Hallucinogens

By: Thomas Dettmer, Delilah Mae, Chrystyan Scott, Sary Rodriguez, Kaitlyn Greenwood, Jenn

Kocevar, and Ethan Mott

Hallucinogens have been around for a very long time, mostly as an agent that induces

visions resulting in emotional, psychological, cognitive, religious, spiritual and therapeutic

reactions. This is done by altering perception visually, cognitively, and emotionally;

hallucinogens alter moods, thoughts, emotions and perceptions of reality. Originally, it has been

seen in a religious setting in many cultures before transforming into a more recreational, and

stimulating activity, sometimes as a way to de-stress. According to SAMHSA, men typically

abuse hallucinogens over women with the demographic being between the ages of 18 and 25

years old (“Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration”). In the sense of a

religious purpose, hallucinogens created a sense of unity, peace and even transcendence of time

and space, a “belief that the experience is a source of objective truth about reality” (MacLean et

al., 721); this is why it would often be used in religious ceremonies as a spiritual awakening or

enlightenment.

An example of a historical hallucinogen used for spiritual purposes is psilocybin, which

is found in more than 100 species of mushrooms. Studies show self-reports of mystical-type

effects that include “feelings of unity, spiritual experiences, insight, positive mood that include

bliss, peace and love, as well as an altered sense of time and space” (MacLean et al., 724). As

time progressed, hallucinogens started being used for other purposes including recreationally

and as a way to de-stress, this is even with hallucinogens becoming illegal in the U.S. in the

1960s. According to Winkelman, hallucinogens can be found in plants like fungi or

angiosperms (219-220). However, they can also be man made like Lysergic acid diethylamide
or LSD, which was developed by Swiss chemist Albert Hoffman from rye fungus in 1938

(Kowalski, 7). Hallucinogens can be consumed in many different ways: swallowed as pills or

liquid, consumed raw or brewed into tea, snorted or injected, inhaled or even absorbed through

the lining of the mouth (“National Institute of Drug Abuse”).

There are many ways hallucinogens affect the brain chemical systems, mainly serotonin

which is a neurotransmitter that sends signals between nerve cells. Serotonin regulates many

aspects of the body including being a natural mood stabilizer as well as: sensory perception,

hunger, sleep patterns, body temperature and sexual behavior (“National Institute of Drug

Abuse” ). This accounts for the visual and auditory alterations of perception observed during the

usage of hallucinogens. Additionally, it is the reason why hallucinogens causes “trips” or

distorted realities, it produces illusions and hallucinations that even one knows they aren’t real,

they are still experienced. Furthermore, hallucinations may come in the form of synesthesia, or

the cross wiring of sensations, where intensified sensations such as brighter colors will cause

users to “see sounds and smell colors” (Kowalski, 6).

Hallucinogens also cause the interference with the brain chemical glutamate which

regulates pain perception, responses to the environment, emotions and even learning and

memory. This accounts for the responses of users during the usage of hallucinogens. It is crucial

to not be in a dangerous situation when using hallucinogens as perception to the environment is

altered. For example, someone may think that doing an activity that causes pain normally

doesn’t actually hurt anymore, and their response may be to continue putting themselves in that

dangerous situation because their emotions are being altered. Normally, the effects of

hallucinogens may be within a minute to within 20 to 90 minutes and up to 6 or 12 hours long.

Typical effects of hallucinogens include an increased heart rate, nausea, changes in time
perception, sleep problems, uncoordinated movement, panic, psychosis and even paranoia. It is

unknown if hallucinogens cause effects long-term but it is possible that it may cause memory

loss, anxiety and even depression as well as psychosis (“National Institute of Drug Abuse”).

