Have you ever used a mind-altering substance recreationally?
Drugs!
I just wanted to hear what others had to say about this subject. Experiences? Funny stories? Scary stories? Sad stories? Favorite recreational substances? etc.
I’ve only tried Marijuana, but even it had some distressing effects on me and others that I know. Apparently because it was laced with some other drug or enhancement.
I tried it five times, I will share two of the most memorable ones with the rest of you. Ironically, these two times are the first and the last time I tried marijuana.
[The first] I was in grade 11 I believe [highschool], outside at lunch break with a buddy of mine named Paul. I don’t remember the intricate details of how we got to talking or actually lighting the marijuana, but I remember the lunch break was coming to a close, the clock was ticking, and we were hiding behind a portable (small houses used as classes outside of the main school building - used for school with an over-flow of students). Paul lit it, had a toke and passed it to me. If I remember correctly I had three or four tokes in all, holding each inhalement in as long as possible to make the greatest effect. I then quickly hurried to my class. The class I attended was a grade 12 American History class (remember I was in grade 11) where not a single soul in the class would talk to me because I was in grade 11 and not 12. I often got dirty and threatening looks to remember my place. I came late to class that day and found that the tables and students had been organized into groups. I walked over to the teacher to pick up my assignment for the day, I remember making a mental note not to actually say anything to the teacher so as not to get caught for smoking marijuana. He directed me to my group and I obediently sat at my alloted desk. I remember sitting way back in my chair so as to give as little attention as possible and just carefully listened to what my group was talking about in hope that I could actually get a grasp as to what was going on. We were doing mock-elections, the actual American elections were on (the won where Clinton Won). I remember adding something of value to the debate between some group members that were confused about what to do with some variable of our campaign. Next thing I knew they were all smiling at me and saying what a great debater I was and that I should be the group representative. Apparently I had talked so well and for so long that I had not realized it to my disillusioned consciousness from the marijuana. People started to like me, actually talked to me, and began to treat me with some respect and dignity.
[The second] I was dating a very beautiful girl whom I liked, but we were only in the first stages of our relationship. Her parents had invited me to come with them to a dance performance made by my girlfriends younger sister at a nearby university. My girlfriend was honest enough to tell me at the beginning that she was a part-time marijuana smoker, and she wanted to know if it bothered me. My answer was two part, 1)if marijuana doesn’t affect you in any sexual ways (for some it does) and you still have a hold on whats going on around you then its okay. 2)If not, then no I am not okay with it. She put my fears at ease and so that day, stupid me, decided that maybe we should share in a moment of smoking marijuana (dont ask me why, I kick myself for it even today). Anyway, we escaped from the university prior to the show starting. I had brought the stuff, she quickly grabbed it from me as I took it out and began to roll it, rather professional like. I told her I would roll the rest, she said “no, I know how to do it” which was rather strange and forceful from what I knew her to be, I was in shock. Anyway, we smoked the marijuana and it had a really bad affect on both of us, we started arguing, yelling and screaming at each other for no reason. We argued all the way back to the show which was in a room resembling a theater. We sat down and argued in the theater with her mother sitting right next to her. We were screaming at the top of our lungs. It got so bad that the row in front of us quickly became vacant. Not only was our relationship over and I had embarrassed myself like no other time in my life, I also got an excruciating head-ache from the music of the play that resounded with a multiplication of a thousand, beating inside my head. It got so bad and so painful, that it marks the first and only time I ever considered suicide. All from the sheer pain of the music in my head. From that day forth I have not touched another drug.
I wanted to ask, has anyone ever tried mescalin? Can you detail the experience?
What’s your take?
I am proud to say I’ve never taken any mind altering drugs. I don’t take them simply for that reasn: they are mind altering. It scares the shit out of me when I see these people who have been dropping acid and come back with their brains like a scratched cd. They seem alright, but something is missing. To make a metaphor: the cd keeps skipping.
