Side effects - LSD, Psychedelics and strobe vision

[Silentscream]

Some time ago Swim experienced a panic attack whilst under the influence of a high dose of LSD and amphetamine.

Swim terminated his LSD use for a few months and recently decided to dose again under safe conditions with some valium at hand in case it was felt the trip should be aborted.

Swims trip was enjoyable for the first hour, then swim began to experience what he describes as 'strobe vision'. Swim has searched and cannot find reference to this however there may be a name for the experience that swim is unaware of. The only was swim can describe it is as though his vision drops in refresh rate, similar to that of a CRT monitor, to a very low rate where flickering of his vision becomes apparent, almost as though everything is in strobe mode. This is the point where panic sets in.

Swim terminated the trip as the left half of his body began to tense up as though something was causing all the muscles to spasm, and his heart rate began to climb drastically. The valium quickly terminated the trip and swim is fine again now.

Swim fully understands the dangers of psychedelics and is aware that some damage may have occured, he is now only looking for answers on the flickering vision he experienced and now links with panic.

[T.D]

SWIM gets this on high doses of LSD or MDMA, and often objects begin to move extremely fast in almost 'dance' like patterns in his peripheral vision. This occasionally causes slight anxiety in SWIM, depending on what the objects are doing, most of the time it doesn't particularly bother him. Strobe vision is definately an appropriate and accurate way of describing this.

[Phungushead]

SWIM also experiences this on higher doses of psychedelics. At first, it was rather alarming, but now SWIM enjoys sitting back and just watching the show.

Just don't fight what you're seeing... don't try to push it away. Ride with it and realize that your brain (and eyes) are playing a cleaver little trick on you.

One thing SWIM has noticed is that music tends to amplify this effect... so if the visuals get a little overwhelming, try to (or get someone else to) turn off the music for awhile.

[Songcycle67]

SWIM experiences this quite often as well. He's never taken MDMA or any of its variants, but he does get "strobe vision" on LSD. Just feels like his field of vision is flashing randomly.

[Silentscream]

Thanks for the replies guys!
It is extremely reassuring to hear of other swimmers experiencing similar effects!

Swim has found he is able to dose tiny tiny doses of LSD (say, 1/8th of a tab) without experiencing panic or anxiety, but the trips feel like trips he used to experience under normal doses (a whole tab); almost as though he has undergone some sort of reverse building of tolerance. These low doses also do not bring the strobing effect with them, thus never triggering any anxiety in swims mind. Swim hopes to gradually increase his dose over time till he is comfortable again with normal doses..

[PsychedeliaSmith]

SWIM experiences this on magic mushrooms, LSD and a few other psychs.
Like others have said at first SWIM found this to be quite overwhelming, but in time it became one of his favourite parts of tripping.

[T.D]

Also, as an add on to what I spoke about in my post above, during periods of using LSD quite regularly and smoking cannabis too SWIM told me that he found he got the flashing strobe vision peripherally with things dancing just from getting stoned, which is another reason he ended his relationship with the green herb.

[PsychedeliaSmith]

Originally Posted by T.D

Also, as an add on to what I spoke about in my post above, during periods of using LSD quite regularly and smoking cannabis too SWIM told me that he found he got the flashing strobe vision peripherally with things dancing just from getting stoned, which is another reason he ended his relationship with the green herb.

SWIM also found this when he was using psychedelics heavily.
It sounds to SWIM like the beginnings of HPPD, which to begin with isn't anything to worry about, but if SWIY let it develop then it could become a problem.

[T.D]

Originally Posted by PsychedeliaSmith

SWIM also found this when he was using psychedelics heavily.
It sounds to SWIM like the beginnings of HPPD, which to begin with isn't anything to worry about, but if SWIY let it develop then it could become a problem.

I would say SWIM had HPPD for a while, but for the most part it only appeared when SWIM was smoking cannabis, and this would go as far as moving fractal patterns over surfaces he had seen fractal patterns on when tripping in the past. When ithe patterns started appearing without cannabis was the first time SWIM got slightly concerned about the situation, and decided to have a break from psychedelics for a while and 2-3 months later is fine and will be certainly be visiting lucy again very soon, though not cannabis. In any case, trips seem to be more rewarding after breaks away from cannabis anyway as well as MDMA sessions... SWIM tells me.

[PsychedeliaSmith]

Originally Posted by T.D

I would say SWIM had HPPD for a while, but for the most part it only appeared when SWIM was smoking cannabis, and this would go as far as moving fractal patterns over surfaces he had seen fractal patterns on when tripping in the past. When ithe patterns started appearing without cannabis was the first time SWIM got slightly concerned about the situation, and decided to have a break from psychedelics for a while and 2-3 months later is fine and will be certainly be visiting lucy again very soon, though not cannabis. In any case, trips seem to be more rewarding after breaks away from cannabis anyway as well as MDMA sessions... SWIM tells me.

As long as SWIY takes sufficient breaks whenever the condition worsens he should be fine.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder.