Drug Addiction & Harmful Effects

DMT Drug

N, N-Dimethyltryptamine is an indole alkaloid widely found in plants and animals.

It is famously known for producing brief and intense hallucinogenic effects when ingested and may be habit-forming.

Increasing evidence suggests that endogenous DMT drug plays essential roles for

several processes in the periphery and central nervous system and may act as a neurotransmitter. [1]

It is Typically Consumed in the Following Ways:

Vaporized or Smoked in a Pipe
Ingested Orally in Brews Like Ayahuasca
Snorted or Injected on Rare Events

The most adverse effects of hallucinogens are likely mental effects, such as intense fear, paranoia, anxiety, grief, and depression, which can put the user or others in physical harm or danger.

Most hallucinogens such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)

and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine (DOM) cause sensory distortion, depersonalization at high doses.

At least one (N, N-Diisopropyltryptamine, DiPT) causes auditory distortions,

whereas some compounds such as DMT (found in ayahuasca), psilocybin (mushrooms), or mescaline (peyote) cause episodic visual effects. [2]

Street Names

Several slang terms refer to DMT:

Dimitri
Businessman’s Trip
Businessman’s Special
Fantasia
Forty-Five-Minute Psychosis

Drug Effects and Health Risks

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

Many users report intense, life-changing encounters such as visiting other worlds,

communicating with alien creatures known as “DMT elves” or “machine elves,” and inclusive shifts in the perception of identity and reality.

When smoked, this drug produces short yet intense visual and auditory hallucinations that have been defined by users as an alternate reality,

metaphysical, or a near-death experience.

Compared to other psychedelic drugs, such as LSD, ketamine, and magic mushrooms,

recreational users of DMT consider it to have the lowest side effects.

Possible Side Effects

Heightened Heart Rate
Increased Blood Pressure
Chest Pain or Tightness
Agitation
Dilated Pupils
Rapid rhythmic movements of the eye
Dizziness
When taken orally, this drug can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea

Depending on the individual user, the experience can reach from intensely exciting to overwhelmingly terrifying.

Unfortunately, the experience can be so overpowering that users may have trouble processing and integrating the “trip” into real life.

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

DMT is structurally linked to the neurotransmitter serotonin and, because of this,

a condition called serotonin syndrome that is potentially lethal is associated with its use.

People taking antidepressants are at the highest risk for this complication.

Serotonin syndrome happens when the body gains an excessive amount of serotonin.

The condition is often harmful or intense by taking a combination of various drugs.

Too Much Serotonin Effects

Agitation
Confusion
High Blood Pressure
Loss of Muscle Coordination
Headache
At higher doses, DMT can cause seizures, respiratory arrest, and coma.

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

Due to limited research data, DMT is not known to cause physical dependence or addiction,

although regular recreational users may develop psychological cravings for the drug.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) recommends that DMT use does not seem to urge tolerance of the drug, unlike other hallucinogens.

Although it is not acknowledged as an addictive substance,

DMT has several health risks and can produce terrifying hallucinations and psychological dependency.

DMT Experiences

These experiences can include:

Heightened perceptual experiences can include seeing colors more intense, sounds more acute, and touch more sensitive.
Hallucinations: Seeing, hearing, smelling, or feeling things that are not there.
Synesthesias are mixed sensory experiences, such as believing that one can hear colors, see sounds, etc.
Powerful delusions representing beliefs that are not backed by reality
Cognitive distortions such as feeling that one is invulnerable, that one is leaving one’s body that surrounding things are not fundamental, or that one has shifted to something else (anything from an animal to an inanimate object)
An alteration in one’s sense of the passing of time (e.g., time is moving far more slowly than it is; minutes may seem like hours, hours like days, etc.)

Individuals who have similar DMT experiences but are not under the influence of drugs or do not have some neurological problems,

such as a head injury or stroke, would often be classified as having some psychotic disorder if they constantly have these experiences or beliefs.

On the other hand, hallucinogenic drugs description is often “mind expanding” drugs for individuals who use them but are not without corresponding dangers.

