What Is DMT?

People use the drug recreationally for the short, powerful “trip” sometimes called a “DMT breakthrough.” Some research shows it may have benefits for mental and physical health. But it can also have side effects that may outweigh any benefits.

The main effect of DMT is psychological, with intense visual and auditory hallucinations, euphoria, and an altered sense of space, body, and time.

Many users describeTrusted Source profound, life changing experiences such as visiting other worlds, talking with alien entities known as “DMT elves” or “machine elves,” and total shifts in the perception of identity and reality.

When smoked, DMT produces brief yet intense visual and auditory hallucinations that some users describe as an alternate reality, otherworldly, or a near-death experience.

DMT users frequently claim that it has fewer side effects than other psychedelic drugs, but this is a difficult claim to measure and quantify.

Possible side effects of DMT include:

• increased heart rate
• increased blood pressure
• chest pain or tightness
• agitation
• dilated pupils
• rapid rhythmic movements of the eye
• dizziness

When taken orally, DMT can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Experiences differ

Depending on the individual user, the DMT experience can range from intensely exciting to overwhelmingly frightening.

The experience can be so powerful that users may have difficulty processing and integrating the “trip” into real life. Because DMT can mimic a near-death experience, some people may find using the drug traumatic and upsetting.

Mental side effects may linger for many days or weeks after ingestion of the drug.

DMT is structurally related to the neurotransmitter serotonin. Heavy use, or use along with other drugs that contain serotonin, can cause life threatening serotonin syndrome. People taking antidepressants may have a higher riskTrusted Source of this complication.

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.

Too much serotonin in the body can lead to a range of symptoms, such as:

• agitation
• confusion
• high blood pressure
• loss of muscle coordination
• a headache

If someone does not address serotonin syndrome, it can cause life threatening complications, including seizures, kidney or respiratory failure, or loss of muscle tissue.

Other DMT complications

DMT has several health risks, can produce terrifying hallucinations, and might lead to psychological dependency. At higher doses, it can cause:

• seizures
• respiratory arrest
• coma

DMT could have serious adverse consequences for users with pre-existing psychological problems or a mental illness, such as schizophrenia.

Research suggests DMT has a low risk for addiction. However, people may develop a tolerance for this drug, meaning they need to take larger doses to feel the same effects each time.