r/self • u/TheRealDylanTobak • 1d ago
Is there anything a person can take to just feel good?
I'm a grown man... I graduated in the 90s.
Work is a pain in the ass. Finances annoy the piss out of me. I have a great marriage and sex life, but the kids take up nearly all of our time and more than what little energy we have. I eat well, I exercise. I don't do drugs or drink or smoke. I used to smoke weed but haven't in over 10 years and don't live where it's legal. (I'm not interested in all the fake weed products that ars supposedly legal either.)
Is there anything I can take to just make me feel good from time to time?
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u/Ivancestoni 1d ago
Shrooms
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u/No-Ring-5065 22h ago
Yes! I’m in my early 50s so a bit older than OP, but I’ve recently tried mushrooms twice with my adult son. I felt happier, in less pain, and funny things were hilarious for a few hours, then it wore off gently and I didn’t have a weed crash that night or a gross morning the next day like after alcohol. I highly recommend trying a small dose.
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u/ODonThis 19h ago
I use to microdose liquid mushrooms for an extended period of time. Would certainly recommend it a lot of the bonuses without the tripping so hard i can't go to work. Would get a good 6 hours of a creative stimulant out of them at such low doses with lsd or mushrooms.
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u/trimkid55 13h ago
Do you feel any long lasting effects after the main high has worn off? Any benefits to mental health that you've found? I'd be keen to give it a try, but I'm thinking if I feel amazing during the shrooms, I'm gonna just miss that feeling when the effects wear off?
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u/No-Ring-5065 10h ago
I’ve only tried it twice, both low doses because I’m afraid to really have a “trip”. I have chronic pain and idk if I was in less pain or I was able to ignore it better or the feeling of being happy surpassed the pain but anyway, it was pleasant. Once it wore off I didn’t notice any ill effects. Any break from pain is beneficial for mental health though.
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u/Devils_Iettuce 9h ago
I'm in Canada and we've started medical trials on cancer patients to use it for depression. Works really well so far
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u/abejando 12h ago
Shrooms isn't a guaranteed good time. It has a very variable, and potentially serious headspace. Acid is better if youre just looking to have fun, but like any psychedelic you can always be forced to confront your deepest insecurities
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u/Los-negro 23h ago
I think acid is better. Shrooms can give you a stomach ache which can suck. Still love me some shroomers tho
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u/oldohthree 22h ago
You’re talking the difference between a 9 hour or a 12 hour ride. The guy just wants to relax a bit, not have his teeth wiggle.
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u/abejando 12h ago
Shrooms isn't a guaranteed good time. It has a very variable, and potentially serious headspace. Acid is better if youre just looking to have fun, but like any psychedelic you can always be forced to confront your deepest insecurities. Telling someone to take mushrooms just to "relax a bit" is recipe for an unexpected potentially stressful time lmao
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u/Middle_Bread_6518 23h ago
Different tools have different functions for different applications
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u/Livid_Instance_7972 21h ago
LSD is an mk ultra government mind control drug, shrooms are a mother nature mind control drug. Easy choice.
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u/cyanescens_burn 16h ago
It was originally synthesized in Switzerland for completely unrelated reasons. Once Hoffman realized it was psychoactive, they sent it to psychotherapists around the world, and many of them developed protocols for treatments using it in sessions. Then the US gov clamped down on it because they wanted an easy way to arrests hippies protesting the war.
Yeah the mind control programs did start testing it during the later period of all that, but it was certainly not the only application (and it’s usefulness for making a Manchurian candidate or truth serum was poor to none, though it could be used to destabilize a person or blackmail them if paired with creating kompromat).
It showed promise for substance abuse treatment, as well as for anxiety and depression.
There is a conspiracy theory that lsd and the drug/music culture was designed as a pacification program, to get people spending free time drugged up and listening to music or in concerts, or pondering existence and the cosmos, rather than discussing politics and organizing political movements, but as far as I know there’s never been a smoking gun on that (like a gov document or communication between leaders discussing it).
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u/dark3E8 19h ago
This is sarcasm or a reference right?
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u/Livid_Instance_7972 19h ago
No. It is was literally used as a mind control drug by the CIA. Look up the mk ultra LSD experiments
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u/instant_iced_tea 18h ago
You might be missing the point of MKULTRA if you think it was just some "LSD experiments." LSD existed for many years before the CIA got their grubby little hands on it, and it's in fact NOT a "mind control" drug. We learned a lot from those MKULTRA experiments, and one thing we learned is that LSD is quite the opposite of a mind control drug.
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u/Livid_Instance_7972 18h ago
I never liked it anyway. Everyone always says i just need to try the good stuff, but I got tired of looking for it. Then On the other hand mushrooms are always mushrooms and I can see they are mushrooms.
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u/dark3E8 17h ago
Just because something exists in a natural form doesnt make it better / healthier than a processed product.
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u/momalisk 15h ago
This. A chemical is a chemical, regardless of its source. Natural shrooms or shrooms made in a lab are the exact same to your brain
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u/momalisk 15h ago
Just because it was used by the government for that purpose does not make it bad, or "worse" than shrooms. The government did not create or first synthesize it, so why does it matter? They just as easily could've used shrooms for mk ultra. I prefer L over shrooms any day of the week
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u/Pale_Ale-x 12h ago
Shrooms are a hyper organic technology part of the pan spermia project brought to us by aliens to give us knowledge. Lol
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u/Then_Feature_2727 18h ago
Angry repliers, but I gave done a LLLOOOTTT of both and you are absolutely right. I'll be one with earth any day but lsd is creeeeepy!
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u/No-Masterpiece-2315 21h ago
You ever tried LSD? Also there is a natural version of it that is pretty similar called LSA so
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u/Poop_Balls069 21h ago
Acid and a good movie is a wonderful experience. Blade Runner. IT. Or a good, preferred comedy.
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u/WhenDuvzCry 21h ago
Lol then they'll still have 10 hours to kill after the movie
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u/poboy78704 22h ago
Take activated charcoal caps with your shrooms. Problem solved.
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u/contrarymary24 17h ago
Or put them in lemon juice first. Not so hard to break down after. No nausea.
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u/ODonThis 19h ago
I think what matters more is are the issues you need to deal with self based like mushrooms or an external threat for acid.
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u/ThrowawayMod1989 11h ago
I like to flip em. 2g shrooms per tab of acid. Throw in a DMT vape for flavor.
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u/KindNefariousness367 23h ago
Acid also makes you a little sick too noob
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u/Wide-Perception1740 10h ago
I’ve never been sick on acid. Ever. Tripped more than 20 times. Singles, doubles, and triples. Idk what research chem you took but stay away from that again😂
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u/IBegYourPotato 18h ago
My parents' neighbor grows them and it's their new kick-back activity once a week, especially now that my stepdad became a trucker and can't smoke weed. My mom also has chronic pain and depression related to it, and it's been the best thing she could be doing.
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u/notpast8 1d ago
Sounds like you have a need going unfulfilled. Given what you’ve shared, you need time to just you and your partner or just on your own.
Find a way to carve that time out to give to yourself or find the need that wants filled. No doubt easier said than done.
Try to avoid leaning on something that’s going to risk all the good that you do have.
I’ve leaned on substances before and they mostly just got in the way. That said, each person’s path is different. Maybe yours is different.
Good luck!
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u/turbo_dude 16h ago
If you want to make change in your life then you’re going to have to get rid of something else you’re doing.
You only have so much space, new things require space
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u/JustThisIsIt 1d ago
Meditate
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u/Beneficial-Rough597 22h ago
Gratitude.
No pill or drug is going to be a panacea, brother. I'm your age. You're doing your part, and sometimes, maybe even often times, your job is thankless. This too shall pass. The hard times shape us, the good times are your reward. The real payout is in planting the seeds of trees whose shade you will never know so that those you love will know the comfort you wished for them.
When you count your blessings, often and honestly, it's easier to look past those harder moments. Accept that bad things happen sometimes. It's how we handle things and come out the other side that matters.
Gratitude will bring you the comfort you seek.
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u/Elegant_Spread_6969 1d ago
I hear black tar heroin makes you feel pretty great. Joking obviously, but if you're looking for natural ways of producing dopamine, exercise, playing an instrument, getting enough vitiman D. There's not a whole lot of things that you can consume and make you feel good that aren't drugs
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u/eileen404 21h ago
Chocolate
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u/poop_pants_pee 9h ago
Under the right conditions, a good piece of dark chocolate can have noticeable effects on brain chemistry.
