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A Dosing Guide for Using Ketamine for

Psychedelic Therapy
Posted on March 31, 2017 by

Ketamines effects vary depending on the dose. Image Source: Wikimedia via user
Psychonaught.
John Lilly started experimenting with ketamine in the early 70s, just a few years after it was
synthesized for use as an anesthetic. But Lillya neuroscientist perhaps most famous for
inventing the isolation tank and researching sensory deprivationwasnt interested in the
high doses of ketamine used to cause unconsciousness. Rather, he wanted to see if the
psychedelic qualities of ketamine at lower doseswhich were starting to become known
from patients accountscould help his chronic migraines. Ketamine succeeded where other
psychedelics had failed: he was migraine-free for a month and continued to feel benefits from
his ketamine experiences for the rest of his life.
This began a decade-long period of self-experimentation with ketamine, the results of which
were published in his 1978 autobiography The Scientist. As Lilly found out, ketamine is
undoubtedly a unique psychedelic. It has distinct neurological functions that cause qualities
similar to a variety of psychedelics and other medicinesit has analgesic effects like opioids,
empathogenic qualities like MDMA, can produce ego dissolution like LSD, experiences with
extraterrestrial beings like DMT, and can cause you to relive memories like ibogaine or
ayahuasca. But these varied effects depend heavily on the dose.
Its important to note that, while Lilly found that the effects ascertained to certain doses were
reliable for him, the effect on a given person depends on a lot of factors, including body type,
personality, and set and setting. Still, these results have been backed up by contemporary
research, and these thresholds a give an idea of what you can expect at varying doses. Also,
remember that this guide is based on ketamine being injected intramuscularlyhow youll
normally find it in a ketamine clinicbut effects may differ if you take ketamine by a
different method such as orally, nasally, or sublingually.

Empathogenic Experiences at Low Doses (25-50 mg)

At lower, sub-psychedelic doses (25-50 mg, or 0.25-50 mg/kg), ketamine has strong
analgesic and anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) effects without creating a full-blown psychedelic
experience. It produces an empathogenic, heart-opening state similar to what you might
experience on MDMA or low doses of LSD or psilocybin. People report feelings of love,
peace, compassion, forgiveness, and a touch of euphoria. This dose is sometimes used for
analgesia because it induces a relaxed state and eases pain. While there are still some sedative
effects, you remain aware of your body and probably wont experience the characteristic
mind-body disconnect that comes with higher dosesyour ego defenses are lowered, but
your sense of self is still intact and you wont lose any motor function. You may have some
magnified colorful visualizations, but full-blown visions are not common at low doses.
Whereas higher doses of ketamine may leave you with only half-formed memories of the
experience, most people retain complete consciousness at this mild dose and can complete
activities like reading a book or drawing. Thanks to the anxiolytic effects, its particularly
good for relieving chronic anxiety because you still retain some of your faculties. At this
dose, you could work with a therapist or clinician doing guided meditations or visualizations,
and you could still engage with a therapist to resolve long-standing trauma from abuse, war
experiences, familial conflict, or other intrapersonal conflicts.

Out-of-Body Experiences at Medium Doses (75-100 mg)

A medium dose of ketamine (75-100 mg, or 0.75-1 mg/kg) introduces the clinical state
known as conscious sedationin other words, it induces an out-of-body experience while
keeping some semblance of ego intact. People experience a complete separation from their
body and environment and have vivid visions behind closed eyes, such as visiting
mythological realms, meeting non-terrestrial beings or deceased loved ones, re-experiencing
birth, and dreams of past and future lives. These visions often arrange themselves in story or
narrative form, similar to how an ibogaine experience can cause a film-reel experience of
memories. You will probably lose motor function at this dose, so its important to have a safe
set and setting.
Compared to a low dose, which alleviates stress and provides comfort, this dose creates a
deeper experience that can bring unresolved problems in your unconsciousness to light and
help you process traumatic events. Because receptors in your brain associated with
memory are more heavily blocked, you may not remember all the particular details of your
experience, but key elements will likely stand out, which you can then delve into with a
therapist.

Ego Dissolution Experiences at High Doses (150-200

mg)
A high dose of ketamine (150-200 mg, or 1.5-2.0 mg/kg) can cause complete ego dissolution,
life-in-review memories, transcendental experiences, and visions, even with the eyes open.
This dose, according to a study published in the International Journal of Transpersonal
Studies, can manifest in two ways. First, it can cause a loss of identity and provoke feelings
similar to a near-death experience: you may feel as though you are experiencing either
physical or mental death, relive your life through a narrative of memories, and become more
aware of how your actions have affected others. In this state, you remain aware of who you
are, but its like watching yourself from the outside. In the second possible state, you lose
complete sense of self and can feel as though youve joined the collective unconscious or a
sacred unity with nature or the universesimilar to peoples reports of ayahuasca
experiences.
Due to the intense nature of this dose, it may not be the best choice for someone with anxiety
(though it could be useful for the right person). But it can be extremely helpful for people
suffering from chronic depression and may actually have the most long-lasting benefits of all
the dose levels. Because you will probably lose all mobility at this state, its critical that you
only attempt this under the guidance of a certified clinician and in a safe environment. While
intense, a high dose can provide the wake-up call needed to reconnect with your inner self
and help you get on the path to a healthy lifestyle.

