4 ms·

Very sad to read that. Yet, by the way, why do they always use lethal doses of morphine for euthanasia? I.e. I would strongly prefer a lethal dose of 5-MeO-DMT

Very sad to read that. Yet, by the way, why do they always use lethal doses of morphine for euthanasia? I.e. I would strongly prefer a lethal dose of 5-MeO-DMT (which feels like spiritual ascension and dissolution in pure light, union with the universe and non-duality, and then you just forget to breathe in case of a lethal dose) for myself.

joeberon 7y ago
It sounds like death is the opposite of what you think it is. DMT is obviously highly activating and opens the neurological floodgates so to speak (as is any seratonin-based psychedelic). Death is the total opposite of this: the total shutdown of all processes, much more like an extreme and total sedation Also is there even such a thing as a lethal dose of DMT?
- qwerty456127 7y ago
  I don't know about n,n-DMT (which is a potent hallucinogen and for what simply DMT is a conventional shorthand for) but for 5-MeO-DMT (which is a distinct substance, very weak hallucinogen yet tremendously strong psychedelic) - it's not unlikely to die if you overdose. Doses above 25mg are dangerous, 100mg is probably an almost guaranteed physical death. You just experience being so free from the concepts of material (and mental) reality, one with G-d, Universe and everything, that you can (and will, if the dose is enough) forget about your physical body and it stops breathing. Curiously enough this substance seems being safe and even very beneficial as long as the doses are reasonable and this attracts scientific attention. I.e. I've read the following paper recently: A single inhalation of vapor from dried toad secretion containing 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) in a naturalistic setting is related to sustained enhancement of satisfaction with life, mindfulness-related capacities, and a decrement of psychopathological symptoms (DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05236-w).
- Aeolun 7y ago
  There’s a lethal dose for pretty much anything.
  - Koshkin 7y ago
    Except you wouldn't want to die from overdosing on water.
    - jsjohnst 7y ago
      I’d argue that suffering from water intoxication (what “overdosing on water” is called medically) is no worse than most other forms of ODing. Common symptoms are headache, nausea, cramping, and drowsiness. For those wondering how much water it takes, it of course varies based on body weight and how much salt is in your body, but generally speaking, drinking over a gallon (~4L) of water in an hour is at high risk.
acollins1331 7y ago
Sounds illegal
prostheticvamp 7y ago
I’m not familiar with euthanasia in humans. In animals, phenobarbital is used, not morphine. In humans, Morphine is used when withdrawing a ventilator. It’s not used to kill the patient. Morphine is very effective at quelling what we call “air hunger”, which is incredibly uncomfortable for the patient (if they can still feel it), and the family (because it sounds like the patient is gasping for air.)
wayoutthere 7y ago
I would assume it's because a lot of morphine plus a benzodiazepine is basically passing away in your sleep.
sangnoir 7y ago
> Yet, by the way, why do they always use lethal doses of morphine for euthanasia? Deniability. Euthanasia is still illegal in most of the world (and yet is the moral thing to do at times). To avoid tangling with the long arm of the law, the medical staff overseeing a terminal patient will hint at what a deadly dosage would be, and leave the dosage control with a family member. So what if the coroner finds morphine - it's supposed to be there. 5-MeO-DMT (or any other non-medical compound), is far less innocuous, and could potentially open a legal can of worms for everyone involved.

joeberon 7y ago

It sounds like death is the opposite of what you think it is. DMT is obviously highly activating and opens the neurological floodgates so to speak (as is any seratonin-based psychedelic). Death is the total opposite of this: the total shutdown of all processes, much more like an extreme and total sedation Also is there even such a thing as a lethal dose of DMT?

qwerty456127 7y ago
I don't know about n,n-DMT (which is a potent hallucinogen and for what simply DMT is a conventional shorthand for) but for 5-MeO-DMT (which is a distinct substance, very weak hallucinogen yet tremendously strong psychedelic) - it's not unlikely to die if you overdose. Doses above 25mg are dangerous, 100mg is probably an almost guaranteed physical death. You just experience being so free from the concepts of material (and mental) reality, one with G-d, Universe and everything, that you can (and will, if the dose is enough) forget about your physical body and it stops breathing. Curiously enough this substance seems being safe and even very beneficial as long as the doses are reasonable and this attracts scientific attention. I.e. I've read the following paper recently: A single inhalation of vapor from dried toad secretion containing 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) in a naturalistic setting is related to sustained enhancement of satisfaction with life, mindfulness-related capacities, and a decrement of psychopathological symptoms (DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05236-w).
Aeolun 7y ago
There’s a lethal dose for pretty much anything.
- Koshkin 7y ago
  Except you wouldn't want to die from overdosing on water.
  - jsjohnst 7y ago
    I’d argue that suffering from water intoxication (what “overdosing on water” is called medically) is no worse than most other forms of ODing. Common symptoms are headache, nausea, cramping, and drowsiness. For those wondering how much water it takes, it of course varies based on body weight and how much salt is in your body, but generally speaking, drinking over a gallon (~4L) of water in an hour is at high risk.

acollins1331 7y ago

Sounds illegal

prostheticvamp 7y ago

I’m not familiar with euthanasia in humans. In animals, phenobarbital is used, not morphine. In humans, Morphine is used when withdrawing a ventilator. It’s not used to kill the patient. Morphine is very effective at quelling what we call “air hunger”, which is incredibly uncomfortable for the patient (if they can still feel it), and the family (because it sounds like the patient is gasping for air.)

wayoutthere 7y ago

I would assume it's because a lot of morphine plus a benzodiazepine is basically passing away in your sleep.

sangnoir 7y ago

> Yet, by the way, why do they always use lethal doses of morphine for euthanasia? Deniability. Euthanasia is still illegal in most of the world (and yet is the moral thing to do at times). To avoid tangling with the long arm of the law, the medical staff overseeing a terminal patient will hint at what a deadly dosage would be, and leave the dosage control with a family member. So what if the coroner finds morphine - it's supposed to be there. 5-MeO-DMT (or any other non-medical compound), is far less innocuous, and could potentially open a legal can of worms for everyone involved.