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Don’t Look in the Mirror – the Truth about Psychedelics and Reflections  

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9 months ago

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Have you guys ever seen the film Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics on Netflix? Although it came out in 2020, it somehow managed to slip under my radar. It’s a somewhat dramatized documentary with a handful of celebrities describing their experiences with psychedelics using story-telling, reenacting, and animations to bring life to their accounts. While I enjoyed the light-hearted nature of the movie, overall, the celebrities’ stories were shallow and cliched, reading like something out of a Hunter S. Thompson Novel.

One thing all the celebrities emphasized, was “don’t look in the mirror”, while on psychedelics. I’ve been told this before when I was in my teens and first started experimenting with hallucinogens, but never really gave it too much thought. The idea is that your face will morph and distort into something that could be possibly terrifying, sending you into a traumatic bad trip. But how much truth is there to this warning, or is it just an urban legend?

Tripping on psychedelics 

A psychedelic experience is a temporary altered state of consciousness induced by the consumption of a psychedelic substance. For example, an acid trip is a psychedelic experience brought on by the use of LSD, while a mushroom trip is a psychedelic experience brought on by the use of psilocybin.  

That’s a very basic definition of it, but what actually happens when you’re tripping? From a scientific standpoint, our brains react in a similar way when we trip, regardless of what the substance in question is. Typically, neuroscientists and other experts in the field use the term to describe substances that bind to the serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) receptor; although there are a few other mechanisms through which these drugs can work. The other ways that psychedelic drugs can make us hallucinate is by activation of dopamine D2 receptors (usually happens when using psychostimulants like ecstasy) or by blocking glutamate NDMA receptors (like with dissociative anesthetics). 

Once the psychedelics reach the brain, we typically see an increased activation of delta and gamma waves and the suppression of alpha and beta waves. When we are awake and alert, the brain is dominated by alpha, beta, and gamma waves. When we sleep, delta and theta waves take over. The pairing of “alert” gamma waves and “sleeping” delta waves, could explain why psychedelics trips are akin to dream-like states that we experience while still awake. 

This is also why psychedelic trips are so sentient and thought provoking in nature. Trips often vary in intensity, but they can affect all the senses and can change a person’s thought process, and their sense of time, space and reality. They are known to produce auditory, visual, and sensory hallucinations, however, some users experience no hallucinations at all.  

Rather, they may invoke feelings of general well-being, spirituality, euphoria, connectedness, introspection, and overall well-being, and experiencing of mystical and otherworldly encounters. Numerous factors make tripping a very subjective experience such as dosing, set and setting, tolerance, among other elements.  

On the flip side, some people experience bad trips, which means they had some type of negative side effects or maybe even scary hallucinations. Physical symptoms of a bad trip can include but are not limited to: irregular heartbeat, nausea, chills, sweating, and anxiety. Dosing and setting, among other factors, can significantly impact a psychedelic trip, so you want to make sure that you’re doing everything possible to ensure an uplifting and beneficial high. 

Don’t look in the mirror 

Many people have been told at least once by their more experienced friends that they should avoid looking in the mirror while using psychedelics. And while that typically applies to LSD, higher doses of mushrooms and other hallucinogens can have similar effects. So, is there any truth to this warning, or is it just an urban legend?  

While I’ve personally looked in the mirror many times on mushrooms and not had any life-shattering experiences, I can understand where the saying comes from based on how I personally see faces when I’m tripping. For example, the last time I tripped with my best friend, there were a few times that I’d look at her face and it would start morphing into something else, like an old witch or some type of mystical elf. It still looked like her, just kind of not. And mind you, this has been my best friend for the last 20 years, so she’s definitely someone I feel comfortable taking mushrooms around.  

Granted, we were wandering around the middle of the desert at night so we were in pitch-black darkness, and even when you’re not on drugs that can make you start imagining things. And it didn’t send me into a bad trip or anything, all I had to do was look away for a quick second, remind myself I’m high, and everything was cool and happy still. But nonetheless, it’s trippy and weird. And that’s a common occurrence for me, pretty much every time I take hallucinogens, faces contort.  

Now when it comes to my own reflection, I experience the same thing. Some slight morphing and distortions, but overall, nothing too crazy and I can look away and regroup with ease. One of the main problems that people have when looking in the mirror is that it can trigger some unpleasant self-reflection, like having bad thoughts about yourself, feeling older, ugly, hyper-fixating on certain aspects you don’t like about yourself, thinking about stuff you’ve done in the past, and so on.  

