My Deepest Fears Became a Reality
Diphenhydramine
Citation:   4 Ever Changed. "My Deepest Fears Became a Reality: An Experience with Diphenhydramine (exp27248)". Erowid.org. Jun 27, 2006. erowid.org/exp/27248

 
DOSE:
T+ 0:00
50 mg oral Diphenhydramine (pill / tablet)
  T+ 0:20 550 mg oral Diphenhydramine (pill / tablet)
BODY WEIGHT: 150 lb
So I called up my friend J to see if he wanted to get some Dramamine (or related substance) from the store. It was a Monday night; we're at college by the way, so we had class the next day. We got a 48-pack of Benadryl, because there was no Dramamine or Gravol.

Let it also be noted that I wasn't having the happiest of days (a result of overcast weather, it always gets me down), which was compounded by a ride to the store on the weird-ass public transportation bus. But hey, we wanted to see God, or something like that. After the ride back, we parted ways, but I always want people around when I have no grasp of reality? So when I got to my dorm I wrote down all the names of the people who should be in the room and a note to the kid next door and my roommate (I wasn't going to be fooled by these hallucinations; don't kid yourself). I took 2 tablets at first with some espresso and tea to keep me awake. The two tablets were to test for an allergic reaction, which is ironic seen as they're allergy pills, but it happens. I waited about 20 minutes, which may not have been long enough to gauge, but I wasn't really allergic to it, I just thought I was.

After some preliminary effects of disorientated movement and seeing a haze-like film, I thought I was having an allergic reaction. The kid next door came in (for real, we had talked about this earlier and I periodically poked him to make sure), and I was flipping out because I thought little worms were crawling all over me and trying to burrow under my skin. I say 'thought' now, but I was convinced this was happening. My skin looked inflamed, I thought they were hives at the time, though I didn’t know what hives looked like. Oddly enough, I looked online for pictures the following day and they were very similar. But my friend assured me the next day as well that my skin was fine.

In addition to worms on the skin, there was a huge daddy-longlegs spider moving across the ceiling and a swarm of a black insect materialized in the mirror. I didn't pay much mind to them, but the worms were really freaking me out, I kept squishing them and it looked like liquid was coming out of them, but they just kind of vanished, like in a video game.

Well I couldn't take it anymore, they were causing physical pain and I thought that they were these worms I had learned in class that burrow under the skin and when they die, release a poison that can kill, cause blindness or other horrid things. I went with my friend M across the street to acquire some sunflower seeds. I was still somewhat functional apparently. In retrospect, he tells me that I was saying hello to walls and ran in front of a car on the way back to the dorm. I could have sworn I saw this girl I knew sitting on a wall across the street and she waved to me.

When we got back and I fought off the bugs with sunflower seeds, which actually worked for the moment. I started talking to people online. I was talking to the kid who had taking them with me and I guess that I was saying things to him that were way off topic; he wasn't hallucinating as badly as I was. I also saw other instant message windows that weren't there.

Then I bowed my head and started reading something. Also not there. After that I was gone. The kid next door said I was talking to an illusory baby on my bed. My friend J was well enough to come over and he tricked me into giving him 4 dollars to buy weed. I kept getting him and the kid next door confused though.

When I came too I went to the bathroom and this is where I saw the devil folks, the manifestation of my worst fears. So terrifying was this that I don't want to ever do drugs again (but I had just ordered some salvia and amanitas before I did the Benny, so I feel obligated to do those).

I looked down at my crotch and the worm infestation had taken up around the base of my penis. There were hundreds of ovoid egg sacs that would burst when popped but reformed shortly. Was I to lose my manhood? Was I to never have children? I was thrown into a world of terror. I therefore took drastic actions...

I shaved off all of my pubic hair, all of it, not a hair was to be left, because I thought I had pubic lice. Obviously pubic lice do not result in huge ass egg sacs, but that was inconsequential knowledge at the time. After the regrettable shave, I took a thorough shower. I then went online and looked up treatment for the lice. I caught the words 'petroleum jelly' somewhere, and by means unbeknownst to myself I managed to go back across the street to get some and back.

So I got back and rubbed Vaseline all over my undercarriage like there was no tomorrow...I didn't think there was going to be one either. Especially cause I had read an imaginary article online about the lice/worms/whatever breaking out of the warm egg sac environment and penetrating the male testicle sac.

After all that I just wanted to sleep, I wanted to leave hell. It was the scariest night of my life. I actually went into the sleep state faster than I've done so in a while. I don't remember any dreams, which I think is for the better.

I'd also like to note that throughout the whole experience the slightest noises would make me flip out and I heard voices all the time. In fact the first true hallucination I had was of a woman screaming.

When I woke up the next morning, I was back to reality, but the world had a different color, glow, and feel to it. What I had seen has not been experienced by normal, happy-go-lucky, folks. I got to my Bugs and People class alright, though I was a little reluctant for obvious reasons.

When I got back to my room I heard ambulance sirens repeatedly, but I thought that was cool. I went back to sleep for another 4 hours and woke up refreshed.

I was feeling so depressed today that I just went over to these two girls' room on my floor who are mere acquaintances and we talked for a long time. I felt a need to be with people. Dependence isn't the issue, just the feeling of relation and warmth. The world seems more real now for some reason, like the illusions are gone - it takes illusions to destroy illusions. I'm more in the present. The whole trip was like Primal Scream therapy sessions or like that time Luke Skywalker goes into that cave on Dagobah. By overcoming my fears I master my destiny.

After the amanitas and salvia (which I kind of regret ordering), I'm done, I want a family, I want real-life experiences. It's time to do something for humanity.

Exp Year: 2003ExpID: 27248
Gender: Male 
Age at time of experience: Not Given
Published: Jun 27, 2006Views: 57,331
[ View PDF (to print) ] [ View LaTeX (for geeks) ] [ Swap Dark/Light ]
Diphenhydramine (109) : Difficult Experiences (5), First Times (2), Alone (16)

COPYRIGHTS: All reports copyright Erowid.
No AI Training use allowed without written permission.
TERMS OF USE: By accessing this page, you agree not to download, analyze, distill, reuse, digest, or feed into any AI-type system the report data without first contacting Erowid Center and receiving written permission.

Experience Reports are the writings and opinions of the authors who submit them. Some of the activities described are dangerous and/or illegal and none are recommended by Erowid Center.


Experience Vaults Index Full List of Substances Search Submit Report User Settings About Main Psychoactive Vaults