Class of psychoactive drugs
Dissociatives, colloquially dissos, are a subclass of hallucinogens that distort perception of sight and sound and produce feelings of detachment – dissociation – from the environment and/or self. Although many kinds of drugs are capable of such an effect, dissociatives are unique in that they do so in such a way that they produce hallucinogenic effects, which may include dissociation, a general decrease in sensory experience, hallucinations, dream-like states or anesthesia.
Despite most dissociatives' main mechanism of action being tied to NMDA receptor antagonism, some of these substances, which are nonselective in action and affect the dopamine and/or opioid systems, may be capable of inducing more direct and repeatable euphoria or symptoms which are more akin to the effects of typical "hard drugs" or common drugs of abuse. This is likely why dissociatives are considered to be addictive with a fair to moderate potential for abuse, unlike psychedelics. Despite some dissociatives, such as phencyclidine (PCP) possessing stimulating properties, most dissociatives seem to have a general depressant effect and can produce sedation, respiratory depression, nausea, disorientation, analgesia, anesthesia, ataxia, cognitive and memory impairment as well as amnesia.
Examples of dissociatives include arylcyclohexylamines like ketamine and phencyclidine (PCP); morphinans like dextromethorphan (DXM); inhalants like nitrous oxide (N2O); diarylethylamines like diphenidine; and adamantanes like memantine, among others.
Safety at a Glance
High Risk- General Principles
- Start low, go slow: Always begin with a low dose, especially with unfamiliar batches or new substances. Individual se...
- Toxicity: The toxicity and long-term health effects of Dissociatives require careful consideration. While dissociatives general...
- Dangerous with: 1,4-Butanediol, 2M2B, Alcohol, Alprazolam (+14 more)
- Overdose risk: Overdose on Dissociatives can range from unpleasant to life-threatening depending on the dose, ro...
If someone is in crisis, call 911 or Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222
Duration
No duration data available.
How It Feels
The dissociative class produces its characteristic effects through blockade of NMDA-type glutamate receptors, creating a progressive disconnection between mind and body that ranges from mild perceptual distortion to complete detachment from external reality.
The general dissociative experience involves progressive numbing of physical sensation, distortion of sound and spatial perception, slowing of thought, and a sense of increasing distance between consciousness and the sensory world. At low doses, the effects resemble a pleasant, dreamlike intoxication. At moderate doses, genuine dissociation occurs: the body becomes remote, the world recedes, and consciousness floats in an intermediate space. At high doses, the characteristic "hole" experience may occur, a state of complete disconnection from all external input during which consciousness inhabits an entirely internal, often vast and abstract, perceptual landscape.
The class spans a wide range of character, from the warm, introspective sedation of ketamine to the stimulated, manic confidence of PCP. Duration varies from less than an hour to many hours. Tolerance develops rapidly with repeated use, and psychological habituation is common.
Subjective Effects
The effects listed below are based on the Subjective Effect Index (SEI), an open research literature based on anecdotal reports and personal analyses. They should be viewed with a healthy degree of skepticism. These effects will not necessarily occur in a predictable or reliable manner, although higher doses are more liable to induce the full spectrum of effects.
Physical Effects
Physical(9)
- Motor control loss— A distinct decrease in the ability to control one's physical body with precision, balance, and coord...
- Nausea— An uncomfortable sensation of queasiness and stomach discomfort that may or may not lead to vomiting...
- Orgasm suppression— Orgasm suppression (anorgasmia) is the difficulty or complete inability to achieve orgasm despite ad...
- Pain relief— A suppression of negative physical sensations such as aches and pains, ranging from dulled awareness...
- Perception of bodily lightness— Perception of bodily lightness is the subjective feeling that one's body has become dramatically lig...
- Physical autonomy— Physical autonomy is the experience of one's body performing actions — from simple tasks like walkin...
- Physical euphoria— An intensely pleasurable bodily sensation that can manifest as waves of warmth, tingling electricity...
- Respiratory depression— A dangerous slowing and shallowing of breathing that can progress from barely noticeable reductions ...
- Sedation— A state of deep physical and mental calming that manifests as a progressive desire to remain still, ...
Tactile(1)
- Tactile suppression— A progressive decrease in the ability to feel physical touch, ranging from mild numbness to complete...
