Intensity of Mystical Experiences Occasioned by 5-MeO-DMT and Comparison With a Prior Psilocybin Study
5-MeO-DMT is a psychoactive substance found in high concentrations in the bufotoxin of the Colorado River Toad (Bufo alvarius). Emerging evidence suggests that vaporized 5-MeO-DMT may occasion mystical experiences of comparable intensity to those occasioned by more widely studied psychedelics such a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2018-12-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02459/full |
| _version_ | 1818930758731956224 |
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| author | Joseph Barsuglia Joseph Barsuglia Joseph Barsuglia Joseph Barsuglia Alan K. Davis Robert Palmer Rafael Lancelotta Austin-Marley Windham-Herman Kristel Peterson Martin Polanco Martin Polanco Robert Grant Roland R. Griffiths Roland R. Griffiths |
| author_facet | Joseph Barsuglia Joseph Barsuglia Joseph Barsuglia Joseph Barsuglia Alan K. Davis Robert Palmer Rafael Lancelotta Austin-Marley Windham-Herman Kristel Peterson Martin Polanco Martin Polanco Robert Grant Roland R. Griffiths Roland R. Griffiths |
| author_sort | Joseph Barsuglia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 5-MeO-DMT is a psychoactive substance found in high concentrations in the bufotoxin of the Colorado River Toad (Bufo alvarius). Emerging evidence suggests that vaporized 5-MeO-DMT may occasion mystical experiences of comparable intensity to those occasioned by more widely studied psychedelics such as psilocybin, but no empirical study has tested this hypothesis. Data was obtained from 20 individuals (Mage = 38.9, ± 10.7; male = 55%, Caucasian = 85%) who were administered 5-MeO-DMT as part of a psychospiritual retreat program in Mexico. All participants received 50 mg of inhaled vaporized toad bufotoxin which contains 5-MeO-DMT and completed the Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ30) approximately 4–6 h after their session. Administration of 5-MeO-DMT occasioned strong mystical experiences (MEQ30 Overall Mintensity = 4.17, ± 0.64, range 0–5) and the majority (n = 15, 75%) had “a complete mystical experience” (≥60% on all MEQ30 subscales). Compared to a prior laboratory-based psilocybin study, there were no differences in the intensity of mystical effects between 5-MeO-DMT and a high dose (30 mg/70 kg) of psilocybin, but the intensity of mystical effects was significantly higher in the 5-MeO-DMT sample compared to moderate/high dose (20 mg/70 kg) of psilocybin (MEQ30 Total Score: p = 0.02, d = 0.81). Administration of vaporized 5-MeO-DMT reliably occasioned complete mystical experiences in 75% of individuals and was similar in intensity to high dose psilocybin administered in a laboratory setting. The short duration of action may be advantageous for clinical interventions and for studying mystical-type experiences. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T04:05:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-50ab0abd4a824bd08beacfe38ec5bf14 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T04:05:47Z |
| publishDate | 2018-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-50ab0abd4a824bd08beacfe38ec5bf142022-12-21T19:54:02ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782018-12-01910.3389/fpsyg.2018.02459430539Intensity of Mystical Experiences Occasioned by 5-MeO-DMT and Comparison With a Prior Psilocybin StudyJoseph Barsuglia0Joseph Barsuglia1Joseph Barsuglia2Joseph Barsuglia3Alan K. Davis4Robert Palmer5Rafael Lancelotta6Austin-Marley Windham-Herman7Kristel Peterson8Martin Polanco9Martin Polanco10Robert Grant11Roland R. Griffiths12Roland R. Griffiths13Crossroads Treatment Center, Tijuana, MexicoTerra Incognita Project, NGO, Ben Lomond, CA, United StatesNew School Research, LLC, North Hollywood, CA, United StatesThe Mission Within, Oakland, CA, United StatesDepartment of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United StatesYale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United StatesDepartment of Counseling, Leadership, Advocacy, and Design, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United StatesYale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United StatesCalifornia Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, CA, United StatesCrossroads Treatment Center, Tijuana, MexicoThe Mission Within, Oakland, CA, United StatesGladstone Institutes, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United StatesDepartment of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States0Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States5-MeO-DMT is a psychoactive substance found in high concentrations in the bufotoxin of the Colorado River Toad (Bufo alvarius). Emerging evidence suggests that vaporized 5-MeO-DMT may occasion mystical experiences of comparable intensity to those occasioned by more widely studied psychedelics such as psilocybin, but no empirical study has tested this hypothesis. Data was obtained from 20 individuals (Mage = 38.9, ± 10.7; male = 55%, Caucasian = 85%) who were administered 5-MeO-DMT as part of a psychospiritual retreat program in Mexico. All participants received 50 mg of inhaled vaporized toad bufotoxin which contains 5-MeO-DMT and completed the Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ30) approximately 4–6 h after their session. Administration of 5-MeO-DMT occasioned strong mystical experiences (MEQ30 Overall Mintensity = 4.17, ± 0.64, range 0–5) and the majority (n = 15, 75%) had “a complete mystical experience” (≥60% on all MEQ30 subscales). Compared to a prior laboratory-based psilocybin study, there were no differences in the intensity of mystical effects between 5-MeO-DMT and a high dose (30 mg/70 kg) of psilocybin, but the intensity of mystical effects was significantly higher in the 5-MeO-DMT sample compared to moderate/high dose (20 mg/70 kg) of psilocybin (MEQ30 Total Score: p = 0.02, d = 0.81). Administration of vaporized 5-MeO-DMT reliably occasioned complete mystical experiences in 75% of individuals and was similar in intensity to high dose psilocybin administered in a laboratory setting. The short duration of action may be advantageous for clinical interventions and for studying mystical-type experiences.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02459/full5-MeO-DMTtryptaminespsychedelicmystical experienceDMTBufo alvarius |
| spellingShingle | Joseph Barsuglia Joseph Barsuglia Joseph Barsuglia Joseph Barsuglia Alan K. Davis Robert Palmer Rafael Lancelotta Austin-Marley Windham-Herman Kristel Peterson Martin Polanco Martin Polanco Robert Grant Roland R. Griffiths Roland R. Griffiths Intensity of Mystical Experiences Occasioned by 5-MeO-DMT and Comparison With a Prior Psilocybin Study Frontiers in Psychology 5-MeO-DMT tryptamines psychedelic mystical experience DMT Bufo alvarius |
| title | Intensity of Mystical Experiences Occasioned by 5-MeO-DMT and Comparison With a Prior Psilocybin Study |
| title_full | Intensity of Mystical Experiences Occasioned by 5-MeO-DMT and Comparison With a Prior Psilocybin Study |
| title_fullStr | Intensity of Mystical Experiences Occasioned by 5-MeO-DMT and Comparison With a Prior Psilocybin Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Intensity of Mystical Experiences Occasioned by 5-MeO-DMT and Comparison With a Prior Psilocybin Study |
| title_short | Intensity of Mystical Experiences Occasioned by 5-MeO-DMT and Comparison With a Prior Psilocybin Study |
| title_sort | intensity of mystical experiences occasioned by 5 meo dmt and comparison with a prior psilocybin study |
| topic | 5-MeO-DMT tryptamines psychedelic mystical experience DMT Bufo alvarius |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02459/full |
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