DOM #
| Common Nomenclature | 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine |
| Street & Reference Names | STP (Serenity, Tranquillity & Peace); |
| Reference Dosage | Threshold 0.5mg+; Light 1mg+; Common 2mg+; Strong 6mg+; Heavy 8mg+ [Erowid] |
| Anticipated: Onset / Duration | 1.5 Hours / 14 Hours |
| Maximum Dose Experienced | 1.5mg or 2.5mg |
| Form | Pill |
| RoA | Oral |
| Source / Jurisdiction | Dealer / Overseas |
| Personal Rating On Shulgin Scale | ++ |
SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCE #
DOM was first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin in 1963 and was later documented in his book PiHKAL. It gained particular prominence during the summer of love (1967), but a number of issues emerged, apparently due to the circulation of particularly high-dosed pills, its slow onset and long duration. There were a number of hospitalisations at the epicentre (San Francisco) causing some notoriety and supply of the drug began to fade thereafter. Nonetheless, Shulgin listed this as one of his magical half-dozen; his personal favourite compounds.
I finally obtained my supply some years after the publication of the first edition of this book, but there was a hitch: the supplier was unsure whether the pills were dosed at 3mg or 5mg. Given this dubious uncertainty I was particularly careful, and of course sent some of my supply for full laboratory analysis.
On confirmation that this was indeed authentic DOM, I was left with one full pill along with a crumbled half-pill, and something of a dilemma regarding dose. Despite wanting to go reasonably high, I eventually decided to take a logical and cautious path, and undertake two experiments: one with the crumbled half-pill and the other at a later date with the full pill.
Regarding anticipated effects, this psychedelic is also a substituted amphetamine, with a reputation for relative stimulation and an intense body high. Despite the large-dose issues cited above, at the level I am limited to I don’t expect any complications to arise.
T+0.00 I pop the half-pill into my mouth, gently bite to crumble it, and swallow with water [11.15am]
T+1.00 An hour in there is little to report other than some semblance of a potentially emerging headspace.
T+2.00 The headspace is now a little stronger. There is a hint of body load, but with some stimulation and potential for horn. I feel a little chilly but clammy at the same time.
T+3.00 In truth I have felt tight-chested and uncomfortable for the last hour or so. It’s hard to escape the notion that this is what the onset of a heart attack might feel like.
The upside is there but I am not able to properly enjoy this due to this issue. There is a moderate headspace in play, with the stimulation and increased sexual appetite becoming increasingly prominent.
T+4.00 I lie in bed for a while and notice that my hands are trembling. The tight chest remains. I would describe the headspace as mellow, but there are no OEVs or CEVs to speak of, but rather, a bit of blurred and fuzzy vision.
At this point I check my blood pressure and BPM. The former is 128/86, and latter is a steady 56. These may seem reasonable but both figures are significantly off my norm. I usually hover around 125/75 with a BPM of less than 50 (which is generally considered to be quite low). The 86 (diastolic blood pressure) is higher than I have ever seen it.
T+5.00 With the chest discomfort being strong and persistent I take 0.5mg of etizolam to (hopefully) calm it.
T+6.00 It appears that the benzo has now started to take effect in that my chest feels a little healthier. Blood pressure is back to normal although my BPM remains elevated at 57. Not surprisingly I am now a little jaded and tired.
T+8.00 The unpleasantness has largely subsided, leaving a hazy heady slightly sleepy feel, and a general body awareness ebbing and flowing in the background. The sexual payload has faded as well, and I note that this drug could certainly be characterised as an effective chemsex agent.
T+9.00 I take a short and gentle swim, and the stretching makes me feel a little better. I am in the afterglow at this point, with just a mild headspace and some body tactility.
As bedtime approaches (9.30pm, over 10 hours in) I am somewhat exhausted, in both body and mind, and am seriously looking forward to slumber. I feel like I have been put through a ringer.
On reaching the bedroom I took 1mg of etizolam, which as usual delivered a sound night’s sleep. In the morning I felt a little distant but was generally well. On checking my BPM and blood pressure at lunch time I was back within normal parameters.
On reflection I wonder about the dose equivalence with LSD. Taking Erwoid’s figures as a guideline the common dose for DOM is stated to be 2mg-6mg, and for LSD 50ug to 150ug. If this was 1.5mg of DOM I was perhaps just under the equivalent of 50ug of LSD. If it was 2.5mg I was somewhere over the equivalent of 50ug of LSD and into the common zone.
These figures felt about right in terms of headspace for a first time user, although I found the ride itself to be less interesting than LSD, and not only because of the lack of visuals on this dose. The body load was simply too intense to allow free uninterrupted exploration and aesthetic musing, which I generally enjoy with psychedelics. On the other side of the coin, the effect on libido and sex drive was significant, although this too was somewhat dampened by the constant discomfort.
I’m not sure why this problem would manifest here, but would hazard a guess that it is linked to the amphetamine relationship (stimulants are widely cited for their potential to evoke cardiovascular events). Note though that I have never experienced anything like it with amphetamine itself, having enjoyed it many times over the years, including at high doses.
I would certainly like to try this at a higher level, but in the circumstances this would clearly be foolhardy and reckless. I will heed the message my body is sending, particularly given that I cannot readily recall such prolonged and sustained body discomfort with any other drug, certainly of this class.
This is disappointing, but realistically the decision is a no-brainer. I feel vindicated in taking my own generic advice and starting with a low dose.
I suspect that for anyone who doesn’t encounter these issues (and some people don’t at least on sensible doses) there is much of interest to explore. Unfortunately though, this one just doesn’t seem to be for me.
[Shulgin Reference: PiHKAL #68, p637]