There is nothing "placebo" about the effects of psychedelic drugs. The effects are very real. The word placebo has a specific meaning for something that has no physical action but causes a psychological reaction. But all drugs do have physical actions by definition. It just so happens that the physical actions of psychedelics cause a largely psychological reaction, but they have physical effects as well and are no placebo. If you don't need or want to have a powerful spiritual experience, then you are not the target audience and don't need to be taking DMT. But some of us do.
A more accurate word would be catalyst. It's true that psychedelics cannot cause you to be any way you couldn't otherwise be. But they can show you who you are and can certainly be a push in a direction for better or for worse. Most people who are drawn to the psychedelic experience simply enjoy it for what it is. I've never tripped on DMT but I've had plenty of bad trips along with the good ones, and even though I didn't necessarily enjoy the experiences at the time, I still learned something from each one and don't regret getting into it. In fact, everytime I take a psychedelic, or any drug, I know there will probably be bad parts to it, but that's just life, and if you're not prepared for the worst you shouldn't take psychedelics. Death and insanity don't scare me. Living a perfectly sane and sober life scares me.
People who wouldn't enjoy psychedelics don't typically try them in the first place, except for a small proportion of risk takers who will do just about anything for the rush, or crowd followers who will do just about anything because everyone else is doing it. Well, I guess everyone is a crowd follower to some degree. The proponents of the 60s "revolution" weren't correct to say that everyone should do it, and I'm sure they realize it better than anyone now. It might have worked for the indigenous peoples of the americas to have everyone in their society try it once, but I think it's safe to say things are a lot more complicated now. Even in their societies, often only the shamanic types would continue doing it after the first time, that's probably a good model.
With DMT we have the ironic situation where, even though the chemical compound itself is a Schedule I drug, it is in fact contained in the central nervous system of most vertebrates including humans, and far more plant species than will ever be listed in any law or indeed, botanist's code. So if you already have access to DMT, you don't have much to worry about, like MSD said, it's not getting any more illegal but even the government can't uninvent chemistry or DNA.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zeraph
Haha, most drugs anyway, are far, far from placebo.
OP Was going to try it but I gotta wait till I get off my SSRIs first. I heard it works on similar neurotransmitters and mixing the two ain't good. (I ODd on SSRIs once, it was unpleasant)
|
SSRIs are not a dangerous combination with DMT, but they will significantly mute the effects of the DMT. MAOIs, on the other hand, do not combine well with just about anything and can literally make you trip for days on DMT or weeks on shrooms or acid. That is how the indigenous peoples of the Amazon basin make Ayahuasca, even though they take the DMT orally it is highly active because it is combined with a natural MAOI. If you take DMT orally without an MAOI, nothing happens because it is quickly broken down in the digestive tract.