5-MeO-DMT vs. DMT

One question that arises consistently in my work facilitating 5-MeO-DMT is on the difference between 5-MeO-DMT and N,N-DMT (or just “DMT” for short). Because of their similarity in name, there’s often an assumption that both molecules are interchangeable, being perhaps different flavors or strains of what is essentially the same experience. I have found, though, in my personal exploration with both molecules, that their differences are quite substantial and important. In this post I’ll be introducing these two molecules and exploring some of their major differences in subjective effects.

A brief interlude into chemistry and culture

But first, let’s lay some chemical groundwork. Both 5-MeO-DMT (5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine) and N,N-DMT (N,N-dimethyltryptamine) are tryptamines, a class of molecules that most prominently exert their actions as agonists on the serotonin receptor system. Chemically, 5-MeO-DMT is a slight variation on the N,N-DMT molecule–specifically, the addition of a methoxy group at the 5-position of the indole ring (hence the name "5-methoxy"). It’s interesting to note that the DMT molecule in fact is the backbone of many of the classical psychedelics, such as psilocybin (4-PO-DMT) and psilocin (4-OH-DMT). While each of these molecules have a lot in common chemically, they are all quite different in terms of their effects.

N,N-DMT is likely the more well known of the pair, having been popularized by many prominent public figures including psychedelic philosopher Terence Mckenna and podcast personality Joe Rogan. It’s often referred to as "the spirit molecule" after Rick Strassmann’s book with the same title for its ability to induce a sense of contact with the spirit realm. N,N-DMT has many plant sources, and is traditionally consumed in the form of ayahuasca, where it is made orally active. In 1956 Hungarian chemist Stephen Szara extracted N,N-DMT from the Mimosa Hostilis plant and injected himself with it intramuscularly, discovering the psychedelic effects of the pure molecule. The 1960s and 1970s saw increased popularity in the broader culture and especially the proliferation of the smoked form of the substance, which produces a short and intense experience lasting 5-20 minutes.

5-MeO-DMT has been more of a niche molecule and entered popular awareness later than N,N-DMT. Often referred to as “the God molecule,” after a book by Dr. Gerry Sandoval for its ability to induce profound mystical experiences. 5-MeO-DMT is found in small amounts in various plants, which have been used traditionally by indigenous peoples of the Amazon as intranasal snuffs. However, the current practice of smoking the molecule was popularized in 1983 when psychonaut Ken Nelson discovered that the excretions of the Sonoran Desert toad (Incilius Alverius, formerly Bufo Alverius), which contain high concentrations of 5-MeO-DMT, can be dried and smoked. It was only through the sufficiently high concentrations of the toad excretions that the full release experience of ego dissolution could be reliably attained. The subsequent decades saw a proliferation of the synthetic “vegan” form of the molecule, which enabled more precise dosing and addressed a growing conservation concern with the toads. Prominent figures in the popularization of 5-MeO-DMT include Martin Ball and again Joe Rogan, who upon discovering 5-MeO-DMT, characterized it as a far more intense and profound experience than N,N-DMT.

While both 5-MeO-DMT and N,N-DMT can be smoked, note that for anyone experimenting at home that the dosages required for each molecule are different, with a standard dosage for N,N-DMT being a dangerously high dosage for 5-MeO-DMT.

Subjective effects and psychospiritual implications

Subjectively, the N,N-DMT experience is usually characterized by strong visuals. These visuals often have a fractal or geometric nature and are brightly colored. There is often a sense of having been transported to a different world with different rules, and then being dropped back into the ordinary world just minutes later.

One of the defining features of the N,N-DMT experience is entity encounters. For me this usually manifests as a distinct sense that I am not alone and that there is some other presence there with me. Terence Mckenna spoke extensively of encountering “machine elves” in the DMT-space and having elaborate interactions with these entities. I’ve observed that the way this presents can differ between people, but the sense of encounter with something other appears to be a nearly universal characteristic of N,N-DMT experiences.

In contrast, 5-MeO-DMT is often a non-visual experience. Depending on the person, they may experience no visuals at all, a more subdued version of the N,N-DMT visuals, or more often, an experience of dreamlike mental imagery depicting important events and people in the person’s life. However, rather than being primarily visually-focused, the 5-MeO-DMT experience tends to be more somatically and energetically focused. Especially at lower doses, it is common for people to report that they feel energy that is stuck or moving in particular parts of their body. This is often accompanied by cathartic releases, as people intuitively find ways of helping that energy move through their body through bodily movements, stretching, vocalizations, or emotional releases such as crying. A common experience is that traumatic energy that is stuck in the body can be felt to be released in the experience. It is also common to feel deep emotions–especially emotions that have previously been repressed.

As the dosage increases, ego dissolution becomes a prominent feature of the experience. Subjectively, it feels like layers of who we think we are are progressively peeled away, leaving only our core self of consciousness and love and oneness. I wrote more about this experience in my blog post titled What does 5-MeO-DMT Feel Like? It is famously difficult to put into words the end-state of a high-dose 5-MeO-DMT experience, since for most people who experience it, there is a clear impression that words simply cannot capture the full depth of the experience. But when words are applied, terms like oneness, non-duality, samadhi consciousness, or oceanic boundlessness are sometimes offered as the best approximation.

From a therapeutic and spiritual perspective, Helena and I value the inward focus that 5-MeO-DMT is able to provide. Whatever one’s own perspective on whether the realms and entities one encounters on N,N-DMT are objective external phenomena that occur on a different dimension or are internal psychological constructs experienced metaphorically, the subjective experience is entirely one of experiencing something external and other. So even if one does take the latter perspective that whatever one experiences as outer is in fact a reflection of the inner landscape, this requires an additional interpretive step. The subjective experience of 5-MeO-DMT, on the other hand, is unmistakably internal: a sense of coming home, of direct contact with oneself, one’s essence, and one’s emotions pervades the experience. We have found that it is this direct experience of oneself that is instrumental to the beneficial effects of this medicine that we have observed in ourselves and in our clients.

Closing thoughts

In the way I think of it, the N,N-DMT experience is well described by the word “trip”: you go somewhere, have fantastic experiences, and come back having had a rich experience. It’s exciting, scary, potentially enriching, and leaves us with lots to ponder. The 5-MeO-DMT experience, in contrast, brings us inward and home to our own essence. I often think of it as a subtractive experience, where we are able to shed and disidentify with all the things that we are not, and in the process brings us closer to that which we really are. It is this quality that has inspired Helena and myself to focus our work on this molecule.

Summary of subjective effects

This post was written as part of my commitment to writing a monthly article as part of my role as a Flying Sage Community Leader. The Flying Sage is a Vancouver-based community organization centering around psychedelics.