Visual effects - Dissociatives
This article attempts to break down the visual effects contained within the dissociative experience into simple, easy to understand titles, descriptions and levelling systems. This will be done without depending on metaphors, analogies or personal trip reports. The article starts off with descriptions of the simpler effects and works its way up towards more complex experiences as it progresses, using image examples wherever possible...
Suppression
An overall suppression of vision is consistently reported during experiences with certain categories of hallucinogen including both deliriants and dissociatives. It can be generally defined as an overall decrease in the level of clarity and detail regarding visual input sourced from the external environment. It is manifested through 3 separate subcomponents.
Decreased visual acuity
Decreased visual acuity can be described as the experience of ones sense of vision becoming partially to completely blurred and indistinct. Depending on the intensity, this can often result in a loss of the ability to function and perform basic tasks which necessitate the use of sight.
Double vision
Double vision can be the described as the experience of doubled vision identical to that which occurs when one crosses their eyes. Depending on the intensity, this can often result in a loss of the ability to function and perform basic tasks which necessitate the use of sight but can be solved by simply closing one eye. This suggests that the double vision is occurring because the brain is simply overlaying the images received from both eyes on top each other without rendering the information into a singular 3-Dimensional image as it normally does in day to day life.
Suppression of pattern recognition
Suppression of pattern recognition can be defined as the experience of a partial to all encompassing inability to process currently perceivable visual information regardless of the clarity, detail and acuteness of its visual acuity. For example, although one may be able to see what is in front of them perfectly clearly they will not be able to register or label what is in front of them rendering even the most common of everyday objects become partially completely unrecognisable.
Distortions
Perspective distortions
A very common visual component found within a typical dissociative experience is one of a shift in perspective; this generally consists of subtle or even drastic changes in the sense of size and distance, attributed either to tripper's own body or their external environment.
Distortions of distance can be described as specific parts or the entirety of the external environment appearing to become physically closer or further away in their distance.
Distortions of size can be described as changes in the sense of physical size attributed to the external environment or the body. For example, feelings of suddenly having an impossibly giant or tiny body are very common. Along side of this, feelings of the external environment becoming impossibly large or small in size are also common.
Environmental Orbism
Environmental orbism is a visual distortion characterized by a partitioning of the environment a person is currently in. This is manifested in the form of spherical 3 dimensional "orbs" that retain most of the detail and identity of the space their distorting. These orbs vary in size which leads to gaps that are formed in between, the space within these gaps is either completely dark or composed of tightly bound visual and fractal imagery. This dark space eventually grows, decreasing the size of the orbs gradually until it eventually becomes the usual darkened holes, spaces and voids commonly exhibited within high dose dissociatives.
Environmental orbism is an effect confirmed to occur in multiple people without prior knowledge of such effect. Although this effect usually occurs on higher doses, and usually isn't noticed in casual users, as at high doses the dissociative hole is usually entered, but as tolerance increases such effects as enviromental orbism become more prominent.
- Enviromental orbism - gallery
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Dali painting -
Seated couple -
Family behind frosted glass
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Environmental cubism
Environmental cubism is a distortion characterized by a visual segmenting or partitioning of the external environment into squares and cubes of varying amounts and sizes. Once established, these partitions begin to slowly drift away from their original location and often change in size leading to gaps that are formed in between them. The space within these gaps is either completely dark or composed of tightly bound visual geometry. This dark space can eventually grow, progressively decreasing the size of the cubes until the tripper finds themselves surrounded by the dissociative hole. It is not uncommon to be able to innately feel and detect the details and layout of both the different sections of the distortion and the gaps between them. It was made famous by artist David Hockney in his cubical partitioning and environmental portraiture.
This effect is remarkably similar in its appearance to cubist photography and artwork.
- Enviromental cubism - gallery
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Scenery slicing
Scenery slicing is an effect which only occurs spontaneously and makes the visual field appear as if it has been cut remarkably cleanly into separate slices with some sort of razor blade. These separate slices then proceed to drift slowly away from their original position and can be as simple as three separate sections, or as complex as multiple slices of a moving interlocking spiral that’s been cut into your field of vision.
- Scenery slicing - gallery
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Finn jumping rocks. -
A walk in the park. -
Dissociative scenery slicing
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Geometry
Geometry is a category of effects which directly effects the vision. It can be described as the sensation of a person’s field of open and closed-eye vision being partially or completely encompassed by fast-moving, kaleidoscopic, and indescribably complex geometric patterns, form constants, shapes, fractals, structures and colour.
Visual geometry never stands still at any point and is often extremely fast-changing and self-transforming in terms of its shape and style within itself. This happens whilst the geometry is naturally drifting laterally or radially across the visual field to create overlapping webs of many arising and decaying geometric patterns, all of which are visible within a single perceptual frame.
In comparison to psychedelic visual geometry this effect is considerably more basic with subtle differing characteristics. For example, this geometry does not display itself on a 2-Dimensional veil in front of your visual field with no sense of particular size or distance attributed its appearance. Instead the geometry feels fully immersive, as if they are surrounding the visual field in a 3-Dimensional manner with a sense of physical size and distance attributed to them.
