💧Going gonzo: we went down the K-hole to see what ketamine therapy is really like

Happy Monday, friends! Welcome back to The Drop In, DoubleBlind’s newsletter delivering the latest in psychedelics news, culture, events, and everything in between. 

Today’s featured story was written by Shelby Hartman, DoubleBlind’s co-founder and editor-in-chief, about her experience navigating the booming ketamine therapy industry. Her honest and incisive essay lays bare the complex reality of the legal ketamine world, highlighting why it can become a confusing maze of dissociation for people seeking relief from depression and anxiety. It’s an excellent essay, and a testament to the kind of publication DoubleBlind is, where even our editor-in-chief rolls up their sleeves and writes. Impressive, right? Read it below!

If you keep scrolling, you’ll find a guide on what to buy the psychonaut in your life, a story on how psychedelics change our metaphysical beliefs, and an interview with prolific psychedelic artist Alex Grey on finding God through art.

We’re also hosting a workshop on how to work with Amanita muscaria for the winter solstice on December 15, if you want to come! Ash Ritter, ethnobotanist and herbalist, will be our featured guest. You can learn more about it here.

Be well 🫶🏽,

Mary Carreón
Senior Editor

LAST CHANCE!

Secret Deal with DMT Alien Extends Our Technicolor November Sale for 24 More Hours! 

So… during a DMT trip, we sort of made a deal with a Space Mantis. It was notarized by machine elves, so you know it’s legit. 

According to the interdimensional NDA we telepathically signed, we can’t share all the terms, but here’s the gist:

Until TOMORROW (Dec 3rd) you can save 40% on all of DoubleBlind’s courses. 

Basically, the mantis wants us to extend our sale 24 hours. It thinks we have the best courses in the multiverse and that by elevating the psychedelic skills of humans, he’ll have more visitors and be able to make more friends. (Honestly, we’re not totally sure why a space mantis needs more friends.)

All our courses were made in partnership with some of the best, most heart-centered (human) experts in the psychedelic space. You always get the latest, most reliable, trustworthy information we can find.

From trip sitting to going deeper with psychedelics, from growing your own mushrooms to microdosing, there’s something for everyone. 

It also just happens to be a great way to support our work and keep independent psychedelic journalism alive. Every single dollar goes right back into funding our journalism. 

Invest in yourself. Learn a new skill. Support our work. Hang out with the Space Mantis. 

Everybody wins. 

Shop Here to Support Psychedelic Journalism

Our Latest

On the hunt for a gift that is fun but also thoughtful? Healthy but also delicious (and maybe psychoactive….)?  Psychedelic enough to get a knowing glance but not so psychedelic that it gets anyone in trouble? From consumables to “toys” to DIY projects, DoubleBlind’s Psychedelic Gift Guide is your go-to source of inspiration for your whole psychedelic family.

Looking for a trippy movie to watch on these darker winter days? One of our favorites is Soul (a sweet, kid-friendly Pixar movie with an incredible soundtrack). Check out our full list of the trippiest movies on Amazon Prime.

& More Must-Reads

• Psychedelics blur the line between the inner and outer worlds, and it’s a 2-edged sword. They can help us see reality and ourselves more clearly, but can also lead us deeper into fantasy. Here’s what a neuroscientist says about how psychedelics change our metaphysical beliefs.

• It was a church. Then Allen Ginsburg’s home. Then Lou Reed’s favorite books store. It was the site of a police raid that turned up 311 pounds of peyote, a mysterious commune, and more. Read the fascinating history of one unassuming building in New York.

• He is the most iconic psychedelic artist of all time. His work is synonymous with a sacred vision of the universe and humanity’s place within it. But how did he get there? We interviewed Alex Grey about his psychedelic journey through art to God.

Learn with Us

💖 Kanna is one of our favorite legal plant medicines. It’s an incredible aid to help you get out of your head and into your heart. It’s not psychedelic… so why is it so trippy (and fun)? Read our deep dive into this natural South African empathogen.

✅ There have been a lot of stories recently about less-than-ethical behavior of psychedelic facilitators and therapists. It underscores the importance of vetting them before you go into an altered state. Here’s our best advice for screening a psychedelic guide.

🐱What is Kitty Flipping? Here’s everything you need to know about mixing ketamine and MDMA.

💨 Mainstream media has portrayed PCP as a substance that makes people violent and erratic—but that’s not the whole story. This article reveals PCP’s therapeutic potential.

DoubleBlind Supports

Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday—a chance to give back to those who steward the wisdom and plant medicines at the heart of the psychedelic movement. If you're looking for organizations to support, here are a few we recommend: Chacruna’s Indigenous Reciprocity Initiative, Indigenous Medicine Conservation Fund, Huachuma Collective, Grandmothers Wisdom Project, and the Union of Indigenous Yagé Doctors of the Colombian Amazon.

At DoubleBlind, we believe in reciprocity—the idea that everything in the world is interconnected and that we have a responsibility to uplift a psychedelic ecosystem that centers equity, inclusivity, and healing for all. Through our work, we hope to help our community participate in this effort with us.

Together With Allies

Double the Magic: BOGO Sale on Allies’ Journey Collection!

Our friends at Allies are celebrating their launch by turning up the vibes—times two. Seriously, for a limited time only, when you buy one Journey Collection, you get one FREE.

The Journey Collection provides natural and tangible support for your inner work, and they really want to make it easier than ever for you to experience the benefits and share them with your community. Keep one to fuel your transformation and share the other with a friend. Because friends don’t let friends journey alone—unless they want to, which, let’s be real, can also be amazing.

Better together. Stronger with Allies.

Hurry—this special BOGO offer disappears faster than your last moment of selflessness.

Shop the Journey Collection Now

Tune In

Following the consumerist bonanza of Black Friday, it’s nice to take a pause, step back, and look at things from a broader, systemic perspective. This thought-provoking conversation with Alnoor Ladha covers systemic change, traditional wisdom, and the cultural implications of psychedelics. Watch it here.