Over the last 70-odd years, the use of psychedelic substances as a treatment for mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression and PTSD has been studied, yet there’s little to no public discussion on the matter, definitely not in 2017 Malta. The term “tripping” is no misnomer – in a few hours you feel as though you are transported to an alternate reality, not totally new, but renewed. Your mind is unshackled from its tensions and anxieties, allowing you the courage to relax and play. On a trip, pleasure can be heightened, either through visual stimulus, cuisine or through the resulting liberation from a personal epiphany you might have. Psychedelics have a way of allowing you to examine yourself from a third-person point of view, which can be a powerful tool in learning how to treat yourself well. I have noticed that, at least in Malta, it is extremely common for people to attribute self-care to selfishness – in other words, it’s catholic guilt through and through. A wise friend may have coined a wonderful term to illustrate the distinction from selfishness – ’selffulness’.

In my case there simply came a point where I realised the hypocrisy in advocating for equality but not treating myself half as well as anyone else. It was a powerful moment which didn’t fix everything in my life, but it certainly created space for me to heal. It’s important to stay grounded, you don’t want to inflate your self-opinion but you also can’t let it wither away.