In terms of their stylistic appearance they also tend to be darker and slower in terms of their movement and the way in which they shift in their shape across themselves. These usually only display themselves when the tripper has their eyes closed or are in darkness.
Dissociative visual geometry can only be broken down into 4 possible levels, as opposed to the 7 differing levels of intensity found within psychedelic visual geometry (including 7A and 7B). They can be broken down and described as…
- Visual Noise – This is the most basic level of visual geometry and can be experienced in a completely sober state. It can be described as visual noise or static combined with random light and dark red regions that can be seen under the eye lids.
- Motion and Colour – This level is also easily obtainable without hallucinogens and can be described as the appearance of unstructured regions of fleeting flashes and clouds of colour.
- Partially Defined Geometry - This is the level where things start to get distinctively psychedelic, and complex indescribable shapes and patterns begin to show themselves. At this level, however, the patterns can be described as strictly 2-dimensional. They are fine, small, and zoomed out in size with a dark colour palette that limits itself to a couple of different shades such as blacks, reds and dark purples. They are displayed on both the open and closed-eye visual field across a flat veil of geometry, but significantly more detailed with the eyes closed or in dark environments.
- Fully Defined Geometry – This is the level where the detail in which the geometry displays itself becomes profoundly complex but remains strictly 2-dimensional. At this point the visuals become large in size and extremely intricate in detail with a colour palette that is limitless in its possibilities. They are displayed on both the open and closed-eye visual field across a flat veil of geometry that floats directly in front of the eyes, remaining significantly more detailed with the eyes closed or in dark environments.
Hallucinatory states
Hallucinatory states are perhaps the most profound subjective visual effect that the hallucinogenic experience has to offer. They are manifested as 3 distinct effects which come in a variety of differing intensities.
Imagery
Hallucinatory states begin at lower doses as imagery on the back of ones eyelids. These can be described as spontaneous moving or still scenes, objects, people, animals, concepts, places or anything you could possibly imagine. They are displayed in varying levels of detail ranging from “cartoon like” in nature to completely realistic although rarely holding form for more than a few seconds before fading or shifting into another image. These sets of imagery commonly include:
everyday objects, living things, plants, animals, insects, architecture, structures, shapes, atoms, molecules, complex mathematical formulae/concepts, linguistic concepts, mechanisms, technology, machine creatures, self-replicating machines, people, faces, eyes, body parts, organs, food, cultural references, fictional characters, logos, religious symbolism, creatures, monsters, demons, mythology, furniture and more.
During certain experiences, imagery is often manifested as an exact visual representation of whatever you are currently thinking about within your mind's eye, turning abstract ideas into a concrete images and remaining consistently limitless in its abilities.
Hallucinations
As these states of imagery become increasingly elaborate (proportional to dosage), they eventually become all-encompassing, fully-fledged 3-Dimensional hallucinations. These could be anything but generally fall under common archetypes such as contact with autonomous entities, imagined landscapes, spirit dimensions, and situations that seem so unlike anything previously experienced that they are, in all probability, untranslatable into English. Hallucinations are sometimes described to feel transcendental, mystical, spiritual and religious in nature but more often than not they are simply randomized scenarios of no particular significance with a heavy emphasis on memory replays.
In comparison to psychedelic hallucinations they are significantly less likely to be immersive or interactive. Instead they consist of fixed plots that the tripper separately watches from afar as if they were a film on a screen. In terms of their general stylistic appearance they tend to be completely solid and realistic in how they look.
This particular state can be broken down into four distinct subcomponents.
Autonomous entities
Contact with autonomous entities are very common. These entities generally appear to be the inhabitants of a perceived independent reality - they are expectant of your appearance and enjoy interacting with you in various ways. The behaviour of a typical dissociative entity is one of an indifferent and uncaring personality which will only interact and speak with the tripper on the odd occasion. Entities can literally take any form but common subconscious Jungian archetypes are definitely present, these include:
bodiless super intelligent humanoids, aliens, elves, giant spheres, insectoids, cat beings, beings of light, plants, robotic machines, gods, goddesses, demons, human beings and more.
Regardless of presentation, there are distinctly different types of entity which one may encounter, each of which represent a particular subsection of one's own consciousness through both their visible form and their personality. These can be broken down into 3 separate categories and include:
- Representations of the self - The simplest form of entity can be described as simply a mirror of ones own personality. It can take any visible form but clearly adopts an obviously identical vocabulary and set of mannerisms to ones own personality when conversed with.
- Representations of the subconscious - This category of entity can take any visible form but adopts the personality of what seems to be a conscious controller behind the continuous generation of the details behind one's own mind scape and internally stored model of reality. When conversed with it usually adopts an attitude which wants to teach or guide the tripper and assumes that it knows what is best for them.
- Representations of specific concepts - This category of entity is by far the most varied type in terms of its visual form and immediately perceivable personality. It can be identified as a simulated representation of any internally stored concept and adopts an appropriate personality to fit this to an amazing degree of accurate detail. For example this specific concept could include people you have met throughout your life, fictional characters or symbolic representations of abstract concepts such as emotions or key parts of one's own personality.
