Hello, nurse practitioner here, compelled to become a guide

[Roo]

I’m trained in conventional medicine in the UK and I’m a qualified prescriber. I’ve always been a very divergent thinker and have many frustrations with the way healthcare is set up, especially the nannying and hypocrisies around medical governance. I believe humans working in health are exhausted to the point of being unable to do their jobs properly and time poor GPs are no longer fit for purpose. Caregiving is catastrophically undervalued and all healthcare systems are peppered with burned out bad actors and egomaniacs.

I had some E once in the late 90s at a club which was great and afterwards for a couple of weeks I felt the best I’ve ever felt in my life. The world had literally lit up. I was tidy, organised, excited about life, happy, people were drawn to me, I have no idea what it was in that E that worked so well and I want to find out. I didn’t have any more meds like that until I had MDMA several times between 2012 and 2016 when clubbing, all great fun while they lasted but I didn’t get the same effect afterwards, I’m hoping to discover what it was - maybe someone here has a clue?

Anyway, I’m very interested in psychedelics, DMT and reconnecting with nature, and want to try NN DMT, 5-Me0DMT and MDMA at therapeutic doses to see if it helps my decades-long anhedonia.

Also, I’ve attended a few lectures and seminars and at the moment, even thought I’ve not tried these therapies, (or whatever they are termed) I feel as though I want to change direction and get involved in this area, to work as a therapist/guide and prepare for prescribing psychedelics when it is legalised. I might change my mind I guess after taking these substances of course haha.

TL/DR

I’d like to connect with other divergent medical professionals guides or very experienced qualified, safe, alternative practitioner guides.
Is anyone here able to recommend pathways for me to get involved in great, safe practice? (There are a few courses but I’ve not got a handle on how respected they are and some are many thousands of £/$ which I can’t afford).
Has anyone cured their chronic anhedonia with psychedelics?
Should I try NN or 5 first? And is it safe to do it alone or do I need someone with me?
What component in my late-90’s E might have caused me to feel so good, happy and alive for two weeks afterwards? (Purchased at The Cross club in London 1997).

Thanks all

 

[Varallo]

I’m trained in conventional medicine in the UK and I’m a qualified prescriber. I’ve always been a very divergent thinker and have many frustrations with the way healthcare is set up, especially the nannying and hypocrisies around medical governance. I believe humans working in health are exhausted to the point of being unable to do their jobs properly and time poor GPs are no longer fit for purpose. Caregiving is catastrophically undervalued and all healthcare systems are peppered with burned out bad actors and egomaniacs.

I had some E once in the late 90s at a club which was great and afterwards for a couple of weeks I felt the best I’ve ever felt in my life. The world had literally lit up. I was tidy, organised, excited about life, happy, people were drawn to me, I have no idea what it was in that E that worked so well and I want to find out. I didn’t have any more meds like that until I had MDMA several times between 2012 and 2016 when clubbing, all great fun while they lasted but I didn’t get the same effect afterwards, I’m hoping to discover what it was - maybe someone here has a clue?

Anyway, I’m very interested in psychedelics, DMT and reconnecting with nature, and want to try NN DMT, 5-Me0DMT and MDMA at therapeutic doses to see if it helps my decades-long anhedonia.

Also, I’ve attended a few lectures and seminars and at the moment, even thought I’ve not tried these therapies, (or whatever they are termed) I feel as though I want to change direction and get involved in this area, to work as a therapist/guide and prepare for prescribing psychedelics when it is legalised. I might change my mind I guess after taking these substances of course haha.

TL/DR

I’d like to connect with other divergent medical professionals guides or very experienced qualified, safe, alternative practitioner guides.
Is anyone here able to recommend pathways for me to get involved in great, safe practice? (There are a few courses but I’ve not got a handle on how respected they are and some are many thousands of £/$ which I can’t afford).
Has anyone cured their chronic anhedonia with psychedelics?
Should I try NN or 5 first? And is it safe to do it alone or do I need someone with me?
What component in my late-90’s E might have caused me to feel so good, happy and alive for two weeks afterwards? (Purchased at The Cross club in London 1997).

Thanks all

Hey Roo,

A warm welcome, It’s great to see you exploring the path of psychedelics, even without prior experience. In time you’ll find out whether it’s something that truly fits you.

I can imagine how difficult it is to work in healthcare, not only in the UK but everywhere. In my own circle I see friends working far beyond human limits at times, and it’s tough to witness given how important their work is.