A Spectrum of Effects for Healing

The acute effects of ketamine typically last 45-60 minutes, but it can have residual positive
effects for several days or weeks after the experience. For example, people using ketamine to
interrupt a depressive episode often feel the effects most after theyve returned to sober, daily
life. This makes it a promising treatment for a variety of mood disorders because it doesnt
have to be taken continuously, unlike a daily prescription medication.
Because of ketamines intense, dissociative qualities, its important that you only undergo a
ketamine experience in a responsible settingits absolutely not the kind of psychedelic you
should take at a party or in an unknown place. If you decide to take ketamine on your own,
you should at least have a sitter to make sure you stay safe (Lilly discovered this when he
didnt heed his own advice and almost drowned in a bathtub because he couldnt move).
Ideally, find a ketamine clinic near your hometown where a clinician can help you determine
a proper dose, point you toward a therapist that can help you integrate the experience
afterward, and assist you in having safe and beneficial experience.

http://howtousepsychedelics.org/

Healing with Psychedelics

Psychedelic medicines are some of the most powerful tools in the world for
personal healing and psychological growth. This guide is intended as a
starting point for using psychedelics for personal healing, recovery, and
development, on your own or with a mental health professional. This site is
science-focused: at the bottom of each page, we link to articles and research
studies related to the particular substance, treatment goal, and treatment
method.

For an overview of recent research with mushrooms and LSD, take a look at
Michael Pollan's wonderful 2015 New Yorker Cover Story, The Trip
Treatment and the video Magic Mushrooms and the Healing Trip.

UPDATE: We are supporting the 920 Coalition's work to build a day of events
around psychedelic mushroom research and awareness. Read more and join
or participate in an event here.

Step-by-Step Guides
All of our guides are listed on the left sidebar. Some of our most popular are:

Treating Depression >>Treating Anxiety >>Mushroom Guide >>

MDMA Guide >>Ketamine for Depression >>

Improving Problem Solving >>

Psychedelic Therapy is Going Mainstream, and Fast

Research at major medical centers over the past few years have shown
remarkable results in the treatment of conditions such as depression, post-
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety. The same protocols used in
these research settings can be done at home or with an independent
practitioner and frequently lead to new insights and dramatic breakthroughs in
mental health. This site is designed to help you do that.

Psychedelic medicines provide a path of treatment that is often more effective

and rapid than other methods, and with many fewer side effects than
pharmaceutical options. In addition, psychedelics have been effective for
patients who have not made progress with other approaches.

Several organizations are working with and funding research at major medical
centers around the world to expand the use of these drugs for therapeutic
purposes. More than 50% of Americans support legalization of marijuana and
that number is rising every year. Over 75% now support medical marijuana
access. Recently, several countries and many US states have authorized use
of marijuana for medical and personal purposes and other psychedelics are
moving quickly towards approval as prescription medicine. See our resources
page to learn more.

Psychedelics have also been shown to reliably and predictably provide

powerful spiritual and religious experiences and to create lasting positive
personality changes, increasing emotional openness and acceptance of
difficult experiences. In a recent Johns Hopkins research study that
administered psilocybin mushrooms, "94 percent of subjects said that it was
one of the five most meaningful experiences of their lives; 39 percent said that
it was the most meaningful experience" (New York Times).

Why This Guide is Needed

Unless you know a lot about psychedelics, you probably have mostly
inaccurate information floating around in your head. We certainly did, until we
started reading and having our own experiences. But times are changing very
fast and the conversation is quickly moving back to reality-- new research on
psychedelics is accelerating at major universities and legalization of marijuana
is now supported by the majority of the population.

Even a cursory review of the research shows that psychedelics are

dramatically safer and have far fewer side effects than alcohol, cigarettes,
narcotics, and most pharmaceutical anti-depressants (please, read the
research!). Yet marijuana, mushrooms, LSD, MDMA, and other substances
have been lumped into the futile war on drugs and now two generations have
grown up with a completely distorted understanding of what should be
understood as medicines.

What We Realized
We are a group of friends, professionals in our late 20s and 30s-- theres a
lawyer, a mobile game company CEO, a television producer, a non-profit
director, a reporter, and a filmmaker. Half female and half male. White, black,
and asian. Psychedelics have helped to open us emotionally, relieve stress,
depression, and trauma, connect more deeply to our creative core, and have
given us powerful spiritual experiences that weve never had before.
All of us have been both surprised and amazed over the past few years as
psychedelic experiences have become an important part of our lives and of
the people around us.

We were surprised because these incredible tools have been so overlooked

and misunderstood that we could have gone through our whole lives without
having seriously explored them. Its actually a little bit scary to think how easily
that could have happened and how much we would have missed out on. We
feel very lucky.

And we are amazed at the extent of the positive impact on our lives and our
work, and the incredible freedom that weve felt in the experiences and
afterwards. We want to share this.

When used intelligently, in positive environments, and with purpose,

psychedelics bring love, energy, creativity, and healing to individuals and to
society.

A Clear and Factual Approach

Canadian psychiatrist Dr. Humphry Osmond coined the word 'psychedelic', a
combination of the Greek words for 'mind' and 'make visible, reveal'. We hope
to bring some clarity to the subject of psychedelics, which in turn bring clarity
about our own minds.

Weve created this site because, despite all the information available about
psychedelics, we havent found a clear, simple, and up-to-date guide thats
grounded in science. You can help us change how the world sees
psychedelics by sharing this guide with your friends and helping to create
positive environments for them to make psychedelics a healthy part of their
life.

To be clear, psychedelics are very powerful medicines and they have risks.
Like almost everything that gets ingested in our society, they can be misused
and are very misunderstood. Even many intelligent people who used
psychedelics repeatedly in their youth did so in a party setting and have never
experienced the psychological and spiritual benefits that emerge in an
intentional session. The difference is dramatic.

