User:Goontron 5000/Trip Report

Trip Report (Drug)

A trip report, in the case of drug use, is a recollection of the effects of a drug, most often as a first hand account from the user. There are many different forms of trip reports, from novels based on drug induced experiences, such as Alduous Huxley's Doors of Perception to posts to online forums such as Erowid.org. The term trip report more generally describes a post-trip reflection, most often in the case of a business trip. According to The Mayfield Handbook of Technical & Scientific Writing, "Trip reports are a common part of organizational communication. They generally follow the format of a memorandum, addressed to one or more members of a group of associates. They should include the reason for the trip, what was found, and one or more conclusion". Similar outlines have been prescribed to drug related trip reports, albeit less formally and definite. Moderators at bluelight.org provided a trip report format that represents the one most commonly followed on internet trip reports. According to bluelight.org moderators, a trip report should contain a short descriptive title, the substance used and a description of its physical qualities, the users level of experience with that substance, and the route of administration. Next the author should describe the experience, noting set and setting, effects, and duration. The final part on the trip report should be the users reflection on the experience. The reflection section is specifically important in reducing harm caused by drug abuse, as users may list adverse effects of a drug including withdrawal symptoms, potential for addiction, and undesirable side effects.

Online Trip Reports

Many websites and forums have sections dedicated to trip reports. Several of these websites are listed below:

• Erowid.org
• Bluelight.org
• Neurosoup.com
• Shroomery.org
• Dmt-nexus.me

Policies

Most websites used for sharing drug experiences have moderators who will intervene when dangerous information is provided or when users self-incriminate. There are many safety and legal issues associated with this sort of information sharing, so these websites have policies to avoid these sort of issues. Some of the things often prohibited on these websites are as follows:

Self Incrimination

Self incrimination is an issue with trip reports as users are often describing the effects of an illegal substance that they have ingested, and in the process incriminate themselves as having been in possession of and used an illegal drug. Most drug forums and websites forbid self incrimination.

SWIM

Swim is an acronym for the phrase "someone who isn't me". Although some people use this in the place of I or me to avoid self incrimination when discussing an illegal topic, most forums discourage the use of this acronym because it's meaning is well known and it therefore provides little legal protection. The suggested alternative is to use passive voice, which is more effective and professional.

Trading Illegal Substances

Most drug forums forbid conversations concerning the sale of illegal substances. This includes discussions of sources from which to buy illegal substances as well as the sharing of contact information over the forums for the purposes of trading in illegal substances.

Trolling

Trolling, an act in which a person says or does something to intentionally offend or pull a prank on others, is commonplace all over the internet. This is a major problem in drug using communities because false information can lead to extreme consequences. These kinds of posts are often the source of many drug myths, which can be harmful to readers.

Drug Myths

Many myths develop on the internet, and the subject of drugs is no exception. One myth that persisted since the 1960's is the existence of a substance called "bananadine" which is a fictional hallucinogen derived from bananas. Cecil Adams of straight dope writes about the bananadine myth, stating "But you still want to know: Will bananas get you high? Of course not. The whole thing was a hoax first publicized in the Berkeley Barb in March 1967". Cecil goes on to note the source of the hoax, a book called "The Anarchist Cookbook" which published a recipe for the production of bananadine. The author of The Anarchist Cookbook, William Powell, stated that he would like to see the book removed from production, claiming that "The book, in many respects, was a misguided product of my adolescent anger at the prospect of being drafted and sent to Vietnam". This myth is still discussed on different forums, and occasional fictional and nonfictional trip reports and tutorials are written about bananadine on sites such as shroomery and erowid .

Other popular drug myths include smoking peanut shells , and a fake synthesis of LSD with the use of oranges and toothpaste . Neither of these methods produce any psychoactive chemicals, and the information surrounding them is usually the work of internet trolls.

Books

Alice in Wonderland

Alice in wornderland is a book written in 1865 by the author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. The drug using community has speculated about the possibility of Dodgson being motivated to write the story from a drug experience, but most scholars believe that drugs had little role to play in the story. Whether Dodgson was motivated by a drug experience or not, the books surreal storyline and atmosphere has many similarities with trip reports that make it popular among the drug using community.

Doors of Perception

Alduous Huxley is well known to be an early advocate of psychedelic drugs, particularly LSD and Mescaline. Huxley's book "Doors Of Perception" is an account of his experience with 400 milligrams of Mescaline. This book is one of the most thorough trip reports written, and Harold Raymond at the publisher Chatto and Windus was quoted saying "You are the most articulate guinea pig that any scientist could hope to engage" after reading Huxleys manuscript.

DMT: The Spirit Molecule

In the book "DMT: The Spirit Molecule" Dr. Rick Strassman compiles the accounts of volunteers that were injected with the hallucinogen DMT. This book contains many brief trip reports, which Strassman claimed to be the real achievement of these trials. Although Strassman was not able to come to a conclusion concerning his original question when he began the research, he has considered this collection of the volunteers statements to be a success.

P.I.H.K.A.L.

P.I.H.K.A.L. is a book by the chemist and pharmacologist Dr. Alexander Shulgin. In this book, Dr. Shulgin writes trip reports for psychedelic phenylethylamine compounds that he invented and tested on himself. The book is co-authored by his wife Anne Shulgin, who also participates in these sessions, providing her own recollection of the drugs effects. This book provides a more scientific view on drugs and their effects.