Miscellaneous Have you used a strobe light with psychedelics?

[Freeotrope]

I have a headlamp with a strobe setting. Yesterday I looked at it with my eyes closed and it created all sorts of interesting geometric shapes. It made me think of combining this with psychedelics as an aid to concentration to go deeper into the psychedelic space, similarly to how music is used. Has anyone done this? What was your experience like?

 

[ageingpartyfiend]

Haven't done so at home but have been in environments (gigs/parties) when a strobe was firing...and yeah definitely effective.

On the (rare thesedays) times I trip at home (or such) I tend to take doses that don't require any further sensory stimulation to deepen the space (like...would have no clue what a strobe light was type doses

 

[JackARoe]

I remember the first time I ever saw a strobe light as a kid. I was astounded. That whole concept. I would put a fan in front of a TV and observe the strobe too. But I loved it. I never had one. I did have a big black light.

Now in all my years I am sure I was tripping somewhere where there was a strobe light. Looking back over the years gets hazy but I would bet my life I experienced that.

 

[PsychedelicSummer]

They used strobes in early LSD research. I remember Stan Grof talking about it. Maybe it even was during his first LSD experience where they experimented with the effect of different strobe frequencies.

 

[MadAboutSafrole]

Used to do this quite a lot, though my strobe is broken now and I keep meaning to try and fix it. Some observations...

Tryptamines: Looking at strobe with eyes closed, could see swirling colourful patterns onto which were superposed sharp geometric shapes drawn in black lines. The set of colours were often associated with some past memory (e.g. the colour palette of an 8-bit computer I once used, or those that make up the kit of some sports team), though just as often I couldn't place where the colours were from. Meanwhile, the sharpness and thinness of the black lines seemed superior to my normal visual acuity.
LSD: Looking at blank wall or ceiling, the strobe seemed to assist ability to hallucinate superposed images, like colourful parrots or snakes.
DXM: While playing music, some flashes from the strobe were selectively rendered invisible so the remaining flashes fitted the beat of the music. I think other models of strobe can actually do that, but mine wasn't supposed to.

 

[Anonymous Dissident]

Yes. It didn't however, alter my experiences in any substantive manner after my eyes were allowed to readjust to a steady level of light. During the brief period in which my experience was altered, it only accounted for a slight, slowly receding increase in CEV levels. Absolutely no change in my mindset was ever observed. I tried it with tryptamines (I'm lumping lysergamides in the tryptamine category), phenethylamines, and dissociatives and cannabis; hell, maybe during one of my early experimental days when I downed a handful of benadryl or diphenhydramine. Others my experience something completely different, but that's been my experience with psychoactive compounds and strobe lights.