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Is DMT dangerous for the mind?

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Death&Decay

Rising Star
Hello everyone,

I am sure all of you have contemplated this, at one time or another. Is DMT really safe for your mind? What about all those people who had horrific trips and claimed DMT is a gate to hell, not spiritual exploration. Well, I would like to address this issue, because to me (and this is just my humble opinion) it seems there are three distinct types of DMT reports.

1) Hallucinations of light and shapes. General euphoria and bliss. Drug induced state.
2) Hallucinations of intelligence and consciousnesses. Spiritual atonement, a break through, awakening. Gateway to another dimension.
3) Hallucinations of fear and terror. Demons, hell, the darkest side of evil. Mental instability, break down, nightmare.

Now, of these three, I have experienced 1 & 2, and never 3. I have met a few people who have reached both 1 & 2, but not everyone reaches 2. The problem I see with people who don't reach 2, even with large(ish) amounts, is their inability to let go and believe, or the over analysis of the event simply looking for 2 rather than just letting it happen. But, regardless of 1 or 2, they are both amazing experiences that humble you each and every time it happens.

However, and this is again just my opinion (and of my peers), every time we prepare to blast off there is this feeling of anxiousness or worry. And, when you feel the effects start to come on strong you realize there is no going back. You always scramble a little to try and hold onto your ego. But, like everyone I have talked to, you eventually let go and just let it consume you, let your identity drift away and truly experience whatever this may be.

So my idea, for people who seem to be trapped in 3, or who are afraid to try the experience because they read about other people who related their experience to 3, is that these people are in fact only battling their own ego. Any demons they see ascending from a pentagram of a blood are their own demons, they create. The fear they hold onto is the negativity that manifests itself during the trip. These people, rather than just accept their own faults, point their finger to DMT and spread false information regarding the experience. Its normal to try and hold onto this reality as you get shifted into the DMT reality, but if you never let go and hang by the thread of your ego then yes, you will have a bad experience. You will think you died, and you will draw a manifestation of what you perceive your afterlife to be. Afraid of hell? Well guess what, your about to experience it. Afraid of snakes? Well guess what your about to have them slithering through your ears, eyes, nose and mouth.

But, the thing is, if you let go, let go of your fears and your physical identity, then anything you can imagine can be real. The most intricate to the most obscure things you could imagine and beyond. Now, I could be wrong and when this guy Bob smokes DMT demons from another dimension come and rape him so therefore we should all be careful with this experience cause the last thing anyone wants is to get raped by a group of evil demons. Or, it could be the place our minds go when they leave this physical body and who knows what is behind that door. It could be just our minds freely available to create. It may just be a drug induced state... No one knows. Its what you believe. And whatever you believe, will manifest regardless if it is true, or false.

So, I just wanted to hear what others think. Do you truly believe that yes, it is a gateway to hell? Do you think people are experiencing these negative trips from their own ego, their own problems?

Here, I will leave with a tale of my last trip. I was sitting on my couch, staring at the entertainment system with everything off. I took a hit, held it in, and before I realized it the floor was bouncing with patterns and the entertainment system looked like a mirage. I thought, I could use another. So I took another hit, held it in, and before I knew it, I was gone. Suddenly the patterns on the floor lit up like a fireworks show. Geometrical shapes were shooting out and lights were zooming around (you know, the regular 'ol dmt trip). Well, I looked up at the entertainment center and this time instead of it looking like a mirage, it looked like a temple of sorts. Right as that thought passed my mind the vision of it being a temple literally came to life. The entire thing lit up, the lights were flowing up it like a double helix. Everything was awe inspiring. And then it happend... Right in the center where the tv lay off and dark, the screen opened up with light and our popped a figure I could only relate to Buddha. Buddha, really? Why? What is the point, this is crazy, too crazy to be real I told myself. Buddha immediately starting to float away, waving good bye, saying out loud "Bye bye, bye bye" with a typical asian accent. And right as it was about to disapear my thought was this is impossible this cant be real, and just as I thought that Buddha popped back down in the corner of my eye and said "I know what your thinking...". where he proceeded to float back away and say "bye bye, bye bye" in a voice I would relate to that of Cartman from Southpark. Now, how bizarre is that? It was a beautifully positive experience, I laughed at the fat little asian guy with the comical voice so hard in fact that it brought me to tears. And when it all faded away I was left with a very unreal image that my logical brain was immediately trying to destroy.

