[uououuttt]

I took average-to-high doses of LSD and/or other tryptamines nearly every day for 3-4 months. It did make me less able to function in my circumstances at the time (surprise surprise!), but I don't count the experience as negative overall, and given a different set of circumstances with fewer obligations to meet, it could have been wholly positive.

[abrookewood]

Jesus! Daily doses for months? How long ago? What do you mean by 'less able to function'? Any long-lasting effects?

[uououuttt]

It was 22 at the time, so about 5 years ago. As far as my mental state, it's hard to say what was from what, since I consumed a lot of marijuana and cocaine at the time too, but I did have psychedelic-like visual distortions that persisted for many months after. Tryptamine tolerance builds very quickly so by the end I was taking a lot.

It was not the happiest time of my life, but not the worst either. I became pretty reclusive, and spent of lot of late, late nights walking around Minneapolis, sitting on the Stone Arch Bridge[1], watching insane late-night American TV / infomercials / televangelists, playing the guitar, and reading Hacker News. I maintained or even strengthened my interests in technology, but probably absorbed very little concrete knowledge at the time.

By less able to function, I mean I would've been utterly useless to an employer, or as a student, etc. I wouldn't have had the focus to complete any sort of complex project, software or otherwise. I did, however, manage to make some money ;)

So while I was not terribly productive, it did (I think) make me a more empathetic, positive, and less materialistic person and pushed me to make decisions that were ultimately very positive, like selling most of my stuff and moving to Cambodia! Still, I wouldn't recommend it and no doubt some of my behaviour could have incurred terrible legal consequences. My parents were definitely worried too.

[1] http://www.waynemoran.com/blog2/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/s...