DMT and Death?

[Ganoderma]

I have read that at death the body releases DMT. Has this been studied much? I am interested in studies comparing the release of DMT at death and the recreational use of the drug. Is it at all similar to that of smoked DMT? What about ingested DMT used in ayahuasca? Has this been documented in other animals such as rats/mice?

When people use the drug on its own it is extremely short lived without the addition of other chemicals. Is this the case with the stuff in our brains? Could its use be to relieve the person from reality as to not experience the actual death itself?

[Tarantism]

i take great intrest in this as well,

here is a thread i started a while back in DMT and the human brain

[ughaibu]

Ganoderma: DMT experiences are widely varied and can be extremely unpleasant, they can not be unqualifiedly classed under relief.

[Tarantism]

Rick Strassman did some really revolutionary research on DMT in the late 80's and early 90's. i have a .pdf file of his book "DMT: the Spirit Molecule" if anyone would like to read it.

[Ganoderma]

I would love to read it! My e-mail is kb_reptiles@hotmail.com

I am not saying DMT is relieving. i have grown and experimented in the. what i am wondering if it is perhaps in our bodies to help "relieve", or perhaps more accurately worded "distracted" from death. After adrenaline shock and whatever else we have perhaps DMT is the last step to try and stop us from mentally dieing? Sometimes the reality of what happened, such as death, could throw a person into death as well where they may be the slightest of possibilities of survival. Just a thought. I am not in anyway saying that the drug used recreationally is recreational.


i am very curious when, how, and why it is released "naturally" in humans.

[ughaibu]

But if your mortum DMT experience is one of terror and panic, it may be significantly more unpleasant than unadulterated death. Evolutionarily this makes sense, an unpleasant death experience is more likely to cause people to fight for life and transmute the experience to near death.

[Ganoderma]

So your saying perhaps its more to frighten people of death rather than to relax it? Interesting thought. I am wondering if the "high" from the body is similar from to the high you get from plants/animals.

Even if the same, could the delivery system make it have a different effect. When people use it recreationally it is far from being injected into the brain...it’s smoked or ingested with other chemicals. Most of it is also very far from pure. Do you think that this could change the effect (I do). One of the common additives is seeds (Peganum harmala) containing Harmaline, Harmalol, Harman, Harmine all of which have some interesting activities (can be searched at: http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/ ).

All the ingested types contain other plants that contain various chemicals in order for it to absorb. I have heard of people using these other plants alone for their effects. as far as I know the only way to get the effect people want without using other chemicals is by smoking it, and perhaps burning it would slightly change its chemical makeup, and effect?

Do you know of any studies done on other additives?

[ughaibu]

As DMT is used recreationally, it must be enjoyable on many occasions, so, I'm saying it's alleged increase at death probably has no evolutionary role at all. What other effects are coincidentally observed?

[Tarantism]

Ganoderma, the book should answer all your questions. ill send you an email.

[noirorion]

i've actually only just found out about DMT, the idea that the brain could release it at the point of death, and what the effects are... it's pretty fascinating, to say the least.
If sufficient time dilation occurs, as well as a true "conciousness meltdown", allowing the person to "visit" memories and fantasies at will or random-- wouldn't it seem as if the moment before death would last much longer than it actually does? It could be a biological answer to the afterlife, allowing conciousness to fade away instead of promptly shutting off, the mind being seemingly conscious forever (or at least a long time) within the person's mind (memories, dreams, fantasies-- the idea of a heaven or hell could simply represent the number of "good" as opposed to "bad" memories, and vice versa). so the church-going may be onto something-- live a happy, good life and you don't have as many terrible memories to experience at the moment of death (or "vanishing point", as i think is an appropriate term-- the point on the horizon that is there but cannot be seen as it is too small). i never thought science could reassure my fear of death, the end of consciousness, but i gotta say that the prospect of an "eternity" reliving the good parts sounds a lot better than a harp and some wings.
forgive me if i sound over-philosophizing : ) but i think it's an interesting idea!