A Surprising Effect

Introduction

Continuous daily use of sertraline (50mg, orally) for many previous months, stopping a few weeks before this experience. Substance obtained from an online vendor of essential oils who I assume is trusted. Optically, it’s a transparent, basically colourless fluid. Upon touch, it feels just about the way one would assume an oil would. It smells somewhere between a hospital disinfectant/hydrogen peroxide and a pine tree, with the balance being far tilted in the direction of the disinfectant/peroxide. Not what I expected. There is around 15g/18ml of a-Pinene in the tiny bottle that I am using. Given that my target dose is 40mg (which was the dose that Josikinz said made her pretty high), I will draw 0.05ml of the oil with a syringe and deposit it under my tongue. Previous experience with the compound: None. This is my first experiment with it. I have no experience with other supposedly psychoactive essential oils either. Set: A little anxiety over whether the product that we got is pure – it seems irrational, there is no reason to assume it isn’t, but stuff like this is impossible to test without professional chemical equipment, and I always get nervous when experimenting with a new substance, especially one with almost no known reports of prior human use. Setting: At home, in my room, sometimes accompanied by my youngest brother (he’s 18).

Onset

22:20 (T + 00:00)
Deposited under my tongue with the syringe. Disgusting in a way which is hard to describe, but is strongly reminiscent of its smell. Burns slightly.
22:25 (T + 00:05)
Spat the oil out. It leaves a kind of mint sensation on the tongue, which might be pleasant if not for the slight burning that continues.

Peak

23:06 (T + 00:46)

The subjective intensity level seems about the same as ten minutes ago. I would say that music sounds nicer now though, and I feel comfortable overall. The effect enhancing the painting seems to have increased in power, though it’s still subtle. Certain parts of the geometric structure of the painting seem to be slightly ‘popping out’ from the painting, as if it was truly a 3D shape. Definitely stronger than it was twenty minutes ago, and it made me really excited about trying this substance in higher dosages. If the effect holds, it might be a great tool for enjoying galleries even more. I tried switching the painting for a different one (also abstract geometry), to similar albeit perhaps somewhat weaker results. This almost feels like immersion enhancement for paintings, almost in a psychedelic way (but weak).

23:15 (T + 00:55)

I tried closing my eyes. There are no visuals, unsurprisingly, except for perhaps a super subtle ‘melting’ of the almost uniform blackness of my visual field. With my eyes closed, I feel significantly higher than with them open, and there is a hint of a body high which I would describe as comfortable and very subtle waves of warmth spreading from my chest or perhaps my neck alongside my pulse. This reminded me to measure my heartbeat. 65 BPM, normal. Focusing on the stopwatch while counting was sort of strange, and made me unsure whether I am experiencing time flow slightly slower or faster than normal, but then I realized it’s probably just somewhat harder for me to focus properly on it. Again, an effect that one would expect from a GABA drug. However, this does not feel like an anxiolytic. I am always a little anxious when I am trying out new compounds, especially when there are almost no known reports on them, and this anxiety does not seem to be alleviated. Measured my breathing rate too – 14 breaths in a minute (measured at 23:26 – T + 01:06). Somewhat elevated. Might be due to the subtle anxiety. Focusing on breathing feels strange, as if I were more aware of air passing through my airways and lungs.

23:28 (T + 01:08)

I think I figured out a part of the deal with the paintings – I feel like I am more aware of each individual part of the overall whole that I am looking at and how it fits into the whole, and perhaps also of the differences between individual shades of colours – the colours don’t seem enhance per se, though, just more distinct from each other. This effect is extremely subtle though, and might be just me overthinking it and convincing myself of something that isn’t there.

23:34 (T + 01:14)

I feel quite sedated, thought it might just be me being tired (but I don’t think it is, I went to sleep at 3AM last night and woke at like 11:30AM today). Painting enhancement definitely still ongoing, and music seems to be somewhat enhanced. I will try to play some Osu! now, as that seems to be a good way go gauge my overall ability to perform difficult coordination tasks.

A Surprising Effect

Contents

Introduction

Onset

Peak

Offset

Conclusion / Aftermath