THE
ARCANE
ARCHIVE

a cache of usenet and other text files pertaining
to occult, mystical, and spiritual subjects.


TOP | RELIGION | HINDUISM | YOGA | TANTRA | NEO TANTRA

DXM QuickFAQ

[from http://frognet.net/dxm/quickfaq.html#toc.3.1 ]

                                   
Subject: DXM QuickFAQ
                                   
   This is a quick question-and-answer section about DXM which
   avoids most of the technical detail of the full FAQ sections.
   However, since DXM is a complex drug, you are advised to read the
   appropriate sections in the full FAQ.
     ____________________________________________________________
   
                          3.1   What is DXM?
                                   
   DXM, or dextromethorphan, is a cough suppressant drug found in
   cough syrups and cough medicines. It can be used recreationally,
   but there are risks.
     ____________________________________________________________
   
            3.2   You Mean I Can Get High Off Cough Syrup?
                                   
   Yes, if you choose the right kind; if you pick the wrong kind,
   you can end up dead. And you may not like the "high" you get;
   some people love it, others hate it.
     ____________________________________________________________
   
             3.3   What Kinds of Cough Medicine are Safe?
                                   
   Basically, anything containing ONLY dextromethorphan hydrobromide
   (DXM HBr). Popular US brands include Robitussin Maximum Strength
   Cough (and generic equivalents), Drixoral Cough Liquid Caps (the
   red kind), and generic equivalents.
     ____________________________________________________________
   
         3.4   What Happens if I Drink the Wrong Cough Syrup?
                                   
   If it has gauifenesin (Robitussin DM and generic "DM" syrups have
   this drug), you'll probably puke your guts up. If it has
   acetaminophen (paracetamol), you stand a good chance of a
   painful, prolonged death. Anything else, you're likely to ruin
   the trip and may end up in the hospital.
     ____________________________________________________________
   
            3.5   I'm Taking Other Drugs -- Can I Take DXM?
                                   
   Quick answer: it depends. Don't take DXM if you are taking any of
   the following other drugs:
     * Antidepressants of any kind. MAOIs (monoamine oxidase
       inhibitors) are the worst; DXM + a MAOI will kill you. DXM
       with other antidepressants can cause serotonin syndrome, an
       unpleasant and occasionally fatal condition.
     * Diet drugs like phentermine, fenfluramine (Redux), or
       phen-fen. Again, a risk of serotonin syndrome.
     * Non-drowsy antihistamines (allergy medicines) like Allegra,
       Seldane, or Hisminal.
     ____________________________________________________________
   
                    3.6   What's the DXM Trip Like?
                                   
   Well, that depends on how much you take. There are four different
   kinds of experiences, based on the dosage; these are called
   plateaus. The first plateau is a mild stimulant effect with a
   little bit of a buzz, and has been compared to MDA. The second
   plateau is more intoxicating and has been compared to being drunk
   and stoned at the same time. The third plateau is dissociative,
   like a lower dose of ketamine. The fourth plateau is fully
   dissociative like a higher dose of ketamine.
   
   You should not attempt higher plateau doses unless you have
   someone with you who can take care of you in case you get sick or
   freak out. It happens on DXM. Many things can happen unexpectedly
   on upper plateaus, such as spontaneous memory recall, complex
   delusions, hallucinations, out-of-body experiences, near-death
   experiences, and perceived contact with spiritual or alien
   entities. You need to be pretty stable and grounded before you
   can handle these things.
     ____________________________________________________________
   
                     3.7   How Much DXM Do I Take?
                                   
   See the full FAQ; it's complicated and depends on your body
   weight; furthermore, some people can't handle DXM due to a
   genetic mutation in an important enzyme. So you always want to do
   a low dose on your first trip, and then increase gradually with
   each new trip.
     ____________________________________________________________
   
                        3.8   Is DXM Like Acid?
                                   
   No. It's more like ketamine or PCP, but not much like them
   either.
     ____________________________________________________________
   
                           3.9   Is DXM Fun?
                                   
   Some people think so; others point out that while the lower two
   dosage plateaus are more recreational or fun, the upper two seem
   to be more suited for self-exploration and shamanic work.
     ____________________________________________________________
   
                       3.10   Is DXM Dangerous?
                                   
   Yes, especially if you take too much. Some of the more important
   dangers you might want to know about are:
     * Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and allergic reactions (often
       from the cough syrup itself)
     * Hot flashes, dizziness, and bad trips
     * Psychotic breaks (generally from high dose use)
     * Psychological addiction and depression (generally from
       regular use)
     * Irreversible brain damage (from chronic use at high doses)
       
