cosmiccharlie

Stay strong and enjoy! Parenthood is amazing (coming from a dad not a mom).

I agree with Jay. In order to have a handle on whether recovery is happening, it's important to stay sober and healthy. Even using weed once in a while can affect us. That's not to say that you can never do drugs again but if you want to know whether your symptoms are stable you should be sober during that period.

Hi, I'm sorry to hear about your situation. Try and remain calm. Your intuition about stopping THC products is a good one. Personally, Delta 8 worries me as there is very little knowledge about its effects on the body and mind. I would strongly recommend stopping Delta 8 for the foreseeable future. It hasn't been very long since your last trip so I would give it some time. In my opinion, mushrooms are one of the least likely hallucinogens to cause HPPD, my symptoms were mainly due to excessive LSD use. That's not to say mushrooms cannot cause it because there are reports of this they just seem to be in the minority. There are also reports of cannabis causing it, this is a much smaller group of people though. You're going to be fine, try and believe that. Try not to focus on your symptoms and spend as little time as you can on the internet researching the disorder. Whether you have it or not, reading redit posts will likely only cause anxiety and one thing seems to be true for everyone with HPPD, anxiety exacerbates the symptoms. That's not to say that it causes further damage but rather it makes life more difficult which causes anxiety etc... Try not to focus on them but also don't avoid them. Your mind is going through a change now and responding to the condition it is in. Let it do its work. The things that worked for me are the following: Stop all drugs, even alcohol for a while. Take it one day at a time, try not to think about the past or future just be here now. Keep yourself busy with healthy, productive things; hobbies, work, etc... Exercise even if it makes your symptoms worse Do the best you can to not focus on HPPD; minimize time spent online looking into it and time thinking about it (this tends to generate anxiety which is not helpful for us) Try learning to meditate, even if it's just for a minute or two. We all have the ability to go inward for strength and healing. For example, you can spend 30 seconds or a minute sitting and noticing your breath and thinking the following: when I breath in I notice I am breathing in when I breath out I notice that I am breathing out and I smile because I am alive. It's that simple! Try and get as much sleep as you can. If you're open to it, pray to God in whatever way you think is appropriate. You don't even have to believe in anything, just ask for help. Hang in there. Take Care, Nick

Hang in there man. If you'd like to chat on the phone we can arrange that.

This is my first post on the forum, you can make it!

Hey, Glad you found us and I'm sorry about your situation, I'm sure it's very stressful. Try and remain calm and take it a day at a time. Most of us have been exactly where you are today and have made some form of recovery. I know it can be scary, exhausting, overwhelming...there's a long list. The most important thing you can do is to stop taking hallucinogens and smoking pot if you still are. There are stages of recovery and abstinence from these substances is crucial to allow the process to begin. You'll be okay, you're still you even if you don't feel like it. You made a mistake and will learn from it. Trust me, the feeling of making it through what you're experiencing now is truly wonderful. To get there you just have to get through today. Try not to focus on your symptoms or the disorder i.e. going down internet rabbit holes. Anxiety is strongly coupled to HPPD as you probably know, doing what you can to minimize anxiety and stress will make things more manageable. For me and many others, living a healthy lifestyle after developing HPPD enabled recovery to begin. The list below worked for me. Stop all drugs, even alcohol for a while. Take it one day at a time, try not to think about the past or future just be here now. Keep yourself busy with healthy, productive things; hobbies, work, etc... Exercise even if it makes your symptoms worse Do the best you can to not focus on HPPD; minimize time spent online looking into it and time thinking about it (this tends to generate anxiety which is not helpful for us) Try learning to meditate, even if it's just for a minute or two. We all have the ability to go inward for strength and healing. For example, you can spend 30 seconds or a minute sitting and noticing your breath and thinking the following: when I breath in I notice I am breathing in when I breath out I notice that I am breathing out and I smile because I am alive. It's that simple! Try and get as much sleep as you can. If you're open to it, pray to God in whatever way you think is appropriate. You don't even have to believe in anything, just ask for help. If you'd like to talk on WhatsApp DM me. Hang in there, Nick

I have experienced exercise exacerbating symptoms slightly, never to the point in which it affected my sleep. I usually tell people to work out despite this. A healthy lifestyle usually involves some form of exercise and this has been crucial to my recovery. The symptoms may have affected your anxiety which can affect sleep. Hang in there.