So, what about you?
 
I think the problem is some people think too hard about this stuff and then subsequently label the experience the only way they know how, and that's where demonic, hell, evil, etc. come from.

In reality, the experience is just Intense. It is certainly not for everyone.

If you are a healthy individual with a curiosity for what is going on in this world, then I can safely say that no, DMT is not dangerous for your mind. In my humble opinion, it is the complete opposite of that.

Everyone and every situation is unique, though.
If you, or someone you know, is having trouble with hyperspace, I highly recommend integration, which is just taking time off to meditate. We have some good tips in the Health and Safety section if you are interested.

Peace and Hyperspace
 
So my idea, for people who seem to be trapped in 3, or who are afraid to try the experience because they read about other people who related their experience to 3, is that these people are in fact only battling their own ego. Any demons they see ascending from a pentagram of a blood are their own demons, they create.

This is a very valuable perspective. So simple it is hard to accept that i havn't thought this way before. Over a year go, i had a hellish experience..sort of. But i think it'S really like you said: The manifestation of you own fear.
 
I really think it's all down to set and setting, in this way :

-If you have a strong trip, the speed and power can cause a fear response. When you are in a fear response state then your trip will tend to turn into such a trip. Perhaps this is why it's reccomended for people to do light runs before heavier ones, etc.

-I don't think DMT is in anyway bad for the mind, and actually think it is beneficial to maintaining a positive mental state of mind.

-Just some ideas based on what i read.:idea: 😉
 
christian said:
I really think it's all down to set and setting

I somewhat disagree with that point. I can see where it may hold some merit, but for a DMT trip it's non related, as where you go when you trip is dramatically more indifferent than your surroundings. I just don't see how that could change your trip that much. Maybe if your a kid and your parents walk in just as you hit the pipe. Or if you get arrested while tripping, or maybe if you were in some negative situation... But choosing to trip by a tree or by a river, or in bed or on a couch, or in a dark room compares to a lit room... I dont see that making a difference unless you have some particular tie to the setting that is negative.

But, what do I know... This is my first psychedelic drug experience
 
۩ said:
Set refers to Mind Set.

It greatly influences your experience.

Check out the link in my signature if you want some more information.

-Exactly, ۩.

-What i mean is that on DMT, your initial mindet can be easily swayed into an anxious one by the sheer speed and power of a strong trip. And then on that new level cause an anxiety based trip. Hence my suggestion is to "train for a better mindset", by doing small "entree" doses.😉

( ie, do some warm ups, before going for the big one-Just to prepare the mind a bit, by reminding oneself of the fear feeling.)

-It's what Gracie and Zarkov reccomend....8)
 
Im sure there is people who can enjoy a hellish trip. Not all psychedelic Users are intended to enlightment, maybe a hellish trip its worth to be explored too..
 
"Is DMT dangerous for the mind"

No. If used in moderation and respect it is almost certainly a net benefit for the mind. Note the key word RESPECT.

used excessively just to get high...yeah it's probably bad for the body and mind.

Garbage in ...garbage out.
 
I definately think it just shows your mind at deeper levels, and it could definately be scary(that might be "bad" for some) for many people.
However, even if one encounters the scary/bad side of oneself, one should just learn from it. Also if one uses it for wrong purposes, such as just to get high(well maybe it's possible), I could see that it might give some negative effects.

For me however, it strenghtens my mind and the very core of my being, being medicine for both my mind and my body, and I am eternally greatful for having encountered this wonderful magical spice.
 
Set and setting makes a huge difference . It does matter where
And how you do it . In most cases if you read accounts of
Bad trips you will see reasons why trips go bad .
Many times I see reports of people combining all kinds if crazy
Stuff with dmt. Then there are reports of people who have
No experience whatsoever being advised by friends to take
Giant doses of the stuff.