To clarify, using this drug has never been safe to use as it can cause harmful events because of one’s detachment from reality.

Drug Withdrawal Symptoms

Mood Swings
Depression
Anxiety
Apathy
Feelings of Fatigue
Lack of Motivation
Agitation
Irritability
Jitteriness
Mild Malaise
Cravings to use DMT

Although experts such as SAMHSA report that many individuals who abuse hallucinogens typically discontinue using DMT drugs independently without formal treatment,

the development of any substance use disorder represents a potentially serious mental health disorder.

Therefore, individuals with moderate to severe substance use disorders often need professional treatment.

Typically, individuals who have developed a substance use disorder need rehab assistance

and interventions to help them function normally without using drugs or alcohol.

Drug Addiction

While DMT does not produce physical dependence,

some individuals may abuse the drug to the point that they experience various complications, may it be physically or mentally.

This may be particularly true in cases of polysubstance abuse, where the user is combining DMT with other psychoactive drugs.

A pattern of problematic hallucinogen use that causes significant problems or distress is “other hallucinogen use disorder.” Symptoms include:

Taking more of the drug than intended
Unsuccessfully attempting to control or stop use
Exhausting a lot of time and energy in obtaining and using or recovering from its effects
Craving DMT
Ignoring personal responsibilities in favor of using
Continuing to use despite mounting adverse interpersonal, social, or physical/mental health problems
Discarding previously enjoyed habits or hobbies to use

Signs of Addiction

The signs of DMT addiction are similar to the signs of other hallucinogenic drug use.

Users appear to see and hear things that aren’t there, and they may act inappropriately or irrationally.

They may have dilated pupils and an elevated heart rate and blood pressure.

Other signs of addiction can be the presence of hazardous chemicals and chemistry equipment,

suggesting the user is attempting to manufacture DMT or other illicit substances to either use or sell.

Spending time alone is another sign of abuse or addiction, as DMT is not considered a social drug.

DMT in the brain occurs naturally in humans in small amounts, as well as in plants and some animals. Of course, it can also be artificially manufactured.

DMT is a potent psychedelic drug that can cause violent vomiting, intense hallucinations and other serious physical effects. Fortunately, sobriety and recovery from this drug is feasible.

Recent research has explored the idea that abnormal activity in the brain’s DMT production

could cause DMT hallucinations that lead some people to believe they’ve been the victim of an alien abduction,

or that they have had a near-death experience or similarly otherworldly experience.

DMT use is particularly dangerous among people who have a history of mental illness or

who are susceptible to it due to its ability to amplify the negative feelings they may already be experiencing.

The long-term effects of this drug abuse in humans are currently unknown, according to DrugAbuse.gov.

Drug Addiction Treatment

Currently, there are no FDA-approved medications for the treatment of DMT addiction.

Addiction to DMT can be hard to escape but deals damage to your health & relationships. Get help with DMT addiction from Level Up rehab.

However, those struggling with addiction to DMT can seek effective behavioral therapies to help them manage their drug use and find sobriety.

Some common forms of behavioral therapy and treatment that may help someone fighting with DMT abuse include:

Individual or Group Counseling: One-on-one or group counseling to approach the underlying circumstances contributing to the abuse.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: A type of therapy that focuses on teaching individuals techniques to cope with cravings healthily and avoid relapse when the urge arises.
12-Step Programs: Support groups that provide a continuing, step-by-step process to recovery amongst the support of peers facing similar addictions and conflicts.
Motivational Interviewing: A type of counseling that helps facilitate behavioral change by helping the client uncover his intrinsic motivation.
Inpatient Rehabilitation: 24/7 addiction treatment for a specified period, typically ranging from 30-90 days in duration. This treatment program will typically include some combination of the aforementioned therapeutic approaches, dual diagnosis treatment, and holistic treatment.
Aftercare: Your rehabilitation from addiction will not end with treatment. Recovery is an ongoing process that goes beyond your treatment, and your treatment center will put you through an aftercare program once you leave the facility. It would help if you also made a personal effort by joining support groups to help you stay on track with recovery.