I couldn’t take being like that. I know acid is considered a ‘hard’ drug, but weed will do the same thing to you. And like magius pointed out, you don’t know if it’s laced with something else. Moreover, I literally watched my grandfather die of parkinson’s disease, and my grandmother on the other side die of Alzheimer’s disease. I’ve seen mind alterations from almost every angle. I value my mind more than anything else. It is the only thing I have that keeps me separate from other people; it’s the only thing that places me above other people. It’s the one thing I can’t afford to loose…
What most people don’t realize is that everything we eat and drink is a drug. As all food is a chemical reaction, sugars give you energy, fatty foods make you tried. The same with breading oxygen, all chemical reactions.
Just some of these chemical reactions are band. Because either they’re harmful, or because there use is related to crime at some level. There’s little difference from ordinary smoking and Crack on the body. Both are addictive, both will kill you if used enough. The only difference is that the government doesn’t mind making money off one.
PV
Good points PV
To be honest, I’ve never seen the attraction with marijuana. I’ve only used it a few times, but every time it’s left me feeling either ill, tripped out of my skull or had no effect at all.
The first time I used it was when I was either 15 or 16 when a group of us went to my mates beach-house down by the coast. It was basically just an exercise in drinking heavily and doing stuff we couldn’t do in front of our parents. One night one of my mates pulled out his home made bong (plastic bottle with a piece of tubing sticking out the side - I’m sure you’ve all seen something like it 
) and some dope he’d gotten from somewhere, and we all had a cone or two. Now I was drunk (which probably didn’t help in hindsight) and had more than my fair share. Next thing I know, I’m on a bed somewhere and my the entire room was spinning violently. Now I’ve been drunk plenty of times where I’ve ended up in bed watching the ceiling reverberate, but this was something else - I was literally holding onto my bed, doing everything I possibly could to stop from falling off or vomitting everywhere… it wasn’t a pleasant sensation. That was the only downside of the weekend away though, and there a plenty of alcohol fueled stories from those few days if anyone wants to hear them… 
One of the subsequent times I’ve tried marijuana (I’ve probably done it 4, 5 times max?) - once again involving heavy drinking before hand mind - I ended up passing out in a pub as I stood to buy another round of drinks and nearly smacked my head into a fire extinguisher… which wouldn’t have been so bad if we weren’t drinking there illegally (we were underage) as it was. So yeah. I’m not “feeling” marijuana at all to be perfectly honest. The only other “illegal” drug I’ve tried is ecstacy, and I must admit that I enjoy it quite a bit actually.
I’m always “sensible” with it - never more than half a pill at a time, plenty of water etc - and only take it once every two months or so to give the serotonin in my brain a chance to regroup, but enjoying the clubbing as I do, it’s kinda hard to avoid it. The thing I like about it, though, is you can take it - and it gives you this warm energy, kinda like a caffeine pill and an aphrodesiac rolled into one - and still feel entirely sober. I dislike the “out-of-controlness” that marijuana gives me, and I dislike the draining, listless feeling that alcohol sometimes gives me (which doesn’t stop me drinking it like an alcoholic fish mind 
) whereas E gives me a sort of “clean” high - difficult to explain if you’ve never been there before though.
I can remember catching the train home from an event one morning (after dropping the night before), picking up a paper that had been left there, starting to read it and then just absorbing every word on the page. I was amazed at how sharp I was, especially given that I hadn’t slept the night before. I still say, to this day, that if you were to take half a pill before an exam you would do a lot better: it can improve your concentration and motivation that much. Also, lying there in bed one morning after dropping, I can remember lapsing into this semi-conscious dream state - probably the best term I can think of to describe it - where I just started memorising these codes for work. I’m not sure if I was actually memorising them or just convincing myself that I was, but I was basically just lying there, without even realising it, assigning 5 digit codes to tasks I had to perform at my job (which I was new to then I think). I was probably in this state of mind for the best part of an hour - just half-dreaming about work and memorising these codes - before I snapped out of it and sat up. Even then, for some reason which even now I don’t quite understand, I knew that if I went back to bed again I’d just start doing the same thing. My mind was so focussed on my new job and these bloody codes that I just couldn’t snap my mindset. If anyone has seen “A Beautiful Mind” - the part where he’s been pulled into the US Military and is facing a huge screen full of digits - the way he focusses his find so hard on the numbers that he starts identifying patterns that aren’t there, then you’re approaching my mindset at the time. I think that part of ABM struck a real chord with me for that very reason.
The 48 hours of insomnia after taking ecstacy isn’t quite so enjoyable though… but we shan’t get into that.
the thing with drugs is they can screw ya up if you take a spiked substance or completly over excess (though it does have its moments) But its just a risk that comes with the fun. A good joint to my knowledge never hurt anybody although im sure i will hear differently. It is a great sociabal thing every now and then we like a good joint betwen lessons etc. The only problem with dope is that 1: it rinses your money 2: to anyone who hasnt touched the stuff you become possibly the most dull person ever. Out of intrest whats the price for a O in everyones countries. In my view (for dope i dont do the other stuff because it gives me the willies) with dope as long as you arnt totaled on to many beers first and you dont eat it (ruins a good pizza and gives you a scary high) then it is great fun every now and then and not really a danger to society much less then drunk arseholes just after closing hours. The loving drinkers (I love you your such a good friend) type people are fine but the people who try to start a good bar fight after a few are much worse to society then a few 8ths becuase you cant fight on dope its impossible.
Thank you guys for sharing some of your experiences. I actually haven’t participated in any drug consumption in quite a few years but they are still a very big interest to me. I have never done any drug more than a few times but as I happen to be a very curious person, I have tried almost every reasonable drug out there. I, however, have never touched any drug that is potentially lethal. Risking my life is worth no form of experience.
I can completely understand your feelings towards drugs and their effects after hearing the stories that anti-drug ads portray. I even agree to an extent that drugs are most often improperly used and can cause problems. But most of the negative info that is portrayed is a bit skewed. LSD for instance, has absolutely no extended side effects. Repeated use of LSD and spending extended periods of time in an altered state eventually effects your mental stability and perception of reality. This is not a direct effect of the drug. If you spend an extended amount of time in any environment, you will eventually begin to conform to that environment. Don’t blame the drugs, blame the abuse! Addictive and potentially lethal drugs are a different story.
I am surprised no one mentioned paranoia in their experiences with Marijauna. I am not a very big fan of marijuana for that reason as well as the fact that I don’t particularly find stupifying myself to the intelligence of a monkey a good way to spend my time. It is also a drug that tends to lead to confusion, as Magius pointed out in his story. I find myself drawn to the drugs that either give me some insight about myself (psychadelic drugs) or bring about a positive mood (i.e. ecstacy).
One of the most interesting things about psychadelic drugs (LSD, mescaline, psilocybin, DXM, etc.) is that they can often lead you to a better understanding of yourself. I have often come away from an experience with a much better understanding of my own perceptions, problems, weaknesses, and fears.
As JP mentioned, ecstacy doesn’t have very many negative effects at all. I have only tried it once but the experience was amazing. I can see a definite potential in it’s clinical use for treating depression and other psychological problems. There have been studies that show that the abuse of ecstacy can have some effects on the brain and levels of serotonin but again that is abuse cases only.
A quick note on the overly used statement, “It must have been laced with something. . .” This is just not true. Drug producers just don’t do this. There only interest is giving the customer what they want at the lowest cost of production. Why would a marijuana producer lace their product with cocaine, LSD, or any other substance? First of all, they would have to spend alot of extra time and money to add the secondary substance. Secondly, knowing that the customer is expecting marijuana, it would be a very poor way to get repeat business. The only time I have ever heard of a drug being laced is when the user does it for theirselves. This is not to say that there aren’t idiot drug dealers out there trying to sell Aspirin as Ecstacy and pencil shaving as Marijuana, but in most cases tampering is not a concerning factor. An estranged reaction to a drug usually pertains to psychological factors as well as the mood the person is in prior to the consumption.
Overall, I see potential positives in many drugs although I somewhat agree with the restraints they have on them. Drug abuse can have very ugly results.
