Technically, any chemically induced change of state of mind that doesn’t require a third party to supervise, can be considered self medication.
Morning coffee? Self medication. Going for a jog to feel better? Self medication. Getting blackout drunk on your own? Self medication. Midnight wank when you can’t sleep? Self medication.
You know what’s NOT self medication? Taking shrooms or LSD or any other hallucinogenics with a trip sitter.
I disagree that having a tripsitter present makes it not self-medication. If the substance isn’t being prescribed or administered by the third party, and they aren’t medical professionals then it’s still self-administered even if there’s a third party there. So then it becomes a question of intent. Why are they taking it? If it’s because it helps or treats some aspect of themselves that they are unhappy with then it’s medication. I’m genuinely curious why you’d think hallucinogens wouldn’t fit into that category, or if it’s just the presence of a trip sitter that you think negates the medicinal aspect.
Edit* does your morning coffee stop being medicinal if you share the pot with others? Does your jog if someone jogs beside you? A trip sitter is just a precaution and most people who have done psychedelics often, particularly people who self medicate with them, probably have also done them without trip sitters at some point.
Technically, any chemically induced change of state of mind that doesn’t require a third party to supervise, can be considered self medication.
Morning coffee? Self medication. Going for a jog to feel better? Self medication. Getting blackout drunk on your own? Self medication. Midnight wank when you can’t sleep? Self medication.
You know what’s NOT self medication? Taking shrooms or LSD or any other hallucinogenics with a trip sitter.
I disagree that having a tripsitter present makes it not self-medication. If the substance isn’t being prescribed or administered by the third party, and they aren’t medical professionals then it’s still self-administered even if there’s a third party there. So then it becomes a question of intent. Why are they taking it? If it’s because it helps or treats some aspect of themselves that they are unhappy with then it’s medication. I’m genuinely curious why you’d think hallucinogens wouldn’t fit into that category, or if it’s just the presence of a trip sitter that you think negates the medicinal aspect.
Edit* does your morning coffee stop being medicinal if you share the pot with others? Does your jog if someone jogs beside you? A trip sitter is just a precaution and most people who have done psychedelics often, particularly people who self medicate with them, probably have also done them without trip sitters at some point.