What Is Hippie Flipping?

Taking MDMA (ecstasy) and psilocybin (magic mushrooms) together is one of the most common psychedelic drug combinations — tied only with candy flipping (LSD and MDMA).

One of the main reasons people take this combination is so the MDMA can counter some of the negative effects of the magic mushrooms — such as fear, existential anxiety, and paranoia.

MDMA has a powerful euphoric effect — making users feel more alert and awake, but also more connected with others. It brings a feeling of content and wellbeing in small doses, and powerful sense of love and connection in higher doses.

Taking these compounds together provides an overlap of both substances. Users feel euphoric and energetic while experiencing visual and auditory distortions which (often) make the MDMA experience even more enjoyable.

But this combination isn’t without its risks. While it’s true that MDMA can help offset the chances of having a “bad trip” many people in the psychedelic community feel this combination removes the spirit from the magic mushrooms. Some believe MDMA negates the powerful healing capacity of the magic mushrooms.

This is hotly debated though as others believe this combination actually improves healing capacity by making users feel more open.

It’s wise to stick to one compound at a time, but if you still want to mix these drugs together, start with a smaller dose of both compounds than you’d normally take. Many people will take mushrooms, wait for the effects to kick in, then take just half a tablet of MDMA.

You can always take more later, but you can’t take less.

Other common “flipping” techniques include:

1. Kitty Flipping — Ketamine & MDMA
2. Sugar Flipping — Cocaine & MDMA
3. Jedi Flipping — Magic Mushrooms, LSD, & MDMA
4. Nexus Flipping — 2C-B & MDMA
5. Candy Flipping — MDMA & LSD

Let’s examine each of the ingredients of a hippie flip in more detail:

1. MDMA

MDMA is an abbreviation of the unwieldy chemical name 3,4-Methyl​enedioxy​methamphetamine, a popular psychoactive drug. MDMA is sometimes referred to as ecstasy, Molly, or just X.

People who have taken MDMA say it induces euphoria, heightens their senses, and increases their empathy, making them feel connected and close to others. Unfortunately, these pleasurable effects come with a steep price. MDMA’s comedown can be rough, with users experiencing substantial physical pain and depression.

Most people take MDMA orally, but it is less commonly injected or snorted.

The most common side effects of MDMA are an elevated heart rate, increased body temperature, muscle cramps, and dehydration.

There’s great interest in MDMA as a possible way to treat PTSD, and it is commonly used in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.

2. Magic Mushrooms (Psilocybin)

Psilocybin, found in magic mushrooms or shrooms, is a psychedelic agent capable of creating intense hallucinations and euphoria. Despite being approximately 100 times less potent than LSD, it is one of the most potent psychoactive compounds.

Like MDMA, psilocybin has drawn interest in the medical community as a possible treatment for depression, addiction, and some cancers. Its use in cancer treatments is mostly focused on easing the psychological trauma of facing mortality.

Psilocybin is almost universally consumed orally.

Side effects of psilocybin include nausea, vomiting, sweating, paranoia, and tiredness.

Using Psychedelics Responsibly

Most experienced psychonauts tell beginners that the key to using psychedelics responsibly is to be prepared. Doing your homework and learning about dosing, what side effects to watch out for, and how to set yourself up for success go a long way to creating a positive experience.

Two of the most important factors that influence the quality of your trip are set and setting.

A) Set

Your mindset, or set, plays a major role in how your psychedelic experience will go. Based on anecdotal evidence from trip reports, a positive outlook and calm demeanor are more likely to result in a positive, pleasurable psychedelic experience. Negativity often gets reflected back on the user and causes frightening, unpleasant bad trips.

Creating the right mindset before your trip isn’t complicated. Experienced psychedelic users say that meditation, light exercise like yoga, and deep breathing can help you relax and get ready for the mind-opening experience to come.

Another common suggestion is to set your intentions for the trip before you begin. Speaking your intentions out loud and writing them on paper are excellent ways to solidify them in your mind.

A final tip is to make sure you’re well-informed about the drugs you’re taking, the appropriate doses, and that you’re 100% mentally prepared to take them. Doubt and fear will only lead to unpleasant experiences.

B) Setting

With your internal preparations made, it’s time to look outward and choose a place for your experience. The setting for your trip is just as important as your mindset. Pick a comfortable place you’re familiar with, preferably in your home. A small, cozy room with a lock is the perfect place.

