Joe Rogan on Ego Death

Joe Rogan and Michael Pollan on the ego dissolving effects of psychedelic drugs.

[hippiecheezburger]

I had a ego death it kind of destroyed me as a teenager, it’s kind of traumatic if you’re not ready to realize that your ego is just the imagination of your self, like he says it’s not a “cool” experience

[kylesalings]

Had an ego death a few years ago on LSD, took too much, needed a place to stay cause I couldn’t drive home that night, knocked on one of best friends doors and asked if I could stay the night, told him I was tripping hard, wound up laying on his living room carpet next to his bulldog and totally became a different person after that night, judged myself so hard like saying why the fuck am I even here right now tripping at my friends parents house in their living room, I’m a piece of shit etc..his bulldog (Lenny) could sense I needed him and he cuddled with me and kept me somewhat sane thru that wild ride. Lenny has since died from a tumor:/ RIP BUDDY

[vincentlaw]

"It's not a cool experience"

I really like this statement. It's honest because it's not cool and it's cool because it's honest.

[SloppyShotz]

I thought I was the shit, until I took these mushrooms. Than I realized I ain’t shit. That shit made me humble. Respect it respect your parents respect your loved ones. Love yourself. Peace.

[FaithRox]

I very recently experienced ego death. It just felt like such a massive weight off my shoulders. Also made me realize that ego is completely subconscious.

[InfamousMedia]

I had ego death last month, the early stages I believe, and it’s like lifting the curtains of society and letting actual reality into your existence

[joecomplexgeometricshapesr]

Joe " complex geometric shapes made from love and understanding " Rogan

[masonmcgowan]

Had my first ego death last night after eating a lot of mushrooms. One of the most terrifying yet uplifting experiences I’ve ever had. I completely lost touch with who I was and felt that I died or ceased to exist, and had to spend what felt like eternity trying to remember who I was

[ratthasatkhomsan]

Psychedelics are just an exceptional mental health breakthrough. It's quite fascinating how effective they are against depression and anxiety. Saved my life.

[weathersytv]

Ego death is the reason why I stopped smoking and drinking. It's the reason why I stopped being an asshole to myself and the people I love deep down. And it's the reason I've been holding a long term job and am about to go back to college.

It's been two years since my last psychedelic experience. I only needed to experience ego death once to realize that while I still need my ego, I've been using it all wrong before this point. And having that hard reset, as uncomfortable and potentially traumatizing as it was, it was exactly what I needed to set myself on a better path.

[anthonyestrada]

DMT Angel: that's cool, you guys ever smoke joe rogan?

[Leaderofbatz]

Joe Rogan looks more bald for some reason

[LightYagami-tfig]

I had an 'ego death' experience after doing 2CB recently. I had just arrived on a techno birthday party, where I was sitting in the car with some friends before we went inside. Shortly after ingesting it, I started to feel really anxious about it. This was strange because I had done it a few times before and always had a good experience with it. I always felt in control. This time was different from the start. For some reason, it felt like it was going to be overwhelming and out of my control. Even though I thought it was already too late, I tried to get it out of me by vomiting. When I finally gave up on this and got out of the bathroom, I was already extremely disorientated and having intense hallucinations.

I had called my girlfriend to come and get me because I was, and certainly was going to be, in a state where I could not enjoy any party. My friends were looking for me as they themselves were tripping really heavy. We went back to the car and things got really strange. I told them my girlfriend’s mother was on her way to pick me up because I couldn’t party like this. They tried to convince me to stay but there was no way I was going to go through hours of this on a party in the middle of nowhere. They got mad but I didn’t care, I had to get somewhere safe.

My girlfriend’s mother had arrived by now but it took my a while to find her car. When I finally got in, I told her what was happening and that I just wanted to go home and lay in bed. From that moment, I felt like everything was going to be okay. The ride was fun, I saw plants sprout in the middle of the road, growing to monstrous heights as we drove right trough them. The seat warming felt incredibly comfortable. All was good. Even though I no longer felt anxious, the intensity of the trip tired me. I’d had enough of it and planned on going to sleep as soon as I came home. Once I did, I went straight to bed and closed my eyes.

From here it would all start. I immediately realized sleeping was impossible. The hallucinations became more intrusive and disorienting. I started to feel anxious again although I realized the trip would end eventually. The visuals got more and more replaced by thoughts. And these thoughts were not in my control. I was overwhelmed with them. I don’t even remember what they were about. As my mind kept racing, it started to feel like I was going to lose it. This feeling became stronger up until the point I was doing everything in my power not to lose my mind. I was fighting for my sanity.

I tried to remind myself it was just a trip and it would stop after a few hours. But the minutes felt like hours, so that wasn’t any good. I couldn’t take this for so much longer. Again and again I was trying to clear my mind, feel sober again. And every time I did, I would feel better for a short time but then it would hit me back twice as hard. By now I was certain that if I stopped fighting it, I would lose my mind, or die. This was absolutely terrifying. After an hour in real time of trying to hold on to myself, I could no longer take it. This agonizing pain had to stop. I’d rather die than take one more minute of it.
The fear of death was finally outweighed by the fear of more pain. So I let go.

