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"Zapping" sensation in the head (mushrooms)

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Psilosopher
Hi all. I was wondering how many people regularly experience so-called "brain zaps", for lack of a better word. It's a sudden rushing sensation in the head that is accompanied by a sense of vertigo that sort of feels like an electrical shock, and only lasts for a fraction of a second. On particularly big shocks, it actually is accompanied by an audible electric crackling sound. I usually get about a handful of these "zaps", and then it usually goes away quickly. I have learned to just go with it and not worry, but when I first started taking mushrooms this held me back from raising my dosage since I was afraid these sensations would get worse and might lead to serious convulsions.

The only thread on the nexus I have found that mentions something similar is this one, but since it is over 4-5 years old, I figured I'd make a new thread:

Phlux's description of it is exactly how it feels for me:
Phlux- said:
well it is on the verge of painfull - if it lasted any longer it would be like holding 300volts dc.
just before i just get like idk a 1 second warning - like a feeling of something large approaching, then it hits and knocks out all senses, then immediately afterwards im back as before but a bit shaken and avoiding moving(i seem to think moving will trigger it) for a few seconds.
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I found this on Wikipedia:

Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

Symptoms described as "brain zaps," "brain shocks," "brain shivers," "brain pulse-waves," "head shocks," "pulses," "flickers," or "cranial zings" are common withdrawal symptoms experienced during discontinuation (or reduction of dose) of antidepressant drugs. These result from a global downregulation of serotonin receptors in response to increased levels of serotonin in the synaptic cleft, but the specific mechanism through which this creates symptoms is not understood. Common responses to dose reduction or cessation include dizziness, electric shock-like sensations, sweating, nausea, insomnia, tremor, confusion, nightmares, and vertigo. The MedDRA "preferred term" for coding these types of symptoms in adverse drug reaction reports (for use in pharmacovigilance databases such as under the Yellow Card Scheme) is paraesthesia.
In a 1997 survey in north-east England, a "sizable minority" of medical professionals were not confidently aware of the existence of antidepressant withdrawal symptoms. A 2005 review of adverse event reporting showed that descriptions of "electric shocks" from patients on paroxetine had been reported more frequently than some other symptoms.
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It is something that happens more often than not on mushrooms for me, and does not seem to be dose-dependant. I can experience it at little over threshold dosages where I just have increased visual acuity and no visuals, and on higher doses. It does not always happen on the peak of the experience either, most of the time it actually happens during the comedown for me, when I'm trying to fall asleep.

The interesting thing for me when searching around is that this phenomenon is no stranger to meditators either, and seems to occur naturally to some people right before falling asleep, or in some cases it is experienced in states of sleep paralysis. I wonder what the physical cause of this is. Is it really solely because of the downregulation of serotonin receptors? Can it pose any health risks?

As for my personal drug use:
- I am not on any prescription medication
- I always space my trips out a few months, so I'm not a heavy user at risk for serotonin syndrome
- I don't use any other drugs except for weed
- I did drink quite a lot a while back, but I have recently quit

Can anyone relate to this? If so, which substances have you experienced it on?
It seems to be a pretty common occurrence since you can find a thread on it on most psychonaut forums. I was just wondering what the knowledgeable folks here at the nexus have to say about this.
 
I've experienced something similar on a mixture of harmalas and lsd. I thought I was on the verge of serotonin syndrom considering the doses I took of both, so perhaps it was somethign different and granted I was very spaced out, but I did have this zapping feeling. JUst that it wasn't only contained in the brain - it lead to full body shivvering. So I'm not sure if it's related. My guess is serotonin/serotonin receptors play a role in it, but that's a pretty safe bet considering the nature of psychedelics...

In sleep paralysis I never got this as far as I can recall.
 
A few years ago, I had a strange occurrence right before falling asleep. My body suddenly jerked upward hypnotically and a very quick, edgy sensation right from my feet to my head happened in an instant. No pain except for a brief, sharp twitch happening all over my body simultaneously. Very brief, however. Similar in effects though. Whether this was from my mushroom experiences or just out of the ordinary natural phenomena, hard to know.

Perhaps locate a plant with safe anticonvulsant activity. Tune and modulate the body for some time and return to the states you desire.
 
I have them occasionally when I'm falling asleep: the sound of a loud explosion in my brain, or a very loud electrical discharge. Not painful though.

