DOF

Age: 25

Weight: 130 lbs

Dosage: 20 mg oral in gel cap

Setting: My house

 

Preface: DOF only appeared on the scene recently, despite being a fairly obvious direction to go in designing a new psychedelic. Development of this chemical was likely hindered by the fact that Shulgin stated that its non-amphetamine homologue, 2C-F, was inactive. DOF was tested in vitro a number of times throughout the 80’s and 90’s and these tests yielded the predictable result that it had a relatively low affinity for the 5HT2A receptors, binding to that receptor being the standard mechanism by which psychedelics work. So it was predicted that DOF would be lacking in psychedelic effects, that it was primarily a stimulant, and that it was much less potent than the other psychedelic amphetamines (also known as the DOX’s, with compounds like DOM or DOC). I was provided with a small sample of powder from this recent batch, which I instantly dove right into, taking 20 mg after an allergy test. It was a very cold winter day, I was home alone for most of the day, and ostensibly had no responsibilities. As a spoiler- This substance is certainly psychedelic, though overall it is mild and functional with many of the familiar psychedelic effects such as visuals being quite muted. A full overall conclusion as at the end.

 

T0:00- Dose taken. I am just lying on my bed, basking in the sunlight.

 

T0:25- First alerts as a twinge of nausea, a flicker of tension.

 

T0:47- Shocks of stimulation run through me, I feel on edge with nervous anticipation, I feel like I just want the peak to wash over me. Still feels as though this may just be an anxious placebo effect.

 

T1:00- A mild discomfort and stimulation grows in my limbs, definitely above a baseline placebo at this point. I am certain that this drug is affecting me.

 

T1:10- Something is definitely there now, a distinctly psychedelic rush and a pulsing unease. This is more than just a normal stimulant. Visuals begin to present, subtle and light, as lingering flashes of contrast on my screen in negative colors, afterimage echoes of each word I type in the blank white space. My mind is racing and dancing from thought to thought, a familiar psychedelic sense of internal connectedness and free-flowing association of thoughts.

 

T1:30- Nausea builds considerably, as does a latent stimulation in my bones. No other aspect of the experience seems to be accelerating now, just the bodyload.

 

T1:39- I spoke to soon on the last note- now the build in physical sensations is matched by a euphoric rush, something bordering on entactogenic effects but more profound, more self-assured and lucid.

My ideal setting for doing psychedelics is always alone, in a familiar space, but for once, I really wish I had someone to talk to. Conversations over text will suffice for now- words and sentences form easily in my head, I feel more eloquent and articulate, I feel like I have a certain swagger now in how I hold myself and conduct myself. Perhaps it’s better that no one is around right now, maybe I would be acting arrogant and obnoxious. I just feel like showing myself off, there is a tangible boost to my confidence. I feel absolutely privileged to have obtained access to this very rare chemical and I am basking in the glow of the circumstances that have brought me here. Overall I would still describe the experience as distinct but ultimately very mild and manageable. There’s a sudden lightness in my body, like what I am inhaling is lighter than the air I’m used to.

 

T1:48- The visuals are furtive- I’ll catch a flash of tracers or an odd color shift out of the corner of my eye, but when I actually stop and look for them, they stop presenting. A nice steady euphoria is setting in, more than just the confident self-assuredness that was washing over me before, it is a universal assuredness in the world around me. This is very pleasant. I am shaking a lot and the nausea continues to build, the bodyload is uncomfortable but entirely manageable. 

 

T2:17- The different components of the experience swell and recede in gradual gentle waves, oddly out of sync with seemingly no rhyme or reason- this means the stimulation, the bodyload, the slight visual aspect, they wax and wane in varying phases. I have just been travelling between the bed and the couch, stretching out, lying down to take some wind out of the nausea, reading news articles on the internet and working on a long blog post. No remarkable activities on my end.

