10 ms·

Being on Psychedelics and being strapped onto an MRI machine where I couldn't move sounds terrible. There is some definite measurement problems going on with a

Being on Psychedelics and being strapped onto an MRI machine where I couldn't move sounds terrible. There is some definite measurement problems going on with a study like this.

libraryatnight 4y ago
MRI machines are the stuff of nightmares for me, I can't imagine the hell that would be.
- agumonkey 4y ago
  Depends on the model though, on small one where there's really no room around your head, which is locked in a cage is really edging on psychological torture depending on your anxiety level.
  - colordrops 4y ago
    Psychedelics have caused heavy anxiety for me even when sitting next to a beautiful mountaib stream. I've had a panic attack in an MRI while sober. Couldn't imagine doing both at the same time.
    - MarkMarine 4y ago
      Might just wipe those fears out of your mind if you were in the right mental space and coached through it. As I understand it, this is showing promise in treating the kind of panic attack/PTSD trauma you're describing. I only mention PTSD because it's been a problem for some of my friends and they are very interested in the positive news about psychedelics as treatment options. From my perspective, a long acting treatment done via psychedelics and a guide, in a controlled environment, with no need to repeatedly take a drug and no day to day side effects of that drug (because, you're not taking one) is incredibly promising. Unfortunately, this is exactly the kind of treatment that the business behind medicine doesn't like, so I'm quite skeptical if it's ever brought to market.
  - Ntrails 4y ago
    I had an hour long (ish, maybe a bit longer?) brain scan in an MRI for a control in a phd friend's study. I snoozed and the only notable thing was me sleepily snapping at her for waking me up to tell me what was happening... The ear defender/headphones were pretty great
    - scajanus 4y ago
      Same for me (and plenty of coworkers who took part in the same studies) -- hardest part of taking part in the fMRI experiments was staying awake through it.
  - Broken_Hippo 4y ago
    To everyone reading: There is a cage on your head if you get a scan of your head. But if they are looking at your abdomen, you'll find a different sort of device over your midsection. I'm guessing that they have stuff for other parts as well. I don't personally mind the cage, and a lot of models have a mirror so that your field of vision is greater than the tube. (I get regular MRIs due to MS and a pancreas cyst)
    - agumonkey 4y ago
      Apologies for not being precise :)
    - Mezzie 4y ago
      Huh this just made me realize I never keep my eyes open in the MRI machine. (I also have MS). Now I'm wondering which is more common.
      - deleted 4y ago
        [deleted]
      - Broken_Hippo 4y ago
        I keep my eyes open as they put me in the tube, and close them when the test starts. I'm always afraid that I'll think something looks interesting and move my head while trying to see it. I might find an MRI relaxing, but I still don't wanna do it twice.
        Mezzie 4y ago
        I hate when I have to do them twice. I twitch a lot. It's the worst, and I'm uncomfortable, and the tech is stressed because it screws up the scheduling and ugh it's just the worst. Or when I have to pee in the middle.
    - ta988 4y ago
      Yes these are the coils used for excitation and reading. But really what you hear are the gradient coils inside the magnet assembly.
giantg2 4y ago
I was wondering if the inconsistent outcomes they were talking about could be due to environemnt/scenario influence. Like how people have completely different experiences based on their mindset, environment, etc prior to taking the drug. In my stupid mind, it's as if the drug doesn't have simply one effect, but enhances whatever is there already. Sort of like how some medications have different effects at different doses or in combination with different medicines.
sva_ 4y ago
I have never been in an MRI but I imagine with some good headphones and blindfolds it might be interesting.
- mikeg8 4y ago
  Doubtful. It’s not comfortable, you can’t move, and it’s extremely noisy to the point that no headphones would be able to drown out the mechanical sounds that would ruin a psychedelic experience
  - Broken_Hippo 4y ago
    I dunno. I have to get MRIs regularly: Once a year for my central nervous system (I have MS, this is common) and once a year or so for my pancreas. I don't mind at all. I have to stay alert for the pancreas since I have to hold my breath at one point, but all I do for the brain/spinal cord is lay still. The machine vibrates, headphones dull the sound, and sometimes there is music. I could sleep and I find the vibration kind of soothing - much like being in a car. I kinda look forward to it, honestly.
    - mikeg8 4y ago
      I’m not saying that the MRI experience itself is unbearable. But have you ever done psychedelics? No sleeping/snoozing. Your mind is very, very active and it can be intense/emotional. The experience I’ve had with MRI and shrooms/LSD makes them seem very incompatible. Just my opinion though.
      - fluoridation 4y ago
        I don't know. Mushrooms make me want to stay as still as possible in whatever position I'm in, even if it's standing. Unless the person suffers from claustrophobia, I don't think it would be an unbearable experience. It is possible to sort of sleep on psychs. I guess it's not quite sleep; it's more like a relaxed state of altered consciousness within the "normal" state of altered consciousness. I sometimes become alert again and realize I dozed off for a few minutes without losing track of time.
calt 4y ago
I actually kind of like an MRI. The rhythmic pulsing is relaxing. But obligatory relevant xkcd https://xkcd.com/1453/ https://xkcd.com/1453/ > Our fMRI study found that subjects performing simple memory tasks showed activity in the parts of the brain associated with loud noises clautrophobia, and the removal of jewelry.
- Broken_Hippo 4y ago
  I actually kind of like an MRI. The rhythmic pulsing is relaxing. Same, very much so. I often lament that a voice comes through and talks to me.
  - Velc 4y ago
    I thought I was the only one, great to hear others enjoy them also.
belkarx 4y ago
Using an Upright MRI [0] (created to help claustrophobic patients and is relatively open) might help. [0] http://www.uprightmrideerfield.com/5-reasons-to-choose-upright-mri http://www.uprightmrideerfield.com/5-reasons-to-choose-uprig...
RHSman2 4y ago
I have fallen asleep in MRI’s everytime. I find the experience incredibly relaxing. I also am very sensitive to mind altering substances. Go figure
antihero 4y ago
Try being strapped to a hospital bed in foreign country experiencing the most traumatic hallucinations and unending loops that are beyond the imaginable. Do not fuck with strong acid.