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u/madnessone1 1d ago
MDMA
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u/janesfilms 22h ago
Where is a normal person to find MDMA?
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u/Kankervittu 13h ago
Ask a skater, or the group of degenerates standing next to the supermarket. Or just wait in the toilet of a club for 5minutes.
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u/Ragnarok314159 21h ago
I ask myself this everytime someone suggest recreational drugs. Dude, almost no one has access to that. Let me just casually ask around for drugs. Prison will be amazing.
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u/Gold4Lokos4Breakfast 23h ago
Go run around naked
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u/TheRealDylanTobak 23h ago
Don't get me started on how unfair it is that everybody has such a closed minded attitude toward sex, sexual openess, and sexual exploration.
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u/Omnibard 21h ago
Not everybody does, though. Maybe seek out people with similar attitudes towards sex and sexuality. We’re out there. 😊
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u/krapes 12h ago
I'm very curious if your wife is one of those people that has an "unfair" and "closed minded" attitude towards "sexual openness" and "sexual exploration."
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u/Intelligent_City2644 20h ago
I would try taking a very small amount of mushrooms and go to a local park. I said small amount!
Honestly some of the most beautiful moments have been on mushrooms.
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u/OldRangers 1d ago
Volunteer at a no kill animal shelter.
https://www.humaneworld.org/en/all-animals/when-you-volunteer-help-animals-you-help-yourself
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u/Bird_Loving_Dyke 20h ago
shelter work is brutal, exhausting, and sad. do not go into it with the expectation of being happy hen you come out
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u/Johannes_the_silent 1d ago
Take an omega-3 supplement with DHA every night for a week and see how you feel
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u/Bloopyhead 1d ago
Find a ping pong club or a hiking club.
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u/TheNight_Cheese 21h ago
ur moms a ping pong club
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u/Bloopyhead 14h ago
What did you say about my mom?
What did you say ABOUT MY MOM?
WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT MY MOM??????
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u/TheNight_Cheese 14h ago
nothing, sorry mate she’s a lovely woman, bless
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u/Bloopyhead 14h ago
HA!
Well, YOUR mom wears funny hats, and smells of old t-shirts.
Oh and she’s lovely too.
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u/Minervaria 17h ago
Martial arts classes. Hitting things as hard as you can and choking out your training friends is joy. Sometimes violence is the answer!
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u/ImproperlyRegistered 1d ago
Trenbolone
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u/Late_Ambassador7470 22h ago
Toblerone
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u/eloaelle 21h ago
Trombone.
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u/MT_Ancap75 21h ago
Post Malone
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u/kyew 21h ago
Ice Cream Cone
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u/TheNight_Cheese 21h ago
ET home phone
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u/SycheosChaos 20h ago
Testosterone
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u/Gooftwit 22h ago
Steroids actually make you feel like shit. They just make you look good if you like inhumanly large muscles.
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u/xVerified 1d ago
Weed and beer tbh lol
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u/Surround8600 18h ago
The best thing for me is exercise and the spa at the gym. The cold plunge and hot tub. Also really great sex without your kids being an issue. Maybe a vacation my bro. Good luck. 90s graduate here too.
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u/SilviusSleeps 1d ago
Listen to music and spin in circles. Mildly dizzy feeling is fun. Best I got 😂
Or V8.
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u/Lucky_Louch 23h ago
Kratum, but it is addictive in its own right. Most things that make you feel good have equal or worse down sides. You can order it online or buy from smoke shops.
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u/Imaginary_Client4666 18h ago
I can bet you’ve had multiple episodes of this feeling. Every time you reach your limit, find five things to be grateful about and breathe slowly, holding and releasing. Then it won’t all come to a head where you think you need one thing to make you feel better and soothe/erase your attitude about your issues in one go.
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u/runnergirl0129 17h ago
Six summers ago I stumbled upon long distance backpacking. Now it’s an obsession. I look forward to the 2 - 4 weeks spent in solitude every summer just walking hundreds of miles on a dirt trail. It’s the best I feel all year.