As stated, serotonin and glutamate are the two neurotransmitter pathways in which

hallucinogens act upon the brain. There are at least four types of serotonin receptors that

monitor effects in the brain. 5-HT1A serotonin receptors actually are found in the limbic region

and mainly monitor responses of serotonergic neurons. Hallucinogens act on a different type of

receptor, the 5-HT2 receptors which are a type of G protein-coupled receptor or GPCR;

hallucinogens act as neurotransmitter mimics and are usually agonists or antagonists

(Aghajanian and Marek, 16). The activation of 5-HT2A receptors on glutamatergic neurons do

not depolarize and therefore, do not cause action potentials; they simply make the cells be more

excitable. Hallucinogens generally suppresses cell firing in the brain stem either directly like

LSD or indirectly by phenethylamines, which leads to cell excitation. These changes in

neuronal excitability are the cause of alteration in cognition (Aghajanian and Marek, 17-19)

The locus coeruleus (LC) consists of noradrenergic neurons that receives somatic,

visceral and other sensory inputs; hallucinogens increase the sensory responses in this region

via 5-HT2A receptors. The second pathway in which hallucinogens affect the brain chemical

system is by the inhibition of glutamate receptors. This results in a trance-like or euphoria state

which accounts for the feeling of detachment from the environment. This is where the line is

drawn between hallucinogenic drugs and dissociative drugs, dissociative like ketamine involve

the glutamate brain chemical pathway. Inhibition of glutamate receptors causes alterations in

cognition, emotion and some dissociative drugs like PCP cause the alteration of dopamine, a

neurotransmitter responsible for euphoria (Krebs-Thomson et al., 339-340)

Dissociatives

To begin, we will start with the lowest level of hallucinogen: dissociatives. While this class

work on the same pathway as other hallucinogens, their effect leaves much to be desired This

class of hallucinogens produce a euphoric effect along with distorted perceptions of reality. The

most common effects seen with these drugs are feelings of drunkenness, floating, and visual

distortions. This would include conditions such as double vision, visual drifting, macropsia,

micropsia, pelopsia, and teleopsia. These drugs can also cause what is known as closed-eye

hallucinations, or closed-eye visualizations. This is a colorful hallucinations that occurs when

the eyes are closed and similar to dreaming. It is important to note that the brain is not creating

new sensory information, but misconstruing existing information. Unlike traditional

hallucinogens, this can cause pseudo hallucinations. This differs from a true hallucination in the

fact that the person who has taken the drug can distinguish what they are seeing from reality. A

person who is experiencing a hallucination believe what they see is real, no matter how

extreme.

As seen with other hallucinations, dissociatives work by being the NMDA receptors as a

glutamate agonist. As this pathway controls learning and memory, it is not surprising that some

of the side effects include memory loss and ego death in with short term as well as long term

memory begins to deteriorate. As this is also involved in the brain's reward system, these drugs

can be addictive. Because their effects seem harmless compared to heavy hitters such as PCP

and LSD, these drugs are widely unregulated and regarded as an ‘easy high’ by teens and young

adults.

With dissociative drug there are typically three common characteristics: large doses are required

for the desired effect, side effects are often immediate and unpleasant, and the cycle of effect
lasts for several hours. To better explain this, we will look at the example of DXM or

Dextromethorphan.

As described before, DXM being to NMDA receptors in place of glutamate, producing a

euphoric effect and altering perception. Often drug users will take this drug as it is a cheap way

of ‘expanding their mind’. This causes it to be popular among teens and young adults that are

looking to experiment with drugs for the first time. As it is found in cough syrup experts say

“Adolescents intoxicate themselves at parties and even before or after school since the drug is

legal, relatively inexpensive, and easily purchased or shoplifted at drug or convenient stores”

(Grattan 1995), and the steady record of DXM abuse proves it so. Because of these reasons drug

is easy to get a hold of and can become easily addicting. To achieve the psychoactive effects,

100-300ml doses of cough syrup are required, 4-10oz, or 60-120mg of DXM proper. However,

the side of effect most dissociatives is tolerance. This is caused by the down regulation of

NMDA receptors in the brain. This increase competition for receptors between glutamate and

DXM. Ultimately, the user must take larger and larger quantities to achieve the desired effects,

but put them at risk.

Much like drinking, the line between a good time and too much is thin. Large quantities of

DXM result in nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and urinary dysfunction. As the receptor is blocked,

this causes a feeling of restless which then leads to fatigue and insomnia. Long term users can

also suffer from side effects of withdrawal such as dysphoria and depression. (Wolfe 1995)

People suffering from DXM dependency, or dependency on another dissociative drug are often

easily irritated due to a lack of sleep and a decreasing attention span. The National Institute of

Drug Abuse Recommends 21-day inpatient rehabilitation and counseling for people who have

become addicted to DXM and similar dissociatives. After this period the DXM will have
completely left the user’s system, and with a proper support system they should be able to

recover from their addiction with little lasting damage. However, this is both a blessing and a

curse.

