Dissociative

A structural comparison of glutamate and various popular dissociatives.

The K-Hole by Josikins - This image serves as an artistic replication of the common and simultaneous dissociative induced effects known as visual disconnection; holes, spaces, and voids; and hallucinatory structures.

Dissociatives are a class of hallucinogen which distort perceptions of sight and sound to produce feelings of disconnection, detachment, and dissociation from the environment and self. This is done by reducing or blocking signals to the conscious mind from other parts of the brain.

Although many classes of psychoactive substances are capable of such action, dissociatives are unique in that they do so in such a way that they produce hallucinogenic effects, which generally include sensory deprivation, dissociation, hallucinations, and dream-like states or trances. Some dissociatives, which are non-selective in action and affect the dopamine and/or opioid systems, may also be capable of inducing euphoria.

Mechanism of action

Main article: NMDA receptor antagonist

NMDA receptors within the brain exist to allow for the transfer of electrical signals between neurons in the brain and in the spinal column. For electrical signals to pass, the NMDA receptor must be open. To remain open, the neurotransmitters known as glutamate and glycine must bind to the NMDA receptor. An NMDA receptor that has glycine and glutamate bound to it and has an open ion channel is called "activated."

Dissociatives are classed as NMDA receptor antagonists. This means they bind to the receptor, but do not activate it and block other neurotransmitters from doing so. The result is a dose dependent decrease in the passing of electrical signals across the brain and an overall disconnection of neurons. This leads onto states of disconnection between conscious parts of the brain and its sensory organs as well as out-of-body experiences and accompanying hallucinations.

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.

Visual effects

• Suppressions

  • Double vision
  • Pattern recognition suppression
  • Visual sliding
  • Visual acuity suppression
  • Frame rate suppression

• Distortions

  • Perspective distortions
  • Environmental cubism
  • Environmental orbism
  • Scenery slicing

• Geometry

  In comparison to other classes of hallucinogen, this effect is significantly less complex and intricate with a limited range of effects. It does not extend beyond level 4 and is variable within most of its variations but is exclusively simplistic in complexity, unstructured in organization, dimly lit in lighting, slow in movement and immersive in depth.

• Hallucinatory states

  • Perspective alterations
  • Autonomous entities
  • Scenarios and plots
  • Settings, sceneries, and landscapes
  • Shadow people

  External hallucinations

  In comparison to other classes of hallucinogen, this effect can occur at heavy dosages, but is extremely infrequent in comparison to the same effect found within deliriants.

  It can be comprehensively described through its variations as delirious in believability, autonomous in controllability and solid in appearance.

  The most common theme for this effect to follow is one of experiencing and talking to friends around oneself when they are not actually present.

  Internal hallucinations

  In comparison to other classes of hallucinogen, this effect can occur at heavy dosages but is considerably less common than the same effect found within psychedelics and deliriants.

  It can be comprehensively described through its variations as delirious in believability, fixed in style, equal in new experiences and memory replays in content, autonomous in controllability and solid in appearance.

Disconnective effects

• • Consciousness disconnection
  • Detachment plateaus
  • Tactile disconnection
  • Visual disconnection
    • Holes, spaces and voids
      • Structures

Cognitive effects

• • Amnesia
  • Conceptual thinking
  • Deja-Vu
  • Depersonalization
  • Derealization
  • Information processing suppression
  • Introspection
  • Memory suppression
  • Ego death
  • Personal bias suppression
  • Subconscious communication
  • Thought connectivity
  • Thought deceleration
  • Thought loops
  • Time distortion
  • Unity and interconnectedness

Physical effects

• • Physical autonomy
  • Tactile suppression
  • Pain relief

Auditory effects

• • Auditory distortion
  • Auditory hallucinations
  • Auditory suppression

Multisensory effects

• • Machinescapes

Pharmacological classes

Arylcyclohexylamines

• • 2-Fluorodeschloroketamine (2-FDCK)
  • 3-Me2'-Oxo-PCE
  • 3-MeO-PCMo
  • 3-MeO-PCP
  • 4-MeO-PCP
  • DCK
  • Ketamine
  • Methoxetamine (MXE)
  • Methoxyketamine
  • O-PCE
  • Phencyclidine (PCP)

Morphinans

• • Dextromethorphan (DXM)
  • Dextrorphan (DXO)

Piperidines

• • Diphenidine
  • Methoxphenidine (MXP)

Others

• • Ephenidine
  • Ibogaine
  • Myristicin
  • Nitrous oxide
  • Xenon
  • Memantine
  • Salvinorin A

See also

• Responsible use
• Hallucinogens
• Psychedelics
• Deliriants