Author: Gary Jackson

DMT: Side Effects, Withdrawal, Overdose & Treatment

Even as the short duration of action means the highs are intense, it also means that the effects last only a few minutes. For some people, this may not be enough time to develop a physical or a psychological need for more DMT, and they may not consider the drug worth the time or effort. Like most hallucinogens, DMT has the potential to take you on a bad trip, which can be overwhelming and terrifying. People have reported being left shaken by a bad DMT trip for days, weeks, and even months. But several street drugs including DMT are often laced or mixed in with other dangerous substances such as fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, or morphine.

• Most people who take DMT will not become physically dependent on it, but it can occur with other drugs, however, it is possible to become addicted to the psychedelic effects that it has.
• However, while it is not common, DMT drug overdose has been fatal in very rare cases.
• It can pose threats to a person’s mental and psychological capabilities and can be unpredictable in filtering the imagination due to its potency.
• Drug tolerance is often linked to overdose, but DMT is unlikely to build tolerance in a user the way other drugs do.

If you’re going to use DMT, there are a few things you can do to reduce your chance of having a bad trip or negative reaction. In the United States, the DEA considers DMT a Schedule I controlled substance. This means it’s illegal for recreational use, is deemed to have no current medicinal use, and has a high potential for misuse. 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. Your time with us may be relatively brief, but the care you receive here is designed to yield lifelong benefits. Serotonin syndrome is a potentially life threatening condition that requires immediate medical treatment.

Can You Become Addicted to DMT?

The study participants were given four doses of DMT at 30-minute intervals across two separate days. When people think of drug overdoses, substances such as opioids and cocaine typically come to mind. But these aren’t the only drugs that can be extremely dangerous – or even deadly – when taken at unsafe dosage levels. Overdoses are caused by a person taking too much of a drug, to the point that it is toxic. Since it is only used recreationally, there is not a specified DMT dosage.

• That’s because it can take more than 5,000 milligrams of DMT to overdose – nearly 100 times the amount in a single injection.
• Although less familiar than other psychedelics such as LSD or magic mushrooms, N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) produces a brief but intense visual and auditory hallucinogenic experience.
• Serotonin syndrome occurs when the body accumulates an excessive amount of serotonin.
• People who use ayahuasca often do so as part of religious or cultural rituals.

The pure, lab-made form of DMT looks like a white crystalline powder. But you’re more likely to find it in the slightly less pure form, which is a yellowish-pink looking powder. Its street names include dimitri, businessman’s special, the spirit molecule, changa, or fantasia.

Can it have long-term effects?

DMT is a Schedule I controlled substance in the United States, meaning it’s illegal to use recreationally. DMT goes by many names, including Dimitri, fantasia, and the spirit molecule. 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. N, N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a fast-acting psychedelic drug that produces a brief but fully immersive hallucinogenic experience.

Taking a high dose of DMT or using DMT while taking antidepressants can result in a condition called serotonin syndrome. Based on the data available so far, DMT doesn’t appear to cause tolerance, physical dependence, or addiction. People with a history of mental health issues seem to have a higher risk, but it can happen to anyone, even after a single exposure. Limited data on the effects of DMT suggest that the drug doesn’t produce any significant comedown effects. The psychoactive effects may be what people are after when they use DMT, but the drug can cause a number of physical effects, too.

Everything you need to know about DMT

Someone overdosing on DMT may experience debilitating panic or anxiety attacks that are outside the realm of standard anxiety. The person may become confused or agitated to the point of hurting themselves and people around them. Adrienne Santos-Longhurst is a freelance writer and author who has written extensively on all things health and lifestyle for more than a decade. If you or someone else experiences these systems during or after DMT use, call 911. Taking DMT with stimulants like amphetamines or cocaine may heighten DMT-related feelings of fear or anxiety. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), DMT can also cause seizures and loss of muscle coordination.

While research suggests that DMT does not cause cravings, it’s still possible to be psychologically dependent on the drug. Additionally, DMT’s hallucinations and other effects are intense and powerful.[1] This can compel users to seek out more doses, suggesting a high potential of addiction. Even though an overdose on DMT isn’t likely, it is nonetheless a powerful hallucinogenic drug. Using DMT while taking antidepressants, especially monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), can result in a serious condition called serotonin syndrome. Powerful cravings and tolerance are common signs of addiction.