Low-dose DMT once a week as a mood booster — experiences/thoughts? (coming from a heavy addiction background)

[AciBoy1234]

Hey everyone,


I wanted to share something and get some honest opinions from people who actually know what they're talking about.


A bit of background on me: I've been heavily addicted to substances since I was 13. Benzos, large amounts of amphetamines, basically everything you can imagine — but towards the end it was mainly crack and benzos. It got to the point where I ended up in a coma from crack use and nearly died. That's what finally made me stop. I'm 19 now and have been clean for 10 months, which honestly still feels surreal to say.


Lately I've been exploring DMT very carefully and gradually. I started with 5mg, then tried 10mg, and most recently worked up to 15mg — and about an hour later added another 5mg to hit 20mg. It was genuinely beautiful. I felt a real boost, like something in me came back online. More motivation, more joy, just more will to live again. Something I honestly haven't felt in a very long time.


Now I'm thinking about using very small amounts — like around 5mg — once a week, purely as a mood lifter. Not to trip, not to escape, just to feel a little more alive and active.


My questions for you all:

1. Do you think a weekly low-dose like this could be beneficial in the way I'm describing, or does it seem problematic to you — especially given my addiction history?
2. Is there any risk of psychological dependence developing with DMT specifically, in your experience or opinion?
3. Any general thoughts on using it this intentionally and this infrequently?

I'm not looking to go back down any dark roads. This genuinely feels different to me — but I also know I'm not the most objective judge of my own patterns. That's exactly why I'm asking.


Appreciate any honest input.

 

[Flufferus]

1. yes, as an addict i do this.
2. no not really.
3.I do it and find it beneficial. maybe you will like it too.

 

[blig-blug]

Do you think a weekly low-dose like this could be beneficial in the way I'm describing, or does it seem problematic to you — especially given my addiction history?

Yes, I think it could be beneficial if used in the way you describe. Intentionality is the most important part of it IMO.

Is there any risk of psychological dependence developing with DMT specifically, in your experience or opinion?

There's a certain risk of psychological dependence to almost anything. That being said, I don't think the risk is particularly high with DMT, even when compared to many non-drug experiences. It could in fact be considered particularly low. So, zero risk doesn't exist, but I think with DMT is more than acceptable for most people.

While I have never been addicted to a substance, I do have addictive tendencies and I've been in the edge with a specific substance that I find occasionally helpful. While I also find low-dose DMT helpful, for some reason it tends to be very difficult for me to take it frequently. Several times I've made the determination to take a low daily dose for meditation purposes, and invariably I've stopped in a bit over a week. Not because I've decided to stop, I just stopped.

So I think that, for most people (there are always exceptions), there's a strong self-regulating factor when using DMT. Low doses in particular don't reach the point where you "transcend your humanity" so to speak, so I think the self-regulating factor may be even stronger than for higher doses (at least while the high dose honeymoon lasts).

Any general thoughts on using it this intentionally and this infrequently?

Only the general advice to be watchful. DMT is not physically addictive nor dangerous. You need to watch out for any signs of being ungrounded, such as paranoid feelings or thoughts, delusions, newly appeared emotional instability, difficulty sleeping... It's very unlikely that any of that happens with low doses and relatively infrequent use, however I think it's always a good idea to pay attention to what effects drug use is having. Something else to pay attention to is that the use stays intentional and doesn't start being a kind of mindless act.

In summary, I don't think you have much to worry about. Just pay attention and cut back if you were to see any worrying signs, but even that is not too likely, particularly from low doses.

 

[Ruffles]

1 - if it takes you away from the harmful addictions, sure it could be helpful. But it might not change your behavior at all meaning it be neutral, or even reinforce one of love of mind altering substances which is at the core of chem addiction. I would suggest to not expect such a thing out of this.

2 - vaping dmt leads to psychological dependence? Hmm, not sure about the loaded term, has this even been measured by dsm people? I would rather say: definitely yes for fascination and obsession.

3 - be truthful and honest with yourself about it. It's a powerful psychoactive with relatively unpredictable effects, if it didn't misteriously work no one would be using it. Don't sugar coat your use of it, don't over rationalize and retroactively and anachronically try to justify your use or even abuse of it if it feels like so. It might just be that you are using it to continue your addictive behavior. It might just be a better chemical option to your situation.

I for one cannot explain to myself clearly my sporadic to sometimes one week frequent use of tryptamines. I used to try to explain it. The list of reasons continues to grow, up to a rambling status. I now understand a tiny bit of the fascination (for the abstract) and the drive it gives towards consumption and the ecstasy and trance, but honestly, reasons come after, the priors are either impulses driven by fascination or compulsive behaviors or a reckless desire for clear absurdity, all of which I am gradually starting to accept to be something within my nature.

 

[doubledog]

1. Yes, it could be beneficial for you, but do not expect consistent long term mood lifting effects, it usually works like that only for short term. With psychedelics, you can not avoid to process your issues, it is very likely that after some time you will have to really go deep. At that moment, your mood can became much worse, you could be destabilized emotionally and your cravings for your destructive drugs could reemerge with surprising strenght.
I was heroin and meth user in my youth and psychedelics were very beneficial for me in the process of healing, but their way of help is not so straightforward.

2. Risk is very low.
3. Imo you should start some form of therapy.