16 March 2026 20:38
Topic starter
2
I am considering a psychedelic session and wonder if this could help with my sleep problems and underlying anxiety issues.
My main goal is to be able to fall asleep normally again and sleep through better. Currently, I suffer a lot from a constant stream of thoughts in my head, especially in the evening and at night. As a result, I hardly get any rest and my sleep is often very poor. During the day, I am usually nervous and I notice that I am recovering less and less well because the nights have little quality.
To dampen the thought mill a little, I use bromazepam in the evening and sometimes at night. Unfortunately, this drug now works less and less well due to habituation. I do not use any medication during the day.
Some background:
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Goal Triptherapie: be able to fall asleep better and have more peace in my head
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Medication: bromazepam, only in the evening or at night
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Drug use today: none
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Drug use history: none
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Psychological symptoms: social anxiety that started around the age of nine
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Physical conditions: no particular conditions, though considerably underweight
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Age: 76
My question is whether anyone with this background could be considered for a guided psychedelic session and whether this could possibly help to get more peace of mind and improve sleep.
1 Answer
1
17 March 2026 09:42
We regularly accompany people in later life, and this often goes very nicely precisely because there is a lot of life experience and reflectiveness.
- The oldest client so far was 81 years old
- So people aged 70+ are certainly no exception
Indeed, with older clients we often see that the motivation to really unwind and let go of things is very clear and that works in their favour. So a high age in itself is not immediately an exclusion.
Concrete example
There is an impressive experience of a 71-year-old woman with long-term symptoms, including trauma, depression and compulsive thoughts:
What stands out in it and is relevant to you:
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She had years of mental turmoil and heavy periods
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Traditional therapy and medication helped to a limited extent
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Her head was full of rigid thoughts and patterns (OCD-like)
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After one session, she experienced a major turnaround
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Her life went from tough to: “I give my life a big 8”
An important detail:
“The session also ensured that ‘it's all not so important’”
This is exactly what often happens to people with:
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social anxiety
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mulling
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difficulty letting go
That mental pressure drops or softens and that gives peace of mind.
Spoiler
Full review
Actually, my mother had not been doing so well for 20 years. Years of traditional therapy (and medication) had only minimally helped her find a place for her childhood traumas.
Occasionally, things got better. Then she was full of energy and ´clouded up´, but in recent years the periods of low energy, depression and ´dark periods´ rained more and more frequently, more violently and darker on each other.
In December 2023, she reached a very black low and decided (partly because of my own experiences with trips), to contact Triptherapie. A friend of mine had already had positive experiences with Marcel as a Tripsitter.
Occasionally, things got better. Then she was full of energy and ´clouded up´, but in recent years the periods of low energy, depression and ´dark periods´ rained more and more frequently, more violently and darker on each other.
In December 2023, she reached a very black low and decided (partly because of my own experiences with trips), to contact Triptherapie. A friend of mine had already had positive experiences with Marcel as a Tripsitter.
Fortunately, she was quickly able to go for a session at the loft in Schiedam. We had chosen that so we would have plenty of time to talk about the insights. That worked out well. The professional guidance of Janneke in the preliminary stage and Marcel during the trip itself also went down very well. The session itself was intense and emotional, as was to be expected. This is now more than half a year ago.
My mother now gives her life ´a big 8´. That is fantastic. And that after 1 session! A complete turnaround.
She also used to suffer from a form of OCD. Everything in her life had a ´rule-set´: a way something had to be done and deviating from it was very difficult for her.
A lot of mental energy went into that. The session also ensured that ´it is all not so important´, which is super nice for her.
Marcel and Janneke: Thank you for helping to give a lovely 70-plus woman a sense of life again.
Source: Psychedelic session for my mother of 70+ with OCD, childhood trauma, and depression
What this means for your situation
When I put your story next to this kind of experience:
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your flow of thoughts at night is very similar to that ’mental overactivity“
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your social anxiety since childhood points to a deeper cause (not just sleep)
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your use of bromazepam shows your system is struggling to calm itself down
This whole thing fits well with what psychedelic therapy can address via a psilocybin session or truffle session.
Important though: your trajectory must be careful
With you, the approach would probably be:
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Quiet, safe build-up (no super high doses as a first experience)
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Good preparation (especially with bromazepam).
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Focus on relaxation rather than “having to go deep”
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Strong emphasis on integration (improve sleep and rest afterwards)
- Time the session well because you will eat less on the day of the session. This could be breakfast in the morning. Four hours later the session and then eating again after the session in the evening. We also need to see if your malnutrition is too extreme and could become a danger, but in practice we have never encountered this.
So your age and situation does not make it impossible, but rather requires more customisation and guidance.
Bromazepam to be phased out or swallowed
Bromazepam can markedly dampen the effects of psychedelics, which can make a session less deep or effective.
In consultation with a doctor, two options can be considered:
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continue with bromazepam and accept impaired performance of the session, or
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(temporarily) taper off, allowing for about 5× the half-life of 10 to 20 hours (i.e. 4-5 days) before it is sufficiently out of your system.
What is best depends on your situation, safety and comfort.
Best next step
The safest way to properly assess this is through the intake of Triptherapie. It is an online form where you can explain your situation. You can fill it in for free and without obligation.
That is specifically what is being looked at:
- your bromazepam use
- your physical condition (incl. underweight)
- your goals (rest + sleep)
- and which form suits you best
Might also be interesting to peruse in advance: Natural remedies for better sleep