientist
Learn about Paul Stamets, read his thoughts on psilocybin mircodosing, the future of psilocybin, and his recent film “Fantastic Fungi”.

Microdosing Psilocybin & Common Dosage Explained
Microdosing, though imperceivably, is showing to have many health benefits–here is everything you want to know about microdosing psilocybin.

Psilocybin Nasal Spray: Relief for Anxiety, PTSD, and Depression
Microdosing nasal spray with psilocybin, is that possible?! Oregan a start-up Silo Wellness believes so and has created this new option for PTSD treatment.

Mazatec Mushroom Usage: Notes on Approach, Setting and Species for Curious Psilonauts
A look at traditional Mazatec psilocybin mushroom usage, and a comparison to the cliniical therapeutic approach, with an examination of the Mazatec setting and species used in veladas.

María Sabina: The Mazatec Magic Mushroom Woman
Magic mushrooms are incredibly popular today. How they became introduced to into American culture isn’t usually a topic discussed while tripping on psilocybin fungi. We all may have María Sabina to thank for exposing the Western world to the healing properties of the psilocybin mushroom.

Guide to Magic Mushroom Strains
Are there different types of psilocybin? Read our guide to learn about the different magic mushroom strains and their individual effects.

Kilindi Iyi: Mycologist, Traveler, Teacher
Learn about traveler and mycologist Kilindi Iyi known in the psychedelic community for his research and exploration of psilocybin.

How to Store Shrooms: Best Practices
How do you store shrooms for optimal shelf life? Learn how and why the proper storage method is so important.

Shroom Chocolate Recipes: How to Make Magic Mushroom Chocolates
This recipe provides step by step directions on how you can make mushroom chocolates with the necessary ingredients. Read to learn more!

Why Do People Use Psilocybin? New Johns Hopkins Study
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicines has just published a new study on psychoactive effects of psilocybin. Read here to learn more.

How-To Lemon Tek: Ultimate Guide and Recipe
This master guide will teach you how to lemon tek, preventing the onset of negative effects after consuming psilocybin. Read to learn more!

How to Intensify a Mushroom Trip
Learn about techniques like Lemon tekking, or discover the right time to consume cannabis if you are looking to intensify a mushroom trip.

How to Grow Magic Mushrooms: Step-by-Step
This step-by-step guide will show you how to grow magic mushrooms at home. Read this guide before trying it on your own.

How to Dry Magic Mushrooms: Best Practices
Read to learn more about specifics for the best practices on how to dry magic mushrooms after harvesting season.

How to Buy Psilocybin Spores
Interested in psilocybin mushrooms? We’ll walk you through all you need to know to obtain mushroom spores. Nosh on this delish How To guide.

Hippie Flipping: When Shrooms and Molly Meet
What is it, what does it feel like, and how long does it last? Explore the mechanics of hippie flipping and how to safely experiment.

Having Sex on Shrooms: Good or Bad Idea?
Is having sex on shrooms a good idea or an accident waiting to happen? Find out in our guide to sex on magic mushrooms.

Gold Cap Shrooms Guide: Spores, Effects, Identification
Read this guide to learn more about the different characteristics of gold cap mushrooms, and how they differ from other psilocybin species.

Guide to Cooking with Magic Mushrooms
From cookies to smoothies and sandwiches, we cover various methods of cooking with magic mushrooms for the ultimate snack.

2020 Election: The Decriminalize Psilocybin Movement
Are you curious if mushrooms will follow in marijuana’s footsteps? Read to learn about how the U.S. is moving to decriminalize psilocybin.

Oregon’s Initiative to Legalize Mushrooms | Initiative Petition 34
Oregon continues to push ahead with their initiative to legalize Psilocybin in 2020. The measure received its official title and now needs signatures.

Canada Approves Psilocybin Treatment for Terminally-Ill Cancer Patients
Canada’s Minister of Health, Patty Hajdu approved the use of psilocybin to help ease anxiety and depression of four terminal cancer patients.

