You will not get in trouble with police if you call for emergency medical care. DMT hasn’t been widely studied, so the long-term effects aren’t well understood. Various cultures have used it for hundreds of years for rituals and religious practices. DMT is one of the active ingredients in ayahuasca, a psychedelic tea native to South America. All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.
It belongs to the tryptamine class of compounds, which alter serotonin levels in your central nervous system. You have probably heard of DMT due to its potent and intense psychedelic experiences that are often referred to as trips. There are both short-term and long-term side effects of DMT that can endanger your health. An individual’s weight and body compensation can influence how the drug will affect them.
The drug is illegal to purchase or possess and is often encountered as an illicit drug when illegally purchased or manufactured. Despite its legal status, DMT continues to be used by individuals seeking transformative experiences, often without understanding the full scope of potential dangers. Practices that reduce stress—mindful meditation, exercise, good nutrition, and consistent sleep—can reduce the appeal of intense psychedelic escapism. A stable, health-oriented environment discourages future harmful use.
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. Some studies suggest that it is possible but unlikely.1 However, other studies suggest that people can have terrible reactions to DMT that could be considered an overdose. Some say the comedown experience is harsh and abrupt, leaving you feeling a bit unsettled, anxious, and preoccupied by what you just experienced. DMT is naturally found in some plant species and combined with other plants to produce a brew called ayahuasca, which is consumed in spiritual ceremonies in several South American cultures.
DMT Overdose Is Not Without Risk
Unlike opioid overdoses, there is not a medication like Naloxone to reverse a DMT overdose. Instead, treatment focuses on managing specific symptoms and ensuring the patient remains stable. Naomi Carr is a qualified mental health nurse with several years of experience working with children and adults in the UK. If you or someone else experiences any of the symptoms of DMT overdose, it is important to seek medical help immediately. Preventing DMT overdose is a multifaceted challenge that requires collaboration across various sectors and a commitment to evidence-based strategies.
Professional Medical Intervention
The possibility of experiencing a “bad trip” is another consideration. A bad trip is defined as having intense, frightening hallucinations. These hallucinations can be extremely realistic and may cause a person to take unsafe actions. DMT use can be especially dangerous for people with existing heart problems or high blood pressure. The Drug Enforcement Administration also reports that DMT can cause respiratory arrest and coma. Michael explains that the brain’s biological state during NDEs might shape these experiences differently than psychedelics do.
Why Seek Help at Alamo Behavioral Health
Heightened states of experiences when taking DMT become more intense as the dose and the frequency of taking the drug increase. On some occasions, this hallucinogenic drug is used for ritualistic healing. Unfortunately, there has been limited research on DMT and its other effects. If can you overdose on dmt? you are one of them, or if you are concerned about someone who is using DMT, it is important to know about addiction, withdrawal, overdose, detox, and treatment. This article will provide you with information on all of these topics. DMT is a powerful psychedelic drug that can induce hallucinations and euphoria.
Psychedelics affect the brain differently, making deadly overdoses with DMT alone extremely unusual if used in common amounts. These can progress to the point where the person taking DMT can no longer distinguish reality from hallucination and may behave erratically. You could have a bad trip with your first exposure to DMT or your 10th time using.
The intensity of these emotions can be overwhelming, and in some cases, users may experience a sense of detachment from their physical body, which can be both fascinating and unsettling. While DMT’s appeal as a gateway to mystical insight or personal discovery is real, such benefits do not negate its dangers. Knowledge of overdose scenarios, recognition of warning signals, and preparation for emergent crises are vital. Those wrestling with excessive or repeated DMT use—and other substance misuse—can reach out for specialized care. Professionally guided medical, therapeutic, and recovery services can offer a pathway toward stabilization and healing. If the person engages in frequent or polydrug usage, formal rehabilitation programs can provide structured treatment, medical supervision, and community support.
Synthetic DMT has been produced since as early as the 1930s, starting with Richard Manske, who was a chemist in Britain. Currently, there are no FDA-approved medications available for treating hallucinogen abuse issues. Behavioral treatments can help address a wide range of addictions and may help with hallucinogen abuse issues. Talk with your doctor or a treatment center for more information if you are struggling with your substance use. HPDD and Persistent Psychosis happen more often in those with a history of mental illness; however, they can happen to anyone, even after one use of hallucinogens. HPDD treatment can include antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs to control mood and treat psychosis.
DMT Overdose
The psychoactive effects of taking DMT are very similar to those that LSD produces, but the effects of DMT do not last nearly as long. While LSD can alter a person’s mental state for 12 hours or longer, the effects of DMT may last mere minutes to a few hours. The duration of DMT effects depends on how much one consumes and how they used it. For individuals who use psychoactive drugs, DMT may be the go-to choice because of its short-lasting effects. The physical changes of DMT, like how it increases the heart rate, can also lead to cardiac arrest (i.e., a heart attack).
Although it has been used for centuries in religious ceremonies, its use in the modern world is controversial. People often describe these experiences as a journey to another world. Users report vivid visuals, changes in time perception, and a deep sense of spiritual or existential significance. Don’t let the devastating effects of DMT misuse go on for another day. If you or someone you love is struggling with drug use and ready to start the treatment admissions process, call us today at .
What are the physical side effects?
This can be particularly valuable for those who combine DMT with other potent substances. Typically, “overdose” implies ingesting enough of a substance to provoke severe harm or even fatal outcomes. With opioids, this might mean respiratory depression; for stimulants, critical cardiovascular events.
- Symptoms of a DMT overdose include intense hallucinations, seizures, elevated heart rate, increased blood pressure, and, in severe cases, coma.
- Tolerance to psychedelics, including DMT, can build quickly when used repeatedly over short periods.
- Those wrestling with excessive or repeated DMT use—and other substance misuse—can reach out for specialized care.
- This creates a cycle where a person uses a drug more and more often in order to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
Organizations such as Narcotics Anonymous (NA) or the non-12-step SMART Recovery can be beneficial for accountability and camaraderie. Psychedelic misuse is less commonly discussed than opioid or alcohol misuse, but such groups still accommodate a broad range of substance issues. Exploring motivations behind DMT use and acquiring harm-reduction tools can set a foundation for recovery.
Myth: “There’s no such thing as a DMT overdose.”
This detox and treatment plan often involves family and individual counseling, cognitive/dialectical behavioral therapy, and a recovery lifestyle. While DMT is not usually considered toxic, an overdose may occur if it’s mixed with other substances. The comedown is a phase of drug withdrawal where the drugs are leaving the body. It can pose threats to a person’s mental and psychological capabilities and can be unpredictable in filtering the imagination due to its potency. In small doses, the drug has a calming effect on the body before the peak sensation of an intense trip that defines its potency.
The risk of a heart attack is greater for those with heart-related conditions. Those taking medications for chronic pain or depression are also at a higher risk of experiencing a heart attack after taking DMT. Unfortunately, those who use DMT recreationally market it as a, “mind-expanding,” drug. However, it is unknown what damage it could cause to a person’s mental state. The long-term effects of DMT are not well understood, but short-term side effects can be life-threatening.