As for psychedelics and anhedonia, DMT and 5-MeO-DMT haven’t been shown to be effective in formal studies. I do recall, though, a study with psilocybin that did show promising results. That could be worth considering, especially since psilocybin mushrooms are relatively accessible in the UK.

If you do decide to try a psychedelic, I’d suggest not doing it alone at first. Having someone you deeply trust with you makes a difference, especially if difficult emotions arise. Being open and honest about what you’re doing will only help the process.

When it comes to choosing, DMT is very quick and often overwhelming, especially for a first-time experience, not saying you shouldn’t but good to know what you’re getting into. I wouldn’t recommend 5-MeO-DMT as a starting point, since it can be very heavy and hard to integrate. Psilocybin, or Aya or pharmahuasca, on the other hand, allows more time and space to move through the experience. At lower doses it’s manageable, usually lasting several hours, and gives you a way to familiarize yourself before considering something as fast and intense as vaporized DMT.

I don’t guide people myself, but there are members here who do and who can give more support on that side.

Once again, welcome. It’s wonderful to have a healthcare worker in our midst.

 

[Pandora]

Roo,

Welcome to the Nexus.

I agree with Varello about the nature and speed of the psychedelics. I also agree that the best probability of changing your mind so to speak would be working with mushroms/psilocybin. Research is ongoing with these substances and it will be interesting to see what the future holds.

If you were in USA I could recommend a pathway through my psychedelic church for psychedelic practice but I cannot speak for UK. If pathways are opening up here surely there are some in Europe also.

Psychedelics have cured nothing in me (other than a phobia and I would not recommend that experience to anyone). They are a tool that can open doors and insight and offer potential pathways to change. It is up to us to do the hard and time consuming work. Speaking for myself, no matter how much or how little psychedelic medicine I consume, I find this working on making myself to try to be a better, happier person, trying to lower the dominance of my Default Mode Network, is an ongoing project.

I would recommend mushrooms first but if it must be a choice between NN DMT and 5-meo-DMT I would recommend beginning with low doses of NN and slowly titrating up to a sweet spot.

There are pathways to extraction in the Wiki link above. You might want to check that out.

Again, a warm welcome to you.

 

[ommani]

Hi Roo,

Welcome to the forum. I’ve previously worked for years in residential, mental health and addiction treatment settings, where I managed and dispensed medications. I currently work as a mental health caregiver, of sorts, with individuals recovering from severe mental illness, as well as in a supportive housing setting for young people coming out of homelessness. The mental health work, despite its waves of intensity, feels more low key and contained, whereas the supportive housing environment is a little more raw, including a fair amount of heavy substance use (thank god for narcan).

I happen to live in an area that’s a hotbed of psychedelic activity, and hope to get into the field of psychedelic assisted therapy, as well, in due time. There are many avenues for getting into that kind of work - personally, I hope to get a graduate degree in counseling psychology, which is something I started, but didn’t finish, years ago. I’m sure that being a nurse practitioner/prescriber will serve you well if you decide to pursue a path of working in psychedelic medicine.

There are several resources that come to mind, which could be helpful. One of my favorite people in the psychedelic space is Dr. Rosiland Watts, a British clinical psychologist who was involved in the psilocybin for depression trials that took place in the UK. She has tons of great podcast interviews and has started a global, online, psychedelic integration community (ACER). Dr. Rosiland Watts has some notable, Mary Poppins vibes, and is like the psychedelic fairy godmother:

Dr Rosalind Watts

Dr. Ros Watts, a leading clinical psychologist in psychedelic research, focuses on integration, harm reduction, and connectedness. Explore her research, the Watts Connectedness Scale, media features, and her Pearl Dive Protocol.

www.drrosalindwatts.com

Another good resource would be the Beckley Foundation, “a UK-based non-profit with a long history of pioneering psychedelic research” - it was founded by Amanda Feilding who was a countess, and a trail-blazing wild-woman:

Home - The Beckley Foundation

The Beckley Foundation is UK-based non-profit with a long history of psychedelic research. Founder and Director Amanda Feilding initiated key studies of the psychedelic renaissance, and neuroimaging research is currently underway into LSD and mystical states.

www.beckleyfoundation.org

There’s also a podcast I would recommend, Back From the Abyss: Psychiatry in Stories, which has a strong emphasis on the psychiatric use of psychedelic medicines:

https://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page

Here’s an episode from that podcast, in which the host, a psychiatrist, talks about psilocybin, mdma, and ketamine, in the context of psychedelic assisted therapy:

