Why the second experience is often harder than the first
567 replies · First Time
My first psilocybin experience was beautiful and relatively easy. My second, at the same dose three months later, was one of the most difficult things I've ever been through. I've since learned this is common. Why does this happen and how do you prepare for it?
The first experience often skims the surface -- the mind is too amazed by what psilocybin can do to go very deep. The novelty is protective. By the second experience, the novelty is gone. The medicine knows you now, and it goes straight to what you've been avoiding.
What changed for me between first and second experience: I came in the second time with expectations. I wanted a repeat of the beautiful experience I'd had. Psilocybin doesn't like being directed toward repeat performances. Surrender the expectation that it will be pleasant and let it do what it needs to do.
Second experiences are often when the real therapeutic work starts. The first experience opens the door; the second takes you through it. Difficulty is not failure -- it's often the experience going deeper than it could the first time. How you navigate the difficulty is what matters, not avoiding it.
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