I think people who are naturally fascinated by the mystery of existence and deeper questions about reality are the ones who benefit the most from DMT and may be less likely to have terrifying experiences. Do you agree?
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People whose interests already go beyond ordinary reality like fascination with magic behind existence, deep existential questions, parallel universes, higher dimensions, fantasy worlds, and the feeling that there’s something hidden behind reality. Especially people who had difficult childhoods and often felt like they never truly belonged here, almost as if they came from somewhere else or always sensed there was a deeper mystery to existence.
On the other hand, I sometimes feel that people who approach DMT mainly to strengthen their religious beliefs, fix personal problems, or escape addiction may be more vulnerable to fear during the experience. I know someone who tried DMT because they were struggling with addiction to other substances, but they ended up having an extremely difficult trip and described it as the deepest fear they had ever experienced. That person never really seemed interested in deeper existential questions or the mystery of reality itself.
Maybe some people are naturally drawn toward these experiences and are less afraid of concepts like ego death or even death itself, while people who are very attached to ordinary life or who take DMT mainly because of personal suffering may feel more terrified when confronted with such intense states.
People who seek enlightenment may also fall into the second category, because I’ve seen many spiritual YouTubers speak negatively about DMT after trying it, saying they didn’t expect to “go somewhere” or encounter something that felt completely beyond their spiritual framework.
DMT seems to fascinate people who are genuinely obsessed with the mystery of existence itself, and then whatever enlightenment comes from it is secondary and personal. It feels less like a tool for becoming spiritually “pure” and more like direct contact with the unknown.
Terence McKenna once said, “follow the plant, not the guru.” Of course, I don’t fully agree with him, but he’s an example of someone who was deeply interested in understanding the mystery of existence rather than positioning himself as a spiritual guide leading others to enlightenment. He seemed far more fascinated by the experience of other worlds, strange dimensions, and the unknown itself.
I think people who enjoy listening to him usually fall into the first category people who are naturally drawn toward wonder, mystery, and exploration rather than self-improvement or spiritual reassurance.
Meanwhile, people in the second category often seem more likely to come out of a terrifying experience thinking, “I’m never doing this shit again.” Their main goal usually wasn’t exploration of the unknown itself, so when the experience becomes overwhelming or reality-shattering, it can feel more traumatic than fascinating.
I’m not saying people in the first category will never have negative or terrifying experiences. They absolutely can. But I think they may be more likely to eventually return after taking long breaks, because their curiosity about the mystery is strong. Of course, they can still completely freak out, and sometimes their fear can be equal to or even greater than the fear experienced by people in the second category.
Do you think this analysis makes sense, or am I overthinking it?