Mapping the DMT Experience
With only firsthand experiences to share, how can we fully map the DMT experience? Let’s explore what we know about this powerful psychedelic.

Guide to Machine Elves and Other DMT Entities
This guide discusses machine elves, clockwork elves, and other common DMT entities that people experience during a DMT trip.

Is the DMT Experience a Hallucination? 
What if the DMT realm was the real world, and our everyday lives were merely a game we had chosen to play?

How to Store DMT
Not sure how to store DMT? Read this piece to learn the best practices and elements of advice to keep your stuff fresh.

What Does 5-MeO-DMT Show Us About Consciousness?
How does our brain differentiate between what’s real and what’s not? Read to learn what can 5-MeO-DMT show us about consciousness.

How to Smoke DMT: Processes Explained
There are many ways to smoke DMT and we’ve outlined some of the best processes to consider before embarking on your journey.

How to Ground After DMT
Knowing what to expect from a DMT comedown can help you integrate the experience to gain as much value as possible from your journey.

How To Get DMT
What kind of plants contain DMT? Are there other ways to access this psychedelic? Read on to learn more about how to get DMT.

How DMT is Made: Everything You Need to Know
Ever wonder how to make DMT? Read our guide to learn everything you need to know about the procedures of how DMT is made.

Having Sex on DMT: What You Need to Know
Have you ever wondered about sex on DMT? Learn how the God Molecule can influence your intimate experiences.

Does the Human Brain Make DMT? 
With scientific evidence showing us DMT in the brain, what can we conclude it is there for? Read on to learn more.

How to Use DMT Vape Pens
Read to learn all about DMT vape pens including: what to know when vaping, what to expect when purchasing a DMT cartridge, and vaping safely.

DMT Resources
This article is a comprehensive DMT resource providing extensive information from studies, books, documentaries, and more. Check it out!

Differentiating DMT and Near-Death Experiences
Some say there are similarities between a DMT trip and death. Read our guide on differentiating DMT and near-death experiences to find out.

DMT Research from 1956 to the Edge of Time
From a representative sample of a suitably psychedelic crowd, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who couldn’t tell you all about Albert Hofmann’s enchanted bicycle ride after swallowing what turned out to be a massive dose of LSD. Far fewer, however, could tell you much about the world’s first DMT trip.

The Ultimate Guide to DMT Pricing
Check out our ultimate guide on DMT pricing to learn what to expect when purchasing DMT for your first time.

DMT Milking | Reality Sandwich
Indigenous cultures have used 5-MeO-DMT for centuries. With the surge in demand for psychedelic toad milk, is DMT Milking harming the frogs?

Why Does DMT Pervade Nature?
With the presence of DMT in nature everywhere – including human brains – why does it continue to baffle science?

DMT Substance Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
Our ultimate guide to DMT has everything you want to know about this powerful psychedelic referred to as “the spirit molecule”.

DMT for Depression: Paving the Way for New Medicine
We’ve been waiting for an effective depression treatment. Studies show DMT for depression works even for treatment resistant patients.

Beating Addiction with DMT
Psychedelics have been studied for their help overcoming addiction. Read how DMT is helping addicts beat their substance abuse issues.

DMT Extraction: Behind the Scientific Process
Take a look at DMT extraction and the scientific process involved. Learn all you need to know including procedures and safety.

Microdosing DMT & Common Dosages Explained
Microdosing, though imperceivable, is showing to have many health benefits–here is everything you want to know about microdosing DMT.

DMT Art: A Look Behind Visionary Creations
An entire genre of artwork is inspired by psychedelic trips with DMT. Read to learn about the entities and visions behind DMT art.

Changa vs. DMT: What You Need to Know
While similar (changa contains DMT), each drug has its own unique effect and feeling. Let’s compare and contrast changa vs DMT.

5-MeO-DMT Guide: Effects, Benefits, Safety, and Legality
5-Meo-DMT comes from the Sonora Desert toad. Here is everything you want to know about 5-Meo-DMT and how it compares to 4-AcO-DMT.

