There is a certain threshold of weirdness after which most people stop taking ideas seriously. One of the most effective ways to break up a conversation is to start sharing details about a strange dream you had. And an even more reliable way to cross that threshold is to talk about your experiences on an adventure using one of the most unusual, powerful, and understudied psychedelic substances: DMT, or N,N-dimethyltryptamine.
Numerous accounts of diving into hyperspace worlds inhabited by amazing creatures — whether tiny mechanical elves eager to reveal to you the secrets of the universe or giant mantises harvesting human emotions — are commonplace in accounts of DMT trips.
Because of its unusual nature, even when compared to other psychedelics, DMT remained on the periphery of the resurgent psychedelic movement and research. While ketamine-based clinics were opening everywhere, MDMA therapy research was nearing government approval, and legal psilocybin centers were planning to open in several states, DMT, traditionally referred to by Timothy Leary as «the atomic bomb among psychedelics» remained in the shadows.
Numerous accounts of diving into hyperspace worlds inhabited by amazing creatures — whether tiny mechanical elves eager to reveal to you the secrets of the universe or giant mantises harvesting human emotions — are commonplace in accounts of DMT trips.
Because of its unusual nature, even when compared to other psychedelics, DMT remained on the periphery of the resurgent psychedelic movement and research. While ketamine-based clinics were opening everywhere, MDMA therapy research was nearing government approval, and legal psilocybin centers were planning to open in several states, DMT, traditionally referred to by Timothy Leary as «the atomic bomb among psychedelics» remained in the shadows.
However, that situation is beginning to change. «We are confident that DMT has something valuable to offer beyond its strangeness» — noted neurobiologist Chris Timmermann, who heads the DMT research group at Imperial College London. Like the better-known psychedelics, DMT may play an important role in psychotherapy, offering potential solutions for treating conditions ranging from depression to cluster headaches, while also serving as an impetus for the scientific study of consciousness.
DMT is found naturally in a variety of plants and animals. As chemist Alexander Shulgin, known for his experiments with psychoactive substances, put it, «DMT is everywhere». Humans have used its slow-acting form for thousands of years, preparing the psychoactive drink ayahuasca from DMT-containing plants. However, it wasn't until 1956 that scientists were able to isolate and extract pure DMT, allowing the drug to begin its own history independent of ayahuasca.
At high doses of DMT, the experience does not result in the disappearance of the personality, but rather a sense that the personality remains intact and moves into alternate worlds created out of chaos.
DMT is found naturally in a variety of plants and animals. As chemist Alexander Shulgin, known for his experiments with psychoactive substances, put it, «DMT is everywhere». Humans have used its slow-acting form for thousands of years, preparing the psychoactive drink ayahuasca from DMT-containing plants. However, it wasn't until 1956 that scientists were able to isolate and extract pure DMT, allowing the drug to begin its own history independent of ayahuasca.
At high doses of DMT, the experience does not result in the disappearance of the personality, but rather a sense that the personality remains intact and moves into alternate worlds created out of chaos.
If Timothy Leary was the «high priest of LSD» in the 1960s, the eccentric philosopher Terrence McKenna became an enthusiastic DMT proponent in the next generation. He recalled how his perceptions of reality were shattered: «All these things were so strange and alien that it was a complete shock — a literal overturning of my intellectual universe».
After DMT was banned in 1970 under President Richard Nixon, this psychedelic fell into the background. However, in the early 1990s, research into the hallucinogenic effects of DMT by psychiatrist Rick Strassman marked the return of legal research into psychedelics.
Since then, other psychedelics have garnered attention, but in recent years, scientific research on DMT has begun to show new promise. Its unique characteristics may make DMT more effective as both a therapeutic agent and a powerful tool for studying consciousness. While trips on psilocybin or LSD can last for hours, DMT's effects wear off in as little as 20 minutes, with no tolerance in users, making its effects more stable.
