While getting a bachelor degree at the University of Michigan, I took LSD twice. I have a remarkable, clear memory of my experiences.

At age 19, the first time taking LSD was awful. I was with five friends in a house in Ann Arbor. Looking in the mirror, my face melted into a skeleton. The horror! Crowds were wildly frightening, fast-moving and overwhelming. That night while my friends were snoring, I was soaring and high for another 12 hours. This is typical. I'm absurdly sensitive to drugs.

After our first LSD trip, we compared notes and made rules:

1. No driving.
2. Stay away from crowds.
3. Avoid mirrors.
4. Go to a peaceful woods and commune with nature.
5. Don't talk to your parents.
6. Listen to calming music only.

On my 2nd LSD trip with the same group, I had a beautiful, uplifting ethereal time dancing through the woods. Lying on my back, I saw the exquisite, clear outline of each green leaf. Wow. Blinked, and saw endless blue sky between the leaves. Amazing. This got me thinking. What other worlds exist of which we are unaware?

Third LSD trip. Age 21. New Year's Day 1976. Pacific Ocean beach, Washington State. Oddly, it was 76 degrees and sunny. I was with my best friend/boyfriend whom I would marry. We had recently moved to Washington. He was starting medical school at the University of Washington.

While high on LSD, I wrote the resume that got me my first professional job as a program director at the Tacoma Family YMCA.

That was the last time I smoked marijuana or took illegal drugs. I was also starting graduate school at the University of Washington. I needed clear eyes and a clear mind.

Yup.
Link: BBC News - Magic mushrooms can 'reset' depressed brains [bbc.com]

Only that the beautiful things I saw while high stayed with me. Shopping carts, street lights, tire marks... They're still interesting and pretty.

Yes, many times. All good, except for the hamsters in my bag.

Yip,LSD,Mescaline, Magic Mushrooms etc.And it was a good experience

Michael Pollan's new book, "How to Change Your Mind", is a much better source than the ravings of Terence McKenna. All the latest science on psychedics.

[theguardian.com]

You should look into the research associated with psilocybin, the psychedelic ingredient in mushrooms. It is being evaluated medically for PTSD, anxiety and other disorders. The research looks very promising. As for personal experience, I have had experience with LSD and mushrooms. Both before I had children. They are experiences I could never regret and believe was very beneficial to my open mind now

I recommend listening to talks about psychedelics by Terrence McKenna. He studied them deeply and used them himself and his insights are very interesting. Ram Dass is another good source of info. Ive used psilocybine and LSD in the past and have always had good experiences.

I have tried most of them, but by far, my favorite, are shrooms. Maybe because I did them again as an adult and appreciated the effects more. I struggle with depression and anxiety, but when taking mushrooms, other than the initial giggle fest, profound thoughts, and sometimes amazing....encounters, I find that I simply feel better for weeks afterward. The fog lifts and I function better. Kind of "allowed to be happy". I think it could cure a lot of mental health related issues. Any MN folks willing to help a girl out?

I used LSD 21 times (yes, I kept count-I don't know why) in my teenage years and I personally don't regret a thing about it. Not to sound Leary-like, but it opened important new vistas of thought and alternate conceptions of physical reality that have stuck with me my whole life.

It was 1969 and I had just got back from Vietnam. My friends over there told me a lot about acid and I found a situation with my friends at home in Michigan where they were using the drug like any other "get high" substance. To cut a very long story short I took LSD less than 1 week after coming home. My "trip" was the worst experience in my life. Several months later I took it again followed by another 6 or 7 times. I experienced some of the most memorable, pleasurable, experiences of my life.

I had many experiences with psychedelics. Most were just recreational, but I did have some profound things happen as well. I think it changed my thinking, particularly since I did most of it when I was young. It's hard to judge exactly, since I didn't grow up not doing it, to have something to compare it to. I've read several books about this, though not the one you referred to, and one of the things that stuck in my mind was that on tests afterward, people were more inclined to be concerned about quality of life issues, rather than mundane things like jobs and money, etc. I think that's a positive effect.

Acid was my drug of choice. The only problem I had was sore cheeks from grinning so much.☺

At least 5 times come to mind. I don't remember hallucinating though. It's how I became the designated fucked up driver.

I always listen to Sam's podcasts and that was yet another of his that I liked.

To answer your question... yes, I've had first-hand experience. Lots of first-hand experience.

Yes. The only one I would be interested in using again would be 'shrooms although I never tried ecstasy and am curious.

I always had wonderful experiences with a large pizza with mushrooms, hold the pizza.

I think it varies from person to person. I always felt that LSD cleans the baggage/clutter out of my mind and I feel mentally renewed afterwards, so yes, I believe it has health benefits for me. Mescaline always made me feel like I was my "real self" vs my normal existence, but no lasting effects. Mushrooms usually ended up becoming a bummer with dark and unhappy hallucinations and I would spend hours waiting for it to wear off.

I was always amused by the visuals I got from LSD. The cars on the road were right out of the early years of animation, with big, balloon tires and the flexibility of Jello. I remember once walking around on Mescaline and looking at a neon sky with cartoon birds. Later in the same day it was dark and I waited to cross a road. I could see a car in the distance so I waited; and waited; and waited. After what seemed like several hours I decided the car was moving so slowly it wouldn't arrive for days, so I stepped out into the road. Luckily, my friend pulled me back and the speeding car narrowly missed me. I found it hilarious. In my experience, the drugs usually just magnified any feelings the were predominant when I took them. I only had one bad trip and that was due to actual dangers I encountered. Other than the experience with the car, I was always able to keep calm and carry on.

Psychadelics are dangerous and fuck you up. Keep away from them.

I dabbled a few times back in my day. For the most part I had a great time because I was others that were tripping as well, so it turned into a huge laugh fest.

I grew up in the 70s, so yeah, I did some orange barrel, mescaline, speed, MDA, others. The thought scares the hell out of me now!! But lots of fun at the time. When you're really trashed and weird things are happening around you that you cannot understand ... the montra was ... MAINTAIN!! In other words, know that what you are experiencing is because of the drugs and your best friend's face has not really turned into a weasel face! Maintain!!

Well after watching my classmate jump off the rafters because she wanted to prove she knew how to fly, I kinda lost all respect for psychedelic drugs and the people that use them.

In the 70's I was very spiritual minded then, it would be curious how it would differ now, could be deadly scary.