Thanks Jay, I hope you're doing well.

I agree with Jay. For me, weed provided what I thought was a lovely oasis for years until it started doing pretty much exactly what you are describing. It seems for some of us, our past psychedelic drug use eventually comes back to haunt us. Try to remain calm and take a break from cannabis. You don't have to shut the door on it completely, that's your decision. However, I highly recommend getting an accurate cannabis free sense of your baseline symptoms by abstaining for a few weeks. They may just go away after a few weeks/months. They may reduce and reach a steady state after a similar amount of time. It's impossible to know but I think it makes sense to understand where you're at and then adjust life style accordingly. For me, the prospect of never smoking again was impossible to digest which is why I have never made any such declaration. I choose to stay sober today because it's what makes my life stable and enjoyable. This may change down the road and that's okay. DM me if you'd like to chat more or talk over WhatsApp. Hang in there, you'll be okay. Take Care, Nick

I am actually coming to believe it may make sense for one to not distract themselves from their symptoms but rather intentionally face them on a consistent basis in the hope of them loosing their power over us. This could be considered a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Just some thoughts, no medical basis other than the fact that OCD and PTSD are effectively treated this way. And, I think there is a link between HPPD and PTSD.

I agree with @jh875, many of us have gone through repeated cycles of realizing we have HPPD, abstaining, symptoms getting better and then going back to drugs only to have it come back. It's a strange behavior that I am very familiar with as I have have done it several times. In my experience, baseline really depends upon the individual and other factors. It can always get worse and abstinence is really the only sure thing that will help the recovery process. You've gotten better before and you can do it again. It hasn't been very long since New Years so give it time, this may just be a bump in the road. Try and use it as a warning if you can, the disorder seems to live below the surface and can for years until something agitates it enough to reemerge. Hang in there!

Hello, I'm sorry to hear about your situation. Currently there is no catch all cure for HPPD unfortunately but many of us do recover if we make some lifestyle changes such as no longer using drugs. For me, living the healthiest I could helped my mind recover. It's not an overnight process but it does happen. Try and relax and let your mind heal itself. Don't focus on the symptoms because this usually just creates anxiety which can exacerbate them. You will probably notice improvement in a few months so just do what you can to live your life to the best of your ability until things settle down. We're here for you and know that your life is not over! I have lived with this condition for over a decade and my life is better than I could have hoped. I have a beautiful family, I am working on a doctorate in mathematics and I feel like myself these days. Hang in there, you'll be okay. Take Care, Nick

Just give it time and try not assess your condition. It is what it is and sampling it at this point is only going to cause pain. Let it be what it is and let your body and mind do the work. I like the analogy of when I have the flu. I typically don't question my condition much or assess it. I just put my body in a place where it can recover, I don't consciously worry about it and trust it to do the work. I have to run to work now. Hang in there Nick

Visuals returned to based line which is not zero for me probably because of the doses I used. I think that period was just a flare up for me which lasted a few months. It might not be a bad idea to get some help if your struggle is unbearable. Although there's no HPPD treatment available (to my knowledge), some of the meds can help you calm down to get through this period. I used an SSRI and still do which really helped. Some people report a worsening of symptoms but I have not experienced this. I also have a few other mental conditions which the SSRI helps mitigate. I know many people report help from benzos and other prescribed meds. I personally have no experience with these and there is also the risk of addiction and dependence. Maybe ask others on this forum who know more than I do. I think @Jay1 has a few decades of knowledge about this.

This is my first post on the forum, you can make it!

