Kristin Nash became an advocate for harm reduction and education about psychedelics after her son, Will Nash, died at 21 while under the influence of psilocybin mushrooms.
I am sorry for your loss. Like you I’m all for being a dissenting voice that’s trying to bridge gaps between the echo chamber and the rest of the world. I work as a counselor and see far too many practitioners and therapists who shouldn’t be doing the work they’re doing. I think we all need more education and training around harm reduction. Thanks for sharing your story and your work.
Hello. I just saw your interview at a very opportune time for me... I have been using many different kinds of psychedelics, without incident, for years. I have even been able to guide and keep others safe while I myself was still under the influence - reminding friends to stay hydrated, take breathing breaks, and even had to remind one that we are still bound by the laws of physics and that they cannot, in fact, fly...
Perhaps through these experiences my ego had gotten the best of me, and I thought that I was somehow immune to the powerful mind-expanding effects these substances can sometimes have on people.
Then, during my most recent trip, I experienced complete ego-dissolution for the first time. I forgot who I was as a human person and felt that I had transcended into another realm where I was a god - a Being that is simultaneously both a part of the Universe and one with its entirety. It was beautiful and surreal, but it was not so beautiful for my husband, who had to convince "god me" that I could not, at that moment, simply get in the car, drive to the nearest airport, and fly to another country (which at the time I suddenly had full intention of doing).
Surprisingly, I can remember the experience in great detail and have been hashing it over and integrating all I can through daily reflection. Probably the most important lessons I have learned from this experience are those of deep respect and reverence towards these substances as well as the need for harm reduction education and practices.
I will tell you right now, despite how scary the experience was, both my husband and I have no plans of discontinuing our relationship with psychedelics. Long before this particular situation where my life may have been put at risk, psychedelics had *saved* my life by lifting me out of a deep, recurrent depression (I was first diagnosed with Major Depression presenting with self-harming behaviors as a teen). Psychedelics allowed me to learn to love and care for myself, to appreciate Life, to explore my creativity, and to reconnect with the Eternal Sacred. They are an integral part of who I am today and of my spiritual practices.
Nevertheless, we are now acutely aware of the potential risks and have been developing a safety plan so that we, along with our friends and family - many of whom also use psychedelics for spiritual, recreational, and medicinal purposes, can approach our use in a more mindful way that is centered on harm reduction and shared responsibility.
I agree with Kristin Nash and I am heartened by what she is doing. I do not think there is anywhere near enough emphasis on harm reduction, especially among the many people now advocating the use of psychedelic substances! To me, this interview is definitely the most important thing I have read in The Microdose. Thank you very, very much for publishing it.
Thank you Kristin Nash for all that you are doing. As someone who works with high school students, your work in educating people on this issue is so important.
What a story. I felt very deeply for the family and for the kid while reading it, but also, as a psychedelic advocate in the earlier stages of my learning, became aware of one side to these substances that I hadn't been noticing until now. I'm studying to become a psychotherapist specialized in psychedelic assisted therapy, however, in my country (not the US) we are at the very early stages of this conversation. Thank you to ms Nash for making this issue more widely noticeable now for the rest of the world, many people will surely be saved thanks to such iniciatives.
Thank you for bringing harm reduction and education into the conversation around recreational substance use. Along with Safety First, I would check out Peer Health Exchange. I volunteered with them in college and found students engaged with how the curriculum approached topics like consent, substance use, communication and advocacy. Grateful for your honest share.
I am sorry for your loss. Like you I’m all for being a dissenting voice that’s trying to bridge gaps between the echo chamber and the rest of the world. I work as a counselor and see far too many practitioners and therapists who shouldn’t be doing the work they’re doing. I think we all need more education and training around harm reduction. Thanks for sharing your story and your work.
Hello. I just saw your interview at a very opportune time for me... I have been using many different kinds of psychedelics, without incident, for years. I have even been able to guide and keep others safe while I myself was still under the influence - reminding friends to stay hydrated, take breathing breaks, and even had to remind one that we are still bound by the laws of physics and that they cannot, in fact, fly...
Perhaps through these experiences my ego had gotten the best of me, and I thought that I was somehow immune to the powerful mind-expanding effects these substances can sometimes have on people.
Then, during my most recent trip, I experienced complete ego-dissolution for the first time. I forgot who I was as a human person and felt that I had transcended into another realm where I was a god - a Being that is simultaneously both a part of the Universe and one with its entirety. It was beautiful and surreal, but it was not so beautiful for my husband, who had to convince "god me" that I could not, at that moment, simply get in the car, drive to the nearest airport, and fly to another country (which at the time I suddenly had full intention of doing).
Surprisingly, I can remember the experience in great detail and have been hashing it over and integrating all I can through daily reflection. Probably the most important lessons I have learned from this experience are those of deep respect and reverence towards these substances as well as the need for harm reduction education and practices.
I will tell you right now, despite how scary the experience was, both my husband and I have no plans of discontinuing our relationship with psychedelics. Long before this particular situation where my life may have been put at risk, psychedelics had *saved* my life by lifting me out of a deep, recurrent depression (I was first diagnosed with Major Depression presenting with self-harming behaviors as a teen). Psychedelics allowed me to learn to love and care for myself, to appreciate Life, to explore my creativity, and to reconnect with the Eternal Sacred. They are an integral part of who I am today and of my spiritual practices.
Nevertheless, we are now acutely aware of the potential risks and have been developing a safety plan so that we, along with our friends and family - many of whom also use psychedelics for spiritual, recreational, and medicinal purposes, can approach our use in a more mindful way that is centered on harm reduction and shared responsibility.
I agree with Kristin Nash and I am heartened by what she is doing. I do not think there is anywhere near enough emphasis on harm reduction, especially among the many people now advocating the use of psychedelic substances! To me, this interview is definitely the most important thing I have read in The Microdose. Thank you very, very much for publishing it.
Thank you Kristin Nash for all that you are doing. As someone who works with high school students, your work in educating people on this issue is so important.
What a story. I felt very deeply for the family and for the kid while reading it, but also, as a psychedelic advocate in the earlier stages of my learning, became aware of one side to these substances that I hadn't been noticing until now. I'm studying to become a psychotherapist specialized in psychedelic assisted therapy, however, in my country (not the US) we are at the very early stages of this conversation. Thank you to ms Nash for making this issue more widely noticeable now for the rest of the world, many people will surely be saved thanks to such iniciatives.
Thinking of you, Kristin and sending so much love to you and your family. Thank you for your courage in your advocacy. This is very important work <3
Thank you for bringing harm reduction and education into the conversation around recreational substance use. Along with Safety First, I would check out Peer Health Exchange. I volunteered with them in college and found students engaged with how the curriculum approached topics like consent, substance use, communication and advocacy. Grateful for your honest share.
Thank you for writing.