Many people find it helpful to have something to focus on during their trip; music and art are popular choices. Art can be other people’s art to enjoy or materials to create your own art; the choice is yours.

A good setting is not complete without a trip sitter, a sober friend who will stay with you during your trip and ensure you’re safe. Having a close, trusted friend with you also helps you feel at ease and stay calm before the effects kick in.

What Does Hippie Flipping Feel Like?

Hippie flipping feels like an enhanced MDMA trip. People report experiencing common hallucinations — breathing walls, swimming visuals, fractal color patterns, etc. The MDMA makes everything more vivid and induces a powerful state of connection and euphoria not found with magic mushrooms alone.

Many hippie flipping trip reports claim that the MDMA mitigates the odds of having a bad trip, with some users reporting they’ve never had a bad trip while hippie flipping.

Similarly, some users say they can tolerate higher doses of psilocybin than they normally can, suggesting that MDMA plays some part in regulating the trip.

Be cautious with this combination. Even if you’re experienced with using MDMA and magic mushrooms, the combination may produce effects that are unexpected and uncomfortable. Always ensure you’re in a safe place with people who are responsible and understand the fundamentals of responsible trip sitting before you start.

Is Hippie Flipping Safe?

Mixing any drugs together carries inherent risks. Hippie flipping is no exception.

Combining MDMA and psilocybin comes with several serious risks. Both drugs cause increased heart rate, sweating, and dehydration, and taking them together causes those effects to stack.

Dehydration is one of the riskiest side effects of MDMA and is a leading cause of MDMA-related deaths. Psilocybin also causes dehydration and often leads to vomiting, making dehydration worse.

The comedown phase of hippie flipping combines the worst aspects of the comedown phases of MDMA and psilocybin. As MDMA wears off, users often experience feelings of depression and emptiness. Because the effects of magic mushrooms lasts longer than MDMA, they may exaggerate these feelings — leading to a very uncomfortable experience.

For this reason, many people will wait to take MDMA until the magic mushrooms have already taken effect. This way, the effects of both substances will wear off around the same time, avoiding this come-down conflict.

How Long Does Hippie Flipping Last?

Hippie flipping lasts about 4-8 hours. This is a wide range, but it comes down to factors such as your metabolism, whether or not you’ve had any food, the purity of the MDMA, the species of magic mushrooms, your prior experience with either substance, and of course, the dose.

Timing your dose of each isn’t as finicky as it can be for other drug combinations like candy flipping (mixing LSD and MDMA) or Jedi flipping (mixing LSD, MDMA, and psilocybin) since the effects of MDMA and psilocybin follow a similar schedule.

What’s the Normal Dose for Hippie Flipping?

Hippie flipping doesn’t have a standard dose since not many people take MDMA and psilocybin together. Most trip reports indicate that taking a normal dose of each is fairly common, but it’s wise to start with something smaller for the first time to minimize your risk of side effects.

A typical dose of MDMA is around 100 mg, although some people take larger doses around 150 or 200 mg. Dosing MDMA is weight-dependent, so heavier people can usually tolerate taking higher doses more easily than lighter people.

Psilocybin doses are considerably smaller, usually in the 2-5 gram range.

Some trip reports suggest that hippie flipping allows experienced shrooms users to take slightly higher doses without an increased risk of side effects. However, personal experiences vary, and erring on the side of caution is probably a good idea.

Wrapping Up: Mixing MDMA & Psilocybin

Combining drugs of any kind comes with inherent risks.

Still, plenty of people choose to combine MDMA and psilocybin, hoping to take their psychedelic experience to the next level. As far as combinations go, this one is relatively safe. The biggest risk comes from the MDMA and things like dehydration.

If you’re going to try hippie flipping, take the time to establish the proper mindset first. Making sure you’re in the right headspace goes a long way to ensuring a good trip. Experienced psychonauts also recommend hippie flipping in a familiar location that makes you feel comfortable and relaxed.

Hippie flipping is easier to plan than other psychedelic combinations since MDMA and psilocybin take roughly the same amount of time to hit and last for similar durations. Most hippie flipping trip reports suggest that following the individual dosing guidelines for MDMA and psilocybin works well.