Effects - Hallucinations on LSD -molecular or personal?

[espy]

Hi,

I'm doing a project about the visual experiences people have while taking psychedelic drugs such as LSD. It questions whether the acutal visual object seen are caused by the reactions at the molecular level or perhaps by the expectations or culture of the user. For example, if people in China and America saw dragons (creatures they are used to seeing) but someone in...let's say, Greenland or something, where they haven't heard of dragons, didn't see a dragon...that would mean that possibly the visuals seen were caused by the culture of the user. On the other hand, if they saw a creature they described and it seemed like a dragon, then perhaps the molecular reaction in the brain caused the visuals.

Anyhow, it would help if I could have contact with people that have actually taken these types of drugs. If you have time and are willing, and you've taken drugs please answer the questions below. Also, if you've never taken psychedelic drugs, your thoughts would be helpful as well.



1. What "psychedelic drugs" have you taken (i.e. LSD, DMT, mushrooms)?

2. What is your background (where you grew up, where you live now)?

3. Please describe a trip (or a couple, if you want) while on psychedelic drugs...what visuals did you see and also were there any sounds?

4. Lastly, what are your thoughts on the question posed?



Thanks so much for your help.

Something I came across sometime ago is the visual effects of acid and shrooms on blind people. This is a stunning thing to hear. I think this may be relevant to your research.

[Hayden]

Espy, a trip is not about the crazy things you can see which are definitely culturized as they are formed in the unconscious of one's brain, although I've never experienced such an extreme hallucination as seeing a dragon, mostly its the things i'm looking at begin to move and bend. But that its not important in a trip, the important part of the trip is the way your mind can percieve different stimuli. While tripping you can wrap your mind around extremely complex ideas, while at the same time you often cannot comprehend time or space. A psychedelic experience is a trip to a different place in terms of consciousness. Many of the secrets of life are kept from most people. these secrets can be revealed through drugs or meditation. I was never good at meditation. You should try shrooms though, everybody should once they are truly amazing.- Hayden