We cant recommend that anyone use psychedelics and we urge you to be

extremely careful about the dose and quality of the substance, setting of use,
the age of the individual and their mental state, and potential supplement and
drug interactions. Prohibition of these substances in many locations has made
it more difficult to create a safe environment, but doing so is essential.

And please be in touch and let us know what could be better-- we will be
making updates and adding new research frequently.

Share!
Psychedelics have been misunderstood and misrepresented for decades.
That's changing. Please help us share safe, responsible information on using
psychedelics by sending this page to friends, and posting to Facebook,
Twitter, and Google:

http://howtousepsychedelics.org/ketamine/

How to Take Ketamine to Treat Depression,

Anxiety and PTSD
Ketamine is a legal prescription medication used for a variety of purposes-- as
a pain killer, sedative, anesthetic, and anti-depressant. It's one of the safest
anesthetics in the world and is available in every hospital. Ketamine's use as
an anti-depressant and PTSD treament is growing very quickly and research
studies are expanding. Here's a directory of US doctors offering ketamine
treatment for depression, bipolar, PTSD, and other mood disorders.

As the BBC wrote in a 2014 article about ketamine, "Some patients who have
faced incurable depression for decades have had symptoms disappear within
hours of taking low doses of the drug."
What makes Ketamine so remarkable for treating depression is that its
positive effects begin almost immediately, within 1 - 12 hours, compared to
SSRIs that may take weeks to start working, if they work at all. Ketamine also
seems to have much fewer side effects than SSRIs (though it hasn't been
studied much for long term use) and is incredibly effective as a treatment for
people who don't respond well to SSRIs and other anti-depressants. If you've
had limited success with other treatment methods you may respond very well
to ketamine.

Before you begin, be sure to read our safety section and ensure that you
aren't taking any medication or supplements that interact with Ketamine.

Dosage
Dosage for ketamine varies depending on whether it's taken intranasally,
intravenously (IV), orally, or sublingually. We recommend taking ketamine
orally or sublingually because it's safe and easy. Many doctors and treatment
centers will give ketamine in an IV. Treatment with a doctor / center can be
quite expensive but you may be able to find a doctor or center in your area if
you google around.

The anti-depressant effect of ketamine typically wears off after a while (a few
days to a month), though the relief that is felt while it is active can often lead to
lasting improvements. There are various protocols for using ketamine to treat
depression-- some people take small amounts daily, others weekly, and
others monthly. We recommend starting with a moderate dose once a week
and adjusting based on how it feels.

How to Take Ketamine Sublingually (Under the Tongue)

Sublingual ketamine seems much more potent than oral ketamine. We
suggest starting with a very small "microdose" and trying a little more each
session until you find the minimum amount that works for you. You should
almost certainly see results using .3mg of ketamine per pound of body weight
(or .75mg per kg of body weight). This works out to about 50mg for someone
who weighs 160lbs (72kg). But start far below that.

STEP ONE
Prepare your ketamine solution. You'll want to use one of
those little bottles that has an eyedropper in the lid. Maybe
you have one around the house with some sort of herbal
tincture. Boil some water, then let it cool. Using the
 eyedropper, wash out the dropper and the bottle with the
water, just to get rid of any residue. Put a known amount of
ketamine into the bottle. Then add water to the bottle using
the eyedropper, carefully counting the drops. You want to
use as few drops as possible to dissolve all the ketamine. In
a lab you should be able to dissolve 5mg ketamine per
drop. If you add this much water and you still see some
undissolved ketamine in there, add just enough water to
dissolve it all. Carefully swirl it around to speed things up.
Now you can give yourself microdoses of ketamine. Just
divide the amount of ketamine by the number of drops. If
you had 1000mg of ketamine, and added 200 drops of
water, you'd know there was 5mg ketamine per drop.
TWO
Find a place where you can sit or lie down comfortably for
an hour. Unlike traditional psychedelics like mushrooms,
LSD, and even MDMA, the benefits of ketamine do not
seem to derive from an exploratory experience while taking
the medicine. In addition, the experience at an effective
dose is much more gentle. You can read a book, watch TV,
etc.
THREE
Looking at yourself in a mirror, put one or two drops under
your tongue. This is probably at most 5-10mg. Don't
swallow it, just leave it under your tongue. After 5 minutes
or so, you can swallow.
FOUR
The effects will be very subtle but you might feel a slight
mellow or sleepy feeling in about 5-15 minutes.
FIVE
The anti-depressant effects of the ketamine generally start
to appear about two hours after taking the first dose. In
some people the anti-depressant effect is strong right away
and in some people it gradually grows over 1-4 days-- so
you might feel the most relief 4 days after taking the dose.
SIX
See how you feel the next day. If you are less depressed,
great! If not, the next time try the previous dose plus one
more drop. Don't take ketamine two days in a row. Once
you find a dose that seems to work, see how many days
you can wait between doses. Ideally, you would take a dose
once a week or once a month. Worst-case, you'd take it
every other day. If you get up to 50mg sublingually and it
still doesn't work, it might just not work for you in general.
How to Take Ketamine Orally
We suggest using .6mg of ketamine per pound of body weight (or 1.5mg per
kg of body weight). This works out to about 100mg for someone who weighs
160lbs (72kg).

Remember these are oral doses-- usually mixed with warm water and
swallowed. If you are taking ketamine in an IV the doses should be much,
much lower.