In the article Dextromethorphan: an Overview of Safety Issues, J.L Bem and associates state

“dextromethorphan is a very safe drug; adverse reactions are infrequent and usually not severe.

Although a few cases of toxicity have been reported, doses in excess of 100 times the usual adult

dose have not been fatal,” (Bem 1992). It is because of this that DXM is an unscheduled drug

and it is not illegal to possess or take, making it widely unregulated. Unless the child or young

adult has become unruly, the court system will often not intervene. The few that do become

addicted are often put through treatment by their own accord or by way of parents or guardian.

This makes it difficult to reinforce treatment as it gives abusers a sense that the drugs are

relatively harmless.
PCP and Ketamine

Background and Usage

Phencyclidine (PCP) is an arylcyclohexylamine anesthetic (NIH, “Phencyclidine”) created in

1926 (CESAR, “PCP”) as an alternative anesthetic due to its ability to avoid promotion of

respiratory depression (Meyer, 2005). Tested by Parke, Davis and Company in the middle of the

1950s, they noted that although the patients displayed no response to painful stimuli, they did

display an altered consciousness not associated with other anesthetics at the time. This altered

consciousness was defined by fixed eyes, maintenance of muscle tone, and unresponsive facial

expression. Soon, they began using it clinically under the name of Sernyl. Eventually, PCP was

adopted as an animal tranquilizer (CESAR, “PCP”). Over time, this clinical use of PCP mapped

out a variety of its severe hallucinogenic-associated symptoms. In turn, this caused clinical use

of PCP to become illegal in 1965. However, illicit use of the drug began running rampant

among the drug culture of the late 1960s. PCP eventually became known as angel dust, amp, or

even the PeaCe Pill (Barker, “PCP History and Statistics”). One of the most appealing

properties of PCP was its ability to be administered in a variety of ways. Administration of PCP

is often injection, snorting, smoking, or swallowing a pill form of it (Borke, “Substance Use -

Phencyclidine (PCP)”). Its popularity never came close to that of cocaine, heroin, or marijuana,

but PCP is still recognized as a schedule 2 drug (Meyer, 2005). The derivative of PCP, ketamine

hydrochloride, however did have a sizable following as a club drug as well as a clinical

anesthetic.

Ketamine hydrochloride, commonly just known as ketamine, was synthesized in 1962 by Parke

and Davis. Primarily designed as a softer alternative to PCP so that it could be used clinically, it

was tested on humans two years after its synthesis (Meyer, 2005). Ketamine, while it can still
cause a host of the same symptoms PCP does, does so on a lower magnitude. Because of this

and its conserved variety for administration methods, ketamine was and still is clinically used.

Often, it is used in pediatric surgery as well as veterinarian procedures. Abuse of this drug still

ran rampant since it was much more readily available than PCP. Today, some of the most

common abusers are club-goers, who yearn for the dissociative effect as they party, and

veterinarians due to its immediate access (Meyer, 2005). While ketamine still is used as an

illegal recreational drug, it still has some promise in treating depression due to its physiological

mechanism, and as a potential substitute to opioid painkillers.

Symptoms and Pharmacology

Symptoms of both PCP and ketamine include dissociative anesthesia, unresponsiveness,

amnesia, maintenance of muscle tone, involuntary movements, fixed eyes, spontaneous

breathing, increased heart rate, hallucinations, and agitation (Hallucinogens.com, “PCP”).

Depending on the administration method, onset of symptoms can occur in 2-5 minutes (if

smoked) or 30-60 minutes (if swallowed) (DEA. “Phencyclidine.”). PCP and ketamine differ in

half-life. PCP’s half-life can last from 7-46 hours depending on the person (OTC, “How Long

Does PCP Stay in Your System?”). Ketamine’s however, only lasts around 3 hours (RxList,

“Ketamine Hydrochloride (Ketamine HCl): Side Effects, Interactions, Warning, Dosage &

Uses.”). Prolonged use of these drugs can result in bladder pain, incontinence, addiction,

memory deficits, delusional thinking, grey and white matter abnormalities, apoptosis of cells in

developing brains, increased D1 dopamine receptor binding in the prefrontal cortex, and

decreased NMDA receptor binding (Meyer, 2005).