Ectasy can have terrible come-downs though if you’re not in a positive siituation, you can get very depressed. It depends on the pill itself though, there are some good ectasy tablets and there are bad ones. An argument for legalisation of drugs is that then they’d all have to meet a certain standard. They can also be cut with some nasty stuff, like horse-tranquillizers, etc.
And you don’t really get back to being yourself for about 2-3 days after taking ectasy.
And plenty of drugs, such as speed, cocaine, etc. are cut with other products to change the effect of the drug, to reduce the amount of the real drug the put in without changing the effects (but generally the comedown is harder) and several drugs need a base in which to be mixed in other wise the drug would be too strong. What is used as a base can also have differing effects on the potential of the drug and the comedown. In short, know what you’re buying, know who you’re buying off, test if at all possible.
Has no one tried Mescalin?
Does alchol count?
I actually have never had the opportunity to try Mescaline but if given the chance, along with an experienced person to walk me through it, I would probably try it. Here is an experience I found by searching one of my favorite drug related web sites, erowid.org. Keep in mind that this is probably not the norm for a mescaline experience but I found it interesting. BTW, for anyone that did not know, mescaline is the chemical that is found in the Peyote cactus. It is often associated with the Native American Indians. It also has no ill-side effects or potentially lethal substances. Well, here you go.
Link to the original story at Erowid.org
DOSE :
175 ug oral LSD
225 mg oral Mescaline
Recently the great spirit has blessed me with the opportunity to begin working with what has quickly become my most special entheogenic ally - mescaline sulfate. My first two experiences (at 400 and 500 mg. respectively) with this material have easily surpassed my experiences with the other “traditional†psychedelics. As opposed to LSD, it is much gentler, more lucid, and euphoric, without the abrasive psychoanalytical edge that often irritates me on high dose acid trips. And I find its energizing qualities preferable to the drowsy, dreamy trance I usually experience with the mushroom. I would also like to stress that this is far and away the most healing entheogen that I have ever encountered, both physically and psychologically. One hour into my first journey, it was inescapably clear to me why the Indians say that Peyote is first and foremost a medicine before all else. I emerged from both trips feeling as though I had productively worked through a substantial amount of psychodynamic baggage and physically rejuvenated to boot!
In any event, after those trips I was inspired to start learning as much as I could about my newfound ally. In the impressively thorough San Pedro Fanatic FAQ I read that LSD and mescaline could be combined to yield a trip that was longer lasting and smoother than either alone. When I recently came across a hit of fresh, relatively potent (~150-200 mcg) acid, I decided to test this hypothesis, hoping the LSD would function as an amplifier, allowing one to get more mileage out of the frustratingly rare, delicate, needle-like crystals of mescaline. As it turned out, I was in no way disappointed. At approximately 9pm on the designated evening, I consumed the LSD and 225 mg of mescaline simultaneously. Initial effects were felt at the forty-five minute point, building to a plateau around the fourth hour, with residual effects persisting well into the following afternoon. My theory about the LSD acting essentially as a potentiator turned out to be correct; the mescaline’s warm, earthy signature was dominant throughout, while the experience felt subjectively stronger than my previous mescaline-only trip at 500 mg.
