An interactive companion to the substance guides — scroll for the side-by-side reference, or take a five-minute tour of each experience below. Best experienced on laptop/desktop.
Five short visual scenes, paced to the real timing of the experience. Step inside each substance, or scroll on for the static reference.
A one-paragraph orientation to each substance — what the experience feels like and where the dose range lives.
The active compound in psilocybin mushrooms — a 4–6 hour experience with warm visual softening, emotional openness, and a sense of connectedness. Typical dose 10–30 mg psilocybin (about 1–3 g dried mushrooms). Currently the most clinically researched psychedelic.
Read the full guide →A long-acting synthetic psychedelic (8–12 hours) discovered in 1943. Known for intense visual patterning, ego dissolution, and lasting shifts in openness — at common doses of 50–150 µg oral, the experience is highly dose-dependent and benefits from a calm, intentional setting.
Read the full guide →An empathogen (3–5 hours) that releases serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine — producing warmth, openness, and reduced fear-response. Typical dose 80–120 mg oral with a 60–90 mg booster. Most physically demanding common psychedelic, with hydration and cooling as the headline harm-reduction priorities.
Read the full guide →A short-acting tryptamine (5–20 minutes when inhaled) found in many plants. Produces one of the most intense psychedelic experiences known — vivid immersive visions, entity encounters, and complete ego dissolution. Common inhaled doses: 15–60 mg.
Read the full guide →A traditional Amazonian brew combining DMT-containing plants with an MAOI vine — a 4–8 hour ceremony-led experience marked by purging, visionary content, and emotional release. Typical dose 50–100 ml brew. The traditional dieta, an experienced facilitator, and aftercare integration are core to safer practice.
Read the full guide →Legal status, mechanism, duration (with onset and peak), typical dose, risk profile, and the headline harm-reduction priority for each substance.
| Substance | Legal Status | Mechanism | Duration | Typical Dose | Risk Profile | Harm-Reduction Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psilocybin | Schedule I — federal; Oregon & Colorado therapeutic use | 5-HT2A agonist | 4–6 hours | 10–30 mg psilocybin | Low | Grounding + integration |
| LSD | Schedule I — federal; decriminalized in select jurisdictions | 5-HT2A agonist (lysergamide) | 8–12 hours | 50–150 µg oral | Low | Set & setting |
| MDMA | Clinical trials only — Schedule I | Serotonin/norepinephrine/dopamine releaser | 3–5 hours | 80–120 mg oral | Moderate | Hydration + cooling |
| DMT | Schedule I — federal; some State-level reform | 5-HT2A agonist (tryptamine) | 5–20 minutes | 15–60 mg inhaled | Moderate | Sitter + scale-up doses |
| Ayahuasca | Religious & indigenous ceremony exemption — Schedule I | 5-HT2A agonist + MAOI (harmala alkaloids) | 4–8 hours | 50–100 ml brew | Moderate | Dieta + sitter |
Each substance has a full-length deep-dive covering effects, mechanism of action, harm reduction, and the current research landscape.
Psilocybin · LSD · MDMA · DMT · Ayahuasca
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