2C-B Effects

A distinct decrease in hunger and desire to eat, ranging from reduced interest in food to complete disinterest or even physical revulsion at the thought of eating. This effect can persist for many hours beyond the primary experience.

Bodily control enhancement is the subjective feeling of improved physical precision, coordination, and dexterity — a sense of heightened mastery over one's own body that can make movements feel fluid, deliberate, and effortless.

A diffuse, heavy physical discomfort involving tension, pressure, and malaise in the torso and limbs, commonly reported with tryptamines and phenethylamines.

A state of insufficient bodily hydration manifesting as persistent thirst, dry mouth, and physical discomfort, often caused by increased sweating, urination, or simply forgetting to drink water during substance use.

Increased blood pressure (hypertension) is an elevation of arterial pressure above the normal 120/80 mmHg baseline, commonly caused by stimulants, vasoconstrictors, and substances that activate the sympathetic nervous system, posing cardiovascular risks that increase with dose and pre-existing conditions.

Increased bodily temperature (hyperthermia) is an elevation of core body temperature above the normal 37C (98.6F) baseline, caused by substances that increase metabolic rate, impair thermoregulation, or promote sustained physical activity, and representing one of the most dangerous physical effects when severe.

A noticeable acceleration of heartbeat that can range from a subtle awareness of one's pulse to a forceful, rapid pounding felt throughout the chest, neck, and temples. This effect is among the most commonly reported physiological responses to psychoactive substances and often accompanies stimulation, anxiety, or physical exertion during intoxication.

A marked enhancement of sexual desire, arousal, and sensitivity to erotic stimuli that can range from a gentle heightening of romantic interest to an overwhelming, all-consuming preoccupation with sexual thoughts and physical intimacy. This effect often co-occurs with tactile enhancement and empathy, creating a distinctly sensual state of consciousness.

Spontaneous, uncontrollable, and often prolonged episodes of intense laughter that erupt without any identifiable cause or genuine feeling of humor, sometimes persisting to the point of tears, aching muscles, and difficulty breathing or speaking.

An uncomfortable sensation of queasiness and stomach discomfort that may or may not lead to vomiting, often occurring during the onset phase of many substances.

An intensely pleasurable bodily sensation that can manifest as waves of warmth, tingling electricity, or a full-body orgasmic glow radiating outward from the core. This effect is often described as one of the most rewarding physical sensations available through psychoactive substances and is a primary driver of the recreational appeal of many substance classes.

Physical fatigue is a state of bodily exhaustion characterized by reduced energy, diminished capacity for physical activity, and an overwhelming desire to rest, commonly experienced during comedowns or as a direct effect of sedating substances.

A visible enlargement of the pupil diameter (mydriasis) that can range from subtle widening to dramatic saucer-like expansion where the dark pupil dominates the iris. This effect is one of the most recognizable signs of psychedelic and stimulant intoxication and directly contributes to light sensitivity, enhanced color perception, and the characteristic "wide-eyed" appearance.

Uncontrolled brain electrical activity causing convulsions and loss of consciousness -- a life-threatening medical emergency requiring immediate help.

A state of heightened physical and mental energy characterized by increased wakefulness, elevated motivation, and a subjective sense of vigor that pervades both body and mind. Users often report feeling electrically alive, with a buzzing readiness to move, talk, and engage that can range from a pleasant caffeine-like lift to an overwhelming, jittery compulsion to act.

An involuntary clenching and rhythmic grinding of the jaw muscles, known clinically as bruxism, that produces a compulsive need to clench, chew, or gnash the teeth together. This effect can range from a subtle tightness in the jaw to forceful, repetitive grinding that can cause significant dental damage and jaw pain during and after the experience.

A narrowing of blood vessels throughout the body that produces sensations of cold extremities, tingling in the fingers and toes, and a general feeling of circulatory restriction. Users may notice their hands and feet becoming pale, numb, or uncomfortably cold, sometimes accompanied by a sense of tightness in the chest or head.