Everything is still ultimately subtle and light. Heat wave type visuals crawl up the walls, as do faint striped patterns. This may also perhaps just be an accentuation of the normal HPPD that I experience at baseline. They lack individual and distinct character, they adorn this experience as an afterthought. With my eyes closed, there is a black space with faint, amorphous blobs of color. Not much to remark on at all.

 

T2:40- I am suddenly beset with the task of preparing several large pieces of furniture to be moved out of the house, at the behest of the person coming to pick them up. I am home alone, which is never a fun way to move large pieces of furniture. I face the tasks of moving a large couch to the front door, moving a large chair out of the bedroom, and emptying and cleaning a large cabinet in the basement.

I immediately set myself to the mission and I don’t stop to rest or breathe until it is complete. It’s an electric push of stimulation, fiendish and compulsive focus. The couch is a herculean struggle, as I am small and weak. I have to move many things out of its way. The chair presents an interesting puzzle as it will only fit out of the bedroom door when oriented one way. The cabinet is full of old ephemera that I have to hastily box up. It is encased in an-inch-thick layer of dust and basement debris that I have to clean off. I don’t get distracted; I am not compulsively checking my phone every chance I get or taking excessive breaks, as I normally find myself doing when I have to complete a task. It all goes to say I have a terrible work ethic, attention span, focus, and motivation normally, and I was simply impressed with myself in how the drug was able to suppress all that and how I was able to harness that to get tangible work done. I finish all these tasks in a matter of half an hour. The person is coming to pick them up in about 3 hours. I guess I didn’t need to rush so much.

 

T3:10- I worked up quite a sweat moving everything, even though it is bitterly cold outside. I find myself panting in the backyard in a T-shirt just to cool off. This drug is definitely hyperthermic- I don’t know what I would do if I was set with all of these tasks in the dead heat of the summer (this house has very poor temperature control…) It is nice to refresh myself in the brisk air.

I am taken with how much of a sense of optimism this drug instills. Ordinarily, I would be at the very least annoyed with having to do all of this moving stuff on my own. But in this state, it seems I am driven to only consider the positives- that it broke up the monotony of the day, that it was a bit of exercise, that it was nice to see that I can actually focus and accomplish a task when I set myself to it. This is a nice state to be in.

Bodyload is present, annoying but manageable and fades to the background when engaged in physical activity. Primarily presents as nausea- mercifully no urinary retention as phenethylamines are prone to trigger in me.

 

T5:15- I seemingly spent the last 2 hours just writing, without really being aware of how much time was passing. I hammered out my year in review essay, it felt nice to write while having thoughts flow so smoothly and articulately. I am satisfied with the finished product, proud even. I had been putting this off for days so it was nice to finally have it done.

There were light patterned visuals on the white of my screen but they were fleeting, other than that there was nothing else noteworthy as far as the drug’s effects go. They remained consistent in their intensity throughout this time frame. I dawdle around and kill time while waiting for the person to pick up the furniture, a bit nervous about interacting with someone face to face while still definitely under the effects of this drug.

 

T6:05- The drug has remained consistent in its intensity over the last hour, a long plateau. 2 people are here to help recover the furniture into a van, one of whom I have met a few times through family, the other a total stranger. Not ideal to be tripping around, but this experience is remarkably mild enough that interacting presents no issue beyond the initial shock of seeing other people face to face (under masks, which honestly probably helped me with keeping calm). Another flush of optimism- I consider myself lucky that I am not grappling with an out of body psychedelic experience right now, (or as my partner suggested, extremely lucky that I am not in the throes of some dissociative storm). The contrast between us is laughable and almost makes me feel shame- them in their beat-up, paint spattered and dusty work clothes, making a quick stop on what is clearly a busy day, and then me, adorned in sweat pants and a fleece lined hoodie, grateful for a break in the quiet monotony of comfortably doing absolutely nothing worthwhile for hours on end.

