DMT is a hallucinogenic that can be found naturally in various plant species and produced as a synthetic drug. Although the brain produces DMT naturally, the compound itself is listed as a Schedule 1 drug under the Controlled Substances Act because it produces several potentially harmful psychoactive DMT effects and also because the drug has no known medical use. If you see side effects of DMT in a loved one, contact us at Evoke Wellness at Coconut Creek online or call 866.693.3871 today to learn how our addiction treatment can help.
What Is DMT?
According to the DEA, n-dimethyltryptamine, or simply and more commonly, DMT, is a potent hallucinogenic. Hallucinogenic drugs impact a person’s perception of their own state of being and their environment. DMT is a naturally occurring substance in a number of plants, including in the ayahuasca plant, although the drug can also be synthetically produced. It is currently a Schedule I controlled substance due to its potential for abuse, potentially dangerous DMT side effects, and the possibility of psychological dependence forming. There is no legitimate medical use for the drug, meaning that the side effects of DMT come with no medicinal benefit.
What Does DMT Feel Like?
Most commonly, as with other hallucinogenic drugs, DMT produces a heightened perceptual experience that may include perceiving colors more intensely than they really are, sounds more acutely, and having a greater sensitivity to touch. Additionally, some of the DMT side effects include:
- Hallucinating and seeing and hearing things that are not truly there
- Synesthesia, which is the belief that you can hear colors and see sounds
- Cognitive changes, including distortions of feeling that you are invulnerable, that the things surrounding you are not real, and belief that you have become something else (like an animal or an inanimate object)
- Loss of ability to accurately judge the passing of time
- Powerful delusions
The Dangerous Side Effects of DMT
According to the DEA, the American Psychiatric Association (APA), and other academic sources, the potentially harmful and dangerous DMT side effects include:
- Hallucinogenic effects
- Severe anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Physical changes to heart rate, body temperature, and blood pressure
- Difficulty breathing
- Nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting
- Unconsciousness
- Seizures
While some of these DMT side effects may not seem serious in a vacuum, they may have repercussions that lead to greater danger to the user. Additionally, there can be severe medical reactions to DMT side effects that impact not only an individual’s mental health but their internal organs and physical body as well. Some of the side effects of DMT could be similar to those diagnosed with a mental health disorder, such as psychosis, anxiety, mood swings, and/or depression. In people with pre-existing cardiac issues or in individuals already using other medications for depression or chronic pain, one of the DMT side effects could be cardiac arrest.
DMT use alone is not likely to result in overdose or death, but that said, individuals who are under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs could be at risk of being involved in an accident or making poor choices that can have seriously dangerous or fatal consequences.
Of all the side effects of DMT, no formal withdrawal syndrome can be associated with the abuse of DMT or any other hallucinogenic drugs, for that matter. This makes addiction treatment and a successful recovery from any hold DMT may have on you or a loved one more likely.
Contact Evoke Wellness at Coconut Creek for DMT Treatment Today
DMT side effects can be treacherous, and the drug can be a gateway to experimenting with other, more dangerous substances. Evoke Wellness at Coconut Creek can help break the cycle of addiction before it starts. Contact us today by using our secure online form or call us at 866.693.3871.
