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observer." UNDER THE INFLUENCE ¥% 149 ence"; "As I started coming down a little, I got journalistic. I became an Others, however, sensed their thinking was abnormal and, in fact, even wondered if DMT might cause psychotic thought processes. "Every- thing looked right, but just a little off. It seemed as if the clock was just starting to move every time I looked at it. The colors in the room were malevolent." Another said, "You know how schizophrenics talk about dif- ferent meanings to things? A leafon the ground takes on great significance? That kind of thing." One common effect was a loss of normal time perception. For ex- ample, nearly everyone was surprised at how late in the session it was by the time they found out the time, believing only a few minutes had passed. Nevertheless, there was a sense of timelessness in the peak DMT state: they experienced an enormous amount in those first few minutes. Volunteers usually found the high dose caused an almost complete loss of control. They felt utterly helpless, incapacitated, unable to func- tion or interact in the "real" world: "I felt like an infant, helpless, unable to do anything." DMT volunteers decided, at this point, they were happy to be in the hospital! Beyond their own loss of control, some volunteers felt another "intelligence" or "force" directing their minds in an interac- tive manner. This was especially common in cases of contact with "beings." Almost every research subject believed their first non-blind high dose of DMT brought them "higher than they had ever been." However, this first session usually was more anxiety-ridden than any other high doses they received subsequently. Once volunteers were prepared to lose con- trol, it was easier for them to do so. They understood that the drug experience was essentially safe, that they would live through it and not suffer any psychological or physical damage. What also helped was their growing confidence in our ability to support their regressed condition as our work together progressed. While the most stunning effects came from the high doses of DMT, smaller ones also produced a variety of responses, many of which volunteers found pleasurable and interesting.