ND this is an area of research I never would have thought about.
I`d love to see a guide or basic layout of some sort for some basic psychology research involving DMT.
I know for one I am very interested & I have a couple people who would probably be willing to participate when the use brews or vaped DMT, although I don`t think they come here so we`d have to compile info & post it via my account.

I've actually done some experimenting (on myself) like that, because i was interested in how psychedelic substances would affect me, objectively.

I've also found it a usefull way, when an experience is getting out of hand and you feel that you're losing your mind, to get some reassurance that this is not actually the case.
If you feel that you may be losing your mind, getting some objective confirmation that you still can do simple math tasks, or a computer game, with the same ease, in the same time, with the same results, is somewhat comforting. As it shows that at least some parts of your brain are still functioning.

I've found that classic hallucinogens (LSD, ayahuasca, psilocin, mescaline) in sub-breakthrough doses, for me personally anyway, hardly affect cognitive abilities involved in playing computer games and simple math tasks. It takes a bit more effort to focus on those tasks, but once you get yourself to focus, there is no real difference.
The moment effects are becoming so intense that you're getting OBE's, it starts to become virtually impossible to fully and coherently put some real effort in doing any kind of task, ofcourse.

As an example, here's a simple study you could do with just a computer and some DMT or LSD that might test whether the psychedelic state enhances the ability to see and recognize patterns (as is often claimed by psychedelic enthusiasts).

Have a participant take some kind of psychedelic, and once they've reached cruising altitude, set them down in front of a computer.

During the test, they will be shown a series of integer sequences and told to identify the next in the pattern. For example, if you have an sequence like:

0, 5, 5, 10, 15, 25, 40, 65, 105, [???]

You would enter in what the next term is. A timer could record how long it took to come up with the result, so that way you could record the number of correct answers and speed with which correct answers were arrived at between users and controls.

You could use similar kinds of set ups to test image recognition (how long does it take to find a camouflaged owl in a forest scene, for example) or creativity.

There are also a large number of studies that were completed in the 50s and 60s that should probably be revisited because they were completed in an era before rigorous controls and (in some cases) ethics were commonplace. Many of these can be done using just pen and paper (since they didn't have computers back then of course).

The problems with this kind of project is that it requires a higher level of illegal coordination than one mad chemist in his house extracting DMT - after all, you need to find subjects, controls, drugs, as well as running all the trials.

One thing I would love to do would be to decentralize the process. You loose some of the certainty, but it saves on logistical costs.

You could do something make two equivalent, but identical surveys on something like Qualtrics or Google Forms (which will do things like test times). We could include instructions that say something like "Complete Task 1 in Link 1 when you're sober. At least 1 week later, complete Task 2 in Link 2 after eating 2g of psilocybin mushrooms. Please verify the existence of the mushrooms by uploading an image of the mushrooms (before being eaten) and a hand-written sign saying something like 'Nexus Study, mm/dd/yy.'"

To account for variance between mushroom dosages, have them fill out some questions about how hard they're tripping, etc.

Yeah, you can't be SURE that people aren't messing with the data, it would never get published in a real journal, but it might provide just enough evidence to get people talking and thinking about the possibility to replication with more robust controls.

Blessings
~ND

I've been thinking about posting an idea like this one in the research-section of this site. I just don't know what kind of test would be the most interesting thing to do it with. There are a lot of online IQ-tests ofcourse, and though these tests have probably zero value as real and accurate measurements of a persons intellectual ability's, you could still measure the difference in performance between sober and tripping subjects.

Another idea i've had, wich is ofcourse way more problematic for various reasons, is to make a list of subjectively experienced psychedelic effects, and ask people to answer to wich extend they've experienced these effects on a scale from one to ten. Then after a few hundred people have completed this form, you could compare the results, with the receptor profile of each of the substances taken. The idea would be that you could maybe relate some specific psychedelic phenomena, to activity on some specific receptors or combinations of receptors. But the practical difficulties are probably just too severe to realy do this and get reliable outcomes.

Knock my misspelled word, that's cool but you totally missed the point.

My point wasn't about misspelled words. The fact that you missed that and decided to mock my spelling proves my point.

My point was that this place is not what it used to be.

You are a prime example. I accidentally misspelled the word. That is a far cry from intentionally misspelling words to sound cool.

The nexus used to be about research and people were friendly.

Now people love to argue, try to sound "cool" and pick at everyone's words.

You are THE proof of what I'm saying.

EDIT: Thank you for proving my point. Meh brane kant handel teh ironey

The fact that you got so upset about this and replied how you did solidifies my belief. When I was here before people would reply with a valid argument instead of pulling some fifth-grade grammar/spelling nazi stunt.

Hi everyone

As far as I remember, Snozz first coined the term when I became moderator, id never heard or seen the term "smoalk or moar" used before that. These days I see them being used often around the internet.

I don't see what the big issue is lol, it was a joke between a couple people.

It still is? Nexus has always had a garden variety of members, it sounds like only your perception of it has changed.

