The story of the doctor who tried to treat his depression by smoking DMT every day
Disorders of mood and anxiety are two of the most common mental problems in the western population today. Fortunately, there is a wide variety of methods that allow those who suffer to reduce or even make disappear the symptoms of these. However, in many respects these solutions are not entirely satisfactory.
Often the use of psychotropic drugs is required , that allow to control the symptomatology while the psychological therapy is carried out. However, in some cases the medicines that are prescribed to combat these symptoms are not sufficiently effective or take a long time to begin to take effect, so that even now the effects of new substances or possible applications of unused elements continue to be investigated. so far in a therapeutic way.
This is what happened to a retired psychiatrist, suffering from bipolar disorder with a high proportion of depressive episodes, than to the infectivity of conventional methods decided to try to treat her depression by smoking DMT every day .
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What is DMT?
Dimethyltryptamine or DMT is a substance of the psychodysleptic type that generates alterations in perception in the form of hallucinations . These hallucinations are usually of a brief nature and often of mystical and existential content. It is considered one of the most powerful hallucinogens, and is usually consumed orally or smoked, with almost immediate effects.
This substance is part of the well-known ayahuasca, a concoction used in some indigenous tribes of America in a ritual way to experience different "mystical" visions. It is an illegal drug and has the potential to cause psychotic episodes , confusion and anxiety. Currently, DMT consumption is linked to that of MAOI-type antidepressants, which allow it to potentiate and lengthen its effects (since it is naturally metabolized quickly).
DMT can be found in various plants , although in small quantities it also appears in some regions of our brain. Sometimes called Mystic or God molecule, popularly it has been linked to the experience of extracorporeal phenomena and sensations in near death experiences. It has sometimes been speculated that it also occurs during sleep.
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The possible antidepressant effects of this drug
Although it is not considered to produce feelings of euphoria as other psychodysleptics, it has been speculated on the possibility of using this substance or derivatives of it in the treatment of depression or addiction to other drugs , and that's why different investigations have been carried out in this regard.
The results of some of them reflect that DMT has an enhancing effect of serotonin, mimicking the behavior of this hormone in different brain receptors. One of them is 5-HT2C, whose activation can generate an improvement in mood. Also, the activation of other serotonin receptors could explain the presence of hallucinations.
In controlled studies it has been found that the administration of DMT can produce relaxation and a decrease in depressive symptomatology in low doses, although this effect must be replicated and the possible complications derived from it must be analyzed (the trials had very few participants).
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The case of the ex-psychiatrist who was medicated with DMT
Suffering a bipolar disorder in which the existence of depressive episodes predominated and to which conventional medication is not effective, and based on the results of previous studies carried out on ayahuasca and DMT, a former psychiatrist retired from forty years old decided to try Treat your depressive symptoms through daily consumption of this substance .
Starting the treatment
The subject in question acquired the substance illegally, through the deep web, and started a treatment in which DMT was administered daily.
The doses were extremely high, about one gram a day . Despite this, due to a slight improvement in his mood, the subject decided to add to his treatment the administration of phenelzine, an MAOI or inhibitor of the enzyme monoamine oxidase used in the treatment of atypical depressions, although it requires a control exhaustive aspects such as feeding to be able to cause with great ease hepatic failures and sudden and dangerous elevations of blood pressure.
This second substance greatly enhances the effects of DMT. During this period, the family would later refer to the experimenter beginning to manifest hypomanic and erratic behaviors, as well as to show a significant increase in their level of religiosity . He also had decreased sleep, which the former psychiatrist treated with clonazepam.
Abstinence syndrome
However, six months after starting self-medication the individual had to take a plane out of state and was forced to stop using it for a few days. This sudden cessation of supply of the substance caused a severe withdrawal syndrome in him that would make him go to the hospital.
The subject suffered a severe psychotic episode and also manifesting manic symptoms, aggressive behavior (having to be reduced and contained) and difficulties in communicating. Then he collapsed, convulsing and even needing to be intubated for a day while it stabilized. Once stabilized, he began to show logorheic behavior, presenting powerful religious hallucinations in whose course he even demanded an exorcism.
After the administration of a treatment that lasted for a week, the symptoms seemed to subside. Finally, an outpatient follow-up of the patient's condition was proposed, whose current condition has not transpired.
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Implications of the case
The case of this ex-psychiatrist has important repercussions that can be considered. DMT is a substance that must be studied carefully and that currently does not have an approved therapeutic use , being necessary a greater exploration of its effects and risks.
It has been stated that it can also generate manic and psychotic episodes due to its hallucinatory effects in cases in which previous psychopathologies are suffered or other substances are consumed. In the case that gives rise to this article, in addition, the dose used (1 gram daily) was exaggeratedly high, which enhances the risks.
In addition, the investigations carried out previously worked under controlled conditions in which the volunteers manifested severe and chronic depression, but not a bipolar disorder. In bipolar disorder there have been at least episodes of hypomania , and in the case of ex-psychiatrist the clinical history reflects the existence of a previous manic episode. By this we mean that the use of DMT could cause an increase in manic symptomatology (as it would in fact occur in this case).
In the same way, as with other substances, it must be taken into account that the acquisition of dependence and tolerance to a substance supposes that in the face of abrupt withdrawal, withdrawal symptoms of variable severity may arise that could even end in the death of the subject. Whenever the withdrawal of a substance occurs it must be gradual and controlled.
Finally, another issue that we can see in this case is the self-medication carried out by this former professional psychiatry. Although in the case of this subject it was someone who had training related to the world of psychotropic drugs, self-prescription and self-administration of drugs can have severe consequences in those who carry it out, especially if it is done without knowledge in the field or of the possible adverse effects, interactions or indicated doses.
Bibliographic references:
- Brown, T .; Shao, W .; Ayub, S .; Chong, D. & Cornelius, C. (2017). A Physician's Attempt to Self-Medicate Bipolar Depression with N, NDimethyltryptamine (DMT), Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. Taylor & Francis Group. United States of America.
- Strassman, R.J. (2001). DMT: The Spirit Molecule. A Doctor's Revolutionary Research into the Biology of Near-Death and Mystical Experiences. Park Street.
- Wallach, J.W. (2008). Endogenous hallucinogens as ligands of the trace amine receptors: a possible role in sensory perception.Med Hypotheses. 2009 Jan; 72 (1): 91-4