STEP ONE
Find a place where you can sit or lie down comfortably for
an hour. Unlike traditional psychedelics like mushrooms,
LSD, and even MDMA, the benefits of ketamine do not
seem to derive from an exploratory experience while taking
the medicine. In addition, the experience at an effective
dose is much more gentle. You can read a book, watch TV,
etc.
TWO
Make sure you have the right dose measured and ready. If
you don't have a mg scale, you can order them cheaply
anywhere, including Amazon. They are about $20-$30.
THREE
If it's your first time, mix about 1/5th of the dose with about
an inch of warm water in a mug. If you are taking about
100mg, that would be roughly 20mg. Once you mix it, drink
it.
FOUR
A 1/5th dose will be very subtle but you should be able to
feel a nice mellow or sleepy feeling in about 5-15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, if you feel comfortable with that test dose
(and it's fine if you don't feel anything at all), then you can
mix the rest of the dose with warm water and drink it.
FIVE
As you feel the effects of the dose, again after 5-15
minutes, you will likely feel sleepy or mellow. You can rest,
read, watch tv, etc. After about 45 minutes to an hour, the
effects will be mostly gone, though you may still feel very
relaxed or sleepy for a couple more hours.
SIX
The anti-depressant effects of the ketamine generally start
to appear about two hours after taking the first dose. In
some people the anti-depressant effect is strong right away
and in some people it gradually grows over 1-4 days-- so
you might feel the most relief 4 days after taking the dose.
Afterwards
The anti-depressant effects of ketamine last for days and sometimes weeks or
even a month. We suggest starting with weekly re-dosing, using the same
dose, and seeing how it goes. If you find that you don't need to redose after a
week, then wait longer and see how things go. It's always good to err on the
side of taking too little rather than too much. Some people need to redose
more often, every few days. You'll probably get a sense pretty quickly of what
works for you.

Special Safety Considerations

Always research any supplements or other medicines that you may be taking
to avoid interactions. Here's a Medscape list of potential interactions. (Note
that the dosing levels listed on that site are for inducing anesthesia, which is
way way more than what is use for anti-depressant effects.)

Articles and Research on Ketamine for Anxiety and

Depression
Research on ketamine is growing quickly and some drug companies are trying
to create new versions of ketamine that they can patent.

BBC
Ketamine 'exciting' depression therapy
Lead researcher Dr Rupert McShane said: "It really is
dramatic for some people, it's the sort of thing really that
makes it worth doing psychiatry, it's a really wonderful thing
to see."
Boston MindCare
FAQ About Receiving Ketamine IV Infusions
A good FAQ from a treatment center about what the
experience of receiving ketamine IV infusions is like and
what the effects are.
WebMD
Ketamine: The Future of Depression Treatment?
"While researchers continue to study ketamine,
practitioners such as Lapidus have already begun to
provide it to patients. The Ketamine Advocacy Network lists
17 providers and clinics around the country."
 Medscape
Ketamine: New Potential as Rapid PTSD Treatment
"The first evidence from a randomized clinical trial that the
anesthetic agent ketamine may provide rapid symptom
reduction in patients with chronic posttraumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) when delivered intravenously has been
published."
Mt. Sinai Hospital
Intranasal Ketamine Confers Rapid Antidepressant Effect in
Depression
"We found intranasal ketamine to be well tolerated with few
side effects," said Kyle Lapidus, MD, PhD, Assistant
Professor of Psychiatry, at the Icahn School of Medicine at
Mount Sinai.
American Journal of Psychiatry
Antidepressant efficacy of ketamine in treatment-resistant
major depression: a two-site randomized controlled trial
"Ketamine demonstrated rapid antidepressant effects"
Nature
Ketamine Rave holds promise for treating depression fast
It blew the doors off what we thought we knew about
depression treatment, says psychiatrist James Murrough at
Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
Forbes
Johnson & Johnson Is Reinventing Ketamine To Treat
Depression

Video

http://howtousepsychedelics.org/anxiety/

Treating Anxiety with Psychedelics

Many people find their day to day experience of life is filled with anxiety,
limiting the activities they do and the enjoyment they have in life. Psychedelics
like mushrooms and LSD have been used for decades to treat anxiety
disorders and to reduce anxiety levels.

In some cases, these substances seem to directly alleviate feelings of anxiety,

even at very small doses (below the level at which they subjectively alter
consciousness). For other people, psychedelics help them explore the root
causes of their anxieties and fears and find peace with them. And for many
people, psychedelics bring them to a place a spiritual peace and openness
that can become a new touchstone for letting go of anxiety or learning not to
identify with it so strongly.

This description of the process may sound abstract to someone suffering from
anxiety day to day, but like talking therapy, the healing process of
psychedelics can be a little difficult to convey until youve tried it.

Recent clinical research has shown dramatic reductions in anxiety even after
a single psychedelic experience with psilocybin mushrooms. Even for patients
facing the extreme anxiety of terminal illness, psilocybin allows them to
embrace their fate and find peace with their loved ones.

Heres one womans story of being treated with mushrooms as she was facing
death, described in a New York Times article (see below):

Norbert Litzinger remembers picking up his wife from the medical center after
her first session and seeing that this deeply distressed woman was now
glowing from the inside out.