4-AcO-DMT Guide: Benefits, Effects, Safety, and Legality
This guide tells you everything about 4 AcO DMT & 5 MeO DMT, that belong to the tryptamine class, and are similar but slightly different to DMT.

How Much Does LSD Cost? When shopping around for that magical psychedelic substance, there can be many uncertainties when new to buying LSD. You may be wondering how much does LSD cost? In this article, we will discuss what to expect when purchasing LSD on the black market, what forms LSD is sold in, and the standard breakdown of buying LSD in quantity.   Navy Use of LSD on the Dark Web The dark web is increasingly popular for purchasing illegal substances. The US Navy has now noticed this trend with their staff. Read to learn more.   Having Sex on LSD: What You Need to Know Can you have sex on LSD? Read our guide to learn everything about sex on acid, from lowered inhibitions to LSD users quotes on sex while tripping.   A Drug That Switches off an LSD Trip A pharmaceutical company is developing an “off-switch” drug for an LSD trip, in the case that a bad trip can happen. Some would say there is no such thing.   Queen of Hearts: An Interview with Liz Elliot on Tim Leary and LSD The history of psychedelia, particularly the British experience, has been almost totally written by men. Of the women involved, especially those who were in the thick of it, little has been written either by or about them. A notable exception is Liz Elliot.   LSD Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety LSD, Lysergic acid diethylamide, or just acid is one of the most important psychedelics ever discovered. What did history teach us?   Microdosing LSD & Common Dosage Explained Microdosing, though imperceivable, is showing to have many health benefits–here is everything you want to know about microdosing LSD.   LSD Resources Curious to learn more about LSD? This guide includes comprehensive LSD resources containing books, studies and more.   LSD as a Spiritual Aid There is common consent that the evolution of mankind is paralleled by the increase and expansion of consciousness. From the described process of how consciousness originates and develops, it becomes evident that its growth depends on its faculty of perception. Therefore every means of improving this faculty should be used.   Legendary LSD Blotter Art: A Hidden Craftsmanship Have you ever heard of LSD blotter art? Explore the trippy world of LSD art and some of the top artists of LSD blotter art.   LSD and Exercise: Does it Work? LSD and exercise? Learn why high-performing athletes are taking hits of LSD to improve their overall potential.   Jan Bastiaans Treated Holocaust Survivors with LSD Dutch psychiatrist, Jan Bastiaans administered LSD-assisted therapy to survivors of the Holocaust. A true war hero and pioneer of psychedelic-therapy.   LSD and Spiritual Awakening I give thanks for LSD, which provided the opening that led me to India in 1971 and brought me to Neem Karoli Baba, known as Maharajji. Maharajji is described by the Indians as a “knower of hearts.”   How LSD is Made: Everything You Need to Know Ever wonder how to make LSD? Read our guide to learn everything you need to know about the procedures of how LSD is made.   How to Store LSD: Best Practices Learn the best way to store LSD, including the proper temperature and conditions to maximize how long LSD lasts when stored.   Bicycle Day: The Discovery of LSD Every year on April 19th, psychonauts join forces to celebrate Bicycle Day. Learn about the famous day when Albert Hoffman first discovered the effects of LSD.   Cary Grant: A Hollywood Legend On LSD Cary Grant was a famous actor during the 1930’s-60’s But did you know Grant experimented with LSD? Read our guide to learn more.   Albert Hofmann: LSD — My Problem Child Learn about Albert Hofmann and his discovery of LSD, along with the story of Bicycle Day and why it marks a historic milestone.   Babies are High: What Does LSD Do To Your Brain What do LSD and babies have in common? Researchers at the Imperial College in London discover that an adult’s brain on LSD looks like a baby’s brain.   1P LSD: Effects, Benefits, Safety Explained 1P LSD is an analogue of LSD and homologue of ALD-25. Here is everything you want to know about 1P LSD and how it compares to LSD.   Francis Crick, DNA & LSD Type ‘Francis Crick LSD’ into Google, and the result will be 30,000 links. Many sites claim that Crick (one of the two men responsible for discovering the structure of DNA), was either under the influence of LSD at the time of his revelation or used the drug to help with his thought processes during his research. Is this true?   What Happens If You Overdose on LSD? A recent article presented three individuals who overdosed on LSD. Though the experience was unpleasant, the outcomes were remarkably positive.