Tactile distortion is the warping of existing touch and body sensations — textures may feel alien, pressure may register as either feather-light or impossibly heavy, temperature perception may shift, and the physical boundaries of the body may seem to change in size or shape.

The sense of touch becomes dramatically heightened, making physical contact feel intensely pleasurable and detailed. Textures and skin contact produce amplified richness.

A visual phenomenon in which a faint, ghostly imprint of a previously viewed image persists in the visual field after the original stimulus has been removed or one has looked away. These lingering visual echoes are significantly more persistent, vivid, and detailed than normal physiological afterimages, often retaining color and form for several seconds or longer and overlaying themselves onto whatever one currently views.

A visual distortion in which the colors reflected from object surfaces split into distinct, offset layers — most commonly red, green, and blue — producing a chromatic fringing effect similar to the aberration seen in poorly corrected camera lenses or anaglyph 3D glasses.

An intensification of the brightness, vividness, and saturation of colors in the external environment, making the world appear dramatically more colorful. Reds seem redder, greens seem greener, and all hues appear richer and more distinct than during ordinary perception.

The visual experience of colors on objects and surfaces cycling through continuous, fluid transformations, shifting from one hue to another in smooth, seamless loops. A green surface might flow through blue, purple, red, and back to green in a mesmerizing animated sequence.

Alterations in how the distance of objects within the visual field is perceived, causing layers of scenery to appear exaggerated, rearranged, flattened, or warped in spatial depth.

The visual experience of perceiving stationary objects, textures, and surfaces as appearing to flow, breathe, melt, or shift in position. Drifting is one of the most fundamental and commonly reported visual distortions under the influence of psychedelic substances, serving as the perceptual foundation upon which many other visual effects are built. It manifests as a fluid, organic sense of motion embedded in otherwise static visual fields.

A visual distortion in which the environment and objects within it appear fragmented into geometric, cube-like facets, as if reality has been refracted through a crystalline prism. The effect gives surfaces and three-dimensional space a distinctly angular, Cubist art-like quality reminiscent of Picasso or Braque paintings, where multiple perspectives of the same object are perceived simultaneously.

A distortion in the apparent breadth or shape of one's visual field, ranging from an expanded, panoramic sensation to a constricted tunnel vision, often accompanied by fisheye-like curvature effects.

The experience of perceiving complex, ever-shifting geometric patterns superimposed over the visual field or visible behind closed eyelids. Geometry is widely considered the hallmark visual effect of psychedelic substances, ranging from simple lattice patterns and honeycombs at low doses to infinitely complex, self-transforming fractal structures at high doses that can feel profoundly meaningful and awe-inspiring.

Vivid, detailed visual experiences perceived within an imagined mental landscape that can only be seen with closed eyes, ranging from fleeting imagery and abstract scenes to fully immersive, dream-like environments with autonomous narratives and entities.

A visual distortion in which objects appear larger or closer than they actually are, as though one's visual field has been zoomed in, making distant details seem within arm's reach and nearby objects appear oversized or looming.

An increased ability and tendency to perceive meaningful patterns, faces, and images within ambiguous or random visual stimuli such as textures, clouds, and surfaces.

A hallucinatory phenomenon in which the observer's visual perspective shifts from the normal first-person viewpoint to alternative vantage points — including third-person (seeing oneself from outside), bird's-eye, or omniscient perspectives — during both internal and external hallucinations.

The visual field begins to repeat and nest within itself in a self-similar, fractal-like manner, as if reality is being reflected between infinite mirrors. Sections of scenery duplicate and zoom inward or outward in recursive loops that defy spatial logic.

The visual field fractures into distinct, cleanly cut sections that slowly drift apart from their original positions before resetting, as if reality has been sliced by an invisible blade into geometric pieces that briefly separate and rearrange.

The perceived environment in which hallucinatory experiences take place, ranging from recognizable locations drawn from memory to entirely novel alien landscapes, ancient civilizations, cosmic vistas, and impossible architectural spaces.