Before Pam Sakuda died, she described her psilocybin experience on video: I
felt this lump of emotions welling up . . . almost like an entity, Sakuda said, as
she spoke straight into the camera. I started to cry. . . . Everything was
concentrated and came welling up and then . . . it started to dissipate, and I
started to look at it differently. . . . I began to realize that all of this negative
fear and guilt was such a hindrance . . . to making the most of and enjoying
the healthy time that Im having. Sakuda went on to explain that, under the
influence of the psilocybin, she came to a very visceral understanding that
there was a present, a now, and that it was hers to have.
Two weeks after Sakudas psilocybin session, Grob (the researcher)
readministered the depression and anxiety assessments. Over all among his
subjects, he found that their scores on the anxiety scale at one and three
months after treatment demonstrated a sustained reduction in anxiety, the
researchers wrote in The Archives of General Psychiatry. They also found that
their subjects scores on the Beck Depression Inventory dropped significantly
at the six-month follow-up.

Whats remarkable about the research results from this and many other
studies is that even a single dose of a psychedelic substance can create long
lasting changes, reducing anxiety, depression, and creating more emotional
openness.

LSD, MDMA, and mushrooms have all been studied for anxiety reduction.
Remember that a psychedelic experience can sometimes produce anxiety or
can focus the mind on sources of anxiety, as part of the process of addressing
the root causes. Starting with small doses and following all the safety
guidelines can help reduce anxiety.

Articles and Research about Anxiety and Psychedelics

New York Times
How Psychedelic Drugs Can Help Patients Face Death
MAPS.org
LSD & Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy for Anxiety
TIME.com
"Magic Mushrooms" Can Improve Psychological Health
Long Term

http://howtousepsychedelics.org/depression/

Treating Depression with Psychedelics

Depression is a challenging and often long-term condition that can be very
difficult to treat. In clinical studies, psychedelics have shown significant long-
term positive impact on mood, even when used in just a single session.

Many people who have suffered from depression and later recovered find that
they need a combination of approaches to stay healthy. Good nutrition,
exercise, more time with friends, lower stress, and personal introspection
(through therapy, psychedelics, or meditation) can be a powerful combination.

For decades, psychedelics such as psilocybin mushrooms and LSD have

been used in clinical studies, private therapy, and at home to alleviate
depression. More recently, the prescription medication ketamine has shown
incredible results for depression.

Heres one mans story from a recent clinical study, as reported in the New
York Times:

As a retired clinical psychologist, Clark Martin was well acquainted with

traditional treatments for depression, but his own case seemed untreatable as
he struggled through chemotherapy and other grueling regimens for kidney
cancer. Counseling seemed futile to him. So did the antidepressant pills he
tried.
Nothing had any lasting effect until, at the age of 65, he had his first
psychedelic experience. He left his home in Vancouver, Wash., to take part in
an experiment at Johns Hopkins medical school involving psilocybin, the
psychoactive ingredient found in certain mushrooms.

Today, more than a year later, Dr. Martin credits that six-hour experience with
helping him overcome his depression and profoundly transforming his
relationships with his daughter and friends. He ranks it among the most
meaningful events of his life, which makes him a fairly typical member of a
growing club of experimental subjects.
Clinical studies like this one that use psilocybin and LSD to study depression
have a very simple protocol. Participants are invited to come to a research
room that has been setup to feel comfortable and they take a dose of the
substance. A researcher sits with them for the duration of the experience
(typically 4-6 hours) and may talk them through any anxiety that arises. But
generally, the participants simply remain quiet and feel the experience,
following where their thoughts and feelings take them.

This setup can be replicated at home or in another comfortable setting. The

most essential elements are a comfortable space, plenty of time to stay in the
experience, and someone you trust who can support you during the
experience.

The mechanism by which psychedelic experiences alleviate depression is not

completely clear to researchers, but there are a few theories. One mechanism
may be that the drugs directly open pathways in the brain that are normally
inhibited, allowing emotions to flow more freely and helping people feel more
grounded and connected. But the mental experiences and explorations that
occur while taking psychedelics seem more likely to be responsible for the
long term impact. This may explain why people who use psychedelics
recreationally do not automatically experience the same benefits as
individuals who use these substances in a more directed and focused
environment. The mental experiences that consistently arise -- feeling more
connected to the universe, being able to openly face fears and challenges of
life, seeing your relationships more clearly, and feeling a stronger relationship
to your own religious traditions -- all seem to transform an individuals
perspective on their life.

If you are interested in learning how to use ketamine, mushrooms, or LSD to

treat depression, please read our Ketamine Guide, Mushroom Guide, and
our LSD Guide. MDMA has not received as much attention in the context of
depression, but because it shows such powerful effects in enhancing
psychotherapy and resolving painful memories and experiences, it should also
be considered. Here is the MDMA Guide.

Research and Articles about Depression and Psychedelics

New York Times
Hallucinogens Have Doctors Tuning In Again
The Guardian
Magic mushrooms may help with depression, say leading
scientists
TIME
TIME.com: Magic Mushrooms Can Improve Psychological
Health Long Term

http://howtousepsychedelics.org/lsd/

How to Safely Use LSD

LSD is the most widely studied psychedelic, with hundreds of published
research papers (see below). An LSD experience is similar in many ways to
psilocybin mushrooms, but often individuals feel like they are better able to
direct and control the experience.

LSD studies have shown success in treating depression, anxiety, smoking

cessation, and many other psychological conditions. LSD consistently
produces powerful long-term improvements in these conditions, even with just
a single dose.

Before you begin, be sure to read our safety section and see the special
safety considerations for LSD at the bottom of this page.