Mechanism

Both PCP and ketamine target the ionotropic receptor: NDMA, functioning as non-

competitive agonists for the binding site within the channel. Binding blocks the channel,

causing an impairment to pain, emotions, learning, and memory. Additionally, they can cause

presynaptic glutamate release within the cerebral cortex, strengthening the previous symptoms.

PCP and ketamine also stimulate dopamine (DA) release and DA cell firing within the

prefrontal cortex. This is a widely used reinforcement mechanism and can lead to chronic

addiction and eventually withdrawal if not taken enough (Meyer, 2005).

LSD

Background and Usage

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) was first synthesized by Albert Hofmann in 1938 as

an experimental analeptic. LSD was theorized to work as an analeptic due to its structural

similarity to a known analeptic, nicotinic acid diethylamide. When tested, it did not work as

intended, so it was scrapped. Later, in 1943, Hofmann came back to investigate its potential

unknown properties. Dissolving a minute amount in water, he then downed it. In his words, he

“Sank into an intoxicated-like condition, characterized by an extremely simulated imagination.”

With the help of his assistant, he biked home and documented the experience in his journal.

Eventually, LSD became available clinically under the name of Delysid (Meyer, 2005). Delysid

was often used in psycholytic therapy, in which the patient takes a hallucinogen to bring to

surface repressed memories and ideas. However, this practice was soon discontinued (Passie et

al, 2008).

Over time, LSD became available on the streets under names such as acid, blotter, dots,

trips, and tabs (EMCDDA. “Cannabis Profile (Chemistry, Effects, Mode of Use, Pharmacology,

Medical Use, Control Status).”). LSD is water soluble, so in order to distribute it, a sizable

amount of pure LSD is diluted in a large volume of water. The water containing LSD is then

aliquoted dropwise onto paper, where it dries. These papers (or dots) are placed on the tongue

for oral administration. Often, it’s taken as a mind expansion drug, gaining traction especially

with the 1970s hippie movement. Eventually, it was banned nationwide in 1967 and labeled as a

schedule I drug. Although LSD is schedule I, it is theorized that it could help in treatment of

mental disorders including that of depression or PTSD (Meyer 2005).

Symptoms and Pharmacology

A typical dose range of 75-150µg creates symptoms of pseudo hallucinations,

impairment of memory, euphoria, increased capacity for introspection, inhibition of

psychomotor functions, and alterations to perception including that of time and thinking (Passie

et al, 2008). Adverse psychological effects are also present, including bad trips, flashbacks,

impairment to stimuli, and a potential psychotic reaction (granted a preexisting mental

disorder). Bad trips are often categorized as frightening hallucinations often occurring when the

user experiences anxiety or panic. Flashbacks are sudden non-lingering effects of LSD that

occur in short bursts well after achieving sobriety (Meyer, 2005).

LSD is non-addictive and has a plasma half life consisting of about 2.3 hours (Dolder,

2017). With overall effects lasting usually 8 to 2 hours, its half maximal effective concentration

is at 1ng/mL (Passie et al., 2008).

Mechanism

Not much is currently known about LSD’s mechanisms of action to elicit hallucinogenic

symptoms, but we do know that it (most likely) easily passes through the blood brain barrier

using the choroid plexus (Passie et al., 2008) and stimulates 5-HT(2a) serotonin receptors as an

agonist. These receptors are most commonly found in the cerebral cortex, nucleus accumbens,

and striatum. LSD has also been shown to interact with dopaminergic systems. High

concentrations of LSD can also be found in the hippocampus, periventricular brain gray matter,

basal ganglia, and frontoparietal cortex, although this has varied. Neurological effects of LSD

are mainly dose-dependent hyperreflexia and a mild ataxia (Passie et al., 2008).
DMT

When you hear someone say the letters DMT, you may know it is a powerful

hallucinogen but you do not know what those letters stand for. DMT stands for

Dimethyltryptamine which is a hallucinogenic drug that you can find naturally in many plants

and animals. DMT is a white crystalline powder found in certain plants in Mexico, South

America, and parts of Asia. You may also hear DMT being referred to as, Fantasia,

Businessman’s Trip, or even 45-Minute Psychosis.

