Everything You Need to Know About The Hallucinogenic Drug, DMT

Sometimes people use other names to refer to DMT. These street names include:

• Dimitri
• fantasia
• businessman’s trip
• businessman’s special
• 45-minute psychosis
• spiritual molecule

DMT is the main active ingredient in ayahuasca.

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. Many South American cultures use ayahuasca in religious and spiritual ceremonies and have done so for centuries.

As with most drugs, DMT can affect people in very different ways. Some truly enjoy the experience. Others find it overwhelming or frightening. Some refer to this negative experience as a bad trip.

Regarding its psychoactive effects, people have described feeling like they’re traveling at speed through a tunnel of bright lights and shapes. Others describe having an out-of-body experience and feeling like they’ve changed into something else.

Other potential treatment applications

Despite its recreational use, there is interest in the potential therapeutic opportunities of DMT due to its effects on serotonin. Observational studies suggest it could have potential usage in depression, stress, and anxiety

Synthetic DMT usually comes in the form of a white, crystalline powder. Sometimes the drug can have a yellowish or pinkish color.

People can smoke, vaporize, or snort DMT. They can also inject the drug, but this method has additional risks.

When used in religious ceremonies, plants and vines are boiled to create a tea-like drink of varying strengths.

The onset of DMT when inhaling or injecting the drug is rapid. People may experience the drug’s effects within minutes of use.

The intensity and duration of a DMT trip depend on several things, including:

• how much you use
• how you use it
• whether you’ve eaten
• whether you’ve taken other drugs

Generally, the effects of inhaled, snorted, or injected DMT last for about 15 to 60 minutes. It typically takes longer to feel the effects of DMT is drinking it in a brew.

Explore our in-depth analysis of how long DMT can last.

DMT is a powerful substance that can cause several mental and physical effects. Some of these are desirable, but others are not so much.

Possible mental effects of DMT include:

• euphoria
• floating
• vivid hallucinations
• altered sense of time
• depersonalization

Remember that some people experience lingering mental effects for days or weeks after use.

Physical effects of DMT can include:

• rapid heart rate
• increased blood pressure
• visual disturbances
• dizziness
• dilated pupils
• agitation
• paranoia
• rapid rhythmic eye movements
• chest pain or tightness
• diarrhea
• nausea or vomiting

Learn more about the side effects of DMT use here.

DMT carries potentially serious risks. The drug’s physical side effects of raising heart rate and blood can be problematic, especially if you have a heart condition or already have high blood pressure.

Using DMT may also cause:

• seizures
• loss of muscle coordination, which increases the risk of falls and injury
• confusion

It also has associations with respiratory arrest (when someone stops breathing) and coma.

Long-term effects

Like other hallucinogenic drugs, DMT may cause persistent psychosis and hallucinogen-persisting perception disorder (HPPD). HPPD is more commonly known as “flashbacks.” Both are rare and may be more likely to occur in people with preexisting mental health conditions.

DMT can interact with a range of other prescription and over-the-counter medications, as well as other drugs.

If you’re using DMT, you should avoid mixing it with other substances such as:

• alcohol
• opioids
• cocaine
• amphetamines
• cannabis
• LSD, aka acid
• mushrooms
• ketamine
• gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), aka liquid V and liquid G

Prescription and over-the-counter medications to avoid mixing with DMT include:

• opioids
• antihistamines
• muscle relaxants
• vasodilators
• blood pressure medications
• benzodiazepines
• antipsychotics

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, it is unclear whether DMT is an addictive substance.

Small studies suggest that it is unlikely to lead to a substance use disorder, but people may develop a tolerance, leading to increased consumption in the future.

DMT is extremely powerful, even though it naturally occurs in several plant species. If you’re going to try it, there are a few steps you can take to reduce your risk for having a bad reaction.

Keep these tips in mind when using DMT:

• Strength in numbers: Don’t use DMT alone. Do it in the company of people you trust.
• Consider your surroundings: Be sure to use it in a safe and comfortable place.
• Take a seat: Sit or lie down to reduce the risk of falling or injury.
• Keep it simple: Don’t combine DMT with alcohol or other drugs.
• Pick the right time: The effects of DMT can be pretty intense. As a result, it’s best to use it when you’re already in a positive state of mind.
• Know when to skip it: Avoid using DMT if you:
  • are taking antidepressants or another medication associated with serotonin syndrome
  • are taking a medication that interacts with DMT
  • have a heart condition
  • have high blood pressure

Learn more about the safety and DMT consumption here.

DMT is a naturally occurring chemical that’s been used for centuries in religious ceremonies in several South American cultures. Today, its synthetic form is used for its powerful hallucinogenic effects.

If curious about trying DMT, it’s important to take certain steps to reduce your risk for serious effects. This includes making sure any prescription or over-the-counter medications you take won’t cause a bad reaction.