I had originally contracted HPPD from excessive use of LSD. I used large doses a few times maybe 1000ug one night in 2008. I then eventually realized I would have to stop or my life would never amount to much. I abstained for about 8 years and then ended up in a difficult situation in which mushrooms seemed like they would help. I tripped 7 times in less than 2 months with one intense oral DMT experience. After this period my visuals returned with a bang. It left me feeling very hopeless as I was about to start my PhD (which was always my dream). Despite my worries/fears I was able to slowly make progress towards my degree while navigating HPPD recovery. Here I am more than 4 years later with only 3 semesters left and an article ready to be submitted for publication. This disorder is complicated, miserable and especially terrible because we can feel a sense of guilt about it. There is nothing to feel guilty about, you are human and making mistakes is inevitable. Despite how absurd they can seem in hindsight or from another frame of reference, we make the best decisions we can given the conditions of the situation. Having a brain that is still curious about tripping even after HPPD is nothing to be ashamed of, I am sure not ashamed, it's the way I am. The best advice I can give is the following: Stop all drugs, even alcohol for a while. Take it one day at a time, try not to think about the past or future just be here now. Keep yourself busy with healthy, productive things; hobbies, work, etc... Exercise even if it makes your symptoms worse Do the best you can to not focus on HPPD; minimize time spent online looking into it and time thinking about it (this tends to generate anxiety which is not helpful for us) Try learning to meditate, even if it's just for a minute or two. We all have the ability to go inward for strength and healing. For example, you can spend 30 seconds or a minute sitting and noticing your breath and thinking the following: when I breath in I notice I am breathing in when I breath out I notice that I am breathing out and I smile because I am alive. It's that simple! Try and get as much sleep as you can. If you're open to it, pray to God in whatever way you think is appropriate. You don't even have to believe in anything, just ask for help. Some days will be better than others but if given time, you will adapt and have a chance to live the life you want to live. When you recover, you will be filled with an immense sense of gratitude and this period of your life will provide a fertile ground for much growth in the future. This is what I have experienced, eventually the affliction becomes an asset and you'll get to help somebody else down the road. Take Care, Nick

Where there is life, there is hope. It's hard to see that sometimes. I also made a mostly full recovery and did drugs again and it set me back. But afterwards I eventually recovered despite some dark days in which I too considered ending it. I'm glad I didn't because today I have two beautiful girls and a job I love. The offer stands to talk on WhatsApp if you think it would help. Hang in there, Nick

I'm sorry to hear about your struggles. All I can offer is the hope that it will get better. One foot in front of the other, you will make it through. There are and will be low points and that's okay, not losing hope is the key. I was in your shoes at one point and now I have my life back and it's better than I could have imagined. You're welcome to send me a private message and maybe we can set up a WhatsApp call. Take Care, Nick

Hello, It's impossible to quantify risk of such a situation. I will say that it seems HPPD is a disorder that is cumulative (depends upon entire drug history) and from experience, once your brain has been in a state of HPPD it is possible for single doses or events to cause a resurgence of symptoms. For me, meditation has been the medicine to help me cope with my symptoms which will likely never go away. I have found myself in similar states of mind to psychedelics through meditation which last much longer and pose zero risk to my mental health. I was once where you are now, weighing the risk of further exploring psychedelics after having contracted the condition. One thing that seems to be certain, things can always get worse. That being said, we all must ask ourselves what we are willing to give up and perhaps a more difficult question, why are we willing to take such gambles in the first place? I have found that the answers I was looking for through drugs were right in front of me the entire time, all I had to do was wake up, be in the moment and experience the beauty of life. Send me a message if you'd like to chat on WhatsApp. Take Care, Nick

From my experience, frequency can impact whether one gets HPPD or not. That was one of my many mistakes which gifted me this disorder. Personally, I would wait a few months at least and see if things return to baseline. I know it can be tempting to test the waters but this condition is not something anyone wants (I think). If the lingering effects go away and you trip again and things are fine I would still recommend spacing your doses by 2-3 months to be on the safe side. Listen to Jay, he has a lot of experience and has helped a lot of people.

