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[BiochemGrad14]

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[username456789]

So my brother has been a heroin addict for years now. He has been to in patient and out patient treatment programs for the last few years and has just finished methadone. He as far as we know is not currently using opiates. He is smoking weed and doing hallucinogens occasionally.

He has somehow convinced my parents that they should take him on a luxury vacation to Costa Rica to undergo an Ayahuasca experience as he feels like this will heal his addiction once and for all.
My major problem with this is that he has become increasingly psychotic and delusional over the past few months and I feel like a major psychedelic experience will tip him over the edge.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? My other brother and I and very concerned about this and intend to meet with my parents to convince them not to send him on this trip as we feel it is not appropriate for him given his current state.
Any info I can use to convince them this is an awful idea would be greatly appreciated.

I will say I do genuinely believe in the power and benefit of psychedelics when used appropriately and safely. However, I don't think this is what is happening here.

What’s his GPA?

If he applied broadly I would think he at least has a shot at some lower tier schools.

 

[Espressso]

I have a lot of thoughts on this. I recommend looking into Dr. Gabor Mate, out of Vancouver. He's an addiction specialist, trained MD. Works with a lot of drug addiction. He's been taking patients to the Amazon (Peru, I'm fairly certain), to go through an Aya treatment regiment basically. I think it's two weeks in duration and you actually drink the brew a couple times a week. You can contact him on his website, he's pretty good with responding. He's had really good success with it, and there are quite a few videos on youtube with him discussing it.

From what I've read, I would be hesitant with any place in a destination-type of location, such as Costa Rica. This, in my opinion, should be done in the most real environment as possible, such as the deep Amazonian rainforest with real Shamans. All of which, Dr. Mate talks about.

In regards to Costa Rica and these destination spots. There are a ton of stories out there, of Americans going down there for this and getting... screwed over to say the least. Amber Lyon explains an instance where she was touched/assaulted while at a spot in Mexico I think. So the more "western-ized" it is, the worse of an idea it is.

I'm really attracted to the idea of psychedelics to heal mental disorders and the evidence is becoming more and more apparent IMO. From psilocybin mushrooms for end-of-life palliative/terminal care, to MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD, and Ayahuascha and Ibogaine for opiate addition. If you want more information, check out Research for up-to-date info on all of these topics

 

[Mad Jack]

This is some next level drug seeking behavior

 

[Treebeard]

As Espresso mentioned, there is a legit way to do this (and there are 10x more scams).

 

[dpmd]

This is some next level drug seeking behavior

And some pretty next level enabling if the parents are actually considering it.

 

[Goro]

So my brother has been a heroin addict for years now. He has been to in patient and out patient treatment programs for the last few years and has just finished methadone. He as far as we know is not currently using opiates. He is smoking weed and doing hallucinogens occasionally.

He has somehow convinced my parents that they should take him on a luxury vacation to Costa Rica to undergo an Ayahuasca experience as he feels like this will heal his addiction once and for all.
My major problem with this is that he has become increasingly psychotic and delusional over the past few months and I feel like a major psychedelic experience will tip him over the edge.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? My other brother and I and very concerned about this and intend to meet with my parents to convince them not to send him on this trip as we feel it is not appropriate for him given his current state.
Any info I can use to convince them this is an awful idea would be greatly appreciated.

I will say I do genuinely believe in the power and benefit of psychedelics when used appropriately and safely. However, I don't think this is what is happening here.

Dear Abby by Abigail Van Buren

 

[PathoTurnUp1865]

Do itttttttttttt

 

[PathoTurnUp1865]

If you’re not down to take him, I’ll go down in your place if your parents pay for it all

 

[Skiiiiiing]

My experience of addicts is that they often come from homes with boundary issues - either way too soft or way too rigid.

That an addict is pitching his parents that his inability to control himself around drugs will be solved by a luxury drug trip is...unsurprising.

 

[CherryRedDracul]

Sounds like a fun family trip.

 

[mcat_taker]

So my brother has been a heroin addict for years now. He has been to in patient and out patient treatment programs for the last few years and has just finished methadone. He as far as we know is not currently using opiates. He is smoking weed and doing hallucinogens occasionally.

He has somehow convinced my parents that they should take him on a luxury vacation to Costa Rica to undergo an Ayahuasca experience as he feels like this will heal his addiction once and for all.
My major problem with this is that he has become increasingly psychotic and delusional over the past few months and I feel like a major psychedelic experience will tip him over the edge.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? My other brother and I and very concerned about this and intend to meet with my parents to convince them not to send him on this trip as we feel it is not appropriate for him given his current state.
Any info I can use to convince them this is an awful idea would be greatly appreciated.

I will say I do genuinely believe in the power and benefit of psychedelics when used appropriately and safely. However, I don't think this is what is happening here.

The fact that he is becoming increasingly psychotic and delusional over the past few months is a red flag to me for going on this trip because at a certain point there is a point of no return from drug induced psychosis. I've met a lot patients who became schizophrenic and/or psychotic after long term drug use, usually amphetamine induced not opiate but they never fully recovered.