In case you’ve been living under a rock, the world is currently undergoing a psychedelic revolution. After the LSD PR nightmare that was the Manson murders – the event said to mark the end of the free lovin’ ‘60s – followed by half a century of anti-psychedelic sentiment whose greatest hits include Richard Nixon’s war on drugs, Nancy Reagan’s “Just say no” campaign, and Bill Clinton’s mandatory minimum sentencing policies – legislation which effectively reinstated slavery in the form of the mass incarceration of millions of black and brown men whose crimes were overwhelmingly non-violent and drug-related – America is finally making its way out of the dark ages.
Cannabis has already been decriminalized in many states and it’s only a matter of time before it becomes legalized nationwide. Meanwhile, ketamine clinics are popping up left and right, psilocybin chocolate bars are being sold in corner stores around New York with zero regulation, and ayahuasca retreats in the jungles of Peru have become the go-to vacay of choice amongst the spiritual seeker crowd. People are finally starting to realize that the SSRIs they’ve been taking for years to keep them from offing themselves and the benzos they’ve been prescribed to manage their panic attacks are nothing more than bandaids.
Psychedelic psychiatry, on the other hand, focuses on getting to the root of people’s problems, allowing them to confront their deepest fears and traumas so that they can heal and move forward with their lives, free of pills that make them feel like zombies. As someone who has endured a significant amount of trauma, been addicted to cocaine, Adderall, and alcohol, and gone through the whole taking-SSRIs-to-suppress-my-emotions-so-I-can-survive cycle numerous times, I can attest to the transformative powers of psychedelics.
Though I’ve never done them in a clinical setting, I’ve done them intentionally enough to work through some serious shit, to the point where I’ve been able to let go of destructive behavioral patterns, cure my chronic depression, and change my relationship to the world and the people in it. While psychedelics alone won’t mend a broken soul (it takes integration, a healthy lifestyle, and a strong support system), I’m a firm believer that the more people who take psychedelics, the happier the world will be.
For anyone scared of having a bad trip, here’s my two cents: there’s no such thing as a bad trip because a bad trip is nothing more than the subconscious manifesting an obstacle in your life that needs to be addressed. While it can be unpleasant, it is oftentimes the most uncomfortable psychedelic experiences that yield the most life-changing results.
In relation to sex, psychedelics have a way of breaking down barriers and fostering intimacy. The psychedelic-fueled ego death enables us to get out of our heads, let go of insecurities about our bodies, and fuse together with our sexual partners in a way that at times can feel like it’s defying the laws of physics. Unlike cocaine and alcohol, which fuel aggressive and sometimes even violent behavior (sexual assault, domestic abuse, etc.), psychedelic sexual encounters are far less likely to end badly.
With that said, it’s important to be mindful and avoid throwing all caution to the wind. For the most part, psychedelics instill a sense of love and understanding amongst sexual partners but they also lower inhibitions and make users highly suggestible. While you’re much less likely to get violently assaulted by a man on LSD than a drunk man, you might find yourself with your guard so down that you allow someone inside of you who you wouldn’t if you were sober.
As such, I advise anyone interested in exploring sex on psychedelics to do so with trusted sexual partners who you feel comfortable communicating with. The key to psychedelic healing is ensuring you are in a safe space with safe people. Otherwise, it’s not worth the risk. See below for a guide to sex on psychedelics compiled by yours truly:
DMT
Anyone who has experimented with DMT knows that the chances of having sex while high on this drug are virtually zero. DMT is a short-acting (10-minute or so) drug that totally transforms your reality. When you take a hit of it, your best bet is to lie down in a comfy place, close your eyes, and let the magic begin. When I do DMT, I’m inundated by tesselate imagery and a bizarre ringing in my ears.
Friends of mine have met extra-terrestrial beings, such as the purple lady and the DMT octopus. I’ve yet to transcend that far into a different dimension but hope to someday. After the initial high wears off, you’re overcome with this amazing afterglow. It’s not dissimilar to how you feel after an acid or shroom trip. The main difference is its immediacy. Whereas with an acid trip, you’re taking a journey full of ups and downs in which you have a more conscious understanding of why you’re left feeling stoked on life by the end of it, DMT blasts you so hard that you have no idea what the fuck is going on. Think of it as a car wash for your brain.
Some major rewiring of synapses is going on deep in your subconscious and by the time you come back to earth, you feel calm, energized, and full of clarity. Problems you were stressing over prior to getting high seem menial and tension in your body dissipates. This afterglow effect sets the perfect stage for a good fuck. Taking a DMT journey alongside a sexual partner is special. You can hold hands as you have your respective worlds rocked by DMT aliens before proceeding to make love, free of distractions and full of tenderness.
Ketamine
I think ketamine takes the cake for best psychedelic to make love on. It’s known for its dissociative effect, which removes ego and emotion. When going through a rough patch with my ex-boyfriend, we would find ourselves overcome with anger and frustration every time we tried to engage in a conversation. A little argument about me not squeegeeing his shower would erupt into world war III, as the cracks in our foundation regarding mistrust and lack of accountability resurfaced,
When things got really heated and we were both willing to put our egos aside and try to remedy the situation, we would snort a fuck ton of ketamine together. The whimsical imagery brought on by k-holes was a welcome distraction from the tiny shoebox of an apartment we found ourselves trapped in during the middle of the pandemic. After the k-hole wore off and we became semi-coherent, we were able to talk to and hold space for one another in a way that was seemingly impossible while sober and angsty.
