DMT and Anxiety: Effects on Depression, Risks & What’s The Link?

DMT can exacerbate anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues due to its profound impact on the brain’s chemistry. Rapid breathing, jitteriness, fear, and difficulty thinking about anything other than what you are now worrying about are just a few of the symptoms of anxiety that DMT might exacerbate.


DMT and Anxiety: What Is DMT For Depression?

The full chemical name of a substance known as DMT is N, N-Dimethyltryptamine (5 MeO DMT Depression). DEA Schedule I restricted chemical DMT is a psychedelic tryptamine derivative.

Schedule I indicates that this substance has no recognized medicinal use. This group of drugs also has a significant likelihood of misuse. DMT is illegal and has not been subjected to any consumer testing.

Psychedelic drugs include DMT. There are various plant species native to Mexico, South America, and some regions of Asia that naturally contain this indole alkaloid. Labs may also be used to create DMT.

DMT is a solid or powder with white crystalline particles when it is pure. It can have a pink, yellow, or orange color when it is not pure. It might turn brownish-red when used with ayahuasca.

Dimitri, the spirit molecule, businessman’s trip, fantasia, and 45-minute psychosis are a few slang terms for DMT. Other psychedelic substances like LSD, ketamine, and magic mushrooms are frequently contrasted with it.

DMT has been employed since the beginning of time, mostly in ritual settings. It has been used in South American shamanic rituals for countless years. Higher spiritual consciousness is attained through the usage of DMT for religious purposes.

In certain nations, DMT is only permitted for these religious uses. However, tryptamines like LSD and DMT started to be used recreationally by young people in the middle of the 20th century.

DMT’s potency and unpredictability make it risky to take and can have adverse effects on one’s mental and physical health. DMT has similar products to psychedelic drugs like LSD. According to research, DMT is endogenous, which means it develops inside the body of a living thing.

Endogenous hallucinogens like DMT, 5-hydroxy-N, N-dimethyl-tryptamine, and 5-methoxy-N, N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) are recognized as naturally occurring elements of the mammalian body, according to the NIH.

However, it is challenging to recollect their biological roles. Ayahuasca and DMT are frequently confused with one another.

DMT is ayahuasca’s primary component. Ayahuasca includes MAOIs, which stop your body’s enzymes from decomposing DMT, which contributes to its psychedelic effects.

DMT For Anxiety: Pharmacology

DMT produces vivid hallucinations. Hallucinations involve experiencing unreal sounds, smells, tastes, and sensations. People who have been diagnosed with mental diseases, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, frequently experience hallucinations.

However, substance abuse might also result in hallucinations. Based on the user, DMT experiences vary. While some report joy, others express great fear. Because of the drug’s potency, the user frequently has mental side effects for days or even weeks after using it.

DMT functions by preventing serotonin from acting in the brain.

A broad category of traditional or serotonergic hallucinogens is referred to as “tryptamines.” Serotonin is a chemical that functions as a neurotransmitter and sends information throughout your body. Serotonergic hallucinogens are substances that alter serotonin.

Serotonin controls vital body processes like digestion, sleep, and mood. Your mental and physical health may suffer if your body’s serotonin levels are either low or too high.

DMT is a non-selective agonist at most or all serotonin receptors, specifically the 5-ht2a receptor.

Anxiety Statistics

It’s critical to understand the distinction between anxiety and depression. Anxiety, in its most basic form, is an excessive feeling of worry, whereas depression, in its most basic form, is an extreme feeling of worthlessness and hopelessness. It is conceivable for someone to experience depression and anxiety simultaneously.


6.8 million

GAD affects 6.8 million adults, or 3.1% of the U.S. population, yet only 43.2% are receiving treatment.

Source: National Institute on Mental Health

10.3 %

Nineteen million adults experience specific phobias, making it the most common anxiety disorder in America.  

Source: ADAA2020

17.3 million

Major depressive disorder affects approximately 17.3 million American adults, or about 7.1% of the U.S. population aged 18 and older.

Source: National Institute of Mental Health


Get Help. Get Better. Get Your Life Back.

