Artist Drew Self-Portraits While High On 50+ Different Drugs

Do drugs and art somehow cross paths? Well, if we are to refer to the generations of psychonauts who sought the aid of psychoactive substances (among others) to explore their own minds… then yes.

In fact, artist and poet Bryan Lewis Saunders experimented with different substances to see their effects on him and his artworks. His one-of-a-kind collection of trippy self-portraits is a thought-provoking testament to the issue/risks of drug abuse.

Abilify / Xanax / Ativan (dosage unknown in hospital)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

10mg Adderall

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Ativan / Haloperidol (dosage unknown in hospital)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Bath Salts

Bryan Lewis Saunders

1/2 gram Cocaine

Bryan Lewis Saunders

2 Bottles of Cough Syrup

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Morphine IV (dosage unknown)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Huffing Lighter Fluid

Bryan Lewis Saunders

DMT (during and after)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

In his website, Saunders wrote: “After experiencing drastic changes in my environment, I looked for other experiences that might profoundly affect my perception of self. So I devised another experiment where everyday I took a different drug or intoxicant and drew myself under the influence.”

Huffing Gas (during and after)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

1 “Bump” of Crystal Meth

Bryan Lewis Saunders

7.5mg Hydrocodone / 7.5mg Oxycodone / 3mg Xanax

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Valium IV (Albuterol, Saline & Oxygen mixture)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Khat (chew and tea)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Marijuana (Kine Bud)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

PCP

Bryan Lewis Saunders

1 Glass of Pruno

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Salvia Divinorum (before and right after)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

2mg Nicotine Gum (after quitting smoking for 2 months)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

3mg Klonopin

Bryan Lewis Saunders

4mg Dilaudid

Bryan Lewis Saunders

4mg Risperdol

Bryan Lewis Saunders

90mg Abilify (after 3 months usage 3x maximum dose)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

250mg Cephalexin (painted w/ watercolor pencil, water and cephalexin)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

10mg Ambien

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Ativan / Haloperidol (dosage unknown in hospital)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

15mg Buspar (snorted)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

4 Butalbitals (dosage unknown)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Butane Honey Oil

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Computer Duster (2 squirts)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

1 shot of Dilaudid / 3 shots of Morphine (In the ER with kidney stones)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

G13 Marijuana

Bryan Lewis Saunders

60mg Geodon

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Hash

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Heroin (Snorted)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Valium I.V. (dosage unknown in hospital)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

10mg Lortab

Bryan Lewis Saunders

1 sm Glass of Absinth

Bryan Lewis Saunders

20mg Valium

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Marijuana Resin

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Ritilin (dosage unknown – snorted)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

10mg Zyprexa (after 2 weeks in hospital)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Nitrous Oxide / Valium I.V. (dosage unknown in hospital)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Within weeks of taking different substances, Saunders claimed that he became lethargic and that he suffered mild brain damage that luckily was not irreparable.

“I am still conducting this experiment but over greater lapses of time and I only take drugs that are given to me.”

Nitrous Oxide

Bryan Lewis Saunders

100mg Tramadol

Bryan Lewis Saunders

100mg Trazadone

Bryan Lewis Saunders

7.5mg Percocet

Bryan Lewis Saunders

2 Pot Brownies

Bryan Lewis Saunders

25I-NBOMe

Bryan Lewis Saunders

100mg Seroquel

Bryan Lewis Saunders

2mg Xanax

Bryan Lewis Saunders

50mg Zoloft (after 2 weeks)

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders