Survey of entity encounter experiences occasioned by inhaled N,N-dimethyltryptamine: Phenomenology, interpretation, and enduring effects
In an online survey of 2,561 people reporting their most memorable inhaled N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) entity encounter, participants described predominantly visual and extrasensory (telepathic) interactions with apparently conscious, intelligent and benevolent beings—labelled guides, spirits, aliens or helpers—that communicated messages and evoked strong emotions of love, kindness and joy despite fear in many cases. These encounters were rated as highly meaningful, spiritual and insightful, produced persistent increases in life satisfaction, purpose and altered worldviews (including many former atheists abandoning atheism), and closely resembled non‑drug religious, alien‑abduction and near‑death entity experiences.
Authors
- Roland Griffiths
- Matthew Johnson
- Alan Davis
Published
Abstract
Background
Experiences of having an encounter with seemingly autonomous entities are sometimes reported after inhaling N,N-dimethyltryptamine.
Aim
The study characterized the subjective phenomena, interpretation, and persisting changes that people attribute to N,N-dimethyltryptamine-occasioned entity encounter experiences.
Methods
Two thousand, five hundred and sixty-one individuals (mean age 32 years; 77% male) completed an online survey about their single most memorable entity encounter after taking N,N-dimethyltryptamine.
Results
Respondents reported the primary senses involved in the encounter were visual and extrasensory (e.g. telepathic). The most common descriptive labels for the entity were being, guide, spirit, alien, and helper. Although 41% of respondents reported fear during the encounter, the most prominent emotions both in the respondent and attributed to the entity were love, kindness, and joy. Most respondents endorsed that the entity had the attributes of being conscious, intelligent, and benevolent, existed in some real but different dimension of reality, and continued to exist after the encounter. Respondents endorsed receiving a message (69%) or a prediction about the future (19%) from the experience. More than half of those who identified as atheist before the experience no longer identified as atheist afterwards. The experiences were rated as among the most meaningful, spiritual, and psychologically insightful lifetime experiences, with persisting positive changes in life satisfaction, purpose, and meaning attributed to the experiences.
Conclusion
N,N-dimethyltryptamine-occasioned entity encounter experiences have many similarities to non-drug entity encounter experiences such as those described in religious, alien abduction, and near-death contexts. Aspects of the experience and its interpretation produced profound and enduring ontological changes in worldview.
Research Summary of 'Survey of entity encounter experiences occasioned by inhaled N,N-dimethyltryptamine: Phenomenology, interpretation, and enduring effects'
Introduction
Davis and colleagues situate their study within literature showing that inhaled or intravenous N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) produces very rapid, short-lived but intense subjective effects including vivid imagery, time and perceptual distortions, and strong emotions. Earlier human studies and anecdotal reports have noted that high-dose DMT sessions can occasion encounters with seemingly autonomous entities; neurophysiological work has associated DMT with marked changes in EEG spectral power and signal diversity. Despite these observations, empirical characterisations of the phenomenology, interpretation, and enduring consequences of DMT-occasioned entity encounters remain limited. This Internet-based study sought to address that gap by collecting detailed self-report data about single most memorable entity-encounter experiences following a "breakthrough" inhaled or smoked DMT dose. The investigators aimed to describe demographics and use patterns, the sensory and communicative features of encounters, emotions attributed to self and entity, metaphysical interpretations (for example beliefs about the entity's reality and attributes), any messages or predictions ascribed to the encounter, and persisting changes in wellbeing, worldview, and behaviour.
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Study Details
- Study Typeindividual
- Journal
- Compound
- Topic
- Authors
- APA Citation
Davis, A. K., Clifton, J. M., Weaver, E. G., Hurwitz, E. S., Johnson, M. W., & Griffiths, R. R. (2020). Survey of entity encounter experiences occasioned by inhaled N,N-dimethyltryptamine: Phenomenology, interpretation, and enduring effects. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 34(9), 1008-1020. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881120916143
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