| Diphenhydramine |
| Diphenhydramine | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| The skeletal formula of Diphenhydramine | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Chemical Nomenclature | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Common names | Benadryl, Diphenhydramine, DPH | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Substitutive name | Benylin, Nytol, Sominex, Unisom, Sominex, ZzzQuil | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Systematic name | 2-(diphenylmethoxy)-N,N-dimethylethanamine | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Routes of Administration | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Regarding Diphenhydramine: Please be aware of the disproportionally high incidence of mentally and physically unpleasant or potentially dangerous experiences, as reported by those who have consumed them. |
DPH (Diphenhydramine) is a first-generation antihistamine used to treat a number of conditions including allergic symptoms and itchiness, the common cold, insomnia, motion sickness, and extrapyramidal symptoms.[1] DPH is legal and freely available over the counter.[2] It was one of the first known antihistamines, first synthesized in 1943 by Dr. George Rieveschl and usually sold under the brand name of “benadryl”. This substance is available in many forms of generic or store brand medication. When taken in “recreational” doses however, DPH becomes a notorious and extremely powerful deliriant.
Contents
Chemistry
2-(diphenylmethoxy)-N,N-dimethylethanamine (Diphenhydramine) is a substance of the deliriant class of psychoactive substances. It has a chemical formula of C17H21NO with a biological availability of 40-60%[3]
Pharmacology
DPH is an inverse agonist of the histamine H1 receptor, and is also a competitive antagonist at mACH receptors. This substance works via its antagonistic action on acetylcholine receptors. Although the precise mechanism is not understood, it’s this inhibition of acetylcholine which leads to delirium, sedation and intensely realistic hallucinations along side of some extremely uncomfortable and dysphoric physical side effects.
Subjective effects
The effects listed below are based upon the subjective effects index and personal experiences of PsychonautWiki contributors. The listed effects will rarely if ever occur all at once but heavier dosages will increase the chances and are more likely to induce a full range of effects. In terms of its subjective effects, DPH has a non-linear dosage scale unlike anything found within other substances. It is not like other drugs in sense of dosage, as a light dose does not equal a light trip. Doses under 300mg induce more of a restless feeling, body high, and muscle relaxation. Doses typically 600mg+ are what make the user enter delirium and begin to see fully formed hallucinations. Anything in between these two extremes is often a disappointing and uncomfortable experience, characterized with twitching and only very minor hallucinations, mostly in the peripheral vision.
Physical effects
The physical effects of DPH are usually described as extremely uncomfortable. They can be broken down into several components all of which progressively intensify proportional to dosage. These are described below and generally include:
- Increased bodily weight - The first noticeable sensation is that of having an extremely heavy body, as if the gravity has been multiplied by a thousand. This makes it extremely difficult and uncomfortable to move.
- Spontaneous tactile sensations - Users commonly report all-encompassing, sharp and extremely painful jolts of electricity that spontaneously manifest themselves in a similar rhythm to hiccups.
- Motor control loss
- Sedation
- Muscle cramps
- Dehydration
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Restless leg syndrome
- Abnormal heartbeat
- Frequent urination
- Difficulty urinating - This can be described as a feeling of concrete blocking your urethra and painfully conflicts with a frequent need to urinate.
- Salivation
- Increased heart rate
- Tactile hallucinations
The levels of dysphoria experienced, however, vary between people with a very small percentage of users reporting that they do not seem to experience them at all.
Cognitive effects
The head space of DPH is described by many as generally negative and dysphoric throughout the trip, often consisting of extreme paranoia and feelings of impending doom. It is largely confusing and disorienting often leading to a complete inability to communicate or understand normal language.
The most prominent of these effects include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Thought deceleration
- Emotion suppression
- Information processing suppression
- Amnesia
- Language suppression
- Time distortion
- Paranoia
- Dream potentiation
- Delineation of thought
- Memory suppression
Visual effects
Suppression
DPH does not enhance visual stimuli in the way that psychedelics do. Instead, they tend to degrade and decrease visual aptitude resulting in increasing hallucinations and degrading vision. These components are detailed below.
Distortions
As for visual distortions and alterations, effects experienced are detailed below:
- Visual drifting (melting, breathing, morphing and flowing) - In comparison to other hallucinogens, this effect can be described as intricate in complexity, jittery, slow and rigid in motion, static in their permanence, realistic in believability, and interactive in plasticity.
- Visual haze
- After images
Hallucinatory states
The effects of DPH are extremely efficient at inducing delirious hallucinations which can be broken into the two categories described below:
- External hallucinations (Autonomous entities, Settings, sceneries, and landscapes, Alterations in perspective and Scenarios and plots) - In comparison to other classes of hallucinogen, this effect occurs more frequently than that of any other at moderate to heavy dosages and is the defining feature of the experience. It can be comprehensively described through its variations as delirious in believability, autonomous in controllability and solid in style. The most common themes for these hallucinations include those of both everyday occurrences such as smoking phantom cigarettes, talking to people who are not there, insects and sinister, nightmarish experiences.
- Internal hallucinations (Autonomous entities, Settings, sceneries, and landscapes, Alterations in perspective and Scenarios and plots) - In comparison to other classes of hallucinogen, this effect occurs briefly and spontaneously at moderate dosages but becomes progressively extended in its occurrence and duration proportional to dosage before eventually becoming all encompassing. It can be comprehensively described through its variations as delirious in believability, interactive in style, equal in new experiences and memory replays in content, autonomous in controllability and solid in style.
- Shadow people
- Unspeakable horrors
Auditory effects
The auditory effects of DPH are common in their occurrence and exhibit a range of effects which commonly includes:
Available Forms
DPH is available in several different forms over the counter and online.
- Capsules - Available over the counter and online. Well-known brands include Benadryl, Benylin, Nytol and Sominex. Many of these products contain other medicines, including dextromethorphan, guaifenesin, and ephedrine. Care should be taken when using these products to ensure that there is no overdose on other medicines in the DPH-containing product.
- Liquid - Available over the counter and online. DPH in liquid form can be taken orally or injected. Well-known brands include Benadryl, Benylin, Nytol and Sominex. Many of these products contain other medicines, including dextromethorphan, guaifenesin, and ephedrine. Care should be taken when using these products to ensure that there is no overdose on other medicines in the DPH-containing product.
- Powder - Available online. DPH in powdered form can be taken orally, via injection or insufflation.
Toxicity and harm potential
If taken on any kind of a regular basis, DPH can have some serious but unstudied adverse effects on one's kidneys and result in bladder issues similar to that of ketamine cystitis.
Lethal dosage
Diphenhydramine can become fatal if amounts close to or exceeding 2 grams are consumed and can result in death when combined with most stimulants and MAOI inhibitors. It is worth noting, however, that a dosage of 1 gram is considered extreme in its strength and could potentially result in a fatal overdose if a person happened to be particularly sensitive to this substance.
Tolerance and addiction potential
In terms of its tolerance, this forms very quickly with DPH trips, meaning that a trip can only occur at full effects every 2-4 weeks.
It is assumed non-addictive by most due to the nature of the experience but many people do find themselves coming back to it on a regular basis. This can often lead to addiction and extreme caution should be taken.
Legal issues
DPH is available either over the counter or by prescription in most countries. However, some countries require the purchaser to be over 16, 18 or 21.
- Zambia: Possession and sale is illegal.
See also
- DPH Trip Reports
- Deliriants
- Acetylcholine
- Vagus nerve
- Anti-histamines
- Hallucinogens
- DPH (Wikipedia)
- DPH (Erowid)
