Theory: HPPD as Hyperawareness PTSD After a Traumatic Trip

Hey everyone,

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately, and I wanted to share a theory that might resonate with some of you. In my view, what many label as HPPD might actually be better understood as a form of anxiety but most of it hyperawareness PTSD—a kind of post-traumatic response following a traumatic psychedelic trip that got your brain hardwired, like after a life trauma (war, death, etc..)

Hyperawareness Symptoms: My experience shows an extreme level of sensory and cognitive hyperawareness. For exemple, everything from microexpressions on faces to ambient noises becomes intensely noticeable. This isn’t just the usual “afterglow” of a trip, but a persistent, almost automatic scanning of the environment/faces/states of mind/ situation/ ....

—an ingrained survival mode that feels like it was hardwired during a particularly bad trip.

I accepted it anyhow and used it all my life as some kind of special skill.

Lamictal (Lamotrigine): It seems to stabilize the overactive neural pathways, reducing the constant barrage of sensory input. but for me it just also downed my energy and personality, did not like it .

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): i never tried it, but the few 99% recovery stories if heard have been related to EMDR therapy.

While the hyperawareness/anxiety can be overwhelming, I’ve also come to see it as a potential tool. In many ways, this heightened state of perception has helped me develop an uncanny ability to read people and environments—a skill that’s translated into professional and personal success.

The key, I think, lies in learning how to “switch off” or modulate the hypervigilance when it isn’t needed, and to harness it in a balanced way. For me, i don't want to switch it off, i use it , and i'm somehow became a surviror, in many occasions others would have failed to.

I’m sharing this theory because I have HPPD since 30 years hehe, and i totally forget about it and accepted it. But, for me in the end that awareness worthed it. I'm not here to say it's positive and people should seek for it. I'm here to say if you have it, use it, don't focus on your body symptoms, because they will slowly fade. I'm fine with my visual snow, that"s the only one i have after all these years. I'm happy in life. I followed my own path, in my own way and my life is/was very exciting even with that event that led me here 30 years ago ;)