Dosage
LSD is a powerful chemical and taking the correct dose is essential. Because
LSD is active at very, very small quantities and because it is typically delivered
on small pieces of paper, it is difficult to independently assess the dose (this
issue is less of a problem with mushrooms or MDMA). Taking too much LSD
can lead to feelings of dissociation and alienation.
Be sure that you know the dose that you are taking. A single dose or tab of
LSD can vary widely in strength, so make sure you know the quantity in
micrograms. A 100ug dose is a good starting point if you have never taken
LSD before and should provide a calm and opening experience. If you are
interested in deeper psychological work or spiritual exploration, and have a lot
of experience at lower does, you may decide to move up to 400 or 500ug, but
only do so if you are very comfortable with lower doses. Do not use LSD
unless you are very confident of the quality and dose that you have. Its best
to use a source that someone you know has also used and can vouch for.

How to Take LSD

LSD will typically be delivered on small pieces of paper that the LSD is
diffused onto. It may also be provided in liquid or pill form, or even diffused
into a sugar cube.

STEP ONE
Be sure that you have set aside enough time in a
comfortable setting. LSD experiences last a long time. You
will need about 6-7 hours for a 100 ug dose and then there
will be a gentle decline in intensity over a few hours. Make
sure you wont feel rushed or intruded upon, so that you
can focus on the experience and get the most benefit. We
highly recommend taking LSD at least 12 hours before you
plan to go to bed, as it can keep you awake, even after the
effects have mostly worn off. You should consider eating
before you take the LSD as you may not feel hungry during
the experience.
TWO
Make sure you have the right dose ready. Start with 100ug
if you arent sure what level is best for you. Try 300ug if you
have some experience and are feeling confident. Start with
50ug if you are feeling very nervous about the process--
this will create a subtle, but noticeable shift in mood and
awareness, but will not lead to a significant shift in
consciousness.
THREE
Third, place the dose under your tongue and leave it there
for about 10 minutes, until the paper mostly dissolves.
FOUR
Once you take the LSD, you will have about 30-60 minutes
before the effects are strong. This is another chance to
make sure you get setup with anything you will want to
have handy. Lots of folks like to write during the experience,
 about their ideas and feelings, so you may want to have
paper or a computer handy. If you are interested in
addressing particular emotional or psychological challenges
in your life, you may want to make a list of issues that you
want to think about during the experience.
FIVE
As the effects begin to occur, you will start to notice a
change in your perception of the world. You may see some
slight changes in your visual perception -- subtle rainbow
halos around lights, trails behind moving objects, geometric
patterns when your eyes are closed, and moving or swirling
or crawling patterns on surfaces. These effects can be fun
to look at, but dont let them become too much of a
distraction from thinking about your self, your life, and your
perception of the world.
SIX
Once the LSD has fully taken effect (60-90 minutes after
you take it), youll notice that your thoughts and emotions
feel different. While the effects can vary widely from person
to person and moment to moment, you are likely to feel
some of the following: a sense of wonder and delight,
openness to thoughts and feelings that you usually avoid, a
sense of peace, a sense of connection to the world, clarity
about relationships and people in your life, unity with the
universe, excitement and joy, strong emotions. LSD
generally dissolves mental boundaries, making it easier to
feel thoughts and emotions and letting you fully immerse
yourself in an idea or feeling. This can be powerful at times,
you may become very happy or very sad, very thoughtful or
frustrated or engaged with an idea. LSD has even been
shown to enhance problem solving for science and
engineering professionals, given its ability to allow deep
immersion in a thought with heightened creativity and
openness to new ways of tackling a problem. It is important
to remember two things as you begin your LSD experience:
1. stay open to your feelings and let them flow through you
lightly with love and as little resistance as possible 2. if you
feel stuck on an idea or a sad emotion, start thinking about
something positive and you will notice that your mood
changes rapidly (it is typically much easier to direct your
mood and feelings while using LSD compared to other
psychedelics and even compared to typical conscious
states).
SEVEN
As you experience this process, try to stay as open to your
feelings and ideas as you can. If you have been depressed
 or stressed or anxious, youll find that you can still feel
those feelings intensely and they can be very, very
immersive. However youll also notice that theres a certain
softness present in even the most difficult feelings-- you
may still feel troubled by a problem in your life, but youll
also be able to look at the issue with more openness and
the fear that you associate with that problem will be much
reduced. The more you can stay open to even the most
challenging feelings, the more meaningful and effective the
experience will be. As you think about difficulties in your life
or things that have led to anxiety and depression, try to find
new ways of approaching those feelings and opportunities
to come at those challenges in a new way. Youll find that
just spending time thinking about challenges in your life will
help you re-store those memories and ideas without as
much associated stress and fear.
EIGHT
Dont forget to spend some time just relaxing into the
experience. LSD lasts for 6-8 hours before gradually trailing
off and its worth taking some time to gently relax and be
present with the experience without specific goals or
focused thoughts. Not only does it give you relief and
relaxation, but you may find that important realizations arise
about issues that you werent even expecting to think about.
NINE
As the effects of LSD start to fade, you will have several
hours of gradual reduction in the intensity of the feelings.
This can be a good time to write about your experience or
talk with a friend or loved one about what youve been
experiencing. Gradually, you will start to feel back to your
normal self, and this can lead to a bit of disappointment as
your typical mental habits start to pop up. Getting to such a
free space and then coming back to yourself can leave you
longing to always be so free. But as you think about your
experience and the ideas and feelings you had, youll
realize that so much of that freedom and openness is still
with you. Take some time to think about whats happened
and to remind yourself to bring some of that openness into
your day to day life.

Afterwards
Typically, people feel very free and open in the days following an LSD
experience. Remember that you need at least 12 hours before you try to
sleep, so if you begin too late in the day, you may have some trouble falling
asleep and could be a little tired the next day.