   The last -- brain damage -- is fairly rare, occurring in less
   than 1% of the regular users I've interviewed. They all used DXM
   very frequently. If you do DXM twice a month or less, you'll
   probably be OK. But remember there's always the risk of something
   going wrong.
     ____________________________________________________________
   
                3.11   If DXM is Dangerous, Why Do It?
                                   
   That's up to you. Most people in our culture seem to shun the
   idea of taking real risks, whether it be through drugs or
   high-risk sports such as mountain climbing and hang gliding. On
   the other hand, when someone goes and climbs a mountain without
   adequate equipment and training, and then falls to her death,
   nobody goes and blames the mountain.
   
   There are many people who believe that the risks of DXM (or other
   drugs) are worth the rewards. If you are a legal adult and are
   willing to take responsibility for your actions, in my opinion
   you should be permitted to experiment with psychedelics to your
   heart's content.
     ____________________________________________________________
   
EOF

The Arcane Archive is copyright by the authors cited.
Send comments to the Arcane Archivist: tyaginator@arcane-archive.org.

Did you like what you read here? Find it useful?
Then please click on the Paypal Secure Server logo and make a small
donation to the site maintainer for the creation and upkeep of this site.

The ARCANE ARCHIVE is a large domain,
organized into a number of sub-directories,
each dealing with a different branch of
religion, mysticism, occultism, or esoteric knowledge.
Here are the major ARCANE ARCHIVE directories you can visit:
interdisciplinary: geometry, natural proportion, ratio, archaeoastronomy
mysticism: enlightenment, self-realization, trance, meditation, consciousness
occultism: divination, hermeticism, amulets, sigils, magick, witchcraft, spells
religion: buddhism, christianity, hinduism, islam, judaism, taoism, wicca, voodoo
societies and fraternal orders: freemasonry, golden dawn, rosicrucians, etc.

SEARCH THE ARCANE ARCHIVE

There are thousands of web pages at the ARCANE ARCHIVE. You can use ATOMZ.COM
to search for a single word (like witchcraft, hoodoo, pagan, or magic) or an
exact phrase (like Kwan Yin, golden ratio, or book of shadows):

Search For:
Match:  Any word All words Exact phrase

OTHER ESOTERIC AND OCCULT SITES OF INTEREST

Southern Spirits: 19th and 20th century accounts of hoodoo, including slave narratives & interviews
Hoodoo in Theory and Practice by cat yronwode: an introduction to African-American rootwork
Lucky W Amulet Archive by cat yronwode: an online museum of worldwide talismans and charms
Sacred Sex: essays and articles on tantra yoga, neo-tantra, karezza, sex magic, and sex worship
Sacred Landscape: essays and articles on archaeoastronomy, sacred architecture, and sacred geometry
Lucky Mojo Forum: practitioners answer queries on conjure; sponsored by the Lucky Mojo Curio Co.
Herb Magic: illustrated descriptions of magic herbs with free spells, recipes, and an ordering option
Association of Independent Readers and Rootworkers: ethical diviners and hoodoo spell-casters
Freemasonry for Women by cat yronwode: a history of mixed-gender Freemasonic lodges
Missionary Independent Spiritual Church: spirit-led, inter-faith, the Smallest Church in the World
Satan Service Org: an archive presenting the theory, practice, and history of Satanism and Satanists
Gospel of Satan: the story of Jesus and the angels, from the perspective of the God of this World
Lucky Mojo Usenet FAQ Archive: FAQs and REFs for occult and magical usenet newsgroups
Candles and Curios: essays and articles on traditional African American conjure and folk magic
Aleister Crowley Text Archive: a multitude of texts by an early 20th century ceremonial occultist
Spiritual Spells: lessons in folk magic and spell casting from an eclectic Wiccan perspective
The Mystic Tea Room: divination by reading tea-leaves, with a museum of antique fortune telling cups
Yronwode Institution for the Preservation and Popularization of Indigenous Ethnomagicology
Yronwode Home: personal pages of catherine yronwode and nagasiva yronwode, magical archivists
Lucky Mojo Magic Spells Archives: love spells, money spells, luck spells, protection spells, etc.
      Free Love Spell Archive: love spells, attraction spells, sex magick, romance spells, and lust spells
      Free Money Spell Archive: money spells, prosperity spells, and wealth spells for job and business
      Free Protection Spell Archive: protection spells against witchcraft, jinxes, hexes, and the evil eye
      Free Gambling Luck Spell Archive: lucky gambling spells for the lottery, casinos, and races