Continuing my trend of discussing things that can make you hallucinate or worse, I figured I must discuss this topic.
When I first traveled to Peru, many friends inquired if I would be trying Ayahuasca. As someone with a medical background, I gave them a firm “no”! Why? Because I don’t like to voluntarily put things into my body that leave me vulnerable or unaware of my surroundings.
For some, Ayahuasca has brought them closure to past traumas, changed their lives, or enhanced their relationships with others. But for others, it has caused them to become violent, to hallucinate, and to be killed by others due to their aggression after ingesting the substance.
What Is Ayahuasca?
Ayahuasca comes from a vine that grows in the Amazon called “Baniseriopsis caapi”. In order to make ayahuasca, the leaves of that vine are combined with leaves from another shrub called “Physchotria viridis”. The reason these plants are able to induce such powerful effects is because they contain a molecule called “N,N-dimethyltryptamine” or “DMT” for short.
Once injested, the tea induces intense hallucinations and introspection for some, for others it can cause terrifyingly realistic nightmares. The entire experience takes around eight hours for most people, however, the strongest effects last for one to three hours. Vomiting and diarrhea often accompany its ingestion and the natives are sure to be entertained as you experience “la purga”. Some silly sods actually believe this is healthy for you.
Ayahuasca became more popular in the early 2000s as more people followed trends and learned about it from Google. Now there are Ayahuasca tours that gringos can enjoy. You must be careful though, there are many fakes out there.
Conclusion
I have no doubt that some people have experienced life-changing-hallucinations from experiencing the drug, but considering the risks of taking such things, I would suggest other self-improvement methods. Personally, I don’t like to vomit and shit all over myself when seeking self-improvement, but that’s just me. 🙂