Textures appear to mirror and tessellate across surfaces in intricate, self-similar symmetrical patterns that maintain detail at every scale. Most prominent in peripheral vision on rough surfaces.

Surfaces and textures progressively smooth and simplify until the environment takes on the fluid, stylized appearance of an oil painting. Fine detail dissolves into flowing forms.

Moving objects leave visible trails of varying length and opacity behind them, similar to long-exposure photography. Trails may match the object color or appear in other hues.

Objects and scenery undergo perceived visual metamorphosis, smoothly shapeshifting into other recognizable forms over seconds. Patterns morph into faces, animals, and imagery.

Vision becomes sharper and more defined than normal, as though a slightly blurry lens has been brought into perfect focus. Edges appear crisp and fine details become vivid.

A sudden and disorienting visual distortion in which the entire visual field appears to be rotated, mirrored, or flipped — as though the world has been turned upside down, reversed left-to-right, or viewed from an impossible angle — typically lasting only seconds to moments.

A visual effect in which the brain appears to process visual information at an accelerated rate, causing fast-moving objects and rapidly unfolding events to appear as though they are occurring in slow motion.

A visual distortion in which portions of the visual field appear to curl, spiral, or rotate around a central axis, ranging from subtle warping at the edges of vision to an all-encompassing vortex that can completely impair the ability to resolve objects.

A complete or partial inability to form new memories or recall existing ones during and after substance use, ranging from minor gaps in recollection to total blackouts encompassing hours of experience.

A perceived improvement in one's ability to logically deconstruct concepts, recognize patterns, and reach novel conclusions, often accompanied by deep states of contemplation and an abundance of insightful ideas.

Intense feelings of apprehension, worry, and dread that can range from a subtle background unease to overwhelming panic attacks with a sense of impending doom, often amplified by the substance's intensification of one's existing mental state.

A shift in the nature of thought from verbal, linear sentence structures to intuitive, non-linguistic concepts that are felt and understood rather than spoken by an internal narrator.

An impairment of abstract thinking marked by a persistent inability to grasp or comprehend concepts and situations that would normally be perfectly understandable during sobriety.

An increase in the ability to imagine new ideas, overcome creative blocks, think about existing concepts in novel ways, and produce artistic or intellectual work with greater fluency and inspiration.

A delusion is a fixed, false belief that is held with unshakeable certainty and is impervious to contradicting evidence or rational argument — often involving grandiose, persecutory, or bizarre themes that are clearly at odds with observable reality.

A state of intensified compassion and emotional openness in which one feels deeply connected to others, motivated by genuine warmth and an enhanced capacity for understanding other people's feelings and perspectives.

A heightened capacity to become fully absorbed and engrossed in external media such as music, films, video games, and art, with an amplified suspension of disbelief and a deepened emotional connection to the content being experienced.

A general amplification of one's sensitivity to finding things humorous and amusing, often causing previously unremarkable stimuli to become inexplicably hilarious, with laughter triggered by observations and connections that seem profound or absurd in the altered state.

An enhanced state of self-reflective awareness in which one feels drawn to examine their own thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and life patterns with unusual depth, clarity, and emotional honesty, often yielding insights that feel therapeutically significant.

A dose-dependent inhibition of one's ability to access and utilize short-term and long-term memory, ranging from mild forgetfulness to a profound inability to recall personal identity, biographical information, or the context of the current experience.

A profound enhancement of one's enjoyment and emotional connection to music, making songs feel deeply meaningful and revealing hidden layers of complexity.

A feeling of increased fascination, awe, and childlike wonder attributed to everyday concepts, objects, and experiences, as if perceiving the world for the first time.

Irrational suspicion and belief that others are watching, plotting against, or intending harm toward oneself, ranging from mild unease to overwhelming terror.

A decrease in the personal, cultural, and cognitive biases through which one normally filters their perception, enabling more objective self-examination and worldview analysis.