The Ayahuasca Experience
Ayahuasca is both a medicine and a visionary aid. You can employ ayahuasca for physical, mental, emotional and spiritual repair, and you can engage with the power of ayahuasca for deeper insight and realization. If you consider attainment of knowledge in the broadest perspective, you can say that at all times, ayahuasca heals.

 

Trippy Talk: Meet Ayahuasca with Sitaramaya Sita and PlantTeachers
Sitaramaya Sita is a spiritual herbalist, pusangera, and plant wisdom practitioner formally trained in the Shipibo ayahuasca tradition.

 

The Therapeutic Value of Ayahuasca
My best description of the impact of ayahuasca is that it’s a rocket boost to psychospiritual growth and unfolding, my professional specialty during my thirty-five years of private practice.

 

Microdosing Ayahuasca: Common Dosage Explained
What is ayahuasca made of and what is considered a microdose? Explore insights with an experienced Peruvian brewmaster and learn more about this practice.

 

Ayahuasca Makes Neuron Babies in Your Brain
Researchers from Beckley/Sant Pau Research Program have shared the latest findings in their study on the effects of ayahuasca on neurogenesis.

 

The Fatimiya Sufi Order and Ayahuasca
In this interview, the founder of the Fatimiya Sufi Order,  N. Wahid Azal, discusses the history and uses of plant medicines in Islamic and pre-Islamic mystery schools.

 

Consideration Ayahuasca for Treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Research indicates that ayahuasca mimics mechanisms of currently accepted treatments for PTSD. In order to understand the implications of ayahuasca treatment, we need to understand how PTSD develops.

 

Brainwaves on Ayahuasca: A Waking Dream State
In a study researchers shared discoveries showing ingredients found in Ayahuasca impact the brainwaves causing a “waking dream” state.

 

Cannabis and Ayahuasca: Mixing Entheogenic Plants
Cannabis and Ayahuasca: most people believe they shouldn’t be mixed. Read this personal experience peppered with thoughts from a pro cannabis Peruvian Shaman.

 

Ayahuasca Retreat 101: Everything You Need to Know to Brave the Brew
Ayahuasca has been known to be a powerful medicinal substance for millennia. However, until recently, it was only found in the jungle. Word of its deeply healing and cleansing properties has begun to spread across the world as many modern, Western individuals are seeking spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical well-being. More ayahuasca retreat centers are emerging in the Amazon and worldwide to meet the demand.

 

Ayahuasca Helps with Grief
A new study published in psychopharmacology found that ayahuasca helped those suffering from the loss of a loved one up to a year after treatment.

 

Ayahuasca Benefits: Clinical Improvements for Six Months
Ayahuasca benefits can last six months according to studies. Read here to learn about the clinical improvements from drinking the brew.

 

Ayahuasca Culture: Indigenous, Western, And The Future
Ayahuasca has been use for generations in the Amazon. With the rise of retreats and the brew leaving the rainforest how is ayahuasca culture changing?

 

Ayahuasca Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
The Amazonian brew, Ayahuasca has a long history and wide use. Read our guide to learn all about the tea from its beginnings up to modern-day interest.

 

Ayahuasca and the Godhead: An Interview with Wahid Azal of the Fatimiya Sufi Order
Wahid Azal, a Sufi mystic of The Fatimiya Sufi Order and an Islamic scholar, talks about entheogens, Sufism, mythology, and metaphysics.

 

Ayahuasca and the Feminine: Women’s Roles, Healing, Retreats, and More
Ayahuasca is lovingly called “grandmother” or “mother” by many. Just how feminine is the brew? Read to learn all about women and ayahuasca.