Most people find that they have an afterglow from their LSD experience that
can last days or weeks, improving their mood and outlook and keeping them
very open to others. Ideas and issues that you explored during the experience
will have a new clarity too them. Emotionally difficult topics, memories, and
experiences are likely to feel much safer and will bring up less fear when you
remember them. You are likely to feel better able to tackle challenging
emotional experiences in your life.

LSD has been shown in many research settings to dramatically reduce

anxiety, depression, and other psychological challenges with just a single
dose. However, you may wish to repeat the experience a few times to further
explore and address any emotional and psychological issues that you are
working with.

Special Safety Considerations

In addition to our standard safety guidelines, there are two particularly
important precautions for LSD use:

1. As stated above, be very careful to get the correct dose and

be sure that the LSD is from a trusted source.
2. Do not use LSD if you are currently taking psychoactive
pharmaceuticals, such as anti-depressents, SSRIs, anti-
anxiety drugs, etc. Always research any supplements or
other medicines that you may be taking to avoid
interactions.

News and Research on LSD Therapy

New York Times
How Psychedelic Drugs Can Help Patients Face Death
MAPS.org
LSD and Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy for Anxiety
Pubmed
Pubmed research database search for "LSD"
http://howtousepsychedelics.org/mdma/

How to Use MDMA (Molly)

MDMA is a truly remarkable medicine for working with difficult emotional
experiences. The clinical results have far exceeded other interventions for a
range of uses (see the research section at the bottom of this page).

MDMA is a synthetic psychedelic, first developed by the pharmaceutical

company Merck in 1912. It has been widely studied since then, particularly for
psychotherapeutic uses. With the rate of academic research growing rapidly, it
is likely that MDMA will become FDA approved for therapeutic use within the
next few years, and MAPS.org is focused on moving it through the approval
process. MDMA is being widely tested for post-traumatic stress, with results
that surpass any other existing treatment method.

MDMA is a particularly appealing psychedelic for therapists and researchers

because the subjective mental experience feels fairly stable, while creating a
dramatic increase in emotional openness and a reduction in fear and anxiety.

Before you begin, be sure to read our safety section and see the special
safety considerations for MDMA at the bottom of this page.

Dosage
Because MDMA has anti-anxiety and anti-fear effects, it is generally
considered safe to use a full dose your first time and each time you use
MDMA (generally 75mg - 125mg depending on the individual). It is important
to measure the dose carefully. Milligram-precision scales cost about 20 dollars
(heres an Amazon search for milligram scale).

Some therapy protocols add a booster dose of about 60mg of MDMA 2-3
hours after the first dose to extend the period of therapeutic effects and
provide more time for deep exploration.

Step by Step
MDMA will typically be in the form of a powder, pill, or crystal. Again, be sure
that you are receiving pure MDMA, not mixed with other drugs or stimulants
like caffeine. 'Molly' is another term for pure MDMA, distinguished from
'Ecstasy' which often contains MDMA but is not pure MDMA. If the MDMA is in
pill form, youll have to be confident of the reported dosage, as fillers are
added to create a pill and weighing the pill will not indicate the MDMA content.
As always, do not take any MDMA if you are unsure of quantity or purity.

STEP ONE
Be sure that you have set aside enough time in a
comfortable setting. You will need about 3-4 hours for a
typical dose without a booster. Make sure you wont feel
rushed or intruded upon, so that you can focus on the
experience and get the most benefit.
TWO
Make sure you have your dose measured and ready. Start
with 90mg if you arent sure what level is best for you.
Some individuals may go as high as 130mg, but its fine to
start on the lower side for your first experience.
THREE
Swallow the pill, powder, or measured crystals. With
powder or crystals, you can simply drop it into a small
amount of water and drink it down (if any sticks to the cup,
add more water and get the rest). You can also empty out a
vitamin capsule and put the powder inside or put it on a tiny
piece of tissue paper, fold it up, and swallow it like a pill.
Whatever seems easiest for you is fine.
FOUR
Once you take the MDMA, you will have about 30-60
minutes before the effects begin. This is another chance to
make sure you get setup with anything you will want to
have handy. Lots of folks like to write during the experience,
about their ideas and feelings, so you may want to have
paper or a computer handy. If you are interested in
addressing particular emotional or psychological challenges
in your life, you may want to make a list of issues that you
want to think about during the experience.
FIVE
As the MDMA begins to kick in, you will start to feel a sense
of peacefulness and openness. However, its a very subtle
feeling, so depending on your mood, you may not notice at
first. Some people have physical feelings that accompany
the mental effects, usually a sense of warmth and a desire
to snuggle up in soft clothes or blankets. Drink water!
MDMA can sometimes make people warmer than they
realize. You may also notice a change in your perception of
 lights, slight visual halos or glows. You may also feel an
urge to clench your jaw (some people say that taking a
calcium-magnesium supplement ahead of time reduces this
urge). Everyones experience varies slightly.
SIX
Once the MDMA is in effect, youll notice that your thoughts
and emotions feel different. Youll experience a significant
decrease in anxiety and fear and an openness to ideas and
emotions that you may have avoided in the past. Youll feel
deep love and empathy for those around you. And youll
find that you can get pulled very deeply into a particular
thought or idea, enveloped in it. The power of MDMA
appears to come from this process-- people are able to
experience feelings and ideas that they previously had
emotional challenges with. By facing those feelings without
the fear and anxiety that you have experienced in the past,
your mind is able to understand and re-store those
memories without the painful emotional reactions. This is
what makes MDMA so effective for the treatment of PTSD,
even in just one or two sessions.
SEVEN
As you experience this process, try to stay as open to your
feelings and ideas as you can. If you have been depressed
or stressed or anxious, youll find that you can still feel
those feelings intensely and they can be very immersive.
However youll also notice that theres a certain softness
present in even the most difficult feelings-- you may still feel
troubled by a problem in your life, but youll also be able to
look at the issue with more openness and the fear that you
associate with that problem will be much reduced. The
more you can stay open to even the most challenging
feelings, the more meaningful and effective the experience
will be.
EIGHT
If you are taking MDMA with another individual, think about
the same things. You may be trying to work through
problems together or heal old wounds. Try to stay open to
even the most difficult parts of your relationship, and youll
find that MDMA makes that much easier and emotionally
safe. In particular, MDMA can give you a safe opportunity to
express your own fears and anxieties and doubts, emotions
that you may be keeping bottled up at other times. Even
when just one person has taken MDMA, the dramatic
openness that it creates becomes apparent to the other
person and they are able to be deeper and more open
themselves. If you are thinking about your issues with
 another person, but they are not present, consider writing
them a letter expressing yourself.
NINE
Dont forget to just relax into the experience. Even if you are
using MDMA to solve specific psychological, emotional, or
relationship challenges, its worth taking a few minutes just
to relax and be present with the experience without any
particular goals. Not only does it give you relief and
relaxation, but you may find that important realizations arise
about issues that you werent even expecting to think about.
TEN
If you want to prolong the peak of the experience -- you can
take a booster dose of about 60mg (or half the original
dose) two hours after you first take the initial dose. This will
add another 1.5-2 hours to the experience and will give you
more time to work.
ELEVEN
As the effects of MDMA start to fade, you will likely still feel
much of the same openness and relief from fear and
anxiety. Gradually, you will start to feel back to your normal
self, and this can lead to a bit of disappointment as old
mental habits start to pop up. Getting to such a free space
and then coming back to yourself can leave you longing to
always be so free. But as you think about your experience
and the ideas and feelings you had, youll realize that so
much of that freedom and openness is still with you. Take
some time to think about whats happened and to remind
yourself to bring some of that openness into your day to day
life.