Searching for Accredited Dual Diagnosis Mental Health Centers Near You?

Even if therapy failed previously, or are in the middle of a difficult crisis, we stand ready to support you. Our trusted behavioral health specialists will not give up on you. When you feel ready or just want someone to speak to about counseling alternatives to change your life call us. Even if we cannot assist you, we will lead you to wherever you can get support. There is no obligation. Call our hotline today.

FREE 24/7 Dual Diagnosis Mental Health Services Hotline

Anxiety Fact Sheet

Anxiety Overview

Your brain and behavior are both impacted by the condition of addiction. Substance addiction makes it unable to resist the impulse to use the drug, regardless of how harmful it may be. The sooner you receive treatment for drug addiction, the better your chances are of avoiding some of the disease’s more serious side effects.


Anxiety Symptoms

Behavioral: hypervigilance, irritability, or restlessness.

Cognitive: lack of concentration, racing thoughts, or unwanted thoughts.

Whole body: fatigue or sweating

Also common:  anxiety, excessive worry, angor animi, fear, insomnia, nausea, palpitations, or trembling

Anxiety Treatment

  • Support group: A place where those pursuing the same disease or objective, such as weight loss or depression, can receive counseling and exchange experiences.
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy: A conversation treatment that aimed to change the negative attitudes, actions, and feelings connected to psychiatric discomfort.
  • Counseling psychology: A subfield of psychology that handles issues with the self that are connected to work, school, family, and social life.
  • Anger management: To reduce destructive emotional outbursts, practice mindfulness, coping skills, and trigger avoidance.
  • Psychoeducation: Mental health education that also helps individuals feel supported, validated, and empowered
  • Family therapy: psychological counseling that improves family communication and conflict resolution.
Data from the DEA and American Association of Poison Control show that DMT, particularly at higher doses, has also been linked to coma and respiratory arrest.
DMT Anxiety Cure: Data from the DEA and American Association of Poison Control show that DMT, particularly at higher doses, has also been linked to coma and respiratory arrest.

Side Effects of DMT Anxiety

The psychedelic effects of DMT may be induced by stimulating this receptor. Dopamine and adrenaline are both inhibited concurrently by the serotonin that is created.

A neurotransmitter called dopamine is involved in both physiological and neurological processes. Dopamine affects functions like memory, locomotion, emotion, attention, and others via acting in the brain’s “reward center.”

Depending on the method of administration and the amount of DMT, the hallucinogenic effects of DMT vary. DMT is typically snorted, smoked, or injected when taken by itself.

Compared to taking the drug orally, DMT’s effects start taking effect more quickly when injected into a vein or muscle. DMT effects can occur right away when smoked. It isn’t easy to estimate how long it takes for DMT to reach its peak effects when smoked.

The effects of ayahuasca may take longer to manifest and peak two to three hours after ingestion when taken as a brew.

DMT cannot be metabolized orally without a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI). Ayahuasca is a kind of MAOI, as evidenced by its vine. MAOIs amplify the pharmacological effects of DMT.

DMT’s negative consequences can include:

  • Vivid hallucinations.
  • Depersonalization.
  • Distorted sense of time.
  • Increased/rapid heart rate.
  • Increased blood pressure.
  • Chest pain or tightness.
  • Agitation.
  • Dizziness.
  • Pupil dilation.

There are also serious risks that can potentially come with taking DMT, which include:

  • Persistent psychosis.
  • Confusion.
  • Seizures.
  • Loss of muscle coordination.

Disruptions to one’s thoughts and perceptions make it difficult to distinguish between what is real and what is not accurate, which is a symptom of psychosis. Data from the DEA and American Association of Poison Control show that DMT, particularly at higher doses, has also been linked to coma and respiratory arrest.

The experience of using DMT has reportedly changed the lives of many users. Near-death experiences and mystical encounters are examples of this. Near-death experiences (NDEs) are defined as incidents that happen in connection with death or the feeling that death is imminent by Frontiers in Psychology.