After DMT was banned in 1970 under President Richard Nixon, this psychedelic fell into the background. However, in the early 1990s, research into the hallucinogenic effects of DMT by psychiatrist Rick Strassman marked the return of legal research into psychedelics.
Since then, other psychedelics have garnered attention, but in recent years, scientific research on DMT has begun to show new promise. Its unique characteristics may make DMT more effective as both a therapeutic agent and a powerful tool for studying consciousness. While trips on psilocybin or LSD can last for hours, DMT's effects wear off in as little as 20 minutes, with no tolerance in users, making its effects more stable.
DMT's ability to create intense alternate realities may help deepen our understanding of consciousness. This drug demonstrates how the mind forms compelling and convincing models of the world, similar to those we experience in our normal waking or dreaming state. If DMT can rapidly mimic this process, studying such trips may help us better understand the mechanisms of how our minds work in sobriety.
However, even with huge investments in research and the involvement of top scientists, we will probably never be able to fully explain what happens under the influence of this unique molecule. However, there are certainly new things to be discovered in this field, and in this article we share relevant information about DMT in its incredible and as yet understudied essence.
When did DMT come on the scene?
Pure DMT was first synthesized in 1931, but its effects remained a mystery for a long time. It was not until 1956 that the first information about pure DMT became available. Hungarian pharmacologist Stefan Sarra was interested in studying LSD, but when he approached the Swiss Sandoz Laboratories, which supplied the drug to psychiatrists in the 1950s, he was turned down. Communist governments inspired fear, and working with LSD seemed too risky.
Sarra was not deterred and decided to study the existing literature on psychedelics. He discovered that DMT was the active ingredient in traditional Amazonian drinks, extracted it from the plant Mimosa hostilis and became the first to describe what happens when it is consumed.
Working in his laboratory in Budapest, Sarra reported «vivid oriental motifs» and «stunning scenes changing at an incredible speed». He soon assembled a group of volunteers from his hospital to test this unusual drug. Initial experiments in the late 1950s resulted in participants being infected with the sensation of feeling as if they were in «rooms filled with spirits» and «strange objects».
Andrew Gallimore, a neuroscientist, called DMT «the most effective reality-switching molecule» to date.
Rumors of powerful but short-lived psychedelics began to spread in the 1960s counterculture, which was actively interested in mind-altering substances. By 1962, Timothy Leary, researching psychedelics at Harvard, had also learned about DMT. He conducted experiments aimed at creating optimal conditions for tripping, paying attention to atmosphere and cultural aspects. Although his work led to positive results, DMT did not gain the same popularity as LSD, and interest waned markedly after it was banned in 1970.
However, even with huge investments in research and the involvement of top scientists, we will probably never be able to fully explain what happens under the influence of this unique molecule. However, there are certainly new things to be discovered in this field, and in this article we share relevant information about DMT in its incredible and as yet understudied essence.
When did DMT come on the scene?
Pure DMT was first synthesized in 1931, but its effects remained a mystery for a long time. It was not until 1956 that the first information about pure DMT became available. Hungarian pharmacologist Stefan Sarra was interested in studying LSD, but when he approached the Swiss Sandoz Laboratories, which supplied the drug to psychiatrists in the 1950s, he was turned down. Communist governments inspired fear, and working with LSD seemed too risky.
Sarra was not deterred and decided to study the existing literature on psychedelics. He discovered that DMT was the active ingredient in traditional Amazonian drinks, extracted it from the plant Mimosa hostilis and became the first to describe what happens when it is consumed.
Working in his laboratory in Budapest, Sarra reported «vivid oriental motifs» and «stunning scenes changing at an incredible speed». He soon assembled a group of volunteers from his hospital to test this unusual drug. Initial experiments in the late 1950s resulted in participants being infected with the sensation of feeling as if they were in «rooms filled with spirits» and «strange objects».
Andrew Gallimore, a neuroscientist, called DMT «the most effective reality-switching molecule» to date.
