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Welcome to Tricycle Day. We're the psychedelics newsletter that’s addicted to checking who’s opened our emails. (We see you, Elizabeth.) And mushroom memes, obviously. Who isn’t, tho? 👀

When some people hear psychedelics are being used to treat addiction, it simply doesn’t compute. The skepticism is understandable, especially for those who’ve been conditioned by “just say no” messaging to think of psychedelics as dangerous drugs. You’re just trading one vice for another, they might say.

The truth is, psychedelics are generally not habit forming. Often, they’re actually anti-addictive. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be abused. Which is why this is one of the most delicate topics in psychedelics today.

So for this newsletter, we asked our network of practitioners: What is the responsible way to use psychedelics on the road to recovery from addiction?

We share their responses after the jump.

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Start with honest self-inquiry

Before diving into psychedelics, our practitioners recommend examining your motivations. Kari Roe-LaFramboise suggests: "Check in to see the why behind the journey. Ask yourself if you are trying to escape from your feelings or if you are working to be open to what is coming up for you." Or as Ben Askins puts it, "use [psychedelics] not to escape but to unmask."

That self-assessment should include an honest rating of your preparedness, too. Avery Collura explains that "responsibility begins with honesty. Not just about where you are in your recovery, but about your intentions, your patterns, your readiness, and your support system."

Self-inquiry also means getting real about your commitment to the post-psychedelic process. As Kari notes, it's important to ask yourself: "Are you going to integrate the material that comes up or just use the medicine for tripping?"

Get a solid base

Several practitioners stressed that using psychedelics in recovery requires a stable foundation and robust support system. Wallace Murray recommends "achieving medical stability with no acute withdrawal, solid sleep, reasonably balanced nutrition, so the nervous system can actually receive the insights that may arise."

Professional guidance goes a long way. Garet Free, speaking from personal experience, advises: "Seek out a guide that has experience in trauma and addiction recovery. Don't try and white knuckle your way through it. Working with someone that understands the hill you are trying to climb will create space for a more powerful transformation."

Peer support is perhaps just as important. Mary Decker reminds us that "healing requires connection. Work with a therapist, coach, or recovery group, and stay grounded in supportive community." Amie Brooke adds that "community groups such as Psychedelics in Recovery” exist for this very reason.

Be compassionate with yourself

Many of our practitioners pointed out that, 9 times out of 10, this work is ultimately about processing the trauma underneath the addiction. Erin Witter describes the process as "gently uncovering my emotional and developmental shadows" and engaging "the medicine to process trauma, rather than escaping it."

Summer MacCool frames it beautifully: "Recovery is a sacred unfolding, and these medicines can reveal truth, release trauma, and reconnect you with your inner wisdom." She cautions however that "they must be held in a safe, grounded, and trauma-informed space."

Tolga Yenilmez offers a sophisticated approach using Internal Family Systems. He suggests you "meet the parts of yourself that turned to addiction as a survival strategy—not to shame them, but to understand, transform, and ultimately integrate them."

Our take

Addiction is almost never the problem. It's a solution to the problem.

People turn to substances (or compulsive behaviors) as a salve for something more painful: trauma, disconnection, shame, or unbearable emotions. So instead of vilifying addiction, we should recognize it as an adaptive response that has spun out of control. Then the real work becomes healing what's beneath it.

The reason psychedelics can be so helpful for addiction is that they help you compassionately confront those underlying wounds. Then there’s a window to process them in a more fundamental and sustainable way. Which, btw, is hard work.

A final note: Ibogaine in particular holds tremendous potential for treating life-threatening addictions, such as opioid use disorder. For more on this topic, revisit our interviews with Talia Eisenberg and Jonathan Dickinson from the archive.

Thanks to Kyle P. from Spring Hill, FL for submitting this week’s question. 🫠

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UNTIL NEXT TIME

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DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. The use, possession, and distribution of psychedelic drugs are illegal in most countries and may result in criminal prosecution.