The DMT Trip: One You Won’t Want to Take

DMT – A Hallucinogen That Takes Users on a Journey They May Regret

You may have heard of LSD – commonly known as acid. Maybe you’ve taken magic mushrooms. Perhaps you’ve gone down the Ketamine K-Hole. You might’ve even smoked peyote. But, have you ever heard of DMT? This hallucinogen is the latest addition to a short list of drugs that promise to take the user on a psychedelic trip that won’t soon be forgotten. Although the drug has been used for centuries in various countries around the world, reports indicate DMT is gaining popularity in the United States. DMT – short for Dimethyltryptamine – is a white powder that resembles cocaine. It is derived from certain types of plants found in Mexico, South America, and specific parts of Asia. Typically, DMT is smoked in a pipe or consumed orally in specially-made beverages. Sometimes (but very rarely), this drug is snorted or injected with a needle. DMT is considered an illegal drug in the United States. Its possession and distribution comes with hefty penalties, including incarceration. DMT is much more potent than any of the hallucinogens common to the United States. Its effects are far more powerful than LSD, mushrooms, Special K (Ketamine), or peyote. Although the drug promises to “enlighten” the user with special knowledge or insight by taking them on a spiritual journey, many people who have taken DMT say the experience is more like a nightmare. Although plenty of people tout DMT as a high that surpasses all others, many say this is a drug is one you’ll regret taking. The thing is, once you start the DMT journey, you can’t go back and you can’t turn it off. Keep reading to find out why the DMT trip is one you don’t want to take.

Dimethyltryptamine Abuse – A Worldwide Phenomenon

Dimethyltryptamine is also called dimitri, the businessman’s trip, the businessman’s special, fantasia, or 45-minute psychosis. This drug offers an extreme hallucinatory experience for the user. Someone who takes this drug will have visual and auditory hallucinations and may have the sensation of an “other worldly” or out of body experience. Although this may seem inviting and may actually produce a positive effect for many users, it can also create what some describe as hell on earth. The use of DMT can actually be traced back thousands of years. Often referred to as “The Spirit Molecule,” dimitri promises to give the user spiritual insight that allows them to see things they would otherwise not see. Shamans have been smoking it for centuries to send themselves on a self-induced mind trip that supposedly allows them to enter other dimensions. When used in a South American specially brewed tea called “ayahuasca,” the drug is used in religious rituals and spiritual ceremonies to send users into a “spiritual” trance. Because the idea of an inward spiritual journey of enlightenment is attractive to so many, reports indicate that thousands of Americans are traveling to countries like Ecuador, Brazil, and Peru to experience what is now being called “psychedelic tourism.” Psychedelic tourism (or drug tourism) is what happens when drug seekers travel to other countries for the sole purpose of using hallucinogenic drugs native to distant countries. What’s more troubling, however; is that more and more of this drug is making its way to the U.S. and an increasing number of high schoolers and young adults are experimenting with the stuff. Although it is still somewhat difficult to locate dimitri in the United States, the drug can be purchased for $100-$200 a gram in many parts of the country. The typical dose for a first-time user is about ¼ of a gram. Unfortunately for inexperienced users, many young people try the businessman’s trip thinking the high will be like that of marijuana, only to find the two could not be any more different.

DMT Abuse Symptoms and Signs

Someone who is abusing DMT is likely to demonstrate some very clear signs and symptoms. Abuse is the step that comes before an addiction. At this point, it’s still possible to stop using this drug if you decide to. Some of the more common signs of DMT abuse include:

• Making this drug the number 1 priority in your life – ahead of work, family, friends and responsibilities.
• Trying to control how much or how often you use unsuccessfully.
• Trying to quit using without success.
• Feeling the need to increase how much DMT you’re using regularly.
• Becoming isolated from the people you love.
• Hiding your drug use from others.
• Spending a lot of money on the drug and suffering the financial consequences of this.

People can quickly form addictions to this drug. In fact, many of the above signs are also some of the symptoms of addiction. If you’re abusing DMT, the time to stop is right now. Please don’t put it off because this is not a drug that anyone should abuse. You need to realize how dangerous this type of hallucinogenic substance can be.

Common Side Effects

Sometimes when you use certain drugs it can take some time for their effects to kick in. You may feel high or euphoric when you’re taking it, but the drug’s real effects don’t show up immediately. DMT is not that type of drug. It has strong effects that you are going to feel from the very first use of it. It’s important for you to know what these side effects can be. They include:

• Having dilated pupils
• Experiencing issues with your motor coordination
• Experiencing involuntary eye movements
• Sudden and severe changes in your mood
• Reacting with strong anger responses
• Feeling disconnected from reality
• Suffering from short-term memory loss
• Having hallucinations or delusions

Of course, each trip can be different. We’ll get into what that means in just a moment. If you’ve never used this drug before, but you think you may, this is just a taste of what can happen.