Rumors of powerful but short-lived psychedelics began to spread in the 1960s counterculture, which was actively interested in mind-altering substances. By 1962, Timothy Leary, researching psychedelics at Harvard, had also learned about DMT. He conducted experiments aimed at creating optimal conditions for tripping, paying attention to atmosphere and cultural aspects. Although his work led to positive results, DMT did not gain the same popularity as LSD, and interest waned markedly after it was banned in 1970.
It wasn't until the early 1990s, when Strassman conducted legal research on DMT at the University of New Mexico, that a revival of psychedelic science began. In 2000, he published a book in which he referred to DMT as the «spirit molecule». This work was later adapted into a documentary on Netflix, starring comedian Joe Rogan.
However, DMT remained in the shadows, discussed more on podcasts and internet forums than in medical and therapeutic circles such as MDMA and psilocybin research. During this time, psychedelic research largely focused on psilocybin or MDMA. However, by 2019, Imperial College London opened the world's first dedicated academic center for psychedelic science, where Timmerman began his dissertation on the neuroscience of DMT. In 2022, he organized a research group focused on understanding the effects of DMT in terms of consciousness.
Timmermann believes that there is interest in this topic, and the best way to develop it is to engage in quality scientific research.
How does it feel to take DMT?
Now let's get to the most interesting part. Neuroscientist Andrew Gallimore, author of a soon-to-be-released book, has called DMT «the most effective reality-switching molecule», capable of instantly transporting a person from familiar reality to a strange hyperspace universe filled with super-intelligent beings.
Most people smoke DMT through a pipe or vape. The effects come on in seconds, often before you can exhale. The psychedelic experience is significantly dose-dependent — small changes can lead to completely different sensations.
Psychonauts who research altered states of consciousness describe the «DMT space» in different ways. Some emphasize six levels, others four. For simplicity's sake, I classify the experience into three categories: low, medium, and high doses.
However, DMT remained in the shadows, discussed more on podcasts and internet forums than in medical and therapeutic circles such as MDMA and psilocybin research. During this time, psychedelic research largely focused on psilocybin or MDMA. However, by 2019, Imperial College London opened the world's first dedicated academic center for psychedelic science, where Timmerman began his dissertation on the neuroscience of DMT. In 2022, he organized a research group focused on understanding the effects of DMT in terms of consciousness.
Timmermann believes that there is interest in this topic, and the best way to develop it is to engage in quality scientific research.
How does it feel to take DMT?
Now let's get to the most interesting part. Neuroscientist Andrew Gallimore, author of a soon-to-be-released book, has called DMT «the most effective reality-switching molecule», capable of instantly transporting a person from familiar reality to a strange hyperspace universe filled with super-intelligent beings.
Most people smoke DMT through a pipe or vape. The effects come on in seconds, often before you can exhale. The psychedelic experience is significantly dose-dependent — small changes can lead to completely different sensations.
Psychonauts who research altered states of consciousness describe the «DMT space» in different ways. Some emphasize six levels, others four. For simplicity's sake, I classify the experience into three categories: low, medium, and high doses.
At low doses, the effects are similar to other psychedelics: colors become brighter, there is a slight tingling sensation, the world looks clearer. There is a sense of deeper meaning, which is characteristic of psychedelic states. At medium doses, a more complex picture begins to emerge: bright geometric patterns appear, colors change, and the perception of the world order goes beyond the usual.
At high, or «breakthrough» doses (about 20-30 milligrams or more), truly unusual things happen. The images that occur at medium doses become more coherent, creating a world with high clarity, albeit dissimilar to the familiar reality. It is at this level that people talk about traveling to other dimensions. Gallimore notes that «if the dose is sufficient, the user breaks through into an entirely new realm unlike anything else in this universe». This «DMT space» can have a curved geometry, which explains the strangeness of what is seen and the difficulty in describing it while sober.