Afterwards
Once the MDMA has worn off, be sure that you drink lots of water and get a
long peaceful sleep at night. MDMA can be mentally tiring and you need to
rejuvenate.

Most people find that they have an afterglow from their MDMA experience that
can last days or weeks, improving their mood and outlook and keeping them
very open to others.

On the other hand, some people feel mentally drained by MDMA and have a
foggy headed feeling for a day or two afterwards. Others will feel emotionally
drained, and have a depressed mood for up to a week after the experience.
Sometimes, these feelings begin two days after the experience, but not the
day after. To combat this, some people who feel sensitive to that after-effect
will take 5-HTP or L-Tryptophan (both are common supplements available
from any source) for a few days after MDMA in an attempt to restore their
serotonin levels. People who do feel drained after an MDMA session generally
report that precise the MDMA dose can affect how they feel afterwards. Too
much may leave them more drained than necessary. This is another reason to
start with a modest, precisely measured dose to begin.

Nearly everyone, no matter how they feel the following week, finds that the
thoughts, feelings, and emotional release that they experience on MDMA
persists afterwards. In particular, any realizations that they had during the
experiences tend to prove real and lasting.

Most remarkably, painful emotional associations with life experiences --

traumas, breakups, divorces, etc -- are dramatically reduced if that issue has
been explored during the experience. You will find that when you think about
that same painful experience after exploring it on MDMA, you will not have the
same flood of emotional pain and tension that you would have had
beforehand. The memory will be intact but the emotional strings will be looser.

Even for extreme emotional trauma, this holds true. In a recent research
study for patients with PTSD, 83% of patients experienced reduced symptoms
after just 3 MDMA sessions combined with therapy, vs. only 25% of patients
who had therapy alone. Quite simple, MDMA is the most effective treatment
for PTSD ever developed. Compare this level of success to traditional anti-
depressants which have strong side effects and are dosed every day for years
at a time (for a total of hundreds or thousands of doses) and which have very
low rates of effectiveness, often just slightly above placebo.

Special Safety Considerations

In addition to our standard safety suggestions, there are three particularly
important precautions for MDMA use:

1. Be sure to use pure MDMA (also known as Molly).

Because MDMA is usually one of the ingredients in the
party drug Ecstasy, people often confuse the two. Ecstasy
will typically include amphetamine, caffeine, and other
substances that can interfere with a therapeutic goal. Often,
even pills and powders sold as 'Molly' contain other
ingredients. Be careful and trust your source.
2. MDMA can lead to a hangover effect for some people in
the days after treatment. This can include depressed mood
and fatigue. Because MDMA works on the bodys serotonin
 system, some scientists believe the hangover is caused by
a temporary depletion of seratonin. Studies have not yet
shown any long-term negative effects from MDMA use.
3. Do not use MDMA is you are currently taking psychoactive
pharmaceuticals, such as anti-depressents, anti-anxiety
drugs, etc. In particular, SSRIs are thought to create a risk
of seratonin syndrome when taken in conjunction with
MDMA. Always research any supplements or other
medicines that you may be taking to avoid interactions.

Video: MDMA Therapy

MDMA Articles and Research

NatureMDMA keeps severe stress at bay
Oprah.comCan a single pill change your life?
New York TimesHow Psychedelic Drugs Can Help Patients
Face Death
MAPS.orgMDMA Research Studies and Protocols
Journal of PsychopharmacologyDurability of improvement in
post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and absence of
harmful effects or drug dependency after 3,4-
methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy:
a prospective long-term follow-up study