EMMA NEXUS

People are getting high for many different reasons - be an escape from reality, curiosity, pleasure or a spiritual awakening. This project is exploring the mental and physical changes that occur when under the influence of illegal drugs.

These drugs include cannabis, MDMA and certain psychedelics such as psilocybin mushrooms, 2C-B and DMT. The word psychedelic means mind-manifesting, as in opening up the mind to new perspectives. A change in perspective is one of the

reasons why psychedelics are now used in clinical research as a potential medicine to relieve depression, anxiety or addiction.

Some scientists claim that these drugs are as safe as riding a bike, and most illegal drugs have been classified as less harmful then alcohol - both in terms of psychical detriment and adverse social consequences. Why is this not the dominant collective story? Why are views on drug use often so black and white? This project is the result of curiosity and a sense that we need more knowledge about drugs and drug use.

Emma is a nickname for MDMA. Nexus is a nickname for 2C-B.

Stories from the users perspective:

“One time a friend of mine and I decided to take our girlfriends on a trip with MDMA.

It ended up with all of us in the bathtub, exploring each others bodies. Surprisingly it was not sexual at all, more like childish curiosity. It makes you feel like a child again in many ways, since everything feels new and fantastic.”

“I had a paradoxical sensation of floating out of the room and my body into a black space, while I was entirely aware and conscious. It was as if the boundary of my sense of self had expanded and I was part of the ocean, not merely a wave. It felt like complete nothingness and the infinite universe at the same time. I had the sense that there was a separation between my feelings and thoughts and my conscious experience. I saw that negative thoughts would float by, but I didn't need to attach myself to them. I understand now the difference between I am depressed and I am feeling depressed. I no longer seem to be only defined by feelings and thoughts that I experience.”

“I watched the sunrise with a friend on a tropical beach. We had eaten mushrooms one hour before and we just sat there for two hours looking. We could see all the different yellow and orange tones in the sky and the colours felt stronger. My friend started to cry because it was so beautiful.”

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