I am able to converse without issue, which is good because they were both very talkative people. I even showed them my collection of pet arachnids and insects. We came to the conclusion that the house was built around the couch and that it was physically impossible to remove. One of the people works a lot with fabrication and restoration. They talked a lot about the different pieces of furniture, their style, their construction, their provenance and the context they likely would’ve been made or used in. It’s super interesting to consider these everyday objects that I take for granted in that way, it must be a fascinating lens with which to view the world. I helped them extract the cabinet and chair with minimal struggle (again, grateful that I had maintained full control of my motor skills). I was certainly tripping the entire time, in that sense of being raked with rising heat, of a seething breathing energy rippling through my body, visuals glowing ever so slightly like dying embers.

 

T6:40- The task at hand is done, I have no obligations for the rest of the day. I am still nauseous but I am also very very hungry, having eaten little today. Psychedelics usually cause a degree of appetite suppression for me, but it seems after all these hours my gut has won out. I eat a can of soup, something simple and easy to consume. I vape a bit more cannabis to settle my tummy. Eating is not particularly fun or rewarding, but it feels nice to have something in my stomach.

 

T6:50- Just as I finish up eating, one of my dearest friends just calls me out of the blue. Totally unexpected, but entirely welcome as I had no other plans. We end up chatting on the phone for almost 3 hours. He is one of my oldest friends and I am grateful for this chance to catch up, he is a lot of fun to talk to and our conversation is endlessly engaging. He says many nice things to me about me, it feels nice to hear compliments. I have been starved for socialization for this entire experience and I love the opportunity to just unload on someone, open the dams up and just let my thoughts flow free through my mouth. We talk about all sorts of things, from our life’s circumstances, to politics, to media, to conflict, I never find myself at a loss for words or with hesitation. This would be an absolutely sublime party drug, if parties were still a safe thing to do in this country. I will probably save my second dose for a day when that possibility can be realized.

 

T8:29- The conversation is still going on, I simply noticed at this point that the effects of the drug were certainly waning, a steady and gradual but noticeable comedown. Most of what remains is just stimulation- I notice I am still shaking a great deal and I am still a bit nauseous.

 

T9:54- All that remains really is the stimulation. My partner comes home, there is no awkwardness in interacting. They remark on how externally present the remaining stimulation is, in how much I am shaking and jostling my limbs. I am on a slow subtle comedown for the rest of the night.

 

T10:30- The nausea has mostly subsided by now, I am able to eat a full dinner without any issue. Smoking cannabis does not stir the dust or reinvigorate any of the waning effects. All that lingers is still a sense of stimulation.

 

T12:00- Begin to feel a bit tired, which signals that I am probably almost entirely back to baseline. I still don’t go to sleep until several hours later, where it comes and goes naturally.

 

Conclusion: When one compares DOF to similarly structured drugs, it stands as being particularly unique. Psychedelic amphetamines, prefaced with a “DO” in the name, are renowned for their potency, extremely long duration, and overall intensity. To encounter one that doses at 20 mg, is about the same duration as LSD, and is overall fairly mild in its effects is something unique. This drug may in fact prove underwhelming to those expecting a typical DOx experience- though it is worthwhile in its own right. It serves a function as a lovely way to catch the stimulation and euphoria of psychedelics without much of the other effects. The headspace is lucid and pleasant, a sort of enhancement of thought and an internal connectedness that yielded itself to eloquence and confidence. It felt similar to the pleasant euphoric comedown that accompanies more intense psychedelic experiences, though it was just that drawn out for several hours. Visuals are near-nonexistent, they can be caught by one seeking them, though they have little character of their own. Atypically, this drug left me in want for social interaction, though not in the overclocked dangerously sappy way that empathogens can impart, it was a profound need to share a human presence in my experience. The bodyload mostly existed as nausea, manageable but present and noticeably irritating at times. Overall it was a fascinating drug that I am grateful to have experienced, I would love to see how it would perform in a social setting when that becomes feasible again.