Cognitive & Perceptual Effects
Visual(12)
- Double vision— The visual experience of seeing a single object as two separate, overlapping images, similar to cros...
- Environmental cubism— A visual distortion in which the environment and objects within it appear fragmented into geometric,...
- External hallucination— A visual hallucination that manifests within the external environment as though it were physically r...
- Frame rate suppression— Perception of visual motion as choppy discrete frames rather than smooth continuous flow, resembling...
- Geometry— The experience of perceiving complex, ever-shifting geometric patterns superimposed over the visual ...
- Internal hallucination— Vivid, detailed visual experiences perceived within an imagined mental landscape that can only be se...
- Perspective distortions— Distortion of perceived depth, distance, and size of real objects, making things appear closer, furt...
- Scenery slicing— The visual field fractures into distinct, cleanly cut sections that slowly drift apart from their or...
- Settings, sceneries, and landscapes— The perceived environment in which hallucinatory experiences take place, ranging from recognizable l...
- Shadow people— The perception of dark, humanoid silhouettes lurking in peripheral vision or standing in direct line...
- Visual acuity suppression— Vision becomes blurred, indistinct, and out of focus, as though looking through a smudged lens. Fine...
- Visual disconnection— A dissociative visual effect involving a progressive detachment from visual perception, ranging from...
Cognitive(20)
- Amnesia— A complete or partial inability to form new memories or recall existing ones during and after substa...
- Analysis suppression— Analysis suppression is a cognitive impairment in which the capacity for logical reasoning, critical...
- Anxiety— Intense feelings of apprehension, worry, and dread that can range from a subtle background unease to...
- Autonomous voice communication— Autonomous voice communication is the experience of hearing and engaging in conversation with one or...
- Cognitive euphoria— A cognitive and emotional state of intense well-being, elation, happiness, and joy that manifests as...
- Conceptual thinking— A shift in the nature of thought from verbal, linear sentence structures to intuitive, non-linguisti...
- Deja vu— Intense, often prolonged sensation of having already experienced the current moment, common with psy...
- Depersonalization— A detachment from one's own sense of self, body, or mental processes, as if observing oneself from o...
- Depression— A persistent state of low mood, emotional numbness, hopelessness, and diminished interest or pleasur...
- Derealization— A perceptual disturbance in which the external world feels profoundly unreal, dreamlike, or artifici...
- Disinhibition— A marked reduction in social inhibitions, self-consciousness, and behavioral restraint that manifest...
- Dream potentiation— Enhanced dream vividness, complexity, and recall, often occurring as REM rebound after discontinuing...
- Introspection— An enhanced state of self-reflective awareness in which one feels drawn to examine their own thought...
- Memory suppression— A dose-dependent inhibition of one's ability to access and utilize short-term and long-term memory, ...
- Personal bias suppression— A decrease in the personal, cultural, and cognitive biases through which one normally filters their ...
- Sensed presence— Sensed presence is the vivid and often unshakeable feeling that an unseen conscious being — whether ...
- Thought connectivity— A state in which disparate thoughts, concepts, and ideas become fluidly and spontaneously interconne...
- Thought deceleration— The experience of thoughts occurring at a markedly reduced pace, as if the mind has been placed into...
- Thought loops— Becoming trapped in a repeating cycle of thoughts, actions, and emotions that loops every few second...
- Time distortion— Subjective perception of time becomes dramatically altered — minutes may feel like hours, or hours p...
Auditory(4)
- Auditory distortion— Auditory distortion is the experience of sounds becoming warped, pitch-shifted, flanged, or otherwis...
- Auditory hallucination— Auditory hallucination is the perception of sounds that have no external source — hearing music, voi...
- Auditory misinterpretation— Auditory misinterpretation is the brief, spontaneous misidentification of real sounds as entirely di...
- Auditory suppression— A dampening of auditory perception in which sounds become muffled, distant, and reduced in both volu...
Multi-sensory(3)
- Machinescapes— Machinescapes are complex multisensory hallucinations involving the perception of enormous mechanica...
- Memory replays— Memory replays are vivid, multisensory re-experiences of past events that go far beyond normal recal...
- Scenarios and plots— Scenarios and plots are the narrative structures that emerge within hallucinatory states — coherent ...
Transpersonal(2)
- Ego death— A profound dissolution of the sense of self in which personal identity, memories, and the boundary b...