Seeing your own face doing crazy things and really examining yourself on psychedelics can be eye-opening, but also quite scary if you have self-esteem issues or any deep-rooted pain or trauma you’re dealing with.  

Do look in the mirror? 

Again, I disregarded this advice because I know that I usually maintain pretty good control and situational awareness while on shrooms. But a lot of people view the whole “don’t look in the mirror” warning as a sign of the person saying it may be lacking experience or self-knowledge. A person who is in touch with themselves spiritually will not avoid looking in the mirror – either literally or figuratively.  

And if you’re taking hallucinogens to gain a better understanding of yourself and the world around you, learning how to deal with various unpleasant aspects is a really important aspect of your psychedelic journey. Although unpleasant, people often learn a lot more from bad trips than good ones.  

If you approach every psychedelic journey with honesty and humility, and with the sincere willpower to learn from the experience regardless of what happens, then you’re already halfway there. With this mindset, looking in the mirror on psychedelics can be viewed as an opportunity for self-discovery and growth, rather than something scary that should be avoided.  

Final thoughts  

To look in the mirror, or not… that is the question. The answer? It really depends. Is there a reason to look in the mirror? If not, then there really is no point. But if you happen to catch a glimpse of yourself, just know that it might not be as horrifying as everyone says it will be. If you’re not suffering from crippling self-esteem issues, looking in the mirror on psychedelics should be ok.

Do you have any experience with this? Have you been lost in the mirror while tripping on drugs? Let us know in the comment section below, we’d love to hear from you!

Hello readers. We’re happy to have you with us at Cannadelics.com; a news source here to bring you the best in independent reporting for the growing cannabis and hallucinogen fields. Join us frequently to stay on top of everything, and subscribe to our Cannadelics Weekly Newsletter, for updates straight to your email. Check out some awesome promos for cannabis buds, smoking devices and equipment like vapes, edibles, cannabinoid compounds, amanita mushroom products, and a whole bunch more. Let’s all get stoned together!



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Drug Sickness – What’s a Body Load & How to Minimize It

Published

6 months ago

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November 11, 2023

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We have different words that describe a bad experience with drugs, like bad trip. Another term ‘body load’ describes something similar, but for any psychoactive drug.

Body load definition

According to ChemEurope.com, a body load is “an unpleasant physical sensation that is difficult to describe either in terms of other sensations or in its specific location,” And that it applies to “users of psychoactive drugs, and especially users of psychedelics, to describe specific tactile sensations brought on by drug use.” These physical sensations are generally unpleasant, but also hard to objectively describe, both when it comes to the physical location of a feeling, and what exactly it feels like.

Some refer to it as pre-shock; a possible mental state when the person/body senses a lot of stress coming. Different drugs are associated with different drug load sensations, but some of the basic symptoms include: stomach ache, nausea, dizziness, shivering, tension in the torso (excessively), and over-stimulation – or the feeling of being wired or wrestles. In some cases, the user might experience shortness of breath, or feel suffocated. ‍

The terms ‘body rush’ and ‘body high’ also imply a sort of flooding of sensation upon first getting high. However, these terms come with a positive connotation of it feeling good, rather than the ‘body load’ experience of negative sensations. Since different people experience drugs differently, what might cause a body rush for one, might cause a body load, for another.

Symptoms of body load are similar to those of a bad trip
Symptoms of body load are similar to those of a bad trip

In terms of why this happens, there’s no hard and fast answer. Both a body load response and a body rush response are directly related to taking a drug with psychoactive properties; so to a degree, it suffices to say that things of this nature can be expected when messing with the brain. Some scientists believe – especially with psychedelics and MDMA, that its because of the stimulation of serotonin receptors; many of which are related to tactile functioning. Serotonin receptors also exist in the lining of the digestive tract, which could also help explain feelings of nausea, since serotonin is a big player in appetite control.

What do people have to say?

How do users directly describe their experiences with body load? I went to a couple message boards to get an idea of how other people see it. At Shroomery.org, there were a few interesting inputs. One poster said “body load is when you took too much acid and it feels like your skin is melting.”

Another said “Body load for me is the nausea, or the teeth clenching, or the pounding heart when I’m lying on the couch…Things that are generally unpleasant or painful and take away from my mental happiness during a trip.” Yet another explained, “I get pretty nasty body loads from dried out mushrooms, for example… even as little as 1.5 grams will give me sensations of nausea and random localized pressure that usually stresses me out at least a little bit.”

