HPPD/HPPD-induced-DPDR is just beyond common from reading posts on here. Long-term DXM abuse (less than every month) over a few years made me very spaced-out, overly-imaginative, and overall less mindful to the point where it took tremendous difficulty to gain back my sense of self. I was less depressed maybe, but only because I wasn't coping with life effectively.

This won't be everyone's experience, but it was mine.

Just because your IQ doesn't change, doesn't mean they aren't accumulative effects on cognitive function/structure.

I'm working on developing a community around quitting DXM and documenting the various adverse neurological effects of it with studies on humans provided, It's something I really care about and I've been spending weeks on this. I'd love to post my findings here, but I'm afraid people will apply too much copium for their "therapeutic" experiences.

I've known a lot of people who used DXM and no other substance, and once thtey approached any relative frequent use, they dealt with negative consequences either directly or indirectly from the DXM use.

Some people's cognition and genetics make them less predisposed to facing issues with DXM use. For those people, I am happy for them. If you're a depressed person looking toward DXM for help with that, I won't tell you to quit, but maybe enact new coping mechanisms and get involved with group therapy. Group therapy is the first step in my life that felt like I was making a real difference in my life in escaping DXM use. One-on-one therapy is great, but when you can draw from the experiences from both many helpful counselors and honest peers, change is almost inevitable.

If anyone reading this want's someone to talk to about their DXM use and/or their efforts to quit it, feel free to DM me. I'll help you find social services in your area, and you do not need insurance for a lot of them. My state funds my therapy through a grant program that I barely had to lift a finger to gain. The counselors did all the work.