- Unity and interconnectedness— A profound sense that identity extends beyond the self to encompass other people, nature, or all of ...
Pharmacology
Dissociatives primarily acts as an antagonist at N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors, blocking the ion channel in a use-dependent manner. This NMDA receptor blockade disrupts normal glutamatergic neurotransmission, leading to the characteristic dissociative state involving detachment from sensory input, altered proprioception, and modified cognitive processing.
Additional pharmacological actions may include interactions with sigma receptors, dopamine transporters, opioid receptors (particularly kappa and mu subtypes), and voltage-gated sodium channels. The relative contribution of these secondary targets varies between dissociative compounds and influences the specific character of the experience.
At subanesthetic doses, NMDA blockade paradoxically increases glutamate release in certain brain regions through disinhibition of GABAergic interneurons. This downstream glutamate surge, particularly in the prefrontal cortex, may contribute to the psychotomimetic and dissociative effects.
Interactions
| Substance | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1,4-Butanediol | Dangerous | — |
| 2M2B | Dangerous | — |
| Alcohol | Dangerous | — |
| Alprazolam | Dangerous | — |
| Baclofen | Dangerous | — |
| Benzodiazepines | Dangerous | — |
| Bromazepam | Dangerous | — |
| Carisoprodol | Dangerous | — |
| Clonazepam | Dangerous | — |
| Clonazolam | Dangerous | — |
| Clonidine | Dangerous | — |
| Coluracetam | Dangerous | — |
| Diazepam | Dangerous | — |
| F-Phenibut | Dangerous | — |
| Flualprazolam | Dangerous | — |
| Kava | Dangerous | — |
| Methaqualone | Dangerous | — |
| Methoxphenidine | Dangerous | — |
| 2-Aminoindane | Uncertain | — |
| 2-FEA | Uncertain | — |
| 3-FPM | Uncertain | — |
| 3-MMC | Uncertain | — |
| 3,4-CTMP | Uncertain | — |
History
Dissociatives belongs to the dissociative class of substances, a pharmacological category with roots in anesthesiology research. The first dissociative anesthetic, phencyclidine (PCP), was developed in the 1950s by Parke-Davis as a surgical anesthetic. While PCP was effective, its pronounced emergence phenomena (confusion, hallucinations, agitation upon waking) led researchers to develop alternatives with more manageable side effect profiles.
Ketamine, synthesized in 1962, became the most successful clinical dissociative anesthetic and remains in widespread medical use today. The discovery that sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine produce rapid antidepressant effects has driven renewed clinical interest in dissociative compounds.
Dissociatives emerged within this broader landscape of dissociative pharmacology. Novel dissociative compounds continue to be developed by researchers and have appeared in the designer drug market, with varying degrees of resemblance to the established clinical agents.
Harm Reduction
General Principles
- Start low, go slow: Always begin with a low dose, especially with unfamiliar batches or new substances. Individual sensitivity varies enormously.
- Test your substances: Use reagent test kits to verify identity and check for dangerous adulterants. Consider using drug checking services where available.
- Research thoroughly: Understand expected dose ranges, duration, potential interactions, and contraindications before use.
- Never use alone: Have a trusted, sober person present, especially with new substances or higher doses.
- Set and setting: Your mindset and environment profoundly influence the experience. Choose a safe, comfortable environment and ensure you're in a stable psychological state.
Dissociatives-Specific Harm Reduction
- Fall risk: Motor coordination is significantly impaired. Stay seated or lying down, especially at higher doses. Remove tripping hazards from your environment.
- Nausea management: Have an anti-emetic available and use on an empty or light stomach. If vomiting occurs while dissociated, ensure the person is in the recovery position to prevent aspiration.
- Combination danger: Combining with other depressants (alcohol, opioids, benzodiazepines) dramatically increases the risk of respiratory depression and loss of consciousness. This combination can be fatal.
- Bladder health: Chronic use of some dissociatives (particularly ketamine) can cause severe bladder damage (ulcerative cystitis). Limit frequency of use and stay well hydrated.
- Tolerance awareness: Dissociative tolerance develops quickly. Escalating doses to achieve the same effects significantly increases risk.
Toxicity & Safety
The toxicity and long-term health effects of Dissociatives require careful consideration. While dissociatives generally have a reasonable acute safety margin when used alone, chronic use carries specific health risks.
