4-5 days while smoking meth. That was not long after I first started using meth.
Few things about visuals I remember during that time, which was part of main motivations for trying to sleep at that time in fear of psychosis or something bad: I remember as I had gone to bed saw the wallpaper-pattern as a hollow/3d room in constant movement/waving, and imagined ever-evolving shapes of cartoon-like (?) faces/figures all over the normally perceived boring wallpaper-pattern. shine of light/color in side of the eye at times, like it was pitch black in the room but for a little I thought the light was on and looked around to notice its actually pitch black after all.
Once thought curtains were flapping in the wind and got up to close the window above the bed, as I was lying in bed waiting to sleep (meth comedown with no benzos..), but upon getting closer found it was already cloesd.., and other kinda minor things. Was aware it was related to drugs, fortunately never lost complete control or did anything too weird or anything..
Since back then I have never gone that long without sleep again, and don't think I'd ever want to repeat that either.
The first times I think I had to go 2-4days atleast before I had much apparent visual effects at all, and weren't much bothered by any other effects either. I think these signs (like visuals) that comes with sleep deprivation are appearing more easily for me now, and as such would be afraid 4-5 days as earlier could cause even stronger effects on me right now.
If my mind has really become more fragile like that somehow, hopefully , and Id guess, it could get better if I just took a break off drugs and lived healthily for a while..
Lately I would max go 2-3 days without sleep,rarely ever 3 or any more I think... atleast without added benzos, would prolly be worrying about alot in addition to eventual visuals by then, so uncomfortable.
Im takin the visuals as a sign it's time for bed, and would normally try to sleep before that anyway
Also, amazingly, even if only sleeping like 2 hours after having such strong apparent visuals, all visuals were pretty much completely gone after I'd wake up after such a tiny nap! So sleep seems to be very regenerative/helpful for the brain to recover, even a tiny bit of sleep. and much more more important than I used to think. I bet it affects all kinds of health..
I remember seeing, or being reminded of some (traffic-safety) campaign encouraging tired drivers to take just a 15 min. break on side of the road when tired, to sleep. I didn't think about that much before after this, and I now very much believe even such a small 15 min. break could actually help alot and would definitely be worth it
Also I might add, once I whent without sleep for 3 days, slept a few hours then another 3 days sleepless.. afterwards I suddenly woke up with infection (under the skin, seemed to appear outta nowhere) that seemed to spread fast, but was fixed with simple anti-biotic pill cure. Few days after infection flared up I also got the flu.. I'd guess that's
because immune system was weakened by that lack of sleep and/or related unhealthy lifestule.. pretty sure its related to that serious sleep-deprivation or related unhealthy lifestyle and not the drug itself, and that sleep is much more important than I used to think.
maybe stupid, but, I still often go sleepless for 1-3 days now and then, in periods ive been smoking meth lately.. that hopefully wont be forever, until I get any other ill effects, or something I cant recover from though =)