This pre-print phenomenological study (n=23) investigates DMT-induced immersive experiences and encounters with autonomous presences during fMRI scanning. Using micro-phenomenological interviews, it identifies structural features and temporal dynamics of DMT experiences, highlighting layered sensory, spatial, self-related, and social effects that extend beyond ego dissolution or mystical experiences.
Abstract of DMT micro-phenomenology
“DMT reliably induces profound experiences of immersion in other worlds and encounters with seemingly autonomous presences, yet the lived qualities and unfolding of these experiences remain poorly understood. Using micro-phenomenological interviews with twenty-three healthy participants who received DMT during fMRI scanning, this study explores how these experiences arise and develop in awareness. Micro-phenomenological analysis reveals rich dimensions of immersive experience – from multisensory engagement to radical reconfigurations of self and world – and illuminates the varied ways presences can be seen, felt, or otherwise sensed. Rather than focusing on specific content, we follow the micro-phenomenological method to identify the structural features and temporal dynamics that characterise the rich subjective landscape of DMT experience. The findings extend beyond traditional constructs like ‘ego dissolution’ or ‘mystical experience’ to reveal how immersion and presence phenomena emerge through specific dimensions, particularly the layering of sensory effects, and subsequent layering of spatial, self-related, and social effects. This detailed phenomenological mapping advances our understanding of both DMT’s effects and the architecture of conscious experience, while demonstrating the value of systematic first-person methods for studying profound alterations of consciousness. The findings invite comparative analysis with other transformations of consciousness, such as meditation and lucid dreaming, and especially with presence phenomena observed across different experiential contexts such as lab-induced presence hallucinations, and Parkinson’s disease.”
Authors: James W. Sanders, Raphael Milliere, Zachary G. Daily, Robin L. Carhart-Harris & Christopher Timmermann
Summary of DMT micro-phenomenology
N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a serotonergic psychedelic known for inducing intense, immersive experiences characterised by encounters with seemingly autonomous entities and profound alterations in perception. Previous studies have documented DMT’s ability to create vivid experiences resembling alternate realities, often accompanied by radical shifts in self-perception and sensory awareness.
While prior research has mainly focused on the content of these experiences, such as visual patterns or perceived entities, less is understood about their structural and temporal characteristics. This study seeks to address this gap by employing micro-phenomenological methods to explore the structural features and dynamics of DMT experiences. Micro-phenomenology offers a systematic approach to capturing fine-grained details of subjective experiences, enabling the identification of patterns and dimensions within these altered states.
Methods
Study Design
Find this paper
https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/2m9d4
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Cite this paper (APA)
Sanders, J. W., Millière, R., Daily, Z. G., Carhart-Harris, R., & Timmermann, C. (2024). DMT micro-phenomenology.
Study details
Topics studied
Healthy Subjects
Study characteristics
Original Re-analysis
Placebo-Controlled
Single-Blind
Interviews
Qualitative
Participants
23
Humans
Institutes
Institutes associated with this publication
Imperial College LondonThe Centre for Psychedelic Research studies the action (in the brain) and clinical use of psychedelics, with a focus on depression.
Compound Details
The psychedelics given at which dose and how many times
DMT 20 mg | 1xLinked Research Papers
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