1st plateau (1.5-2.5 mg/kg): Great for conversation, yet can be a powerful trip. It all depends on the mindset. Usually one is very empathetic, and has great insights to everything. Also, the physical aspects (robo walk, the drippy feeling, etc) are present. The 1st plateau, when in a good, carefree mode, can be good for a party, or concert, though you should try and act normal, of course.
2nd plateau (2.5-7.5 mg/kg): All the effects of the 1st plateau are present, with the addition of more euphoria, a decreased sense of time and a decreased sense of surroundings. Unlike the later plateaus, one is still somewhat coherent on the second plateau. At this plateau, also, doing things such as dancing (though I wouldn't recommend this at a rave), spinning around, rolling, and other physical activities feels quite pleasurable. Some also report closed eye visuals (CEV's) at this plateau. The trick to getting them is to be in complete darkness and to concentrate on the visuals. The visuals aren't anything like visuals from LSD or psilocybin, rather they are more like blankets of color underneath your eyelids or a "light show inside your head". The "weirdness" and alien-ness of the later plateaus is not as strong at the second plateau.
3rd plateau (7.5-15 mg/kg): Many of the effects of the first two plateaus are present, though the mark of the third plateau is the change in mental perceptions. Whereas sensory/physical effects dominate the second plateau, mental perceptions and time/space distortion are more prevalent on the third (and fourth). Insights are extraordinary. One may tend to shut him/herself away from other people in order to explore their mind at this plateau. This is definitely not a party plateau. I've found that this plateau could be some sort of "transition" between the physical and the mental that occurs on some sort of "highway". The spiraling shapes and the fluid could be the highway that the transition is made on. While on this highway, thoughts and feelings of one's life will pop up. General thinking becomes deeper and more enhanced.
4th plateau (15mg/kg-): The highway can be crossed at this plateau. What is on the other side of the highway could be anything. At this point, the tripper usually looses contact with the outside world and ventures into an inward journey. Alien encounters, out of body experiences, etc are not uncommon. Some may even argue that out of body experiences are inevitable at such a rate of dissociation as the fourth plateau. I don't have to mention that this plateau is not for beginners. Note that anything above 20mg/kg (around 1200mg for a person around 60 kilograms) is dangerous and should not be done without close access to a hospital and a smart trip-sitter. Actually, for all intents and purposes, DXM shouldn't be done over 1000mg.
5th plateau (usually reported above 30 mg/kg): There have been some reports of a 5th plateau. They include nothing of what is typically a DXM trip. The only reason why I include it here is because there seems to be a specific point where the 4th plateau ends and another plateau is reached. This is probably where DXM's dissociative stage ends and the fully anaesthetic stage begins. The 5th plateau may involve profuse sweating, vomiting, blackouts, coma, respiratory collapse, hypoxic brain damage and possibly death. After effects can last for a week. Anyone willing to reach this plateau is clearly asking for trouble and possibly death. If you go into this territory, you are lucky if you just pass out. If you are unlucky, you will first pass out and then will die.