And here’s an episode that features an interview with Mikah Stover, a psychedelic therapist and writer I really like:

She’s the author of a great book I can recommend, Healing Psychedelics: Innovative Therapies for Trauma and Transformation

Healing Psychedelics: Innovative Therapies for Trauma and Transformation — Micah Stover – Therapist / Educator / Author

Healing Psychedelics: Innovative Therapies for Trauma and Transformation

www.micahstoverconsulting.com

For a more ancestral/tradition-based/ethnobotanical perspective on psychedelic plants and mushrooms, Kathleen Harrison (ex-wife of the late, Terence Mckenna) is fantastic:

On the topic of Ayahuasca, there’s a great book I can recommend - The Fellowship of the River: A Medical Doctor's Exploration into Traditional Amazonian Plant Medicine, by Joe Tafur, MD

The Fellowship of the River by Joe Tafur, MD

www.drjoetafur.com

In terms of which psychedelics to pursue for healing from anhedonia, I would agree with what others have said about psilocybin being a potentially good starting place. In medical terms, I think of full-dose psilocybin as more of a treatment, whereas DMT or low-dose psilocybin is more like a PRN/as needed medicine.

There’s a book out there about psilocybin that I have a copy of but haven’t read yet, Your Psilocybin Mushrooms Companion, by Michelle Janikian (I like and trust the author enough to feel comfortable recommending it):

Michelle Janikian Journalist & Author of Your Psilocybin Mushroom Companion | how to take shrooms

Michelle Janikian, journalist & author of Your Psilocybin Mushroom Companion, official site. Buy her book, read her articles, listen to podcast interviews, and contact.

www.michellejanikian.com

With regard to what sounds like the mystical experience you had with the E in the 90’s, I’m not sure anyone here can answer what accounted for that experience. Perhaps, it was a matter of the stars aligning… presumably, it was a blend of mdma and some other substance… whatever it was, the experience that you had sounds noteworthy… while it may not be possible to have the exact same experience again, it stands to reason that you could have similarly meaningful and healing experiences with other medicines, and with the added benefit of knowing, for a fact, what they are…

It’s wonderful to have a healthcare worker in our midst.

Indeed, and serendipitous of you to arrive, as thought out of the sky, right as I am in the midst of the sudden onset of a yet to be diagnosed, painful medical issue

 

[aizoaceous]

As to anhedonia, users of mesembrine alkaloids with history of major depression may anecdotally report greater mood elevation than those without. This applies both to the initial euphoric peak (likely attributable to the drug directly or to short-lived metabolites; mesembrine's half-life in mouse plasma is under an hour) and to the subtler effects over subsequent days. Mesembrine alkaloids are not hallucinogenic, and they're legal in most jurisdictions. There was an attempt to bring them to market as a prescription drug but it wasn't very successful. They're instead sold under the same regulatory framework as other herbal medicines since they're extracted from an ice plant, Sceletium tortuosum.

What component in my late-90’s E might have caused me to feel so good, happy and alive for two weeks afterwards?

Recreational drug users very often report a particularly good first experience that they're unable to recapture, to the point of cliche. I believe that's especially common for MDMA, even with infrequent use. Of course your tablet wasn't necessarily pure MDMA, but I don't think any common adulterant or substitute has a greater reputation for long-term mood elevation.

As noted, your prior mental state also matters a lot. I had an experience with purified d7-mesembrenone that I remember with intensity comparable to MDMA, but I was probably just happy--I'd succeeded at the purification, and my partner had just arrived home late at night, bringing me a rose.

I agree that psilocybin may be your best entry point, easy to consume. Psilocybin and DMT are both natural products, which may increase public acceptance and makes the supply chains look a bit more respectable (even if still illegal).

Street 5-MeO-DMT is almost always synthetic. Toad venom is often used ceremonially, but that seems best avoided considering both the welfare of the toad and the consistency of the product. Selected varieties of Phalaris grass produce quite pure mebufotenin, but that's somewhat laborious and uncommon. The 5-substituted tryptamines are unusually toxic, and mebufotenin has caused at least one death by acute overdose (with harmalas).

 

[Voidmatrix]

Is anyone here able to recommend pathways for me to get involved in great, safe practice? (There are a few courses but I’ve not got a handle on how respected they are and some are many thousands of £/$ which I can’t afford).

