Boomer Shroomer: How to Talk to Your Parents about Psychedelics
For my mom’s Polly’s 75th birthday, I got her to do shrooms with me for the first time. She’s not an experienced psychonaut—her preferred recreational drug has always been alcohol. (Though I’ve managed to introduce her to some of the benefits of edible cannabis products to help with sleep).
On this special occasion, my two parents along with both of their sons and daughter-in-law each took a gram of home-grown psilocybin. In a secluded mountain condo in Colorado, far away from the judgmental eyes of polite society, the group sat in comfortable stillness as the effects washed over us. The state of facilitated relaxation only gave way to the occasional fits of giggling. A strange experience to be sure—most of the best trips are. But one I am happy to have created and something I recommend to every psychedelic enjoyer.
So, how can you talk to your parents about psychedelics?
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More Older Folks are Using Psychedelics
The conversation around psychedelic medicine is reaching a crescendo. Many people who may have never tested the waters of expanded consciousness are feeling a twinge of curiosity. More than 20 cities, counties and states have decriminalized some psychedelics. Looser laws bring with them an opportunity to engage in these discussions with parents, relatives and elders who never considered the benefits of psychedelics. Seniors are the fastest growing segment of legal marijuana users.
There aren’t great numbers on the use of psychedelics by those over 65. Yet studies say know adult psychedelic use is on the rise. Among 35 to 50 year olds, psychedelic use rose from 1 percent in 2012 and 2017 to 4 percent in 2022. “Substance use is not limited to teens and young adults, and these data help us understand how people use drugs across the lifespan,” Dr. Nora Volkow, the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which funds the study, said in a statement. “Marijuana and hallucinogen use, binge drinking reached historic highs among adults 35 to 50,” one study found.
Considerations Beforehand
First things first. Psychedelics are generally physically safe. “Hallucinogens generally possess relatively low physiological toxicity, and have not been shown to result in organ damage or neuropsychological deficits,” says one assessment by Johns Hopkins. “Some [people experience] dizziness, weakness, tremors, nausea, drowsiness, paraesthesia, [and] blurred vision.”
Take certain precautions when introducing these substances to an older user. For some insight into this, I spoke with a licensed marriage and family therapist based in the Bay Area who offers psychedelic integration services specifically aimed at seniors. She didn’t want her name used here due to the (as of this writing) illegality of access to psychedelics where they are.
Seniors often take a lot of prescription drugs. The exact interaction these drugs can have with psychedelics is best understood by a physician, she warned. It is best to have a frank and honest discussion with a physician.
Comorbidities should also be of special consideration with the elderly. For example, ketamine can elevate blood pressure. Combining psilocybin with lithium can cause seizures. Cardiac issues, seizure disorders and liver problems are of primary concern. This is by no means a definitive list.
Until there is more research on the interaction of psychedelics with chronic illnesses, take extreme care. Seniors, as with all users, should also be cautious with regard to any psychiatric disorders.
A good psychedelic practitioner screens clients before giving any substance. Avoid those who don’t. Those partaking outside of a structured model will have to assess these risks on their own, so just be smart.
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Breaking Through Stigma
Older folks who have spent most of their lives in a world that unjustly demonizes psychedelics may have some issues even opening the psychedelic door. Stigma is real, and propaganda is powerful. So even beginning these conversations with a parent or elder who knows nothing about these substances other than half-truths and outright falsehoods is a challenge in its own right. It will be less threatening if you’ve had an open relationship to begin with.
Fortunately, there are more resources today than there ever have been. Trusting your parent to do their own research, steer them toward the top minds in psychedelic medicine. Encourage a skeptic to look into research. For example, Johns Hopkins has found psychedelics can help cigarette smokers quit, reduce anxiety in cancer patients and ease depression. Imperial College of London found psilocybin enhances the response to music, psychedelics can increase spirituality, and that microdosing can elevate mood. Pointing boomers toward science can be more effective than an impassioned rant.
Author Michael Pollan has been an invaluable resource in correcting the perceptions of baby boomers. Pollan’s book How to Change Your Mind and the Netflix series of the same title offer a recognizable name discussing the topic in an accessible way.’
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FDA Stamp of Approval
You can calm the nerves of an older tripper by telling them our their own government is changing its mind on psychedelics. Ketamine has already been approved by the FDA to treat depression. And there are thousands of legal ketamine clinics in the United States. Additionally, decades of research has shown that MDMA and psilocybin-assisted therapies are safe and effective for treating PTSD and depression. Both are very close to being approved by the Food and Drug Administration. It likely won’t be long before doctors can prescribe these psychedelics, and you’ll be able to take them with a caring therapist or sitter.
