Comment by gehwartzen | Hacker News Reader

Comment by gehwartzen | Hacker News Reader

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For me it depends on context; Pain exists for a purpose (i.e don't put wait on a broken leg otherwise you could extend healing time or make things worse) but if technology allows us to mitigate the potential problems (i.e fixing the bone and apply a cast will allow you to walk but not add strain) getting ride of pain in the meantime is probably a net good.

If you have chronic pain of some sort and you use substances to mask that pain the root problem hasn't been addressed and still exists, you just won't be aware of it. If loosing awareness (which at its simplest is what painkillers do) of the ongoing problem is okey with you by all means take a substance to mask it, just don't be surprised when the original problem grows worse latter.

Im okey with people masking or not masking. It should be a personal choice free of judgement.

There are two guys and both are extremely depressed. One guy decides to seek out a therapist and has a meeting set for two weeks from now, the other guy decides to take MDMA/LSD/shrooms (or whatever) every day. He feels amazing and is living his best life every day. The first guy is super depressed day to day but maybe the therapy will help...

The next week they are on a plane together that crashes. Who made the better decision?

Alternatively they don't die and instead live decades more. The first guy got to the root of his issues and lived a very happy life while the second eventually burned out and fell into even deeper depression for his remaining years. Who made the better decision?

It is not fair for us to judge others on how they would like to treat their own bodies and minds. We don't know the totality of their path through life.

Your point is taken, but it's not quite apples-to-apples.

Therapy can be a deep healing process or a superficial fix, just as psychedelics like shrooms, LSD, or MDMA can be used daily by some (suggesting a shamanic lifestyle, in my opinion) or lead to profound insights in a single ayahuasca trip for others.

It's true we shouldn't judge what works for someone without knowing them well, and even then, we can only offer suggestions. But when comparing, we should ensure we're not misrepresenting the situation, whether intentionally or not.

Totally. Yeah the comparison was extreme and not meant to equate things.

>"It's true we shouldn't judge what works for someone without knowing them well, and even then, we can only offer suggestions."

Very well said. I have had great success with psychedelics and other mind-altering substances but doesn't mean the next person will. I have yet to reap a great benefit from therapy but perhaps I just haven't found the right therapist either. To each their own.

> decides to take MDMA/LSD/shrooms (or whatever) every day. He feels amazing and is living his best life every day

Gonna go out on a limb here and guess that you've never taken LSD or shrooms... personally, taking them every day sounds nightmarishly exhausing (can't speak to MDMA).

In my experience, these drugs don't mask your problems, they surface/amplify them.

I have taken LSD and Shrooms countless times. I take MDMA multiple times a month as well. I guess the point though, for that example, was more along the lines of: take whatever substance floats your boat as much as you desire to remain in a happy state.

>"In my experience, these drugs don't mask your problems, they surface/amplify them."

MDMA will defiantly mask your problems. As will heroin, GBH, and a number of others. But yeah LSD/shrooms not so much.

Hey, maybe a little off topic but if you're still taking MDMA multiple times a month i would strongly suggest you should stop. It's known to be neurotoxin, especially in large doses, especially especially when done frequently, frequently being more than once in about 3 months. It doesn't matter what you're supplementing, effective doses of MDMA done every week or two will be catastrophic to the long term health of your serotonin system and cause chronic health issues that will take years and years to resolve, if they ever do.

I don't know you're situation, dose, knowledge, safety, etc. But in the off chance you're one of the many people destroying their future minds with this stuff, i have to say something. Google MDMA Supplementation Guide Reddit to find the best ways to reduce toxicity if you intend on continuing.

> In my experience, these drugs don't mask your problems, they surface/amplify them.

I agree, and therein lies the promise of these drugs in therapy. PTSD survivors engaging in MDMA-assisted therapy can finally surface and talk about their problems without the pain they usually feel just remembering.

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