Author: Alex Thompson

DMT Addiction What Is DMT, How Is It Abused and Is It Addictive?

This phenomenon has spiked interest in scientific and recreational drug communities recently. As such, 5-MeO-DMT shows promise as a potential treatment for various mental health issues. However, there’s still limited research on the medicinal benefits of DMT. More studies are necessary before making any conclusive statements about its medical potential. Individuals with moderate to severe substance use disorders often require professional treatment. Typically, individuals who have developed a substance use disorder require focused and lengthy interventions in order to help them function normally without using drugs or alcohol.

DMT, along with other classical psychedelics, is not addictive. However, tolerance can develop with frequent use, whereby a higher dose is required to achieve the same effect. People’s experiences on DMT range from blissful to downright terrifying. Many report an all-consuming hallucinogenic experience, as well as communicating with alien-like beings. When it’s taken in a plant-based brew like ayahuasca, DMT can take up to an hour to have an effect and leaves you tripping for anywhere from 2 to 6 hours.

It aims to identify and modify negative thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that may contribute to drug abuse. Professionals strongly advise against using the drug in an uncontrolled environment. There are multiple high-risk factors involved in illicit use. These include the inability to test the purity of the drug and control dosages. BetterHelp can connect you to an addiction and mental health counselor.

Increased heart rate and blood pressure are both side effects of DMT, which can be bad news if you already have a heart condition or high blood pressure. Serious side effects occur more frequently if you have pre-existing mental health or physical conditions. As with most drugs, DMT can affect people in very different ways. Practitioners traditionally prepare ayahuasca using two plants called Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis. The latter contains DMT while the former contains MAOIs, which prevent certain enzymes in your body from breaking down DMT.

Everything You Need to Know About The Hallucinogenic Drug, DMT

Evidence shows that a key enzyme for DMT synthesis, called indole-ethylamine-methyltransferase (INMT), has been detected in the human cerebral cortex and pineal gland. Though DMT has received increasing media attention, the compound is currently illegal in the U.S. The first comprehensive analysis of the DMT experience is now available, and a clinical trial for its therapeutic benefits is underway.

If you’re going to try it, there are a few steps you can take to reduce your risk for having a bad reaction. If someone does not address serotonin syndrome, it can cause life threatening complications, including seizures, kidney or respiratory failure, or loss of muscle tissue. Serotonin syndrome occurs when the body accumulates an excessive amount of serotonin. The condition is more likely in people taking a combination of different drugs. DMT is a white crystalline powder derived from certain plants found in Mexico, South America, and parts of Asia, such as Psychotria viridis.

Reading, engaging with, and sharing our publications, papers and commentary gives evidence-based science and policy the audience it needs and deserves. Known for its vivid but short trip, DMT can dramatically shift your perception and sense of reality. It’s difficult to know who will have a “good” trip and who will have a “bad” — or upsetting — trip. It’s common for mental side effects to last for several days after taking DMT, due to its strength.

However, people may develop a tolerance for this drug, meaning they need to take larger doses to feel the same effects each time. People illicitly use DMT for its psychoactive, hallucinogenic effects. Anecdotally, many users report taking the drug to attain spiritual insight.

Risks and Considerations in DMT Use

People who wish to try DMT should learn as much as possible and practice harm-reduction strategies. Using DMT with other drugs or without support can be dangerous. Clinical studies have not generally tested its interactions with other drugs. DMT could have serious adverse consequences for users with pre-existing psychological problems or a mental illness, such as schizophrenia. Research from the 2021 Global Drug Survey found that 7.4% of respondents reported microdosing with DMT.

1. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter involved in the regulation of mood, appetite, sleep, and memory.
2. Therefore, it is unclear if DMT use alone can result in a potential fatality.
3. You can also reach out to addiction recovery centers that offer in-person or out-of-office treatment options to help you get your substance use disorder under control.
4. If you or someone else experiences these systems during or after DMT use, call 911.

As of writing, no medicinal treatments for DMT addiction are approved by the U.S. However, many effective behavioral therapies are available to anyone suffering from DMT abuse or HUD. People suffering from HPPD may experience sudden and unexpected visual disturbances or hallucinations. Comedian Chelsea Handler traveled to Peru and took the controversial drug while filming her 2016 Netflix docuseries, “Chelsea Does,” to show people what the experience was like. Call 911 or head to the nearest emergency room if you or someone else experiences any concerning symptoms.

What Are the Potential Risks of DMT Use?

That means you might need to take more DMT to get the same effect. While DMT is a naturally occurring substance, neither the organic nor the lab-made versions are approved for any legal use in the U.S. If you notice signs of overdose like pinpoint pupils, difficulty breathing, or feeling weak or clammy, call 911 immediately for medical attention. If you notice very bad reactions after you take DMT, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital.

Chemical composition of DMT

The sitter can provide reassurance and support during and after the trip. The sobriety of the sitter is essential and can provide a sense of clarity and guidance through any disorientating or overwhelming experiences. Although DMT occurs naturally in plants, it can also be synthesised chemically, producing DMT in its base or salt form. The term ‘freebase DMT’ refers to DMT in its pure alkaloidal form and is insoluble in water, whilst ‘DMT fumarate’ refers to the salt form and is water soluble.

It can cause intense psychedelic experiences and boost serotonin production. In the U.S., it’s illegal to manufacture, distribute, or possess DMT. When inhaled or ingested, DMT’s psychedelic effects are considerably short-lived compared with other hallucinogenic drugs (LSD or psilocybin [magic mushrooms]).

Scientific data suggests its effects on the brain might mimic those of a near-death experience. DMT is a hallucinogenic tryptamine drug that occurs naturally in various plants, such as Psychotria viridis or Chacruna. Some people call it the “spirit molecule” due to the intense psychedelic experience. DMT is one of the potent psychedelic drugs that has captivated and inspired users for centuries. It’s famous for its ability to create intensely profound spiritual experiences. When people drink, smoke or inject DMT, they enter a dreamlike state.