Dimethyltryptamine – How it Affects Your Brain

Let’s be clear. You cannot take this drug and function. You cannot go on a DMT trip and go to work, drive a car, or function normally in society. With many other drugs, like marijuana or opiates, for example; we could argue that you could take the stuff and at least semi-function at completing routine tasks. That is not the case with DMT. If you are going to do this drug, it has to be done from the safety of home. Here’s what you can expect from a DMT trip:

• The high comes on very fast and lasts anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour.
• Your heart rate will increase and you will have a feeling of “racing” in your body.
• Dimitri gives you extreme hallucinations. These may be incre dibly unpleasant.
• You will have very dilated pupils. Your eyes will look almost completely black.
• You will most certainly experience a loss of cognition. This means you will lose the inability to think clearly or rationally.
• You will have a disconnect from reality. You will not be able to distinguish the real from the unreal.
• DMT has the potential to cause you to feel as if bugs are crawling all over you.
• You will feel very weird afterward. It will take several days to feel completely normal again.

With DMT, you experience a total and complete loss of control. The drug takes over your mind and you cannot regain control until the drug has run its course. If you experience a bad trip, you can’t just turn it off and reclaim your sanity. You will be forced to endure whatever nightmarish images the drug exposes you to. Does this sound like fun? We think not.

Dimethyltryptamine and Serotonin Syndrome

Serotonin Syndrome is a very real possibility for those who endeavor to experiment with dimitri. Serotonin Syndrome is a condition that happens in the body when you take certain drugs that release large amounts of serotonin into the body. Serotonin is a naturally occurring chemical found in the brain. It is known as a “feel-good” chemical because it is responsible for giving us sensations of pleasure and well-being. Although having high amounts of serotonin in your body may sound like a good idea, this can actually be a very unpleasant and uncomfortable situation. Serotonin Syndrome can cause extreme agitation and hostility, muscle rigidity, disquieting hyperarousal, migraine headaches, chills, diarrhea, high blood pressure, fever, and mental confusion. Furthermore, too much serotonin can cause seizures, irregular heartbeat, unconsciousness and – in extreme cases – death. Serotonin Syndrome aside, these are just a few of the side effects that can accompany just one dose of dimitri.

The Truth About DMT – Is it Addictive?

Let’s be real. If something makes you feel good, you want more of the stuff. This is true about so many of the things we enjoy in life. If you like soda, you drink soda. Lots of soda. If you like chocolate, you may want to have it several times a day. This is also true about exercise, though – if it makes you feel good and you appreciate its effects, you do it on a regular basis. This is just the nature of the human experience. What feels good to us, we want more of. Our reaction to feel-good sensations is what is so dangerous about drugs. If you take a drug and you like the way it makes you feel, you are going to want more. DMT is no exception. However; from a clinical standpoint, DMT is not considered to have addictive qualities. It’s not like opiate drugs like Hydrocodone or Oxycontin, which are proven to be addictive. However; if you take this drug once, and you like it, you are probably going to want to do it again and again. And, if you know anything about addiction, you know that when you are addicted, it feels like there is no way out. Is it really worth the risk?

DMT Addiction

Some drugs are both physically and psychologically addictive. The good thing about DMT is that you can’t physically become addicted to it. However, it is possible to form a psychological addiction, which can be just as strong. Many people relate DMT use to being a spiritual experience. It’s not uncommon for users to claim that using it provides with a sort of “spiritual awakening.” This is what keeps many people coming back for more. There are all kinds of reasons why people may desire to keep using DMT. For example, they may:

• Simply enjoy the sensations of euphoria they get from it
• Believe that it gives them a way to relax and unwind
• Like that time seems to pass by differently when they’re using it
• Feel that the spiritual experience they are having is worth it
• Believe that continuing to use it will help them learn more about themselves and the universe

With each use of this drug, the risk of becoming dependent upon it grows stronger. Eventually, people begin to believe that they can’t live without it.

