DMT

Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), also known as N,N-dimethyltryptamine, is a naturally-occurring tryptamine and potent psychedelic drug, found not only in many plants, but also in trace amounts in the human body where its natural function is undetermined. Structurally, it is analogous to the neurotransmitter serotonin and other psychedelic tryptamines. DMT is created in small amounts by the human body during normal metabolism by the enzyme tryptamine-N-methyltransferase. Many cultures, indigenous and modern, ingest DMT as a psychedelic in extracted or synthesized forms. Pure DMT at room temperature is a clear or white to yellowish-red crystalline solid. DMT was first chemically synthesized in 1931.

DMT Chemistry

DMT is a derivative of tryptamine with two additional methyl groups at the amine nitrogen atom. DMT was first extracted from the roots of Mimosa hostilis in 1946 by Brazilian ethnobotanist and chemist Gonçalves de Lima who named it Nigerine. DMT was first synthesized by a Canadian chemist Richard Manske in 1931. DMT is usually used in its base form, but it is more stable as a salt, e.g. as a fumarate. In contrast to DMT's base, its salts are water-soluble. DMT in solution degrades relatively quickly and should be stored and protected from air, light, and heat, it should be put in a freezer. Highly pure DMT crystals, when evaporated out of a solvent and deposited upon glass, often produce small but highly defined white crystalline needles which, when viewed under intense light, will sparkle. The crystals appear colorless under high magnification.

DMT is classified in the United Kingdom as a Class A drug

Pure DMT is a solid made up of crystals it can be white, pink, or orange in color. When it is injected or smoked, the effects can be felt very quickly and the majority of effects are gone within an hour of ingestion. When DMT is consumed orally with an MAOI (such as when drinking ayahuasca), the effects are milder but they may last as long as six hours.

DMT effects

• People who smoke DMT have described feeling rapidly propelled into an intense alternate reality;
• The primary effects last between 15 and 20 minutes, with a cooling off period of a couple of hours before returning to normal;
• Users have described seeing the face of god to various experiences from visiting other worlds to having conversations with aliens;
• There is an abrupt return to reality and most users will experience disorientation when they come round.

When smoked or injected the physical and mental effects of DMT are similar to LSD, but more intense. The effects are very strong and they hit fast. They can be overwhelming; it is not uncommon for someone smoking DMT to feel the full force of the drug in the middle of a toke (causing them to drop the pipe the DMT is being smoked out of). Peak effects last only 10-20 minutes.

When ingested orally with an MAOI, DMT is not as potent as when it is smoked or injected. However, when compared to other drugs, even orally ingested DMT is very strong stuff. Oral ingestion with an MAOI will extend the duration of the effects. Depending on the amount of DMT consumed, peak effects will last 2-6 hours.

An unusual (but fairly common) aspect of DMT consumption is the presence of aliens. Many users talk of seeing and / or communicating with alien life forms. Some think these aliens are present in the DMT itself, while others think DMT transports the user to another dimension or universe.

The term mind blowing might have been invented for this drug. The experience has been described as like being fired out of the nozzle of an atomic cannon. Thoughts and visions crowd in at great speed. A sense of leaving or transcending time and a feeling that objects have lost all form and dissolved into a play of vibrations are characteristic. The effect can be like instant transportation to another universe for a timeless sojourn.

DMT risks

• It's not uncommon for those who take large amounts of DMT to suffer psychological and emotional difficulties for weeks afterwards;
• The smoke of DMT can cause throat and lung irritation;
• Integration of the trip into daily life can cause anxiety, difficulty focusing on daily tasks, preoccupation with the experience, and insomnia.

If you need help with DMT substance abuse you can apply for FREE to one of our Teen Challenge Centers today. You will need to complete an online application form to get help. One of our Support Workers or Centre Manager will then contact you to arrange an interview.

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