Because DMT trips last only a few minutes, many people experience an abrupt return to familiar reality when they first begin to recognize these strange worlds, or even before they are able to complete their interactions with the mysterious beings.
DMT Entities
One of the most curious features of breakthrough dose studies is the interaction with entities. Strassman, describing his experiences with DMT in the 1990s, noted, «I was neither intellectually nor emotionally prepared for the frequency of contact with entities, nor for the strangeness of the experience».
At high, or «breakthrough» doses (about 20-30 milligrams or more), truly unusual things happen. The images that occur at medium doses become more coherent, creating a world with high clarity, albeit dissimilar to the familiar reality. It is at this level that people talk about traveling to other dimensions. Gallimore notes that «if the dose is sufficient, the user breaks through into an entirely new realm unlike anything else in this universe». This «DMT space» can have a curved geometry, which explains the strangeness of what is seen and the difficulty in describing it while sober.
Because DMT trips last only a few minutes, many people experience an abrupt return to familiar reality when they first begin to recognize these strange worlds, or even before they are able to complete their interactions with the mysterious beings.
DMT Entities
One of the most curious features of breakthrough dose studies is the interaction with entities. Strassman, describing his experiences with DMT in the 1990s, noted, «I was neither intellectually nor emotionally prepared for the frequency of contact with entities, nor for the strangeness of the experience».
While not everyone under the influence of DMT encounters entities, such events do occur quite frequently, making them seem like more than mere coincidence. A study of trip reports over a ten-year period, published on the r/DMT subreddit in 2022, found that of 3,778 cases, 45.5% involved encounters with various «entities», which included deities, aliens, and mythical and machine beings.
Although McKenna, who replaced Leary, became a prominent proponent of the idea of encounters with «transforming machine elves» in the context of DMT, encounters with intelligent life forms had been occurring long before his first trips in 1965. As an important part of ayahuasca, such encounters are conditioned by the notion of spirits personified as «Mother Aya». Even in Sarah's experiments in the 1950s, early users of pure DMT shared impressions of «strange beings» such as dwarfs, and some reported that «the room was filled with spirits». Others spoke of how they were welcomed by «gods» into the new world.
There are research papers documenting encountered entities within the DMT experience. Scholars continue to debate whether these entities and alternative dimensions should be considered «real». For example, Gallimore raised the possibility of diplomatic relations with experimental entities, given that their existence cannot be completely ruled out.
The new worlds and beings that emerge from DMT exposure allow researchers to analyze human consciousness and its amazing ability to create experiences. As Timmerman noted, «you can see how the brain decomposes familiar patterns and creates new, sometimes deeper ones», which opens the door to exploring the nature of consciousness.
Although McKenna, who replaced Leary, became a prominent proponent of the idea of encounters with «transforming machine elves» in the context of DMT, encounters with intelligent life forms had been occurring long before his first trips in 1965. As an important part of ayahuasca, such encounters are conditioned by the notion of spirits personified as «Mother Aya». Even in Sarah's experiments in the 1950s, early users of pure DMT shared impressions of «strange beings» such as dwarfs, and some reported that «the room was filled with spirits». Others spoke of how they were welcomed by «gods» into the new world.
There are research papers documenting encountered entities within the DMT experience. Scholars continue to debate whether these entities and alternative dimensions should be considered «real». For example, Gallimore raised the possibility of diplomatic relations with experimental entities, given that their existence cannot be completely ruled out.
The new worlds and beings that emerge from DMT exposure allow researchers to analyze human consciousness and its amazing ability to create experiences. As Timmerman noted, «you can see how the brain decomposes familiar patterns and creates new, sometimes deeper ones», which opens the door to exploring the nature of consciousness.
Because DMT and other classic psychedelics bind to serotonin 2A receptors, they activate both default networks and the areas responsible for self-reflective thinking by choosing which information to perceive. DMT also interacts with the sigma-1 receptor, which, according to the Hungarian researchers, helps protect brain cells in the event of oxygen deprivation, such as in the case of a stroke. So one neuroscientist suggests that this may explain encounters with entities.
