As I've been MIA for a lil bit I got to spend time with family out on the West Coast. Uncles, aunts, cousins, and grandparents were all present.
I talked about the normal things you talk to family about: work, hobbies, relationships. But still--after years of knowing these people I love--I still felt nervous waves when I mentioned this community and my interest in psychedelics/ altered consciousness.
So, if any of y'all are in this situation, here's some tips for gently bringing up the topic of psychedelics and your experiences.
๐. ๐๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐
๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ
Immediately bringing up psychedelics can cause an immediate defensive reaction due to their illegal status in the US. Ask questions like:
"๐ป๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ก ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ?
"๐ผ ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ก ๐กโ๐๐ ๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ. ๐๐๐ข ๐๐ฃ๐๐ โ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐โ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ก๐ข๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ?"
๐. ๐
๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐๐ง ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ฒ
Instead of focusing on the drug itself, emphasize the universal human experiences the (or your) journey touched on. Sprinkle in topics or words that people can understand.
"๐ท๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ก๐๐๐"; "๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ค๐๐๐๐๐๐๐"; "๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ "; "๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐"
๐. ๐
๐จ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐ง ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ, ๐๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐
Family, especially if you're very close, has a tendency to worry for each other. Psychedelics can definitely be used in a reckless manner, so highlight the positive outcomes from the journey:
"๐ผ๐ก โ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐ผโ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ก๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ ."
"๐ผ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ก ๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐ค๐๐กโ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ก [๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ โ๐๐๐]."
"๐ผ๐ก ๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ก๐ฆ/๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐/๐ ๐๐๐-๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐."
๐. ๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐
Avoid terms like "tripping" or "hallucinations," which can sound recreational or scary. Try these out with your own flair:
"๐ผ๐ก ๐ค๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ก ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐."
"๐
๐๐ ๐๐๐๐โ ๐ โ๐๐ค๐ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐โ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐ โ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ฆ, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐ ๐๐โ๐ก๐ ."
๐. ๐๐๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐ฌ
If they react negatively, understand that this can come from a place of fear. To those that have family members who have/had addiction problems "drugs" in all sense of the word will seem frightening. Make sure that purposeful use of psychedelics is what you're trying to achieve :
"๐ผ ๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ๐๐๐โ๐ก ๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ข๐ ๐ข๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข, ๐๐๐ ๐ผโ๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐."
"๐ผ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐โ๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ฆ, ๐ค๐๐กโ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ก๐๐๐โ๐๐ก ๐ค๐๐ ๐โ๐ก ๐๐๐๐ข๐ก ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐."
Question: how did you start talking about psychedelics with someone?