Hello, I'm sorry to hear about your struggles. I will say that my first thought is that you and your friend smoked Spice (synthetic weed) 7 years ago. I have done this too (unfortunately) and it had a significant impact on my life. HPPD is a funny thing that I don't pretend to understand. I am confident that there is a strong relationship between HPPD and anxiety and they sort of create a feedback loop which can make things really difficult for periods of time. My history is one of extensive marijuana, LSD and mushroom use. Plus a few other things here and there, spice being included. I tell everyone the same thing because it worked for me and facilitated my recovery over time: Stop all drugs (even alcohol for a bit if you can) Get as much sleep as you can Exercise regularly even if it makes your symptoms worse Eat well Stay busy with work/ school/ hobby etc Try not to worry Learn to meditate if you can (this was really helpful for me) If you're open to it, start praying to God (it doesn't have to be any particular religion and you don't even have to believe in anything just ask for help on your knees everyday. I really believe help will come if we reach out) Remember, most things in life (good and bad) are impermanent; this time for you included. I know it can be scary, hopeless, upsetting and many other things. It's important to believe that you can recover if you give your body and mind the chance to. The mind especially is extraordinarily resilient as you will see through your own recovery. I genuinely cannot believe how good my life is today; I have a family (wife and kids), I am a mathematics PhD student (year 5), I served in the military and I am generally happy. All of this good stuff occurred AFTER I contracted HPPD and even went back to drugs for a short period in between the military and graduate school. Keep pushing and try not to worry. Try and accept that this is how things are for you now, do what you can and see what happens. Also, there is nothing to feel guilty about. We all make mistakes, the important things is how we respond to the effects of those mistakes. This is an opportunity for you to grow and start a new life! I am also available to chat on WhatsApp, if you're interested DM me on this forum. Take Care, Nick

Hello, What you are describing may be a mild case or something else. None of us here are doctors and can only share our experience and hope. The relation to the weed smoking makes me think it could be mild HPPD but it's impossible (at this point) to say anything with certainty about this condition. My advice to you is maybe to start keeping a daily journal to track your symptoms. Short entries, something like frequency, duration, intensity. This may help give you a sense of how prevalent it is in your life. If you continue to smoke weed or drink you should also make a note of this in your daily log. However, I would strongly recommend abstaining from weed at least until you see how long this thing lasts. From my experience and many others, weed and HPPD tend to interact quite strongly. I tell everyone the same thing because it worked for me and facilitated my recovery: Stop all drugs (even alcohol for a bit if you can) Get as much sleep as you can Exercise regularly even if it makes your symptoms worse Eat well Stay busy with work/ school/ hobby etc Try not to worry Learn to meditate if you can (this was really helpful for me) A lifestyle adjustment helped me cope and recover over time. My case is rather severe but I now lead a happy, productive and full life with a family, challenging job and a network of friends. Let us know how things turn out. Take Care, Nick

Hi Andres, Personally I have not experienced the head pressure symptoms you describe but I have in the past had difficulty with text in low lighting. This subsided over time and is barely noticeable now. Hope this helps! Take Care, Nick

Hi, I'm sorry to hear about your struggles. For me and many on here, time is the best medicine for a return to normalcy. Psychiatrist and psychologist but the response varies. There isn't a standardized treatment unfortunately and honestly for me it was a waste of time. Hopefully treatments will come soon. Not to my knowledge. There is a study going on in Australia that is using fMRI scans to investigate the HPPD brain but I don't think much is known on that front. You will get your life back! Personally I lead a happy and satisfying life which has only been temporarily limited by the condition. I have a wife, children, I served in the military and I am a mathematics PhD student. All of this happened after I contracted HPPD. Times can be difficult but recovery is possible if we put the drugs down. My advice to you is to not asses your condition too frequently. It's only been a month since the onset, try and give yourself at least 6 months before really looking at your condition. In the meantime, try to live the best life you can. Eat well, exercise (even if it exacerbates the symptoms), get as much sleep as you can. Most importantly stop doing drugs (at least for the time being). Also, try not to focus on it! It's there, so what? The more time and energy you give it the more powerful it can become. Know that you are trying to recover and be proud of that, there's no where to go but up. If you'd like to chat we can talk on WhatsApp, send me a private message if this sounds appealing. Take Care, Nick

I'm sorry to hear things are so difficult for you. The first few weeks can be scary, try and remain calm and believe that you'll make it through. Feel free to send me a private message if you'd like to connect.