Unfortunately, most programs are going to be relatively expensive. However, there are organizations and groups that educate and train guides, and some of their classes are webinars or webinar series that you can pay for as you can. This way you are building a skill-set in order to be able to actually guide people.

That said, you are coming into this consideration bravely as a wounded healer, and I can't advocate enough for you to deeply work on your own healing while also creating and cultivating relationships with the medicines that you intend to serve. They each have their own landscape and diverse idiosyncrasies that are hard to put your finger on, but by having the experiences will be more well-suited for holding and supporting others.

All the same as others have mentioned, there are others you can try too. Mushrooms are wonderful, even if little tricksters. I have some curiosity on how LSD might affect you.

Myself, as a trained guide, for example, typically serve and guide cannabis, ketamine, mushrooms, and DMT. As a result I'm obligated to work with these medicines myself, deeply intwining with them such that, it's a lot easier to grasp most things someone I'm guiding may go through.

Should I try NN or 5 first? And is it safe to do it alone or do I need someone with me?

If you're doing 5-MEO-DMT you'll likely want someone with you. There are reports of that one being dangerous. Make sure you're not on any MAOIs before disembarking.

I suppose a counter-question would be aside from the phenethylamines you mentioned above, what is your experience with expanded states of consciousness, because N,N-DMT is really safe, but can still be a lot to handle. You may want someone experienced to help you.

I hope this helps!

One love

 

[Jamie01]

Can you really learn to be a guide in an online web series? Like really though?

I think you should have years of experience or forget it. IMO

 

[ommani]

Can you really learn to be a guide in an online web series? Like really though?

I think you should have years of experience or forget it. IMO

Yeah, I’m reminded of the book, Swimming in the Sacred: Wisdom From the Psychedelic Underground, in which clinical psychologist, Rachel Harris, interviewed a number of longtime, underground guides (all women)… from what I remember, they mostly had decades of experience, and were not working according to conventional models of psychedelic psychotherapy, as seen in clinical trials, and such… on the other hand, everyone has to start somewhere, but I agree that an online course would not be sufficient…

 

[doubledog]

Welcome here

Afaik E pills in 90s often contained MDA, or mixture of MDMA+MDA. Ime MDA has more stimulating and uplifting effects than MDMA.
This also leads us to another classic and important psychedelic substance: mescaline.

 

[Voidmatrix]

Can you really learn to be a guide in an online web series? Like really though?

I think you should have years of experience or forget it. IMO

No, this is why there are practicums and intensives, however, you can start learning principles and skills online.

One love

 

[Voidmatrix]

weiner series

Also, did anyone else notice this

One love

 

[Jamie01]

Maybe go volunteer at festivals etc doing harm reduction/sanctuary.. I got free training anyway to do that at one point. A lot of people there were already therapists etc and doing it to get experience. It’s pretty exhausting honestly being up all night attending to people going through pretty much anything you could imagine. Alas it was just too much for me to want to do honestly but you will get a lot of experience helping people who are way too high on psychedelics and it will only help you be better at understanding what kind of states people can actually end up in and be more confident dealing with it.

 

[ommani]

Maybe go volunteer at festivals etc doing harm reduction/sanctuary.. I got free training anyway to do that at one point. A lot of people there were already therapists etc and doing it to get experience. It’s pretty exhausting honestly being up all night attending to people going through pretty much anything you could imagine. Alas it was just too much for me to want to do honestly but you will get a lot of experience helping people who are way too high on psychedelics and it will only help you be better at understanding what kind of states people can actually end up in and be more confident dealing with it.

I imagine this would be similar to being an attendant in a psych ward (shout out, Ken Kesey)... in clinical terms, I’m sure you’d see see a lot of panic, agitation, disassociation, disorientation, and even acute states of mania/psychosis… at that point, I imagine it would mostly be a matter of giving non-directive care and support… however, being a full on guide seems like a different matter (as discussed in the book, Swimming in the Sacred), which I presume requires a depth of experiential understanding of the terrain… it brings to mind a book I recently ordered, The Psychopomp Function: Correlations Between Psychotherapists and Mythic Figures Who Guide Souls After Death, which speaks to what I sense the role of someone in that position would be…

 

[pace2000]

I'm looking to self heal with DMT, through intention and integration on my own, similar I guess to doing self CBT, hopefully utilising the neuroplasticity of DMT to help rewire some long standing issues and thought patterns. Is their any guides, documentation etc for being able to self help. Doing a 5 star retreat is not something i can afford currently.