It is a fruitless endeavor to try to make everyone around you change (a common and sick way of thinking that appears on the far left), the only true path to understanding, sanity and your own peace of mind is to change your own perceptions of those around you, not to try and change everyone else's.

Take what you need and leave the rest, give it away to receive it. If you spend your time with research and being friendly to others, then that is what you will bring out and perceive in others. Conversely, if you argue redundant and childish behavior, that is all you will know.

--
P.S.

Im still going to SMOALK MOAR, fond memories and bonding with members here came out of that. Humor is the greatest medicine after all.

It is as if political correctness has permeated everything, or grammar Nazi's in this case, what is wrong with telling someone you just met the dirtiest and most racist joke if it helps break down walls and create a close bond between them?

Good to see you here again, and also to know where you got it from!

Now we need to ask Snozz where he got it from.


Kind regards,

The Traveler

Hi Trav

Nice to see you too!!

Yes, where is that Snozz??? Show yourself buddy!!!

Lets get to the bottom of where these terms came from!

I shouldn't have used the SMOALK and MOAR as an example.
I fully admit that I went about this the wrong way.

I noticed a lot of people arguing and a lot of those people that did used those words.

I used to be very active on here but now when I view threads I usually just don't want to reply because there's so much negativity.

I do apologize if it seems like I was attacking people that use those phrases.

I had literally hopped on here daily for a week straight trying to find a thread to post something useful to and I just kept seeing negative things and so frequently those two words with it.

I realize now that I probably sound like an ass and that using those words as an example was not what I should have done.

To me after coming back I associate those with all of the negative posts. Honestly that's just how this place comes off now.

When I said I would get on the nexus and people would make me feel stupid, I meant it. It wasn't even about them being book smart. It was about them being more level-headed and down to earth.

It just seems like there's so many negative people now and it is really a massive turn off.

The Traveler, I appreciate the fact that you haven't ripped into me. If you read my introduction post then you would have seen how grateful I am that you run this site. I create/sell software myself and run multiple websites and I know it takes energy to keep something like this going and keep it "clean"/on-track. I didn't mean anything negative towards the nexus exactly.

If I could redo my post I would phrase it like this:
"Why are so many people on the Nexus so negative now?". There seems to be more effort into sounding cool (hence me mentioning those words) and belittling people than there is being used to help each-other.

Yes, I see some nice threads/people but compared to how it used to be it is really negative. DMT for me is a positive thing. I used to look forward to hopping on this site every night and it making me feel positive. I guess I'm stupid in a way because I added to the negativity and I did not stress my point correctly but what I was trying to get across still remains - this site has a lot of negativity now.

What I meant when I compared it to the Shroomery is that on the Shroomery people post simply for the sake of having a post count and members are always condescending towards each-other.

I've always been a member of both the Shroomery and this site. When I get drunk and want to be stupid I get on the Shroomery. When I want to see positive things and something to entertain my mind/learn I would get on this site.

I made my point wrong in the beginning. I hope this post portrays what I mean better.

Honestly when I made the first post like I said I spent a lot of time going through threads truly wanting to help and all of the negative crap got to me.

I don't mean to sound hippy/boo-hoo but that's just how everything came off.

So focus on the positive aspects of the nexus. You can change your perceptions. I see a lot of positive on the nexus but I look for it. I don't pay much attention to negativity. People are people.

If you want more positivity, you gotta start with it yourself.. Set the example

I am not usually a grammar nazi. I was taking the mickey out of you (allbeit in quite a gentle fashion) because you initially came across as being a bit superior, but you make some fair points and i appreciate it when someone tells me that i maybe being a bit of a dick.

I found you being a dick highly amusing. Thank you. (Edit: I didn't read post #9 before I typed this...)


Something I've noticed about the nexus is that people's senses of humour can be widely divergent (and occasionally non-existent ). This is surely due in part to the international nature of the forum, numerous of the members are not native speakers of English. Also there is a transatlantic aspect to the differences among native English speakers. British society has been a constant onslaught of pissmickey-taking for centuries so we're kind of used to it. That and it can be hard to assess tone based upon words on a screen.

Pssst.. this would entail total freedom and the "secret" power of conciousness.

Love, tseuq

i thought smoalk moar came from house and was from the following

smoke alkaloids more roar

i feel the tone of the nexus has changed with the loss of some members, but everything changes and if it didnt it would be a rather boring world.

yes i heard from house a story that was something like, they were playing the childrens 'telephone game' and the phrase to be whispered was something like that 'smoke alkaloids more roar' but at the end of the game it came out as 'smoalk moar???"

At least thats how the myth goes

con·ceit·ed
kənˈsēdəd/
adjective
adjective: conceited

excessively proud of oneself; vain.
con·cede
kənˈsēd/
verb
past tense: conceded; past participle: conceded

1.
admit that something is true or valid after first denying or resisting it.
We all make grammar mistakes lol.
Take it light and be safe.

and what ever happened to Olympus Mons??miss his posts...