Like other classic psychedelics, DMT is not physically addictive, although any drug can be abused and is not toxic to the brain. However, the experience of DMT can be quite traumatic. One of its significant risks is «ontological shock», which affects a person's worldview and sometimes leads to long-term suffering. A survey of 2,561 DMT users found that more than half of atheists who took the drug no longer considered themselves to be atheists. Changes in worldview are complex and require a cautious approach and support.
Radical rethinking of worldviews may be indicative of how consciousness shapes our understanding of reality. Nevertheless, psychedelics have so far failed to fulfill the promise of changing the science of consciousness. Timmerman emphasizes that a significant limitation of their use is the difficulty of isolating the key components of the psychedelic experience. He hopes that brief but intense DMT-based trips that can be easily reproduced will offer more opportunities for analysis.
One of the discoveries of psychedelic science has been that entropy, which reflects the chaos and complexity of brain activity, can serve as a signal of the intensity of a trip. Higher levels of entropy correspond to stronger trips and «ego dissolution», what Robin Carhart-Harris called the «entropic brain» hypothesis. Most psychedelics cause our minds to shift from an ordered state to chaos.
Like other classic psychedelics, DMT is not physically addictive, although any drug can be abused and is not toxic to the brain. However, the experience of DMT can be quite traumatic. One of its significant risks is «ontological shock», which affects a person's worldview and sometimes leads to long-term suffering. A survey of 2,561 DMT users found that more than half of atheists who took the drug no longer considered themselves to be atheists. Changes in worldview are complex and require a cautious approach and support.
Radical rethinking of worldviews may be indicative of how consciousness shapes our understanding of reality. Nevertheless, psychedelics have so far failed to fulfill the promise of changing the science of consciousness. Timmerman emphasizes that a significant limitation of their use is the difficulty of isolating the key components of the psychedelic experience. He hopes that brief but intense DMT-based trips that can be easily reproduced will offer more opportunities for analysis.
One of the discoveries of psychedelic science has been that entropy, which reflects the chaos and complexity of brain activity, can serve as a signal of the intensity of a trip. Higher levels of entropy correspond to stronger trips and «ego dissolution», what Robin Carhart-Harris called the «entropic brain» hypothesis. Most psychedelics cause our minds to shift from an ordered state to chaos.
For example, a 2006 study found that two months after taking psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, two-thirds of participants rated their experience as one of the five most significant events in their lives.
DMT also shows a similar trend. Moderate doses lead to a decrease in brainwave alpha frequency and an increase in entropy levels, but at high doses, the reverse is true: the personality is preserved but moved to alternate worlds where chaos is recycled into new neural structures of order. According to Timmerman, this state begins to be dominated by low-frequency brainwaves similar to those observed during sleep and dreams. This suggests a link between dreams and the DMT state, when habitual perceptions of reality undergo deconstruction.
The so-called «reduction» in brain entropy occurs during a focus on certain aspects of the experience, such as the presence of an entity. According to Timmerman, «our perceptions find ways to extract meaning from this chaos». Scientists hope that investigating how DMT alters perception will provide opportunities to advance our understanding of consciousness. The key question is how the world model actually occurs and whether DMT can demonstrate this process.
Next year, Timmerman's group will move to University College London, where they will add to their research a molecular relative of DMT, 5-MeO-DMT (bufo), which is thought to be more powerful than DMT. While DMT can help us understand how the brain creates worlds, bufo can demonstrate what happens when this process stops completely and only a pure form of consciousness remains.
«5-MeO-DMT is like a modeler of worlds that don't exist... it's a canvas with no colors. If we can tap into this experience, we can tap into the deeper workings of the mind and brain» — Timmermann noted. Together, DMT and bufo could provide a powerful boost to the science of consciousness.