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Tap Into Your Trusting Relationship
Ideally, though, nothing will be more effective than the insight of a trusted family member. An honest and open relationship can serve as the foundation of a discussion about psychedelics. So in order to guide a parent past the stigma surrounding the topic, you may first have to overcome your own stigma about discussing your experiences with them. A sympathetic network of trust is essential.
My parents said their trust in me was essential in their willingness to partake. Our psychedelic journey has been an overall benefit to the relationship I have with my parents.
Of course, some people may be too far gone in drug war b.s. to be reached, and acknowledging this is important. Never assume that what works for you will be welcomed by everyone.
Dr. Adele LaFrance offers research on tripping with family members. “When we include family,” LaFrance says, “it can optimize outcomes for everyone involved.”
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Steer Them Toward Legal Spaces
You don’t have to manage the trip yourself. Sending your parents to a licensed clinic is always an option, and can take the burden off you. Ketamine is legal everywhere, and psychologists across the world will do ketamine-assisted therapy. In addition, there are legal psilocybin and ayahuasca retreats in Latin America with sterling safety reputations.
Setting Up For the Trip
Once the basics of safety are covered, it’s time to consider the actual event.
If you decide to use mushrooms on your own, this means that the responsibility for creating a comfortable and beneficial experience may fall on you, the trusted son, daughter or grandchild.
As with all psychedelic use, set and setting are paramount for first-timers. You should equip your parent with some knowledge as to what they should expect while under the influence, the approximate duration of the trip, and what challenges it may entail. I was sure to let my folks know that things might get weird, but likely the good kind of weird, and no matter what happened the effects would only last a few hours. Based on my experience, setting better protocols for gastro-intestinal discomfort would have been a good idea—having pepto bismol on hand, perhaps a soothing ginger tea. Steeping your mushrooms in water for 30 minutes then discarding the particulate may lessen tummy trouble, but there are any number of ways to prepare the mushrooms that will be more amenable to a first-time user than choking down dried fungal matter.
Setting the intention of the event is part of the “set”—or mindset—portion of the equation. Equally important is the physical setting. Creating a physically safe space is a priority, especially with elders who may be extra prone to falls while tripping. Having the ability to recline and get cozy is good, and you may want to consider sensory experiences such as soothing music and visuals. One experienced facilitator I spoke with recommended frozen grapes as a stimulating sensory addition.
Choosing a Dose
With everything in place, it is time to consider the dosage. The best advice one can offer is to start slow. For those who have spent a full life inhabiting a singular mode of consciousness, absolutely annihilating their ego can be detrimental to a pleasant experience. Be sure that you know the strength of anything being administered, ideally through lab testing or first-hand experience.
It is your duty to offer support during the experience, and it may fall on you to help with integration afterward. This doesn’t mean you can’t partake with your parents—something that in my experience can be very enjoyable and uniting. As the de facto guide you will be the metaphorical adult in the room. My recommendation would be to consume together, but you should be sure that you’re maintaining enough lucidity to provide the creature comforts like blankets, pillows and beverages, and can talk them through any negative emotions that might manifest.
When it’s over, be sure to discuss the experience with them; maybe they’ll be ready for a larger dose next time.
Potential Benefits
The benefits of using psychedelics may be magnified in older adults. Managing things like anxiety and depression is important across age demographics. But for older adults things like grief and loss can manifest in particularly inescapable ways. Psychedelics can offer a respite from this, showing promise specifically in managing end-of-life anxiety.
Many seniors find themselves grappling with changing identities and relationships. While also struggling with decreasing physical mobility in a world that is not always accommodating and can be prone to ageism. This can make the comfort and joy found in psychedelics even more meaningful for them.
Some scientific research even seems to indicate that psychedelics can assist in neuroplasticity and neurogenesis, or the creation of new brain cells, something that could potentially help stave off the cognitive decline that can accompany old age.
As the integration therapist I spoke with pointed out, there is a richness in remaking oneself later in life that can be facilitated by psychedelics. For those who have experienced the benefits of psychedelics but have parents or elders who have not, just the act of having these discussions can be enriching to those relationships, and sharing the experience all the more so.
For me, the joy of sharing this experience felt like a bit of reimbursement for the wonderful things my parents did for me. If it’s the right call, I can’t recommend tripping with your parents enough.