On Bluelight.org, there are also some good insights and descriptions. One person said “Body load can feel good or bad- on 2c-i the feelings were based on euphoria and being ultra-energized which felt great. But I find with speed, where I’ll exhibit similar symptoms, this is more based on over-stimulation and nervous/ fight or flight/ adrenaline responses which directly affect the physical body and make me feel awful.”

Another explained their own experience like this: “Thats what I specifically associate with body load…that feeling like you HAVE to do something RIGHT now, yet [you] have no idea what and no urge to get up. Tightness/cramping in the upper chest makes it quite hard to breathe…its sort of like a strong hit of adrenaline but not quite. I will frequently get this on lsd if i am cooped up in a cramped area and it will grow and grow till it is intolerable.”

Someone else described it this way, “You can think of it as a poison. 5-Meo-DMT has body load, is recreational and also a poison in toads, along with a close chemical 5-OH-DMT. The latter is not considered recreational and can kill small animals. It causes very discomforting body load, can cause temporary paralysis, and some other nasty side effects such as heart palpitations and blood pressure issues.”

Psychedelics are known for causing bad trips
Psychedelics are known for causing bad trips

And yet another, said this: “I always used the term ‘body load’ for the physical effects a drug has to the body eg. twitches, cramps, aches, tremors, jaw clenching etc. and also like how much it takes out of you: like energy, like i would say substances like DO* would have more of a body load than LSD and so does 2c-t-7.”

Is this the same as a bad trip?

There are very few finite definitions when it comes to things like this. After all, if it can’t be said for sure what causes something, its hard to establish much about it; like why it happens, or exactly WHAT happens. Often, different things are described the same way; giving the impression that they’re the same. Or conversely, one concept can be spoken about as different things, when its only one concept.

I believe the latter is the case with bad trips and body load. It seems by both the symptoms, and the drugs they’re more likely to happen with, that we’re talking about an anxiety response; and one likely to happen from a serotonin rush. Both concepts are technically relevant to any drug which doesn’t feel good when taken; but are both more often spoken about concerning psychedelics.

In fact, the symptoms are nearly exactly the same; although perhaps a ‘bad trip’ is more indicative of an entirely bad trip, while ‘body load’ might refer more to just the beginning part. However, as there is no definitive amount of time that body load symptoms last; the term can be used to describe an entire trip; in which case, it really is just a bad trip.

The term ‘bad trip’ generally refers to psychedelics, which are known to bring on a negative trip for some people, or under certain circumstances; but its attached to other drugs as well. Though the word ‘trip’ implies something hallucinogenic; the term can pertain to any negative drug experience. In the most basic sense, an overdose of any drug, is a bad trip. Body load is also spoken about most with psychedelics, but is a broader term that implies a negative reaction from any psychoactive drug. Once again, the meanings are essentially the same.

How to reduce body load symptoms

No one wants to feel bad from the drugs they take to feel good. It’s actually rather sad when you think about spending money to get the right thing, finding the right person to procure it… and then having a horrible experience. Truth is, we can’t always know what will happen when we take something, but there are a few things that might point us in a more positive drug-experience direction.

LSD is associated with creating body load symptoms
LSD is associated with creating body load symptoms

For one, and this is important; not every drug is for everyone. Unfortunately, there can be a little trial and error to find out what works for you and what doesn’t; but pay attention. If a certain drug or class of drugs gives you a problem, do them less, or not at all. Or, start with way lower doses, or cut the dose the next time if your last experience on a certain amount, was bad. Much like when trying to avoid a bad trip, its also good to make sure that you’re as comfortable as possible, and going into it with as little stress as you can.

Bad trip and body load reactions might even be related to our individual genetics, and how our own bodies respond to a compound. Think of how some people get horrible hangovers, while others are up and skipping the next day. Or how some people smoke weed and fall asleep, while others think that everyone is watching them. We might be more prone to a specific reaction, based on things we can’t conceptualize at all. For this reason, its best to do what works for you, and not base what you take, or how much of it, on your friends or others around.

Conclusion

Drug experiences can be bad, good, or even both at the same time. If you’re having a body load or bad trip issue with any drug, perhaps rethink using it again. And alternatively, there might be something out there, that works better for your chemical make up.

Thanks for dropping in. We welcome you to Cannadelics.com; an independent channel for news, covering the world of drugs at large. Come again soon to keep up with what’s going on; and sign yourself up to the Cannadelics Weekly Newsletter; so you get all the important updates, directly.



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