At the peak of this journey I had a totally paradigm-shattering experience that I am at a loss to interpret even still, several days afterwards. I was lying on my bed, incense and ceremonial candles alight, meditating. The air seemed to grow somehow thick, as though pregnant with energy, like a thundercloud about to burst. My visual acuity seemed to sharpen at the same time, as I looked at my hand and began to be able to make out tiny iridescent curlicues that were superimposed as if upon a clear scrim on top of everything that I saw. Then automatically, as if by instinct, I began to manipulate my eye muscles in a manner very similar to the technique used to view those “magic eye†3-D images, where you un-focus your eyes and attempt to look through the gibberish image to see the real picture. When I did this, the curlicues suddenly sprang into strong three-dimensional relief, and were revealed to be translucent, iridescent tentacles or tendrils of some sort that looked like they were formed out of ectoplasm. The room was electric with a sense of presence, and I followed the line of these tendrils away from my hand to their source. I was utterly unprepared for what I saw when I did so…
Floating in the corner of my room was an enormous, shimmering, translucent, opalescent, octopoid/jellyfish-like creature from which the tentacles protruded! My initial reaction was one of disbelief mixed with a substantial degree of fear. However, the thing immediately began to caress me with its tendrils as if to reassure me, and my apprehension completely melted away. Amazingly, I actually perceived a gentle, soothing pressure against my skin as it caressed me like a child! As it touched me I felt its consciousness partially merge with mine, and I was then flooded with a sense of love unlike anything I have ever experienced before or even imagined to be possible. Comparing any experience of transcendence that I had previously had to this is like trying to compare a candle to the sun. I had the sense that this was a guardian angel or something similar who was always with me, watching over me, and it was absolutely overjoyed that I could finally perceive and communicate with it directly. I was so moved by this that I wept openly with joy for a large portion of the time. I lay there soaking up its affection for nearly half an hour before it eventually vanished. The trip began to gradually, gently decline shortly afterwards.
Today as I sit here writing this, I am still as stunned and amazed by this as I was then. I have had plenty of entity contacts in the disembodied domain of DMT, but this thing tangibly coexisted in the same physical spacetime matrix as my body and the rest of consensus reality, which is a new one on me! I am really baffled as to how to interpret and integrate this. Input from anyone who may have had similar experiences would be gratefully welcomed.
A bit strange but a true account of a mescaline encounter.
I don’t see why not? I see alcohol just as much of a drug as any other. I just don’t happen to find it worth the hangover. Why do you ask? You must have some interesting alcohol related experiences that you desire to post?
-Skep
who hasnt
ed wins the game !
I would hit the first option but that means i like the others and i dont
alchol cheap or expensive and women cheap and expensive are my only vices.
first ill admit i am a “stoner.” im not proud of it, im not ashamed of it, i just am.
skeptic maybe marijuana doesnt lead you to personal discovery about yourself, but others will notice it. when ive been high, my reactions are slowed, both physically AND mentally. sometimes ill think of something i wouldnt usually say out loud because it would offend or embarrass somebody, but i dont think not to say it and i blurt it out. this is my experience anyways. also ive found that when im high, meditation is somehow better. i cant quite describe why it just is.
memory loss is the main problem for me, though it only affects me when im high. ive found myself asking the same question at least 5 times in less than 15 minutes and getting the same answer every time. i dont usually get paranoid though i get very lazy. my favorite stoned activity is sitting in my room with music on just listening.
the only other drugs ive tried are amphetamines, which can be good if you need to study.
I’m going to attempt to list all the drugs I have consumed ever.
Pot
Alcohol
Mushrooms (Psilocybe)
Opium
Various Opiates
Various Benzodiazaprines
Various Uppers including Meth
Nitrous
Special K (Ketamine)
Salvia
Caffeine
Nicotine
DXM (Robutussin)
That’s all that I can think of at the moment. But ya, I’ve done at least all of the above, and I have no regrets, or remorse about what I have done, but feel as though I have been enriched by these experiences. My life has been changed for the better as a result of many of these drugs, esp. mushrooms.
Salvia divinorum? I’d be interested to hear an account of your experience. Psychoactives are my favorite. Can you tell me anything about the effects? both negative and positive?
DXM is probably my favorite but I can’t ingest Robutussin. It makes me gag just thinking about it, let alone drinking a whole 8oz. bottle. I wish that it was still available in pill form. Shrooms don’t do much for me. They only a offer a rather depressing perspective on reality. LSD can be fun and interesing as long as you are in the right mood and are comfortable in your surroundings.
I see the future…rehab and lots of fried brain cells .
Good Luck to you guys. I hope you are able to stay in control of the drugs, and not allow them to start controlling you. Some people can, a lot of people can’t. I chose to never find out.
With the exception of alcohol, I’ve never done any drugs.
drugs are no threat to people who know what they are doing, its only when people dont know the right amount that things get bad. as long as you know what youre doing and can control yourself, theres nothing wrong with them.