Hallucinogens, or psychedelics, are substances that can alter your perception, mood, cognition, and sense of reality. They come in many forms, including magic mushrooms and LSD.
The vast majority of U-M students don't use hallucinogens. They know that there are good and bad "trips," and it can be unpredictable as to which one you might experience. If you do choose to use, try some of these strategies for a better experience:
- Know the laws and policies around hallucinogen use and possession. Hallucinogen use, possession, and distribution are not allowed anywhere on campus.
- Go low. Choose a lower dosage, especially with products that are new to you. You never know how your body is going to react.
- Go slow. It takes some people longer to feel effects than others. Sometimes the most intense effects kick in hours after the first dose.
- Have a friend or trusted person nearby who can support you and seek help if needed. Bonus points if that person has experience and knowledge about supporting people using hallucinogens.
- Prepare a comfortable space you feel safe in for your experience. Have food and water available. Be prepared to change your space by going outside, taking a walk, or putting on a different playlist if you start feeling distressed.
- Use hallucinogens on their own rather than mixing them with alcohol or other drugs.
- Be in a good headspace. Your current mood and emotional well-being can affect the experience.
- Use a trusted source. Ask the vendor about the potency and effects of products you're considering to make sure they match your goals. Think critically about any health claims the vendor is making, especially if they're not a medical professional, by asking yourself questions like:
- How do they want me to use their product?
- Would those benefits they're advertising actually work?
- How do they benefit from my business?
- Take long breaks between uses. Hallucinogens can have long-lasting effects on the body and mind, and it's important to give yourself time to process and reset from the experience.
Know your why
What role do hallucinogens play in your life? For some, it's recreational. For others, it's part of a religious ritual. Still others choose not to use for a variety of reasons, including having a bad prior experience, being in recovery, or just not being interested.
Use these prompts to reflect on your relationship with hallucinogens. What does it look like right now? What do you want it to look like?
- What messages are you seeing around town and in the media about hallucinogens?
- How do you consume hallucinogens?
- How often do you use?
- What do you like about using?
- What don't you like about using?
- How do you plan ahead?
- How do you know if you're using too much?
Whatever your reason is for using or not, also know that there is currently no definitive evidence on the safety or efficacy of behaviors like microdosing.
How will they impact me?
There are many different kinds of hallucinogens, and they all affect everyone differently. Some take minutes for the effects to kick in; others take longer and last longer. However, even if you don't feel high anymore, the hallucinogens you used yesterday might still be impacting you or be detectable in your body. Time is the only thing that really, truly sobers you up.
How a hallucinogen impacts your system depends on:
- Your body chemistry and metabolism
- What kind of hallucinogen you consume
- How much of a hallucinogen you consume
- What methods you use to consume hallucinogens
- How often you use hallucinogens
Having a bad trip?
While rare, people can and do have bad trips. This experience can vary between people and even between uses. If you ever feel unusually sick, anxious, or paranoid, it's important to get immediate medical help.
Not using is the only way to avoid a bad trip. Try some of the strategies on this page for a better experience.
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