DMT is a relatively new hallucinogenic substance that has gained recreational

popularity within the last twelve years. The discovery of DMT occurred in 1936 by Richard

Manske. It was not until 1956 that the psychedelic effects were discovered by Stephen Szára. In

the early 1950’s Szára read about the effects of LSD and mescaline. Hoping to carry out

psychedelic research on both drugs, he asked for a shipment of LSD. Due to Szára being behind

the ‘Iron Curtain’ Sandoz denied Szára’s order. In 1995 Szára synthesized his own supply of

DMT to see if the compound was psychoactive. First experimentations of ingesting the drug

orally produced no psychoactive effects. Szára began to wonder is there was something in his

stomach neutralizing the compound. Indeed there was and it is called monoamine oxidase. In

1956 Szára decided to give himself a intramuscular injection, and thus the modern day DMT

was born. Szára strongly believed that the study of psychoactive drugs would be the key to

unlocking the relationship between the brain/mind relationship. After the Drug Scheduling Act

of 1971, the study of psychedelic drugs became virtually impossible in the United States.

Szára’s research intrigued other scientist and researchers. Many of which decided to try

the drug for themselves. The Beverly Hills psychiatrist, Oscar Janiger, was the first person to

record his usage of DMT in the United States. After reading Szára’s research, Janiger assumed
that Szára had tried DMT himself and lived to write the monologues about it so he had his lab

make him a batch. One afternoon while alone in his office, Janiger filled a syringe and gave

himself an injection of DMT. This experience he later described as “a dangerously stupid,

idiotic thing to do” (DMT Modern Usage). In the book Storming Heaven: LSD and the

American Dream by Jay Stevens Janiger’s DMT experience is described as if were in a pinball

machine, bombarded by flashing lights, clanging bells, and infernal messages. Janiger did not

experience any insight that some others do. He felt lost and disconnected until thirty minutes

later when the DMT wore off. Janiger was convinced that he was “totally stark raving crazy.”

After his DMT experience, Janiger distributed the drug to multiple friends asking them to try it

and give feedback. They all agreed the drug was a hellish half hour with no redeeming qualities

(Stevens). Although Janiger’s experience was ‘hell’, he was not the only one with a horrifying

experience.

William S. Burroughs was an author and visual artist that decided to experiment with

DMT. Burroughs tried DMT with a friend is his London apartment. His hope was that it would

help him end his heroin addiction. During the ‘trip’ Burroughs’ friend began to freak out. When

Burroughs reached for the syringe to inject his friend with the anecdote, his friend turned into a

writhing reptile encrusted in jewels. Not knowing what to do, Burroughs stood staring at his

friend wondering how he where he should inject this slithering, jewel encrusted reptile with an

anecdote. After the experience, Burroughs was scared away from the drug. He is now known as

the “Godfather of recreational DMT” (DMT Modern Usage). There are countless more stories

of horrific experiences with DMT that have subsequently scared people away from trying the

drug.
 The uses or DMT usually fall under spiritual or recreational use. Native Americans use

DMT to try and achieve a spiritual relationship with God. They ingest and inhale the plant

anadenanthera peregrina, that contains high levels of DMT. More commonly in the United

States, DMT is abused recreationally. Some people use the drug to get a high feeling through

‘tripping’ while others use it as a spiritual gateway. In the United States, people use bongs and

vaporizers to inhale the drug. The high is considered to be extremely intense and altering

(DMT). The high potential for abuse is one reason for the schedule one standing for DMT.

Dr. Rick Strassman was the first to conduct research on the effects of DMT on humans.

All of those that were tested were volunteers because DMT is considered a Schedule 1

hallucinogen, which means that it is illegal to be in possession of, unless monitored by the DEA

and FDA (Davis). These volunteers were injected intravenously and were observed. He

administered 400 dosed to 60 volunteers between the years of 1990 and 1995 (Davis). The

volunteers recorded their experiences and Strassman assessed them. He later wrote the book

DMT: The Spirit Molecule, which contained many of the experiences his volunteers induced.