When communicated with through spoken word the level of coherency in which these entities can reply with is highly variable but can be broken down into 4 distinct levels of communication:
- Silence - this level can be defined as a complete unresponsiveness from the side of the entity and an incapability of speech despite their obvious presence within the hallucination.
- Partially defined incoherent speech - this level can be defined as audible linguistic conversational responses and noises which sound like words but do not contain any real content or meaning beyond a vague sense of emotional intent.
- Fully defined incoherent speech - this level can be defined as audible linguistic conversational responses and noises which contain fully defined and understandable words but often lack grammatical structure or general coherency.
- Fully defined coherent speech - this level can be defined as audible linguistic conversational responses and noises which contain fully defined and understandable words as well as fully defined grammatical structure and general coherency which conveys its point on a level which is on par with the trippers own intellect.
These entities and creatures may also communicate with trippers via a combination of telepathy, visual linguistics, mathematics and morphing coloured structures of different textures.
Landscapes, sceneries and settings
At level 4 - 5 hallucinations consistently manifest themselves through the essential component of extremely detailed imagined landscapes, locations and sceneries of an infinite variety. These exist for the purpose of acting as the setting in which the plot of the hallucination occurs. The geography of these settings is capable of rendering itself as static and coherent in organization but will usually result in a non-linear, nonsensical and continuously ever-changing layout which does not obey the rules of everyday physics. In terms of the chosen locations, appearance and style of these settings, they seem to be selected at random and are often entirely new and previously unseen locations. They do however play a heavy emphasis on replicating and combining real life locations stored within the dreamer's memories, especially those which are prominent within one's life and daily routine. Aside from this they commonly include:
planetary systems, galaxies, quasars, jungles, rain forests, deserts, ice-scapes, cities, natural environments, caves, space habitats, vast structures, civilizations, technological utopias, ruins, machinescapes, rooms and other indoor environments, neurons, DNA, atoms, molecules, mitochondria and more.
At other points they act as something which is flown over but are also often experienced through the act of autonomous entities, directly manipulating what you can see and view; intentionally propelling trippers in different directions at disorienting speeds, forcing them to view or pass directly through macro and microscopic scale settings, including both previously experienced landscapes and previously unexperienced landscapes.
Scenarios and plots
Each of the above components are randomly shuffled and spliced into any number of an infinite variety of potential plots and scenarios. These may be positive or negative to experience and are difficult to define in a comprehensive manner in much the same way that we cannot predict the plot of abstract literature and films. They can however be broken down into extremely basic occurrences which generally entail visiting some sort of setting, or a number of them which contain within them, interactive, multiple, or lone dream characters. Alongside of these, completely unpredictable plot devices, events and occurrences, force the dreamer to become involved within the specific scenario of the particular dream.
These scenarios and plots can be linear and logical with events that occur in a rational sequence which lead onto each other through cause and effect. They are equally likely however to present themselves as completely nonsensical and incoherent. This means that the plot will occur with spontaneous events which are capable of ending, starting and changing between each other repeatedly in quick succession and as they please. The plots themselves can either be entirely new experiences that are unlike anything experienced within the real world, old experiences such as accurate memory replays or a combination of the two.
In terms of the amount of time in which they are experienced, hallucinatory dream plots and scenarios usually feel as if they are being experienced in real-time. This means that when 20 seconds have been felt to have passed within the hallucination, the exact same amount of time will have passed in the real world. At other points, however, distortions of time can make themselves present, resulting in plots and scenarios that can feel as if they literally last days, weeks, months, years, or even infinitely long periods of time.
The above effects can be broken down into five simple levels,
- Enhancement of mental visualization - The lowest level of hallucination can be described as a powerful enhancement of a person's ability to mentally visualize concepts. This internal visualization feels like one extremely vivid daydream after another, and follows a person's thought stream in a way that can be seen at a moderate level of detail within the mind's eye.
- Partially defined hallucinations - This level of hallucination generally consists of movement in the peripheral vision and ill-defined, faded imagery within the visuals, as well as transformations or false sightings within the peripheral vision which disappear as soon as a person double-takes.
- Fully defined hallucinations - As the vividness and intensity increases, the imagery eventually becomes fully defined in their appearance and within the tripper's direct line of sight. Transformations will also manifest themselves as fully-detailed and within a person's direct line of sight.
- Partially defined breakthroughs - These begin with random flashes of spontaneous psychedelic scenarios. These are capable of becoming fully grounded and long-lasting, but are not completely defined in their appearance. Often displaying themselves as partially to completely blurred and transparent, with the tripper's physical body still feeling at least partially connected to the real world.
- Fully defined breakthroughs - Once the hallucinations become sufficiently elaborate they eventually become all-encompassing, eventually increasing to permanent, ever-shifting alternate realities which appear completely realistic, extremely detailed, and highly vivid in the way they look along with a complete disconnection from the physical body.