This stuff can be intense beyond all imagination . A person with no
Reference point could have all kinds if interpretations .

I believe its not dangerous if treated carefully and with respect.
Attention to set and setting is everything in my opinion .
 
If you haven't had a psychotic episode before your 30th, the chances of ever having to go through such a thing are extremely small. In other words: if you managed to keep your sanity more or less intact for 30 years, you can probably take all the psychedelic's in the world without having to worry about ending up in a straitjacket.
 
^ My friend who did a masters in psychology said pretty much the same thing. As long as you haven't had a psychotic episode before 26-28 you are not likely to ever have psychological issues in the future. It is a fairly vague statement though and i am sure people have still had issues later in life. I just think it is less likely to happen.
 
I think that psychologically, yes, DMT absolutely has some amount of potential to negatively affect (or be dangerous for) one's psychological state.

In my experience, the only time I've experienced anything that would fall under category 3 has been from massively overdosing. Although the idea of categorizing the DMT experience seems silly to me, I would find it interesting to see the correlation (if any) between doses and hellish experiences. Proper smoking/vaping technique, dose, set and setting all seem to be key in avoiding negative experiences for me. It really doesn't take much to go far...
 
You know, my breakthrough trips are always a combo of all 3 elements you list above. Blissful, terrifying, benevolent yet eminently dangerous. I feel more sane every time I get back from DMT land really, even if I am shaken by the experience.
 
I'm amazed by the responses to this thread considering how experienced some of the people are with DMT.
As far as the question is concerned, absolutely.

Is DMT as dangerous for the mind as much as every day life? Not at all.
Taking any psychedelic may induce a state of fear horror or panic for a number of reasons. Once this state is induced it can be reacted to differently. With a little practice one can get used to these dark turns, and ride the snake into Valhalla.

Life can imbue our minds with an awe full lot of baggage, which when inspected can cause alarm. This i would define as the main concern when dealing with psychedelics. This is the inevitable counter part to one of psychedelics greatest powers (the ability to view ourselves critically & objectively).

There are many variables. Dose, set, setting, wind speeds, and the latest crop circles can all have a huge effect on the nature of the trip and how one reacts to it.

Generally once one has experienced psychedelics a few times and is not a complete moron, they will learn not to believe everything they see during such states or to at least pick and choose what is of importance/relevence. Maybe a better description would be: We can interpret what we see in many ways. This interpretation and integration are what i call the psychological variable.
This isn't a notion that we may discard what does not fit into our current paradigm, but rather it would be wise to mention common sense is best re-engaged at the earliest available moment.

Don't irrationally panic about metastasizing mesoamerican constantly collapsing interstellar tapestry's of geometric light, it could ruin other peoples perception of your sanity.
 
۩ said:
I think the problem is some people think too hard about this stuff and then subsequently label the experience the only way they know how, and that's where demonic, hell, evil, etc. come from.

In reality, the experience is just Intense. It is certainly not for everyone.

If you are a healthy individual with a curiosity for what is going on in this world, then I can safely say that no, DMT is not dangerous for your mind. In my humble opinion, it is the complete opposite of that.

Everyone and every situation is unique, though.
If you, or someone you know, is having trouble with hyperspace, I highly recommend integration, which is just taking time off to meditate. We have some good tips in the Health and Safety section if you are interested.

Peace and Hyperspace

this
 
There's a part of me that believes it is dangerous to the mind to not use DMT...
That is, of course, unless you truly believe that ignorance is bliss.

Bliss is just bliss. Either you have it or you don't.

+
 
In most of my psychedelic sessions I experience the 3 stages you describe during each trip.

For me the psychedelic session is a type of therapy and I defiantly benefit from it mentally, spiritually and even physically.

As far as smoking it goes I think smoking anything is bad for you but I really can't see any problems with oral dosing.

When I run into trouble during a trip I just remember to surrender to it, radical acceptance seems to be the preferred method for me.
 
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