DMT also shows a similar trend. Moderate doses lead to a decrease in brainwave alpha frequency and an increase in entropy levels, but at high doses, the reverse is true: the personality is preserved but moved to alternate worlds where chaos is recycled into new neural structures of order. According to Timmerman, this state begins to be dominated by low-frequency brainwaves similar to those observed during sleep and dreams. This suggests a link between dreams and the DMT state, when habitual perceptions of reality undergo deconstruction.
The so-called «reduction» in brain entropy occurs during a focus on certain aspects of the experience, such as the presence of an entity. According to Timmerman, «our perceptions find ways to extract meaning from this chaos». Scientists hope that investigating how DMT alters perception will provide opportunities to advance our understanding of consciousness. The key question is how the world model actually occurs and whether DMT can demonstrate this process.
Next year, Timmerman's group will move to University College London, where they will add to their research a molecular relative of DMT, 5-MeO-DMT (bufo), which is thought to be more powerful than DMT. While DMT can help us understand how the brain creates worlds, bufo can demonstrate what happens when this process stops completely and only a pure form of consciousness remains.
«5-MeO-DMT is like a modeler of worlds that don't exist... it's a canvas with no colors. If we can tap into this experience, we can tap into the deeper workings of the mind and brain» — Timmermann noted. Together, DMT and bufo could provide a powerful boost to the science of consciousness.
DMT has been in our bodies since birth?
DMT differs from most psychedelics in that it is produced naturally in the human body, and the reasons for this are still unknown. A 2019 study by scientists at the University of Michigan found that in some areas of the mammalian brain, DMT levels are comparable to levels of serotonin, which is responsible for many important functions, including emotions and memory.
In 1965, scientists first detected traces of DMT in humans and hypothesized that it might be linked to mental disorders such as schizophrenia. However, subsequent studies showed that DMT can reduce symptoms of psychosis, which disproved this hypothesis. In 1976, the idea that DMT may be a neurotransmitter akin to serotonin and dopamine that plays an important role in the body was put forward. However, it is still unclear exactly what function it performs. A 2022 review of the research noted that DMT does indeed do something in the brain, but the new findings have only increased the number of questions.
DMT differs from most psychedelics in that it is produced naturally in the human body, and the reasons for this are still unknown. A 2019 study by scientists at the University of Michigan found that in some areas of the mammalian brain, DMT levels are comparable to levels of serotonin, which is responsible for many important functions, including emotions and memory.
In 1965, scientists first detected traces of DMT in humans and hypothesized that it might be linked to mental disorders such as schizophrenia. However, subsequent studies showed that DMT can reduce symptoms of psychosis, which disproved this hypothesis. In 1976, the idea that DMT may be a neurotransmitter akin to serotonin and dopamine that plays an important role in the body was put forward. However, it is still unclear exactly what function it performs. A 2022 review of the research noted that DMT does indeed do something in the brain, but the new findings have only increased the number of questions.
Some researchers, like Jimo Borjigin, believe that we know very little about the role of endogenous DMT. Despite the representation of the unusual effects of DMT, it appears that it may have practical applications, such as in the treatment of cluster headaches. In addition, DMT could potentially offer advantages in psychotherapy over current MDMA or psilocybin-based methods, which usually require significant financial outlay. Because DMT's effects wear off after 20 minutes, treatment using it may be more affordable.
Some researchers suggest maintaining DMT levels with a continuous intravenous infusion, as is done with anesthesia. The 2022 study showed the possibility of «extended DMT», which gives more control over the duration and intensity of therapy. DMT has already shown encouraging results in the treatment of depression, and clinical trials of injectable use are underway.
Extended use of DMT may also deepen our understanding of consciousness and how we perceive experience. The longer people remain under the influence of this substance, the more opportunities there are to explore the human mind. While DMT continues to be on the periphery of research, its prevalence in nature and presence in our bodies emphasizes the need for a thorough understanding of its role and effects. Perhaps it can help answer some of the biggest questions about our consciousness and existence.