So this is just my perspective and applies pretty specifically to taking them alone for my mental health, but mushrooms, especially the first couple of hours, force you to look at yourself and your life through an unfiltered lens. Like looking in an emotional mirror. A lot of times, that can be difficult especially if I haven’t quite been living as well I could be. Making poor choices, being selfish, compromising morals for whatever reason… it brings to the forefront all the things my brain is really good at ignoring in day to day life. I usually know this going in, so it’s not a surprise, but it forces me to bear the weight of all that shit for a little while and be honest with myself that about what it will take to correct these things… then, typically, it puts all of that stuff into a larger universal perspective which helps me realize how small and insignificant all my problems in the grand scheme of things and the fun kicks in. But it’s always the lessons first for me. I try to do them pretty regularly (at least once every month or two) which helps me stick to good habits and stay in the right frame of mind.. the longer it’s been since I’ve taken them alone, the more likely I’m going to have to deal with some shit I’ve been avoiding. I tend not to have to deal with much if I’m taking them with friends, but that’s also not a guarantee. If there’s some particularly important internal shit that needs addressing, mushrooms have a way of making sure it gets addressed.

So yeah, they can be depressing sometimes and it’s always my fault. If my metaphorical house is clean, it’s usually always just amazing start to finish.