The NDE scale was developed to rate the degree to which DMT generates NDEs. Based on this scale, the results imply a significant overlap between DMT AND NDEs.

Ego death is a possible side effect of using psychedelic substances. Ego death is the temporary loss of awareness of one’s identity and the nature of reality. Someone’s perspective of life may drastically change as a result of this.

Ryan Zofay forming a circle and hugging friends.

End the Emotional Pain. Get Your Life Back.

Feeling Depressed, Anxious or Struggling with Mental Health Illness? Get Safe Comfortable Mental Health Dual Diagnosis High-Quality Therapy From Counselors That Care. Begin Your Recovery Now.

Hotline (855) 940-6125

DMT For Depression And Anxiety

DMT and Anxiety

DMT and other hallucinogens may trigger people who already have mental health issues. DMT has a profound impact on the brain’s chemistry, which can exacerbate anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.

It can make anxiety symptoms like rapid breathing, nervousness, panic attacks, and difficulty thinking about anything other than what you are now concerned about worse.

The drug is psychedelic. Thus, the user could have a “bad trip.” This may involve seeing horrifying visions and uncontrollably vivid hallucinations. People who already struggle with mental illness are more likely to have a “poor trip.”

Contrarily, there is debate over the efficacy and safety of DMT and other psychedelic drugs in the treatment of mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. More research is required to ascertain DMT’s benefits, dangers, and safety as a treatment.

DMT Effects On Depression: DMT Depression

DMT can have an impact on both your physical and mental health because of its potency. DMT targets the serotonin receptors in the brain, working similarly to antidepressants.

Serotonin syndrome can happen to people who use DMT frequently or who take it combined with antidepressants.

When you take a medicine that raises the levels of serotonin in your body too much, you can get serotonin syndrome, a potentially fatal condition.

Symptoms of serotonin syndrome may include:

  • Anxiety.
  • Disorientation.
  • Restlessness.
  • Excitement.
  • Tremors.
  • Rapid heart rate.
  • Abnormally rapid breathing.
  • Shivering.
  • Diarrhea.

DMT Therapy For Depression: DMT For Depression

DMT Treatment For Depression: Some recent research may imply that DMT might work well for treating depression (DMT Depression Treatment). Pharmaceuticals claim that additional study is required to discover whether DMT is a secure and reliable treatment for depression.

Dr. Rick Strassman teaches clinical associate psychiatry courses at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. His investigation into the pineal gland as a potential biological site for spiritual experiences led him to the drug DMT.

In his book The Spirit Molecule, he argues that the pineal gland naturally releases DMT and promotes the soul’s passage into and out of the body.

First-class Facilities & Amenities

World-class High-Quality Mental Health Services & Behaviroal Health Substance Abuse Treatment

Rehab Centers Tour

Renowned Mental Health Centers. Serene Private Facilities. Inpatient Rehab Programs Vary.

Mental Health Helpline (855) 940-6125

Proven recovery success experience, backed by a Team w/ History of:

15+

Years of Unified Experience

100s

5-Star Reviews Across Our Centers

10K

Recovery Successes

  • Comprehensive Dual-Diagnosis Treatment
  • Complimentary Family & Alumni Programs
  • Coaching, Recovery & Development Events
  • Comfortable Onsite Medical Detox Center

Can DMT be used to Treat Mental Health Problems?

DMT and AnxietyDMT Depression

There is evidence from small-scale research that psychedelics help treat conditions including depression, substance use disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which are characterized by rumination, routines, and bias.

According to a recent study, N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) may be used to treat depression and anxiety in addition to conventional therapy.

Findings from nonclinical research indicate that DMT may be able to lessen behavioral despair in the well-known animal model of depression known as the forced swim test.

Medical practitioners think DMT can be utilized for people who don’t respond well to standard depression treatments because of the intense psychedelic effects it produces.

DMT is the chosen substance for research since it has the fewest adverse effects when compared to other psychedelic substances, and psychedelic-assisted therapy may offer long-lasting comfort.

