An overdose on DMT can also occur in tandem with an overdose on other substances. For example, many people drink excessive amounts of alcohol on DMT because the euphoria from the DMT reduces the awareness of how much one has had to drink. Mixing DMT with other substances can also lead to similar results. These can progress to the point where the person taking DMT can no longer distinguish reality from hallucination and may behave erratically. Even though an overdose on DMT isn’t likely, it is nonetheless a powerful hallucinogenic drug.
DMT Abuse and Addiction Treatment Options
With the exception of hair follicle testing, the short half-life of DMT makes testing useless unless it’s done within hours of use. But people who develop a problem with DMT use can seek treatment at an inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation program. Many people who use DMT also abuse other drugs and can get treatment for other addictions while in treatment. DMT is a psychedelic compound found throughout nature and even in the human body. It belongs to the tryptamine class of compounds, which alter serotonin levels in your central nervous system.
Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and even unconsciousness. Asphyxiation is possible if someone becomes unconscious after taking DMT and begins vomiting. Seizures may also occur as a result of DMT usage, and these can be life-threatening. You could have a bad trip with your first exposure to DMT or your 10th time using. Based on the data available so far, DMT doesn’t appear to cause tolerance, physical dependence, or addiction.
DMT Side Effects
Many people don’t realize just how prevalent relapse currently is in the U.S. However, many people are now using DMT recreationally, and these are primarily the people who are at risk of a DMT addiction and overdose on DMT. Many people are under the misconception that you cannot overdose on hallucinogens like DMT. While it may not appear visually or physiologically comparable to alcohol poisoning or an opioid overdose, you can certainly overdose on DMT. DMT can lead to an overdose when used in high doses or in combination with other drugs, leading too much of it to build up in your system.
Treatment and Recovery After a DMT Overdose
Like other hallucinogenic substances, DMT can alter a person’s perception. Drugs like DMT are known for inducing effects similar to those of psychosis. Paranoia and hallucinations are the most common of DMT’s side effects. People use DMT for the intense psychedelic trip that feels like an out-of-body experience. But a range of physical and mental side effects accompany this powerful trip, some of which can be pretty unpleasant.
Silent Anxiety: Understanding, Coping, and Seeking Support
Outside of medical purposes, users primarily take DMT to achieve a high that’s intense but usually lasts less than an hour when injected. Other typical methods of ingestion include being smoked in vapes, joints or pipes. Some users melt it into a liquid form to inject it can u od on dmt into their veins. There is no known way to accelerate the metabolism of DMT and remove it from your body more quickly, though many try to as it is a Schedule 1 controlled substance. DMT is already metabolized very quickly compared to other drugs. Some users feel euphoria and elation, while others may encounter anxiety and fear.
You have probably heard of DMT due to its potent and intense psychedelic experiences that are often referred to as trips. Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a hallucinogenic drug that occurs naturally in plants, animals, and even humans. Because it is a psychedelic, it can affect your senses, thinking, understanding of time, and emotions. It is considered to be one of the most potent hallucinogens out there.
- If you want to learn about treatment options right away, visit our treatment page.
- If you have concerns about using DMT, tell your doctor about it.
- Some said that it felt like forced lucid dreaming or an out-of-body experience.
- Outside of work, he divides his time between family, basketball, and rock climbing.
- While DMT is naturally occurring, that does not mean it is safe.
- She furthered her education by completing a master’s of science in clinical mental health counseling from Capella University.
- DMT changes how a person experiences their environment and their own state of being.
At this time, the risk for becoming addicted to DMT is believed to be relatively low. Unlike alcohol, cocaine, or heroin, DMT does not lead to compulsive drug-seeking behavior. However, some people can develop a psychological dependence on the drug.
- Drugs like DMT are known for inducing effects similar to those of psychosis.
- People use DMT for the intense psychedelic trip that feels like an out-of-body experience.
- The potential for overdose highlights the dangers of unsupervised use.
- However, the length of a DMT experience depends on how the substance was taken, as well as the dosage.
- Some people find these hallucinations enlightening, but for others, they’re terrifying.
- DMT is naturally occurring; however, when you abuse it, you are using a synthetic version of the compound.
Because DMT use in the United States is difficult to measure, there are no clear numbers on how much one must take to reach the point of overdose. Because DMT use in the United States is difficult to measure, there are no clear numbers on how much someone must take to reach the point of overdose. Adrienne Santos-Longhurst is a freelance writer and author who has written extensively on all things health and lifestyle for more than a decade.