Acute toxicity: The primary acute danger is respiratory depression, especially when combined with other depressants. Loss of motor coordination creates significant fall and injury risk. At very high doses, anesthetic levels of dissociation can impair protective reflexes.
Urological toxicity: Chronic use of certain dissociatives, particularly ketamine, is associated with severe urological damage. Ketamine-induced ulcerative cystitis can progress to permanently reduced bladder capacity and renal damage. Other dissociatives may carry similar risks to varying degrees.
Neurotoxicity: Some research suggests that NMDA antagonists may cause Olney's lesions (neuronal vacuolization) in certain brain regions, though evidence for this in humans at typical recreational doses is limited. However, chronic heavy use of dissociatives is associated with cognitive impairment, particularly affecting memory.
Dependence: Psychological dependence can develop, characterized by compulsive use patterns. Physical dependence is less pronounced than with depressants but withdrawal symptoms (anxiety, cravings, depression) can occur after chronic use.
It is strongly recommended that one use harm reduction practices when using this substance.
Overdose Information
Overdose on Dissociatives can range from unpleasant to life-threatening depending on the dose, route, and whether other substances are involved.
Signs of overdose: Severe nystagmus, complete unresponsiveness, vomiting (aspiration risk while unconscious), severely depressed breathing, seizures, extremely elevated heart rate or blood pressure.
Critical dangers:
- Respiratory depression: Particularly when combined with other depressants
- Aspiration: Loss of protective reflexes combined with nausea creates choking risk
- Hyperthermia or hypothermia: Impaired thermoregulation at high doses
Emergency response: Place the person in the recovery position. Monitor breathing. Call emergency services if breathing is slow, shallow, or irregular; if the person is unresponsive to stimulation; or if seizures occur. Be honest with medical personnel about what was consumed — they are there to help, not to judge.
Dangerous Interactions
The combinations listed below may be life-threatening. Independent research should always be conducted to ensure safety when combining substances.
Tolerance
| Full | Unknown |
| Half | Unknown |
| Zero | Unknown |
Legal Status
The legal status of Dissociatives varies by jurisdiction and is subject to change. This information is provided for educational purposes and may not reflect the most current legislation.
General patterns: Many psychoactive substances are controlled under national and international drug control frameworks, including the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961), the Convention on Psychotropic Substances (1971), and country-specific legislation such as the US Controlled Substances Act, UK Misuse of Drugs Act, and EU Framework Decisions.
Research chemicals and analogues: Novel psychoactive substances may be captured by analogue laws (e.g., the US Federal Analogue Act) or blanket bans on substance classes (e.g., the UK Psychoactive Substances Act 2016), even if the specific compound is not individually scheduled.
Important note: Possessing, distributing, or manufacturing controlled substances carries serious legal consequences in most jurisdictions. Legal status is not a reliable indicator of a substance's safety profile — some highly dangerous substances are legal, while some with favorable safety profiles are strictly controlled.
Users are strongly encouraged to research the specific legal status of Dissociatives in their jurisdiction before any involvement with this substance.
Experience Reports (6)
Tips (10)
Research potential interactions before combining Dissociatives with other substances. Drug interactions can be unpredictable and dangerous.
NMDA receptor tolerance from dissociatives may be among the most persistent of any drug class. The NMDA system itself regulates tolerance reset, meaning you can develop tolerance to the rate at which tolerance decreases. Space your use widely.
Keep a usage log for Dissociatives including dose, time, effects, and side effects. This helps you identify patterns and prevent problematic escalation.
A good rule of thumb for dissociative use frequency: wait at least one week per plateau level. A first plateau trip needs a week off, a second plateau needs two weeks, and so on. This helps prevent the rapid tolerance buildup that dissociatives are notorious for.
Dissociatives can have paradoxically anti-dissociative effects for people with anxiety or depression. By quieting the inner monologue and reducing habitual emotional disconnection, low doses can actually make some people feel more present and connected.
Always start with a low dose of Dissociatives and work your way up. Individual sensitivity varies, and you cannot undo a dose once taken.
Community Discussions (12)
See Also
References (2)
- Dissociatives - TripSit Factsheet
TripSit factsheet for Dissociatives
tripsit - Dissociatives - Wikipedia
Wikipedia article on Dissociatives
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