Being on Psychedelics and being strapped onto an MRI machine where I couldn't move sounds terrible. There is some definite measurement problems going on with a study like this.

libraryatnight 4y ago

MRI machines are the stuff of nightmares for me, I can't imagine the hell that would be.

agumonkey 4y ago
Depends on the model though, on small one where there's really no room around your head, which is locked in a cage is really edging on psychological torture depending on your anxiety level.
- colordrops 4y ago
  Psychedelics have caused heavy anxiety for me even when sitting next to a beautiful mountaib stream. I've had a panic attack in an MRI while sober. Couldn't imagine doing both at the same time.
  - MarkMarine 4y ago
    Might just wipe those fears out of your mind if you were in the right mental space and coached through it. As I understand it, this is showing promise in treating the kind of panic attack/PTSD trauma you're describing. I only mention PTSD because it's been a problem for some of my friends and they are very interested in the positive news about psychedelics as treatment options. From my perspective, a long acting treatment done via psychedelics and a guide, in a controlled environment, with no need to repeatedly take a drug and no day to day side effects of that drug (because, you're not taking one) is incredibly promising. Unfortunately, this is exactly the kind of treatment that the business behind medicine doesn't like, so I'm quite skeptical if it's ever brought to market.
- Ntrails 4y ago
  I had an hour long (ish, maybe a bit longer?) brain scan in an MRI for a control in a phd friend's study. I snoozed and the only notable thing was me sleepily snapping at her for waking me up to tell me what was happening... The ear defender/headphones were pretty great
  - scajanus 4y ago
    Same for me (and plenty of coworkers who took part in the same studies) -- hardest part of taking part in the fMRI experiments was staying awake through it.
- Broken_Hippo 4y ago
  To everyone reading: There is a cage on your head if you get a scan of your head. But if they are looking at your abdomen, you'll find a different sort of device over your midsection. I'm guessing that they have stuff for other parts as well. I don't personally mind the cage, and a lot of models have a mirror so that your field of vision is greater than the tube. (I get regular MRIs due to MS and a pancreas cyst)
  - agumonkey 4y ago
    Apologies for not being precise :)
  - Mezzie 4y ago
    Huh this just made me realize I never keep my eyes open in the MRI machine. (I also have MS). Now I'm wondering which is more common.
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]
    - Broken_Hippo 4y ago
      I keep my eyes open as they put me in the tube, and close them when the test starts. I'm always afraid that I'll think something looks interesting and move my head while trying to see it. I might find an MRI relaxing, but I still don't wanna do it twice.
      - Mezzie 4y ago
        I hate when I have to do them twice. I twitch a lot. It's the worst, and I'm uncomfortable, and the tech is stressed because it screws up the scheduling and ugh it's just the worst. Or when I have to pee in the middle.
  - ta988 4y ago
    Yes these are the coils used for excitation and reading. But really what you hear are the gradient coils inside the magnet assembly.

giantg2 4y ago

I was wondering if the inconsistent outcomes they were talking about could be due to environemnt/scenario influence. Like how people have completely different experiences based on their mindset, environment, etc prior to taking the drug. In my stupid mind, it's as if the drug doesn't have simply one effect, but enhances whatever is there already. Sort of like how some medications have different effects at different doses or in combination with different medicines.

sva_ 4y ago

I have never been in an MRI but I imagine with some good headphones and blindfolds it might be interesting.

mikeg8 4y ago
Doubtful. It’s not comfortable, you can’t move, and it’s extremely noisy to the point that no headphones would be able to drown out the mechanical sounds that would ruin a psychedelic experience
- Broken_Hippo 4y ago
  I dunno. I have to get MRIs regularly: Once a year for my central nervous system (I have MS, this is common) and once a year or so for my pancreas. I don't mind at all. I have to stay alert for the pancreas since I have to hold my breath at one point, but all I do for the brain/spinal cord is lay still. The machine vibrates, headphones dull the sound, and sometimes there is music. I could sleep and I find the vibration kind of soothing - much like being in a car. I kinda look forward to it, honestly.
  - mikeg8 4y ago
    I’m not saying that the MRI experience itself is unbearable. But have you ever done psychedelics? No sleeping/snoozing. Your mind is very, very active and it can be intense/emotional. The experience I’ve had with MRI and shrooms/LSD makes them seem very incompatible. Just my opinion though.
    - fluoridation 4y ago
      I don't know. Mushrooms make me want to stay as still as possible in whatever position I'm in, even if it's standing. Unless the person suffers from claustrophobia, I don't think it would be an unbearable experience. It is possible to sort of sleep on psychs. I guess it's not quite sleep; it's more like a relaxed state of altered consciousness within the "normal" state of altered consciousness. I sometimes become alert again and realize I dozed off for a few minutes without losing track of time.

calt 4y ago

I actually kind of like an MRI. The rhythmic pulsing is relaxing. But obligatory relevant xkcd https://xkcd.com/1453/ https://xkcd.com/1453/ > Our fMRI study found that subjects performing simple memory tasks showed activity in the parts of the brain associated with loud noises clautrophobia, and the removal of jewelry.

Broken_Hippo 4y ago
I actually kind of like an MRI. The rhythmic pulsing is relaxing. Same, very much so. I often lament that a voice comes through and talks to me.
- Velc 4y ago
  I thought I was the only one, great to hear others enjoy them also.

belkarx 4y ago

Using an Upright MRI [0] (created to help claustrophobic patients and is relatively open) might help. [0] http://www.uprightmrideerfield.com/5-reasons-to-choose-upright-mri http://www.uprightmrideerfield.com/5-reasons-to-choose-uprig...

RHSman2 4y ago

I have fallen asleep in MRI’s everytime. I find the experience incredibly relaxing. I also am very sensitive to mind altering substances. Go figure

antihero 4y ago

Try being strapped to a hospital bed in foreign country experiencing the most traumatic hallucinations and unending loops that are beyond the imaginable. Do not fuck with strong acid.