Psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, might just revolutionize how depression and anxiety are treated in cancer patients. In a groundbreaking trial, a single dose combined with therapy significantly reduced emotional suffering, and these effects often lasted over two years. As follow...
Dude start off with something more mellow, or you're going to be extremely disappointed if/when you decide to try other drugs. Psychedelics are so intense that I don't even consider them to be drugs. They're something else entirely. A "god molecule", if you will.
I'd suggest starting off with Nitrous Oxide and/or weed first. Nitrous has psychedelic properties (but without the visuals), and cannabis can also be psychedelic when you have no tolerance. Also they last more in the minute range—not hours (especially nitrous)—so they'll wear off a lot quicker should you decide you don't like the feeling.
Trust me, I've tried every drug under the sun. I'm a daily or near-daily user of several substances; psychedelics like shrooms are the one substance that I avoid. Only for special occasions, once every few years at most. Not the very first thing I'd try. It would be the very last.
I've only done it a few times, but nitrous made me laugh so much, it was great. Nitrous starts fading as soon as you breathe out and is over in 10min tops, but for weed, give yourself an evening to get stoned for the first time. Feeling cramped for time is a huge vibe killer.
Also, modern weed can be way too strong for a first-timer, but if you can find a low-thc/high-cbd strain, you'll have smooth sailing. My poor in-laws hadn't smoked since the 60s, and the budtender sold them a thc vape, good times were not had. Don't make their mistake, haha.
I'd like to offer the counterpoint that someone once advised me not to try weed until after I'd tried LSD, I followed that advice and I think it turned out for the better. There isn't exactly a benefit to being very impressed by the intensity of other drug experiences, and psychedelics can give you a sense of perspective about what you want out of life that's useful for navigating choices. They also tend to be self-deterring; you likely will feel more satisfied and grateful to have your feet on solid ground again after a trip, as opposed to immediately craving more, even if it was wonderful, which is a very convenient property many other drugs lack.
Everybody is different, and it depends on what you're after. Research different substances of interest, how they work, contraindications, best practices for use, and the kind of effects they have. From there, select any specific substance you want to try, and do so responsibly.
There's lots of folks out there who have done mushrooms or other psychedelics as their first non-alcohol psychoactive experience. The trick is getting at least some understanding of what you're getting into first and preparing accordingly. I also wouldn't compare different compounds with different effects/mechanisms of action in a way that would make you disappointed/underwhelmed/whatever. They're different and should be evaluated on their own terms.
Ketamine too. You can get it in a clinical setting without a prescription. It has a half life of about twenty minutes so if it’s not your thing it’s over quickly. One session gets you two separate doses, so you trip for about an hour, and feel totally normal afterward. Great for depression too.