From here, the trip was as positive as anything could ever be. I was no longer myself. I was no longer my body. I was everything. Or rather, everything was one, and always would be. I didn’t see or feel anything. No happiness or euphoria. There was just perfect eternal harmony. Throughout this whole stage of the trip, I was in touch with reality. Although now, reality was clearly an illusion. But I knew I would return to ‘my body’ to further live my life on earth. This idea was bizarre now I had seen the truth. I was seeing things for what they were. Irrelevant. I could no longer grasp how people are so caught up in their lives. How could it be possible that I was going back there. I felt total nihilism. Up to the point where I thought about how I always wanted to experience something like this, thinking only DMT would get me there. But now I did, I felt like experiences, knowledge and wisdom, the things I valued so much, didn’t matter at all. Nothing did. The only thing I cared about was dying. Eternal harmony. No longer confined to a body. No longer confined to matter. Forever letting go of these tiring desires.

As the trip was weakening, and I again came into the world, so did my desires. I hoped I would never have to feel afraid of death again. And that this experience would change me for the good.

A few weeks later I’m still considering if it did or if it will. My fear of death came back, although it might be less intense now. I think of the experience as unmatchable by any sober experience. It is without a doubt the most profound of my life, and always will be. I do have to say, that along with the benefits, a few problems emerged. First of all my identity is less strong now, as are my opinions. It feels like I have to reconstruct myself. Which may not be a bad thing.

What I do consider to be bad is, that after a week, when I was explaining everything in detail to my girlfriend, I suddenly started to feel like I was tripping again. I was completely sober. It felt like I couldn’t connect with my girlfriend and she could never understand. Everything around me started to feel alien and fake. I was scared because I immediately thought it could be a psychosis. This only made it worse, also causing me to have a panic attack. When I later did some research, I found it was probably derealization, which sometimes occurs after psychedelic experiences. Now, 2 weeks later, I didn’t experience anything like that again but I’m reluctant to do psychedelic drugs now because I’m scared to have sober trips again.

[jeffkeystone]

I had ego death when I took a bunch of shrooms by myself I felt as if I wasn’t part of reality I was in spectator mode like on call of duty. I could only observe. I thought maybe people were just ignoring me or I was invisible. I was honestly very worried. I was thinking in my head maybe I don’t exist. that exactly what it felt like for me. It only lasted like 20 mins than I came to my senses and realized I was tripping. It’s fun and you can learn a lot about yourself shrooms open your good side and your bad side. It can be bad or good. I learned that I need to spend more time with myself instead of other people and trying to impress them. I learned that I need to just me my normal self and be more humble and genuine.

[carlitomajors]

I had an ego death when I was in highschool. Someone gave me a full oz of shrooms. Told me it was a 8th and said not to eat the whole thing. I ate half and reflected on how bad of a person I was. I woke up wanting to do better. And today. I am a different person.

[coltongannon]

I remember taking shrooms and having a bad trip and realizing how stressful and toxic my lifestyle and being frustrated not being able to change the things I want. I always felt like I would disappoint my coach by not being in shape or my teachers by not getting a's even though I have very little admiration for the kind of ppl they are. My coach is extremely rude and bigoted and I realized that I don't want to follow in the footsteps of someone like that. So I went with my heart and now I'm in theater and in a production set for this may and I'm much happier😁

[ChauncyCharm]

That metaphor is so spot on.

I mean the "grooves", or brain patterns imo are very important in alot of ways, but they can blind your perspective at other times. Psychedelics can break down alot of these walls created mostly by "ego", which can be confusing, or uncomfortable. But I think is healthy

[patrickn]

"It's cool when it's over" so accurate lol

[Leggn]

Anyone who’s had a real ego death doesn’t want to try them again for a long time. I had a 12 hour acid trip on some next level tabs, I lost all ability to speak and understand anything, reading became impossible, I felt like my mind was being squished on the inside. For about 7-8 hours I paced around mindlessly not knowing who I was, not really recognizing my own reflection or friends. I sat down and for the first time had a true understanding of the concept of death, which I thought I was experiencing. I tried to sleep but ended up having some kind of lucid dream and the stuff tricked me into thinking that I would be like that forever. After a few months you kind of start to forget just how devastating it really is. Whenever you do psychedelics, RESPECT IT, never underestimate it and let it take you off guard bc it’ll be a living hell for the next hours.

[romellinsleven]

I think I had ego death around 17-18. Im 24 now. It felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders, to be able to just exist and do my own thing without all the added expectations of society and family in general. I still push myself but its for different reasons and i'm comfortable with failure because I know I can always try again. If I die before my goal thats ok because i then I can finally rest