Tripping balls scale
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The 0 to 10 "Tripping balls scale" scale below is playful, but I would also like to believe very useful for friends to communicate with each other when they.... (hypothetically of course)... are at a music festival or party and partake in a substance that they *didn't* purchase at a pharmacy. Weed is now legal in several US states, but this scale is designed to apply to any psychedelic.
My Graphical Representation of the "Tripping balls scale" (0-10)
The Purpose of This Scale
The reason I made this scale is I've often been a babysitter for friends who are tripping, rolling or high. Sometimes you just can't tell how high someone is though, and so you can't really tell at what point you should be worried about them. At festivals I like to ask friends where they are from 0 to 10 but until now there hasn't been a calibration so what I think is a 5 might be different from what you think is a 5. In this graphic, I personally feel like 3-5 is a good level to aim for, any higher than that you might feel nauseous and obviously you should always be cautious about having a bad trip. Having a responsible friend with you as a guide is incredibly helpful in making sure you have a great trip, and not a bad one. The best trips are ones that are taken outdoors in beautiful nature and surrounded by friends. Periodically your care-taker might ask where you fall on the scale, and that will help people around you know when they might need to take care of you, versus letting you wander off. Some phycadelics can take hours to kick in so do your research and be patient. It's way better to fall short of your target than overshoot!
Doing Drugs Responsibly
I strongly believe that only people older than 25 (when the brain has mostly stopped developing) should experiment with substances, and even then be very smart about which ones to try and never try the type of drugs that ruin your life. Weed is legal in many places and probably mushrooms will become legal one day because they can help you become more present and so they are the safer ones. I also strongly believe that psychedelics should be a "special event" kind of experience. If you do it every week, or every day, then yes, even weed becomes addictive and suddenly you are dependent on it to relieve anxiety the same way alcoholics get addicted to alcohol. I don't think drugs are a black and white (good or evil) type of deal. I think you should be around really smart and responsible people when you decide to try something for the first time, and make sure you test drugs and start with a small dose. Don't accept drugs from strangers. I know I sound like a mum right now, but I've had plenty of female friends drugged in clubs, and yes, lots of men will try to get women messed up (and easier to take advantage of) by offering drugs. It's better to try substances on your own terms with people you really trust. Also you should really do your research and be aware that there is often a period of "blues" the day after a magical experience when your serotonin dips. Taking the 5HTP supplement can help level out your serotonin.
Sincerely,
Andrew Noske
See Also
- Tourist scale - Actually quite unrelated to drugs, but another fun one.
| Acknowledgements: My friends in Hawaii for helping inspire this scale! I won’t say which ones, but maybe you guys should cut back occasionally! ;) |