Signs of Addiction to Look for

As we previously stated, many of the above abuse signs are also signs of addiction. However, you could also be addicted to DMT if you:

• Panic when you think about running out of it
• Lie to the people you love about your drug use
• Regularly mix DMT with other substances to change the effects
• Find that your close relationships are being impacted in a negative way
• Regularly take too much DMT
• Become obsessed with exploring the universe and yourself
• Form an abnormal interest in religion and spirituality
• Have legal problems as a result of your drug use

It’s certainly not easy to admit that you’re addicted to this drug. However, if you are, you need to know that you can get help to quit using it.

Treating a Dimethyltryptamine Addiction

You should know that this drug may not be one that you can just quit using abruptly. Many people try, and they go right back to using. This is what is known as a relapse, which can be dangerous. You could inadvertently overdose if you relapse on this drug. This could make you very sick. It could also result in a very bad trip. It may even be possible to die from a DMT overdose, depending on how you administer the drug. Using too much intravenously can be deadly in some cases. Getting treated for your addiction is the safest way to recover as a DMT addict. Here is what you can most likely expect.

Detoxification

DMT Rehab Centers

It’s important to find a quality treatment center for DMT recovery. This should be one that has helped others through this type of addiction before. You’ll get counseling, participate in group therapy and have other types of therapy. You may be recommended to go to an inpatient treatment program. If you are, you should do it. You need the support during this critical time.

Ongoing Care

Your recovery from your addiction is an ongoing experience. This is something you need to be aware of. Once you have a DMT addiction, it’s not going to just go away. It may not be active any longer, but you need continued treatment to remain in recovery. This is easily accomplished by attending an outpatient program, or by going to Narcotics Anonymous. Please don’t skip this step. If you do, it’s very likely that you’ll eventually go back to using. You could even move on to other drugs over time.

The DMT Drug Trip – What to Expect

Want to know more about this so-called Spirit Molecule? Don’t take our word for it. Read what Kelly has to tell you about her DMT trip: O.M.G. Just thinking about the day I smoked Fantasia makes my skin crawl. I’m not surprised. When I was on the stuff – like, the entire time – I thought spiders were crawling all over me. Seriously, as I sit here and recall those images, I get totally freaked out all over again. Ugh. I just got a full-body chill. It makes me wonder – can you get PTSD from a bad drug trip? I think so. I still have nightmares from that horrific experience. I am not the kind of person who normally tells people what to do. I am a believer that we should each be given the chance to experience our own journey as we walk the path of life without the interference of other people. But, screw that – I am telling you what to do. Well, actually, I am telling you what not to do. DON’T TAKE DMT. DON’T DO IT! I MEAN IT! You’ll be sorry! Stay far, far, away! I heard about DMT from a friend who took it and was like, “OMG. You totally have to do it. It’s like the most spiritual experience ever.” I am all about expanding my mind and experiencing God. I was open to the idea of trying dimitri to feel a spiritual connection. So, my friend got some and invited a group of friends over. There were five of us all together. We smoked it in a pipe. At first, it just felt like weed. Then, all of a sudden, it wasn’t like weed at all. Everybody started looking like demons and everything started feeling like it was going very fast. I started feeling like I was on fire. Like, I was burning up. Everyone else was laughing, but the more they laughed, the more they started looking like demons and the more terrified I got. I told my friend I was not okay, but she just kept laughing. So, I went outside to smoke a cigarette and try and calm down. That’s when I started seeing the spiders. They were all over me. They were crawling all over my arms and I was freaking out. I started screaming and swatting at myself repeatedly to get them off. Two of my friends came out on the balcony and tried to calm me down but it didn’t work. They could not convince me they weren’t demons and they could not convince me I wasn’t covered in spiders. This level of intensity went on for an hour. It seemed like a hundred years, but it was probably about an hour. After that, things started to slowly calm down. I was crying hysterically and I just wanted the safety and comfort of my mother. My friends drove me to my mom’s house and I went inside and told her what was going on. I slept with her that night. It was the first night I slept with my mom since I was like 10-years-old. I’m telling you, being on DMT was like being in hell. It was absolutely terrifying. Don’t do it. Have you ever had a bad trip on DMT? Share your experience here.

Full Infographic:

• Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.) DMT Hallucinogen. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/science/DMT.
• Huffington Post. If You Haven’t Heard Of DMT Yet, You Might Soon. (2013, December). Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/09/dmt-use_n_4412633.html.
• Medical News Today. (2017, March). DMT: Side effects, facts, and health risks. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/306889.php.
• Vice. DMT: You Cannot Imagine a Stranger Drug or a Stranger Experience. (2014, August). Retrieved from https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/dmt-you-cannot-imagine-a-stranger-drug-or-a-stranger-experience-365.