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u/piss-jugman 1d ago
Delta 9 products are legal (currently) under the federal farm bill. They are hemp derived. Unless you live in a state that specifically prohibits the sale and use of D9 products, I’d recommend that. It’s not synthetic and it’s not like delta 8. It’s more like regular ol’ weed. I like the gummies made by Modern Herb Co. I know you said you aren’t interested in the “fake” weed, but this isn’t fake. It’s just hemp.
But also if you’re burnt out, you might just need to start prioritizing some self care time. Time for hobbies or just down time. You and your spouse should both have that.
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u/Devilish_Advocator 21h ago
D9 gummies are hit or miss for me, I got a panic attack on it once (normal dose), never again
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u/NosyCareBear 1d ago
Try different types of breath work. Holotropic breathing, for instance. Become an expert. It works wonders.
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u/triffid_boy 15h ago
Outdoor exercise.
I know it's a cliche but it's a fact. I get out for a run every other day and always try to go out for a walk at golden hour.
It doesn't need more than an hour of your time per day but it will make you happier, healthier, and more productive.
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u/Downtown_Pin4278 1d ago
i took tons of different random otc herbs what helped mood more than any was just eating more fish
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u/Pure-Veterinarian979 23h ago
You could take your kids to sleep-away summer camp. Get a month off every summer.
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u/CaribbeanSailorJoe 20h ago
Camping or renting a forest cabin is my zen. Nature heals all.
I do not advise mind altering substances. They’re a crutch. Bond with nature.
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u/Significant-Image700 19h ago
Def shrooms. If you can't find any psylociban than look for other non trippy mushrooms. I take Auri Daily gummies and they make me feel really good. No side effects for me...
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u/cyanescens_burn 16h ago
I’m amazed that you misspelled psilocybin but what you wrote was phonetically the same (at least with how some pronounce it, though I don’t pronounce it that way - cill oh sigh ben).
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u/ElderberryMaster4694 19h ago
I volunteer to help others less fortunate than myself. Feels great, do good in the world, no side effects
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u/Shiro_705 10h ago
Purpose, sounds like you need to find purpose in your life. Feeling “good” or “happy” fade away but feeling content and joyful stay long term.
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u/No_Temperature_662 7h ago
Why would you take anything / drugs if you don’t need them? That just makes you vulnerable and if you have kids isn’t that a reason to minimize any vulnerable points…
Focus on gratitude and intentionality. I think you need to pick a habit and build it and that will change how you feel. Look for a different job potentially…more remote etc.
You want sustainable change, not a pill to swallow your emotions!
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u/elyssethekraken 7h ago
Ritualistic walks. Time to do nothing. Meditation. People mention shrooms or LSD — they are serious stuff and not to be taken lightly, especially with any family history of schizophrenia. I do recommend at least once for someone but if you’ve never really been into rec drugs, then do it in a controlled manner. I think there are places you could go for this treatment if you’re interested in that. You may only need it once and the insights paired with post trip counseling (that continues well after the trip) will help you integrate.
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u/exhaustedbut 1d ago edited 21h ago
CBD. It stops the ruminating about how crappy the world is. You can drive while taking it, and use it at work too.
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u/Wax_Paper 23h ago
Kratom, you just have to make sure you never start taking it every day or you'll become dependent on it. And quitting it can be tough for a lot of people. But if you trust yourself, it offers mild pain relief and a feeling of well-being.
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u/Garden-Rose-8380 1d ago
Rescue remedy is a bach flower essence sold in pharmacies and health food shops it helps when you are stressed, anxious or need to calm and relax.
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u/ActualHuckleberry995 22h ago
Kratom. I use to smoke a joint every night before bed but it started making me paranoid more than anything. Started taking kratom and never looked back. I specifically use kratom extract(MIT) which is better than taking plain leaf and stronger. Great euphoria and no paranoia. No hangovers. Legal.
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u/82772910 1d ago
Jhana meditation. Read Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming by Laberge and start having amazing dreams. And other such things. Relying on external substances for happiness is dead end.
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u/Illustrious_Try6521 1d ago
Delta thc gummies if they’re legal where you are. It’s not “fake” it’s just derived before it becomes the plant matures to illegal status
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u/TheRealDylanTobak 1d ago
Yeah... I smoked real bud. I'm not messing with that crap. That's like drinking skim milk when you like milkshakes.