It was incredible the degree to which our bootleg talk therapy was able to resolve major problems and heal our relationship. When the therapy ended, the touching began. Similar to MDMA, ketamine makes touching someone you are attracted to really fucking fun. It’s like your bodies and souls meld together. Logistically, it can be hard for the guy to get and stay hard but it’s honestly just really nice to flop around with someone you love and talk about the meaning of life.
More recently, I’ve taken on a ketamine-loving lover whom I’ve been having the most intense sex with. It’s wild how close it’s made us in such a short amount of time. The last time we made love, it honestly felt like we were being reincarnated as Shakti and Shiva – the divine masculine and feminine forces central to tantra. The next day I woke up and all the achiness I had been experiencing in my body had disappeared. This dude’s ketamine cock is working wonders for healing my sexual trauma and getting me more in touch with my spiritual side. 10/10 recommend.
MDMA
They don’t call MDMA the “love drug” for nothing. It definitely loosens you up, physically and mentally, instilling an urge to dance, get handsy, and make out with strangers. My brain chemistry is fucked up so I honestly don’t feel it as intensely as most people do. I think it has something to do with my serotonin levels, as MDMA is known to boost serotonin. With this in mind, do not fuck around with this stuff if you are currently on SSRIs because you run the risk of developing serotonin syndrome – a serious condition that can result in diarrhea, seizures, and even death.
Assuming you do not fall into the SSRI club, I recommend taking MDMA in the evening so that you can go out to a club and dance the night away. It really allows you to drop your inhibitions and lose yourself in the music. Electronic music in particular is really lovely to dance to while on MDMA. If you’re a wild one who’s down for random hookups, then there’s no need to bring a fuck toy along with you.
But if you’re like me – terrified of STDs and weary of going home with random strangers while high on drugs for fear of ending up with chlamydia – I would recommend taking this drug with a trusted lover whom you’ll eventually go home with to make passionate love. Once back in the comfort of your own space, you can stop worrying about being that gross, overly-PDA couple on the dance floor and get freaky.
I personally love to exchange massages and take bubble baths when rolling. When the actual sex happens, don’t be alarmed if one or both of you are unable to finish to completion. Cumming is hard on this shit. Some men aren’t even able to get it up. But that doesn’t have to take away from the moment. Sometimes it’s nice to focus more on the journey of physical intimacy than on the end goal of ejaculation.
Psilocybin
You may have heard that ayahuasca has a motherly energy and mescaline a grandfatherly one. Psilocybin (aka shrooms), on the other hand, is said to have more of a playful, childish energy. In my experience, this rings true. Shrooms are definitely the psychedelic that most inspire me to get creative. I love to make art when I’m not busy frolicking half-naked in the park like the wood nymph I become while on magic mushrooms.
Because they are natural and much more integrated into the mainstream than other psychedelics, shrooms are a crowd pleaser. It’s really fun to take shrooms with a lover and go on an adventure. They give you a lot of energy, so it’s best to incorporate a long nature walk into your trip if possible. Otherwise, being cooped up inside for 5 hours can make you a little stir-crazy.
Be warned that faces can look a little weird on shrooms, so your sexual partner might not strike you in the sexiest of lights. Mirrors are best to be avoided, especially if you have body dysmorphia. I once looked into the mirror while high on shrooms and saw my whole body expanding like an inflatable balloon.
With this in mind, sex isn’t completely off the table but I will say that shroom sex is best done during the come-down. When peaking, I have a tendency to get in my head and avoid eye contact. Whereas it’s basically imperative to have a fuck buddy lined up if you plan to roll on MDMA, shrooms are ideal for platonic hangs or to do with lovers with whom you feel super comfortable around.
2C-B
A more niche psychedelic, 2C-B is a research chemical derived from mescaline. Even a full dose – which is typically taken orally – is much more mellow than the other psychedelics on this list. The first time I did it, I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and was able to enjoy the surrealist exhibit without totally losing my shit – something I would not be able to do on an eighth of shrooms or tab of acid. In the same vein, it’s easy to hold a conversation with a sober person without them knowing you are totally fucked up.
As such, it’s a great option for anyone who has hangups about diving into the more intense psychedelics straight off the bat. The only downside is that it’s not as widely available as ketamine or MDMA. The first time I had sex on 2C-B, I felt energized and super present. I met up with an entrepreneur friend of mine to help him draft up a business plan. We spent hours in his office crushing a pitch deck. It gave us the focus of Adderall without all the jitteriness and edginess.
When we finished, he stripped me naked and went down on me for ages. It felt heavenly. As someone with loads of sexual trauma, I’ve definitely had moments of feeling overwhelmed and triggered while high on drugs, but with 2C-B I felt very in control and able to communicate my needs. My friend hasn’t been able to stop raving about how good sex on 2C-B feels, so I think it suffices to say that the male experience is equally enjoyable. He was able to stay hard and cum no problem at all.
With great power comes great responsibility. May this knowledge help to heal your traumas, expand your consciousness, and improve your sex life. Be smart, be safe, and don’t forget to have fun.
Jules
Based in Brooklyn, Jules has dedicated her twenties towards harnessing her pussy power, exploring the muse, whore, and wild woman archetypes along the way. When not blogging, you can find her sweating the toxins out in a hot yoga class or sipping a matcha latte at a pretentious coffee shop, whilst she scribbles away in her journal.
