DOSE:

5-MeO-DMT

(powder / crystals)

I first submitted a report to the alt.drug.psychedlic Usenet forum about five years ago. Erowid and a few other groups picked up my story, and I must admit that I feel a bit famous in a anonymous way.

Since first trying 5-Meo-DMT in the spring of 1996, I have used it a number of more times, and have given it to others.

I am a health care provider and have been studying for a post doctorate degree in neurosciences, and for this reason I feel like it is necessary to relate my observations of this drug.

As anyone who has ever tried 5-MeO-DMT knows, this is not a 'recreational' drug. On many occasions I have seen people react very poorly to the drug, with vomiting, convulsions, and feelings of impending doom.

On two occasions I had to physically hold down the user to prevent them from tearing out their own eyeballs. These individuals had no recollection of this reaction after 'coming down' from the drug.

What is my point you might ask? People are responsible for their own actions, and need to be reponsible when taking these drugs. With the advent of the internet and the massive exchange of information that is occuring people are finding out about a whole score of 'strange, and exotic' chemicals. These chemicals are becoming more available to everyday people. This has many implications for peoples safety and mental health.

In traditional societies there is a much different understanding about reality, and the nature of conciousness. In many cases only the 'shaman' or 'apprentices' are allowed access to these chemicals. Today we find them being used in a variety of different ways that may not be best suited for the drugs properties.

The reason why I am writing this is because a dear friend of mine decided to try 5-MEO and had a **very bad** experience. Since the episode he has been plagued with panic attacks.

There has been recent studies to show that psychdelics cause profound changes in frontal cortex brain activity. The frontal cortex plays a large role in activation of the basal ganglia, which in turn gates the thalamus, preventing increased cortical activity. My hypothesis is that in certain individuals who do not have 'healthy' frontal brain activity, that the barrage of neurotransmitters produced by the entheogenic substance, can in effect, cause the frontal cortex to 'blow out'. In this scenario the basal ganglia loses its activation and the entire cortex moves closer to threshold. When this happens regions of the midbrain would recieve increase activity (specifically the locus ceruleus). When this occurs there may be 'spikes' of biogenic amines from time to time, in affect, leading to 'panic attacks'.

I would be interested in hearing any stories or account of panic attacks after the use of these drugs. I think we owe it to the entire drug community to take these drugs very seriously, and know, that although...they may be for everyone....they ARE NOT for everyone.

To see my friend, who is one of the most peaceful, loving beings I have ever met, confronted with the terror that a panic disorder can bring woke me up to the larger picture with regard to these drugs.

Exp Year: 2001	ExpID: 5302
Gender: Not Specified
Age at time of experience: Not Given
Published: Feb 26, 2001	Views: 18,979
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5-MeO-DMT (58) : Unknown Context (20), Post Trip Problems (8), Health Problems (27), Bad Trips (6), Retrospective / Summary (11)