Psychosis is a serious psychiatric state involving a fundamental break from consensus reality — characterized by firmly held false beliefs (delusions), perception of things that are not there (hallucinations), disorganized thought and speech, and a loss of the ability to distinguish internal mental events from external reality.

A renewed sense of physical vitality, mental freshness, and emotional restoration that can emerge during or after a substance experience. The individual feels as though accumulated fatigue, stress, and mental fog have been cleared away, leaving behind a state of refreshment and renewed energy that is often compared to waking from deep, restorative sleep or returning from a revitalizing vacation.

The experience of thoughts occurring at a dramatically increased rate, as if the mind has been shifted into a higher gear. Ideas, associations, and internal dialogue cascade rapidly, often outpacing the ability to articulate or fully process each one, producing a subjective sense of heightened mental velocity.

A state in which disparate thoughts, concepts, and ideas become fluidly and spontaneously interconnected, revealing patterns and relationships that are normally overlooked. The mind weaves together seemingly unrelated subjects into a unified web of associations, often producing novel insights or a profound sense of conceptual coherence.

Subjective perception of time becomes dramatically altered — minutes may feel like hours, or hours pass in moments. Can manifest as either dilation or compression.

An increased ability to stay awake and alert without the desire to sleep. Distinct from stimulation in that it does not elevate energy above a naturally rested baseline.

Auditory distortion is the experience of sounds becoming warped, pitch-shifted, flanged, or otherwise altered in their perceived qualities without any change to the actual sound source. Familiar sounds may seem alien, stretched in time, or layered with unusual resonances, creating a surreal and sometimes unsettling soundscape that departs significantly from sober auditory perception.

Auditory enhancement is a heightened sensitivity and appreciation of sound in which music, voices, and ambient noise become richer, more detailed, and more emotionally resonant. Subtle sonic details that would normally go unnoticed — the texture of a guitar string, the breath between a singer's words, the layered harmonics of a chord — become vivid and captivating.

Auditory hallucination is the perception of sounds that have no external source — hearing music, voices, environmental noises, or abstract sonic phenomena that exist entirely within the mind. These range from faint, ambiguous whispers at the edge of perception to fully formed, complex musical compositions or conversational speech that can feel completely real and externally sourced.

Auditory misinterpretation is the brief, spontaneous misidentification of real sounds as entirely different sounds — ambient noise interpreted as voices, mechanical hums perceived as music, or random environmental sounds heard as words or familiar patterns.

Anticipatory response is a Pavlovian conditioning phenomenon in which the body begins mimicking a substance's effects — such as relaxation, stimulation, or even mild euphoria — in the moments before or during the act of ingestion, before pharmacological action has begun.

Machinescapes are complex multisensory hallucinations involving the perception of enormous mechanical landscapes built from interlocking gears, pulleys, conveyor belts, and other industrial components, often felt as extensions of or replacements for one's own body.

Scenarios and plots are the narrative structures that emerge within hallucinatory states — coherent or surreal storylines involving autonomous characters, unfolding events, and immersive settings that can feel as real and consequential as waking life.

Stimulation of one sense triggers involuntary experiences in another — seeing sounds as colors, tasting textures, or hearing visual patterns. A blending of sensory channels.

Progressive blurring and dissolution of the boundary between self and external reality, merging one's sense of identity with environment, others, or the cosmos.

A profound dissolution of the sense of self in which personal identity, memories, and the boundary between self and world completely vanish, leaving only pure undifferentiated awareness.

A sudden, visceral realization of the profound significance and improbability of one's own existence as a conscious being within the universe, often accompanied by overwhelming awe and a fundamental shift in perspective about life and reality.

A profound intensification of spiritual feelings, mystical awareness, and a sense of sacred connection to something greater than oneself. This can range from a subtle sense of cosmic significance to full-blown mystical experiences indistinguishable from those described in religious traditions.

A profound sense that identity extends beyond the self to encompass other people, nature, or all of existence. Boundaries between self and other dissolve into felt oneness.