Many reported seeing geometric patterns like from Mayan, Islamic, or Aztec kaleidoscopes, and

over half reported interacting with entities such as aliens, other humans, spiders, reptiles,

dwarves, and elves (Hammond). Some even reported seeing angels, which Strassman suggests

to represent previously invisible spiritual forces that are not normally seen by the naked eye. It

is thought that these spirits possess a particular message that they deliver to the person on their

DMT trip (Solomon). This possibly suggests that those who have DMT experiences are

witnessing paranormal phenomena. There is not much research to back this idea up, but it is

something that scientists are still investigating.

 There are multiple methods for consumption of DMT, but not all of them perform

equally. Orally ingesting DMT does not result in psychedelic effects because the enzyme

monoamine oxidase breaks down the drug before effects can take place. However, when

ingested orally in combination with other plants there can be the psychoactive effects.

Ayahuasca is a common plant brew that is made from chacruna leaves, that contain the DMT

compound, along with other plant matter that contain harmala alkaloids. The harmala alkaloids

prevent the metabolism of DMT through the inhibition of the monoamine oxidase enzyme. This

allows the drug to be fully absorbed by the body and produce the psychoactive effects. The

consumption of ayahuasca causes different effects than synthetic DMT. The high lasts much

longer, with some people reporting it lasting up to ten hours. More common ways of DMT

consumption include snorting, smoking, or injecting. All three of these methods cause a short

lived high that lasts thirty to forty-five minutes. When smoking, the effects plateau after about

three to five minutes and gradually drop off after twenty to forty minutes. Injection is not

common in recreational use because of the possibility of an impure batch. Only DMT made in a

lab is considered ‘safe’ to inject because it is considered pure. When injecting a homemade

batch of DMT, any impurities or toxins are also injected that can cause adverse reactions (DMT

Drug Abuse). It does not take a high dosage to reach the full hallucinogenic capacity of DMT so

users should be extremely cautious.

Although numerous recounts of DMT experiences sound traumatizing, the tripping

experience is extremely personalized. Many users describe an intense life-altering experience

such as visiting another world, talking with alien entities, and total shifts in perception of

identity and reality. Depending on the individual user, the DMT experience can range from

intensely exciting to overwhelmingly frightening. The experience can be so powerful that users
may have difficulty processing and integrating the "trip" into their real life. On top of this a

DMT trip involves intense visual hallucinations. The psychedelic phenomena of swirling

colours, shifting fractals - completely overwhelming the visual field. It is extremely common

for the hallucinations to be so intense that the user cannot tell any difference between reality and

the trip (Davis). Although this can be dangerous, users usually stay still and silent for the

duration of the high (DMT Modern Usage). There is no telling how many people have tried

DMT once and decided from then on that they would never touch it again. Despite the

likelihood of countless people only trying DMT once, the drug has a high possibility for abuse.

The long term abuse of DMT comes accompanied by a handful of unpleasant side

effects. Compared to other psychedelic drugs, such as LSD, ketamine, and magic mushrooms,

DMT is considered to have the lowest side effect profile. When taken orally, DMT can cause

nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Typical side effects include an increased heart rate and blood

pressure, chest pain or tightness, agitation, dilated pupils, rapid rhythmic eye movements, and

dizziness (Davis). Prolonged use of DMT can result in seizures, loss of muscle control and

coordination, respiratory arrest, and coma. Due to the intense hallucinations and “splitting of

reality” experienced by a DMT user, side effects of extreme agitation, anxiety, paranoia, and

aggression or violent behavior can occur. The setting and mood of the user is extremely

important during a high and can affect the experience greatly. DMT should be taken in a

controlled setting to help prevent adverse effects that can cause the user to cause harm to

themselves or anyone else (DMT Abuse).

There have also been studies that show that DMT can help with some mental issues.

Strassman stated in an interview that he received emails from his previous volunteers stating

that the testing had helped disrupt addiction problems, and has helped healing physical and
emotional abuse (Solomon). These positive effects can be better observed after someone has

drank DMT because it stays in the body for a longer period of time than if smoked or injected.