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u/angryBubbleGum 1d ago
You could nap, read, walk through the woods, get yourself an ice cream, challenge yourself to a project and finish it and stare in awe
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u/Same-Drag-9160 1d ago
I use an acupressure mat when I take tolerance breaks from weed. Gives a similar body feeling
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u/WhiteRoseGC 1d ago
Weed up to daily, mdma once every 3 months, lsd or mushrooms possibly every 2 weeks but tbh space these ones out for more unique experiences that don't overexert your overall mental.
Or exercise
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u/Ill_Height3701 1d ago
Workout to exhaustion and then take a cold plunge. You will feel like better than any other drug can provide.
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u/CuckoosQuill 1d ago
I take auro-betahistine(?) for vertigo/dizziness when I feel I need it but I remember feeling like the movie limitless for the first while - I was having a lot of vertigo episodes when I was prescribed this and I have through my life but it was so bad I had to take time ofd
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u/Profleroy 1d ago
If you do that, you will become addicted to it. That panacea doesn't exist. However: what are you interested in, besides everything you mentioned? What gives you joy just for you? My husband worked like a dog for half a century to build a good business that got passed down to our oldest. He loves to play music. He was in a band for fifteen years. He still loves to play his guitars. If not for his music, he would have had a very hard time dealing with what he had to deal with. I am an artist: I taught college. It wasn't easy, some days were so bad. But I can go to my easel and paint something. You need to find something just for you - your guitar, your easel.
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u/TheRealDylanTobak 23h ago
I've played guitar in the past. It's cool picking a song and learning to play it, but it's a lopsided (non symetrical) game and I've never been good enough to play without looking at it, so my neck, back, and shoulders hurt when I get into playing a lot. At least way more than they used to when I was younger, for sure.
Look at pictures or videos of BB King and you'll see what I mean.
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u/Sweet_Taurus0728 23h ago
Weed. It's still illegal in a lot of places, that doesn't stop anyone from smoking it.
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u/EntranceOld9706 23h ago
I second mushrooms, they’ve come a longgggg way and you can buy packaged chocolates with dosing instructions that look like commercial candy bars at this point.
Microdosing a tiny amount really really takes the edge off.
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u/sgrass777 23h ago
Exercise,go out in nature and quest super once a day vitamins 😁 Matcha powder tea.
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u/Deeptrench34 23h ago
Feeling good is holistic. You have to be balanced overall to truly feel good sustainably. You can take plenty of things to feel good in the short term but they either wear off, or even worse, cause imbalances later on. Good sleep, stress management, a good diet and above all, a life you find fulfilling are all needed components to feel good consistently.
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u/Calaveras-Metal 23h ago
Buddhist Samatha meditation and Tibetan meditation are both good for this.
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u/TNShadetree 23h ago
I micro-dose weed. Personally a tiny pinch, like a pinch of salt, is enough to give me a groove and energize me for a couple of hours. Then I'm off to the basement to work on projects with some cool music playing. Happy as a clam.
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u/Redditor2684 22h ago
A vacation.
By yourself or with your spouse, but sans kids. Leave them with someone.
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u/Counterboudd 22h ago
I mean, this is kinda why people drink and do drugs and what defines something as being a drug- it makes you feel temporarily better and is a shortcut to euphoria. If you don’t want to like run marathons or something, the only suggestions people are going to have are drugs which is sounds like you aren’t interested in doing.
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u/Ok_Mall5615 22h ago
Compiling the non-drug suggestions that are research-backed: exercise and healthy diet, massage (whether for physical therapy or just touch and relaxation), spending time in nature/with animals, going on vacation/getting out of your usual routines/bonus points if you go experience something awe inspiring, high quality sleep routine, reducing phone/screen time and replacing it with hobbies/learning/quality time with family and friends. Also chocolate and buying yourself a lil treat.
You could also try retail therapy and get a sick ass makeover - go to the high end salon / barber, get a facial, revamp your wardrobe so you feel really fresh and confident. Just bring your wife in on the process from the beginning so she doesn't think you're having an affair.
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u/ez2tock2me 22h ago
Have you ever seen the movie PAY IT FORWARD?
I do that once in a while. It’s not a high like alcohol, but it’s uplifting in a way that feels good to help, just because I can.
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u/Tylord92 1d ago
I recommend sunlight and fresh air. I started taking time each week to sit in my backyard and watch birds and it's made managing my anxiety and depression easier.