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I explored psychedelics and decided they were not for me

Chris 44yo, High school principal

DepressionPersonal Growth

Professional background · Two years

It is a legitimate outcome to try something, learn from it and say no thank you.

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These stories represent individual experiences and are not medical advice. Experiences with psychedelic substances vary significantly and may involve medical, psychological and legal risks.

I explored psychedelics and decided they were not for me

121 words

Life before I started

Mid-career, mildly depressed, curious after a podcast.

What I was experiencing

Low mood, low motivation, nothing dramatic.

What I'd tried before

Exercise, therapy briefly, and a lot of reading.

What I explored

Microdosing for three months, one moderate supervised experience, meditation, therapy.

What happened

The supervised experience was interesting and slightly unpleasant and did not shift much. The microdosing did nothing I could detect.

What surprised me most

That therapy plus a running habit outperformed everything else for me by a wide margin.

What didn't help

Both, in my case. Honestly.

What I'm still working through

Winter still flattens me. Light therapy and training help.

What I learned about myself

That curiosity satisfied is still a good result. I stopped wondering.

Where I am now

Running four times a week, in therapy monthly, mood substantially better.

What I'd tell someone starting out

Try things, keep notes, and be willing to conclude that something is not your answer. That is not failure.

Explore what Chris tried

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