There have also been many field reports backing up the idea that DMT has psychological

benefits which, as a result, is bringing the drug into more of scientific studies (Solomon).

Role in Dreaming?

DMT trips take people to different worlds. Some remember them clear as day, and some

cannot remember the specifics at all, only the feelings they experienced during it. Terence

McKenna was another psychedelic researcher that believed that there was a linkage between

DMT and dreaming (Reyzer). McKenna experienced DMT first hand and experienced his trip

dissolving from his memory shortly after he came down from the episode. This is much like the

way that dreams become harder to remember after you wake up. Because of this, in McKenna’s

studies, he would as his subjects to have a few minutes to sit and reflect on their experience and

even journal it, if they chose to do so (Reyzer). This was an effort to help people be able to

remember some of the specifics before they vanished from their memory. McKenna believed

that since the memory of a DMT episode faded quickly, that it functions the same way that a

dream does after you wake up (Reyzer).

Each DMT victim’s experience is different, whether it be positive, negative, insightful,

or just plain crazy. Even though there is no known risk for overdose on DMT, users might

experience an unpleasant trip if too much of the drug is ingested at once. Just like dreams, DMT

trips can range anywhere from being intriguing and vibrant, to nightmare-like (Davis). Some

report that they lost memory of the specifics that had happened during their trip, but they

remembered the emotions they felt (Solomon). Some negative feelings would be feelings of a

loss of control, pain, violence, reliving a traumatic event, and even the fear of going insane.
Others interesting report was that, ‘There was a movement of color. The colors were words. I

heard the colors were saying to me… ‘Go in’’ (Reyzer). While under the influence of DMT, the

brain cannot tell the difference between what is real and what is not. All of the information and

memories become joined together because the user is placed into a whole new world and the

brain can no longer differentiate real from fake because it is all very realistic.

Many studies have been performed regarding how DMT is linked to near death

experiences. Electroencephalograms (EEG) have shown that a brain’s activity during a DMT

experience and near death experience are almost at zero (Lichfield). This means that brain

activity is not the cause of the experiences, rather that the lack of brain activity causes them.

Because of this, the brain creates a reality that is more direct and unfiltered because it

reconstructs what we know as reality (Lichfield). These near death experiences are believed to

be linked with the release of DMT because there is a dramatic change in a person’s unconscious

state which is a prime time for the production of DMT. Many people can actually feel

themselves floating up and out of their body and into the scene around them, possibly even see

their unconscious bodies (Lichfield). Some users report spending time in an otherworldly realm

and meeting spiritual beings. These beings are often described as angels who are calling them

and even God. Many people who have a near death experience state that their experience did not

feel like a dream, rather that they described it as, ‘more real than real life’ (Lichfield). But then,

they are reluctantly called away from the realm and returned back into their body. Author Eben

Alexander was in such a deep coma during his near death experience that he reported that he

could feel his soul detach from his body and travel to another world where he experienced an

“afterlife” (Lichfield). As a result to many out of body experiences, big life decisions tend to be
made. This can include career path changes, or even leaving their spouse because their lives

have been drastically changed (Lichfield).

Another interesting near death experience is the story of Jeff Olsen, who has written two

books and made YouTube videos (Lichfield). Olsen fell asleep behind the wheel and crashed

his car, killing his wife and newborn son. Olsen himself had a broken neck and had one of his

arms nearly torn off (Lichfield). In one of his books he asked an intriguing question, “What do

you say to a man who feels responsible for the death of half of his family?” (Lichfield). For

Olsen, a spiritual being answered this during his near death experience. ‘You are perfect; you

are my son as much as anyone ever was; and you are divine’ (Lichfield). During his NDE,

Olsen experienced being with his newborn son that had been killed in a room with a crib, and

when he picked him up, he felt a loving presence that he understood to be his “divine creator”

(Lichfield).

This is the main reason why near death experiences are super powerful. No matter if you

believe that it was an act of God, saw a divine being, or the brain was producing an over

abundance of DMT, each experience is intense. For many, it forces you to rethink your place on

earth. A NDE can set you in a different direction, in a way it can help you rebuild your life.
 Works Cited

“DMT Abuse | Futures of Palm Beach.” Futures of Palm Beach FL Addiction

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