I've had them a couple of times while tripping on mushrooms: once when a trip was becoming a bit too much, I lied down on my couch and tried to fall asleep, only to be greeted with a couple of these loud bangs. I interpreted them as the mushrooms preventing me from dozing off and 'getting away easy' -

and once, also on mushrooms, I had to lie down on the floor because I could make rhyme nor reason of anything around me, and for an hour or so there was a constant 'brainzapping'. It was a bit scary really but there was nothing I could do except undergo it.

Interestingly, these zaps were accompanied by waves and waves of déjà-vus.

Afterwards I felt very much refreshed, almost as if my brain had been rebooted.
 
twofourtwo said:
I have them occasionally when I'm falling asleep: the sound of a loud explosion in my brain, or a very loud electrical discharge. Not painful though.
I've had them a couple of times while tripping on mushrooms: once when a trip was becoming a bit too much, I lied down on my couch and tried to fall asleep, only to be greeted with a couple of these loud bangs. I interpreted them as the mushrooms preventing me from dozing off and 'getting away easy' -
and once, also on mushrooms, I had to lie down on the floor because I could make rhyme nor reason of anything around me, and for an hour or so there was a constant 'brainzapping'. It was a bit scary really but there was nothing I could do except undergo it.
Interestingly, these zaps were accompanied by waves and waves of déjà-vus.
Afterwards I felt very much refreshed, almost as if my brain had been rebooted.
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I also recall an electrical discharge with no nociception. Never with mushrooms though. Sometimes slight, brief headaches. Perhaps there is a long-term effect pattern mechanism within the body that resets consciousness in a unusual and sometimes scary manor. Psilocybin certainly has some reset characteristics regarding effects. I know that the default mode network(DMN) is quite affected and inhibited during psilocin transaction, thus enhancing serotonin. I would agree that continual usage increases unusual CNS functioning.
 
twofourtwo said:
I have them occasionally when I'm falling asleep: the sound of a loud explosion in my brain, or a very loud electrical discharge. Not painful though.

I've had them a couple of times while tripping on mushrooms: once when a trip was becoming a bit too much, I lied down on my couch and tried to fall asleep, only to be greeted with a couple of these loud bangs. I interpreted them as the mushrooms preventing me from dozing off and 'getting away easy' -

and once, also on mushrooms, I had to lie down on the floor because I could make rhyme nor reason of anything around me, and for an hour or so there was a constant 'brainzapping'. It was a bit scary really but there was nothing I could do except undergo it.

Interestingly, these zaps were accompanied by waves and waves of déjà-vus.

Afterwards I felt very much refreshed, almost as if my brain had been rebooted.
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I've had brain zaps and exploding head syndrome. Yeah. That's the real name. It's very different from brain zaps. I think you have a bit of EHS twofourtwo. Fun to tell your friends that you have it :)
 
I get the brain zap when I try vaping DMT too soon (<30 min) after a previous session. It's generally an unpleasant sensation, but not painful. I figured it was my brain's way of telling me to slow down.
 
When I first heard of brain zaps they were in reference to benzo withdrawal, where overstimulation of the nervous system was occurring because there was nothing going on at the gaba receptors to dampen it. I heard that it was usually minor but in more severe withdrawals could preclude a seizure.

I've had them at times when my brain felt overstimulated, unfortunately due to alcohol withdrawal and stimulant abuse, sometimes just from fatigue and overstimulation.

When I hear of brain zaps I think of GABA receptor deficiency or some kind of overstimulation or both. I know some tryptamines act at GABA receptors but I don't know how.

I know, not very scientific but a possible lead and my two cents.

SIMPSONS- YOU GOT ZAPPED!!!
 
I get this sensation with vaped DMT. I don't need much either. I always found it quite pleasant in a way. Like a nice little glitch that always make me rise to attention like a dog that just heard something amiss :)

I never get it from mushrooms though.
 
I get this with mushrooms horribly at high doses. I literally shake my head really quick every minute or so because the electrical sensation is just so crazy overwhelming. I don't really mind it though... i've kind of learned to like it and I perceive it as the energy of the fungi surging through my being.
 
I got this sensation on my first proper aya brew (light + force). The brew wasn't very strong but was very healing. It was just before the peak. It persisted for quite some time (6 months maybe?) but very rarely was I sober, but rather it happened when I was high. Glad others have experienced this as it worried me for a while. Maybe it's not quite it because usually when I feel it the sound is more akin to somebody turning up the frequency and volume of a tone but very quickly rather than a crack like a true electrical discharge. Can't say I've ever experienced this on mushrooms.

