I've seen in DMT discussions that DMT is the "spirit molecule" and it is produced when we die in order to facilitate the transition. Indeed, I once had an experience with smoked DMT where it was self-evident to me that I had died.

Yet from reading near-death experiences, it is quite evident that there are a lot of differences between the DMT experience and the near-death experience. For example, near-death experiences don't tend to have a lot of complex visuals and the inability to think clearly that is experienced with DMT. Also, I don't think that DMT is unique in being able to produce a loss of contact with ones physical body. I've read reports from people taking high doses of LSD and psilocybin that sound very similar to DMT experiences.

This leads me to an alternate theory. Yes, DMT can produce an out-of-body or near-death experience, but it does not do it directly. What happens is that our nervous system reacts to the weird thoughts and sensations of a DMT experience by disconnecting us from our body. This is a defense mechanism against experiencing suffering in a body that would appear to our nervous system to be dead or dying. I've read that people having near-death experiences due to a traumatic physical event such as an automobile accident will report that they left their body right at the time of impact, or sometimes even a moment before. Therefore, they did not experience physical pain with the accident. I'm wondering if that same defence mechanism might be activated by high doses of DMT (or other drugs). If that is the case, users may actually be experiencing the "non-physical world", but the experience is distorted by the effects of the drug.

Any thoughts?

Elphologist

Its an interesting concept , i've been following near death experiences a bit and the main similarity to a dmt -like experience is this complete loss of body sensation or lack thereof.


I believe there is a universality to our central sense of self that is contained in a very small unit of energy. This unit can detach from the body and travel into other dimensionalities. It also can expand its awareness to absorb , sense and travel in other energy fields.

I think certain overdoses of DMT to the body can trigger some kind of near death mechanism that takes over. But i think there are different kinds of leaving of the body. Some detachments are not a triggered response to stress. Some are a stress response.

The amazing thing to me overall is how natural it feels to experience this out of body feeling.