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Hallucinogen use that feels hard to stop is worth taking seriously. Our hallucinogen addiction treatment program in West Palm Beach treats it in a residential setting.
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.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), 7.4 million people reported abusing hallucinogens like DMT in 2021.[1]
DMT affects your central nervous system and causes symptoms like hallucinations, detachment from reality, altered time perception, as well as physical effects such as high blood pressure, increased heart rate, and dilated pupils.
While DMT is naturally occurring, that does not mean it is safe. Repeated use of DMT can lead to the development of conditions like hallucinogen-persisting perception disorder (HPPD). While uncommon, you can also experience an overdose from taking too much DMT at once.
In this article, you will learn:
- What is DMT?
- Can you overdose on DMT?
- What are the symptoms of a DMT overdose?
- How are DMT overdoses treated?
What is DMT?
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. You have probably heard of DMT due to its potent and intense psychedelic experiences that are often referred to as trips.
While some people have positive experiences when taking DMT, it is also possible to have a bad trip. Bad trips are characterized by scary or intense hallucinations, confusion, feelings of fear or panic, and being unable to distinguish fantasy from reality.
The possible side effects of DMT include:[2]
- Intense visual hallucinations
- Depersonalization
- Auditory distortions
- Altered sense of time and space
- Hypertension and increased heart rate
- Confusion or agitation
- Dilated pupils
- Involuntary eye movements
- Ataxia
- Seizures
If you have pre-existing mental health conditions, you are at a high risk of experiencing a bad trip when taking DMT. Even further, if you have trouble with substance abuse, consuming DMT regularly could result in psychological dependence.
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Can You Overdose on DMT?
DMT is naturally occurring; however, when you abuse it, you are using a synthetic version of the compound. This drug produces intense hallucinations that tend to be brief but profound. While the effects are potent, the risk of overdosing on DMT is relatively low.
Even though the risk of overdose is low, DMT abuse can lead to a variety of dangers. First, you could experience adverse effects like dizziness, hypertension, agitation, or a bad trip. In severe cases, abusing DMT can lead to the development of hallucinogen-persisting perception disorder (HPPD), coma, and even death.[3]
Other long-term effects of DMT include depersonalization, auditory hallucinations, and an altered sense of body image. While DMT does not lead to physical dependence, you could become psychologically addicted to the substance.
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What are the Signs of a DMT Overdose?
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.
The main signs and symptoms of a DMT overdose include:
- Intense hallucinations
- Severe anxiety and panic
- Loss of control and agitation
- Muscle incoordination
- Seizures
- High blood pressure and cardiac arrest
If you use DMT in combination with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor like ayahuasca, you are at a higher risk of overdosing. You could also develop a life-threatening condition known as serotonin syndrome.[4] Whether you believe someone is overdosing or experiencing the symptoms of serotonin syndrome, you should contact 911 for assistance.
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How is a DMT Overdose Treated?
If someone is overdosing on DMT, they need emergency medical intervention to recover. 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.
The treatment for a DMT overdose often includes:
- Monitoring vital signs
- Providing supplemental oxygen
- Administering IV fluids to maintain hydration and stabilize the patient
- Prescribing sedatives to manage seizures and agitation
Once someone overcomes the immediate effects of a DMT overdose, they usually require long-term treatment. DMT can lead to the development or worsening of mental health issues, which means individual therapy and counseling is often necessary. Additionally, DMT cannot cause addiction in the traditional sense, however, drug and alcohol treatment programs can prevent people from returning to psychedelic drug abuse.
Find Help for DMT Abuse
If you or a loved one regularly abuses DMT, it might be time to consider addiction treatment. While DMT does not cause withdrawal symptoms, you will need evidence-based therapies to recover from the underlying issues that are contributing to your substance abuse. At the Mandala Healing Center, we can provide the tools and support you need to recover.
Contact us today for more information on our DMT abuse treatment center.
References:
- The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Psychedelic and Dissociative Drugs
- The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA): N,N-DIMETHYLTRYPTAMINE (DMT)
- Science Direct: Prevalence and associations of classic psychedelic-related seizures in a population-based sample
- Frontiers: The Therapeutic Potentials of Ayahuasca: Possible Effects against Various Diseases of Civilization
Next in this series: Hallucinogen Addiction Treatment
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Mandala Clinical Team
This page was prepared by Mandala Healing Center and reviewed by our clinical team, the licensed medical and behavioral health professionals who provide detox and treatment at our West Palm Beach facility. We review it regularly so it reflects current clinical guidance.
Last reviewed: January 8, 2025
About Us βContent on this page is written and reviewed according to our editorial policy. It is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have questions about your medication, talk to your prescriber before making any changes.