A.
 
Yes, this was happening to me on DMT and mushrooms. I never got them from mushrooms until they first started on some changa one night. I even experienced them sober upon waking in the middle of the night during the same time period. I made a thread about it but nothing ever came of it. Seems safe to say with the history of mushroom use it is nothing to worry about especially if you are using in moderation.

I"m willing to bet it has something to do with 5-HTx receptors rather than GABA, but it's really just a shot in the dark.
 
It is not the same as described in OP as brain zaps. But I once had an 'electrical sensation' during a DMT hit and pushed myself in a way to produce electrical sensation starting from the spine through the top of the skull in a straight line and stopping just dead on my forehead. Again, not the same as op but maybe they are related. If so, the spinal cord is involved.
 
yes, I had a series of the these "electric style zapping in the brain" after a heavy weekend of MDMA.

No pain, Just feels like a quick ZAP. Quite a weird feeling. Feels like a sort of mini seizure.

Like others said, maybe a way of the body telling us to slow down. Never had it on anything other than MDMA though.
 
I got these after drinking Mimosa + Rue, and after Rue + shrooms sometimes, but not as strong.

A spirit aproached me on Mimosa i could see him standing over me, he tried to communicate and i got these brain shocks...
He tried to increase my frequency, thats what i felt.
It was kind of painful, but afterwards i felt great.

Next time (on mimosa) an Octupuss spirit stuck his diamond tentacles in my brain and gave me an electromagnetic pounding, which was too weird, i told him to stop which he did immidiatly. I asked what he was doing, but this weird entity startet to dance and wobbled out of the room like Dr. Zoidberg.

I don't know what these "zapps" are, but whenever they occur i feel 'better' afterwards.

Its like a finetuning of my sensory/nervous system.
 
Mister_Niles said:

I've had brain zaps and exploding head syndrome. Yeah. That's the real name. It's very different from brain zaps. I think you have a bit of EHS twofourtwo. Fun to tell your friends that you have it :)
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That's an awesome name, and very accurate. Cool synchronicity: I downloaded Scanners the other day. I'll refer my friends to that movie if they wish to know what Exploding Head Syndrome is all about :D
 
I've definitely experienced these brain zaps, on both DMT and mushrooms, sometimes with an audible sound as described. I've had something similar and more intense when ingesting harmalas and mushrooms together...sometimes on the come up I will get an electric zap along with a sudden acute wave of intensity, almost painful or uncomfortable but it is incredibly fleeting and over in a millisecond. Have experienced this a few times. I've also experienced something similar but toned down on harmalas alone. Maybe something to do with brain receptors being tweaked, tends to be part of the come up for me from what I can recall.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone! Interesting to see that it mostly occurs on mushrooms, DMT and harmalas.

Tyler_Trismegistus said:
I don't really mind it though... i've kind of learned to like it and I perceive it as the energy of the fungi surging through my being.
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I have come to feel the same way. When it first occurred I found it deeply unsettling, but now I tend to treat it in the same manner as you describe.
 
I love the 'brain zap' and actively try to get it to happen especially on mushrooms as it seems to be more ecstatic for me. I get them with DMT but they are not as intense (enjoyable all the same) as a mushroom zap but get them more frequently.

Get less intense ones sometimes when sober and found them similar to the feeling I get with sleep paralysis - which I also love.
 
Brain zaps, the sometimes constant need to pee, and jaw cracking yawns are the 3 side effects I generally expect with each experience - pending dose.

I've posted about zaps before after a series of high dose trips, and IIRC the question I posed was whether anyone else noticed a relationship between the in-breath and the build-up of the zap.

Usual scenario - lie down, deep relax, deep breathing and then the pre-zap feeling starts building up on each in-breath. While the zap buildup is a not too unpleasant feeling, the zap itself is highly disconcerting. If I 'allow' the zap it feels like my spinal cord has been quickly severed at the base of the brain - a rather frightening jolt felt throughout my body, sometimes my entire body feels like it has bolted/lifted off the bed.

Overall, my feeling is that zaps are not detrimental to one's health, and generally I always feel great during and after the trip, all the while fighting to keep the zaps at bay.
 
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