What Is the Standard of Care for Ketamine Treatments?
Ketamine therapy is on the rise in light of its powerful results for treatment-resistant depression. But, what is the current standard of care for ketamine? Read to find out.

What Is Dissociation and How Does Ketamine Create It?
Dissociation can take on multiple forms. So, what is dissociation like and how does ketamine create it? Read to find out.

Having Sex on Ketamine: Getting Physical on a Dissociative
Curious about what it could feel like to have sex on a dissociate? Find out all the answers in our guide to sex on ketamine.

Special K: The Party Drug
Special K refers to Ketamine when used recreationally. Learn the trends as well as safety information around this substance.

Kitty Flipping: When Ketamine and Molly Meet
What is it, what does it feel like, and how long does it last? Read to explore the mechanics of kitty flipping.

Ketamine vs. Esketamine: 3 Important Differences Explained
Ketamine and esketamine are used to treat depression. But what’s the difference between them? Read to learn which one is right for you: ketamine vs. esketamine.

Guide to Ketamine Treatments: Understanding the New Approach
Ketamine is becoming more popular as more people are seeing its benefits. Is ketamine a fit? Read our guide for all you need to know about ketamine treatments.

Ketamine Treatment for Eating Disorders
Ketamine is becoming a promising treatment for various mental health conditions. Read to learn how individuals can use ketamine treatment for eating disorders.

Ketamine Resources, Studies, and Trusted Information
Curious to learn more about ketamine? This guide includes comprehensive ketamine resources containing books, studies and more.

Ketamine Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
Our ultimate guide to ketamine has everything you need to know about this “dissociative anesthetic” and how it is being studied for depression treatment.

Ketamine for Depression: A Mental Health Breakthrough
While antidepressants work for some, many others find no relief. Read to learn about the therapeutic uses of ketamine for depression.

Ketamine for Addiction: Treatments Offering Hope
New treatments are offering hope to individuals suffering from addiction diseases. Read to learn how ketamine for addiction is providing breakthrough results.

Microdosing Ketamine & Common Dosages Explained
Microdosing, though imperceivable, is showing to have many health benefits–here is everything you want to know about microdosing ketamine.

How to Ease a Ketamine Comedown
Knowing what to expect when you come down from ketamine can help integrate the experience to gain as much value as possible.

How to Store Ketamine: Best Practices
Learn the best ways how to store ketamine, including the proper temperature and conditions to maximize how long ketamine lasts when stored.

How To Buy Ketamine: Is There Legal Ketamine Online?
Learn exactly where it’s legal to buy ketamine, and if it’s possible to purchase legal ketamine on the internet.

How Long Does Ketamine Stay in Your System?
How long does ketamine stay in your system? Are there lasting effects on your body? Read to discover the answers!

How Ketamine is Made: Everything You Need to Know
Ever wonder how to make Ketamine? Read our guide to learn everything you need to know about the procedures of how Ketamine is made.

Colorado on Ketamine: First Responders Waiver Programs
Fallout continues after Elijah McClain. Despite opposing recommendations from some city council, Colorado State Health panel recommends the continued use of ketamine by medics for those demonstrating “excited delirium” or “extreme agitation”.

Types of Ketamine: Learn the Differences & Uses for Each
Learn about the different types of ketamine and what they are used for—and what type might be right for you. Read now to find out!

Kitty Flipping: When Ketamine and Molly Meet
What is it, what does it feel like, and how long does it last? Read to explore the mechanics of kitty flipping.

MDMA & Ecstasy Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
Our ultimate guide to MDMA has everything you want to know about Ecstasy from how it was developed in 1912 to why it’s being studied today.

How To Get the Most out of Taking MDMA as a Couple
Taking MDMA as a couple can lead to exciting experiences. Read here to learn how to get the most of of this love drug in your relationship.

Common MDMA Dosage & Microdosing Explained
Microdosing, though imperceivable, is showing to have many health benefits–here is everything you want to know about microdosing MDMA.

