Writer John Biggs wanted no part of psychedelics, he writes in his newsletter — he pictured being "trapped in a room with a bunch of weirdos while they sang songs and listened to techno." But he was in a bad way after his father's death: drinking, gaining weight, and stuck on the antidepressant Pristiq, which he calls "a numbing pill" that gave "painful zaps" whenever he tried to quit. "Basically, the pills made sure I'd keep taking them."
Then a friend dragged him to a mushroom session. Biggs says that first trip "set me on a new path," a second "helped me kick the antidepressants," and others "showed me a clear path out of sorrow" — though he won't claim he's cured. He's since built TripSitter, a directory of vetted psychedelic guides, counselors, and integration specialists.
"A few years ago, I wanted to be gone," he says. "Now I want to stay."
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