  • The benefits of using psychedelics to treat depression are long-lasting, which is a glaring advantage. According to the study, psychedelic-assisted therapy is expected to have an early onset of antidepressant activity that will endure for three to six months.
  • DMT must be used sparingly to combat sadness. By stimulating various serotonin receptors throughout the cortex, the medication is intended to assist the brain’s many pathways to function better by preventing the brain’s natural processes for unhealthy thought.
  • The pathways might then be “reset” with various therapies, giving them a chance to resettle differently.

Powerful drugs like DMT have the potential to cause hallucinations that are associated with near-death experiences. Therefore, additional research is required to fully support the claims before using it to treat mental health disorders.

The use of DMT should be subject to tight regulations. Unfavorable side effects, such as terrible trips, worsening symptoms, or adverse effects on the heart, can happen to particular persons.

DMT and Anxiety: There is evidence from small-scale research that psychedelics help treat conditions including depression, substance use disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which are characterized by rumination, routines, and bias.
DMT and Anxiety: There is evidence from small-scale research that psychedelics help treat conditions including depression, substance use disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which are characterized by rumination, routines, and bias.

World-class, Accredited, 5-Star Reviewed, Effective Mental Health Dual Diagnosis Programs. Complete Integrated Inpatient Rehab with Free Post Discharge Therapy Planning.

CALL (855) 940-6125

End the Emotional Pain Rollercoaster. Gain Stability & Happiness Through Recovery Treatment. Start Mental Health Counseling Today. Get Free No-obligation Guidance by Behaviroal Health Specialists Who Understand Mental Health Recovery.

We Level Up Dual Diagnosis Treatment

The definition of dual diagnosis (also referred to as co-occurring disorders) can differ between institutions. However, it is generally described as the specific treatment of someone who has been diagnosed with a substance use disorder and a mental health disorder at the same time. Treating dual-diagnosis clients is a critical aspect of our inpatient treatment experience because co-occurring disorders are strongly correlated with instances of substance abuse.

Creating a treatment plan that addresses the physical aspects of withdrawal, the psychological connection with drug use, and managing underlying mental health disorders is part of setting clients up for success.  A thorough mental health analysis identifies possibilities for treatment.  Meeting with mental health counselors and medical care providers means access to behavioral therapy and medication treatment. At our dual diagnosis treatment center, We Level Up can implement the highest quality of care. 

We recognize the fragile complexities of how mental and substance abuse disorders can influence others and sometimes result in a vicious cycle of addiction.  That’s why we offer specialized treatment in dual-diagnosis cases to provide the most excellent chance of true healing and long-lasting recovery.

It can be challenging to accept that you may be living with a mental illness, but once it is properly diagnosed and treated, treating the presenting case of substance abuse can be magnitudes easier. Only a properly trained medical professional can diagnose these underlying conditions.  If you believe you are suffering from a disorder alongside addiction, we urge you to seek a qualified treatment center to begin your journey to recovery. Call We Level Up today.

8 Steps & Tips for Maintaining Your Mental Wellbeing

Experience Transformative Recovery at the We Level Up Treatment Center.

See our authentic success stories. Get inspired. Get the help you deserve.

We Level Up Treatment Centers for Drug Alcohol Rehab Detox Behavioral Mental Health Dual Diagnosis Therapy We Level Up Treatment Centers for Drug Alcohol Rehab Detox Behavioral Mental Health Dual Diagnosis Therapy We Level Up Treatment Centers for Drug Alcohol Rehab Detox Behavioral Mental Health Dual Diagnosis Therapy
Hotline (855) 940-6125
Voluntarily testimonials from the We Level Up Treatment Center network vary. Not intended as a guaranteed treatment or outcome as each person's journey is unique.

Start a New Life

Begin with a free call to a behavioral health treatment advisor. Learn more about our dual-diagnosis programs. The We Level Up treatment center network delivers recovery programs that vary by each treatment facility. Call to learn more.

  • Personalized Care
  • Caring Accountable Staff
  • World-class Amenities
  • Licensed & Accredited
  • Renowned w/ 5-Star Reviews

We’ll Call You


Search We Level Up FL DMT and Anxiety Resources