Having Sex on MDMA: What You Need to Know
MDMA is known as the love drug… Read our guide to learn all about sex on MDMA and why it is beginning to makes its way into couple’s therapy.

How MDMA is Made: Common Procedures Explained
Ever wonder how to make MDMA? Read our guide to learn everything you need to know about the procedures of how MDMA is made.

Hippie Flipping: When Shrooms and Molly Meet
What is it, what does it feel like, and how long does it last? Explore the mechanics of hippie flipping and how to safely experiment.

How Cocaine is Made: Common Procedures Explained
Ever wonder how to make cocaine? Read our guide to learn everything you need to know about the procedures of how cocaine is made.

A Christmas Sweater with Santa and Cocaine
This week, Walmart came under fire for a “Let it Snow” Christmas sweater depicting Santa with lines of cocaine. Columbia is not merry about it.

Ultimate Cocaine Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
This guide covers what you need to know about Cocaine, including common effects and uses, legality, safety precautions and top trends today.

NEWS: An FDA-Approved Cocaine Nasal Spray
The FDA approved a cocaine nasal spray called Numbrino, which has raised suspicions that the pharmaceutical company, Lannett Company Inc., paid off the FDA..

The Ultimate Guide to Cannabis Bioavailability
What is bioavailability and how can it affect the overall efficacy of a psychedelic substance? Read to learn more.

Cannabis Research Explains Sociability Behaviors
New research by Dr. Giovanni Marsicano shows social behavioral changes occur as a result of less energy available to the neurons. Read here to learn more.

The Cannabis Shaman
If recreational and medical use of marijuana is becoming accepted, can the spiritual use as well? Experiential journalist Rak Razam interviews Hamilton Souther, founder of the 420 Cannabis Shamanism movement…

Cannabis Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
Our ultimate guide to Cannabis has everything you want to know about this popular substances that has psychedelic properties.

Cannabis and Ayahuasca: Mixing Entheogenic Plants
Cannabis and Ayahuasca: most people believe they shouldn’t be mixed. Read this personal experience peppered with thoughts from a procannabis Peruvian Shaman.

CBD-Rich Cannabis Versus Single-Molecule CBD
A ground-breaking study has documented the superior therapeutic properties of whole plant Cannabis extract as compared to synthetic cannabidiol (CBD), challenging the medical-industrial complex’s notion that “crude” botanical preparations are less effective than single-molecule compounds.

Cannabis Has Always Been a Medicine
Modern science has already confirmed the efficacy of cannabis for most uses described in the ancient medical texts, but prohibitionists still claim that medical cannabis is “just a ruse.”

Related Posts

Ready to explore the frontiers of consciousness?

Sign up for the Reality Bites newsletter and embark on a journey into the world of psychedelics, mindfulness, and transformation. It’s where the curious minds gather.

Become a conscious agent with us.

Featured Partner
Cosmic Melts
Cosmic Melts are the latest mushroom gummies we’ve been munching on. Choose from five fruity flavors, each gummy containing 350mg of Amanita muscaria.
 
Amanita muscaria offers a unique (and totally legal!) mushroom experience, and Cosmic Melts is an ideal entry point for the curious consumer.
Featured Partner
Organa Fuel
If you’re a human being living in the world today – you’re in the rat race. It doesn’t matter where you live, or what you do for work or play – your nervous system needs support.

Check out Organa Fuel – this liquid nutrient works at a cellular level with super potent antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory levels. All the ‘antis’ you’re after, it’s got ’em.

Our Partners

We’re now streaming consciousness and medicine music all day, every day. Turn on, tune in, drop out.

Hear from the RS community in our new video series, spotlighting shared experiences and stories with plant medicines, psychedelics, consciousness, dreams, meditation, etc.

Welcome to Reality Sandwich. Please verify that you are over 18 years of age below.

Reality Sandwich uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By entering Reality Sandwich, you are agreeing to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.