Why I’m Exploring Plant Medicine After 21 Years of Sobriety

Michael Chernow shares how a chaotic, unsafe childhood with a severely ill father left him with deep trauma and an overwhelming fear of becoming terminally ill, especially cancer, which can trigger fast, devastating spirals of anxiety and dissociation that impact his family. Despite 21+ years in recovery and extensive work through prayer, meditation, fitness, 12-step programs, breathwork, and self-development, the fear persists as a constant “low hum.” After a year of researching and interviewing plant-medicine facilitators, he has decided to undertake a two-day guided journey on June 9–10 using either psilocybin alone or psilocybin with MDMA, which his facilitator says can help open the heart and address PTSD/trauma. He emphasizes sobriety remains his top priority and is not endorsing this for others, especially those early in sobriety, and plans to share his experience afterward.