Beyond symptom reduction: DMT improves anxiety, life satisfaction, and quality of life in healthy volunteers and patients with depression
Raynara Bolcont, Fernanda Palhano-Fontes, Handersson Barros, Sophie Laborde, Daniel Amorim, Marcelo Falchi-Carvalho, Nicole Galvã£o-coelho, Isabel Wießner, Dráulio Barros de Araújo
Journal of Psychopharmacology July 8, 2026 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1177/02698811261465005 via OpenAlex
Summary
Inhaled DMT, when combined with psychological support, is linked to significant improvements in life satisfaction and quality of life among patients with treatment-resistant depression over 12 months. Healthy individuals experienced reduced anxiety for up to one day and increased life satisfaction for up to 14 days post-administration. Patients also reported sustained enhancements in several quality of life domains, including physical and psychological health.
Study at a glance
| Design | open-label clinical trial |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 41 |
| Population | 27 healthy individuals and 14 patients with treatment-resistant depression |
| Key finding | Patients with treatment-resistant depression reported increased life satisfaction after 12 months and sustained improvements in quality of life. |
Abstract
BACKGROUND: -dimethyltryptamine (DMT); however, long-term effects, including broader well-being dimensions, are sparsely explored across populations. AIMS: Investigating whether DMT produces sustained improvements in anxiety, life satisfaction, and quality of life, in both healthy individuals and patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). METHODS: In 2 open-label clinical trials, 27 healthy individuals and 14 patients with TRD, respectively, received inhaled DMT in a supportive clinical setting. Repeated assessments were conducted from baseline up to 12 months (only patients), including state anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory State, STAI-S), life satisfaction (Satisfaction with Life Scale, SWL), and quality of life (World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument - Abbreviated Version, WHOQOL-BREF, and Spirituality, Religion and Personal Beliefs Module, WHOQOL-SRPB). RESULTS: All volunteers showed reduced state anxiety after inhalation up to 1 day afterward. Healthy volunteers reported increased life satisfaction up to 14 days post-administration. Beyond symptom reduction, patients reported increased life satisfaction after 12 months and sustained improvements in quality of life over that period, including Physical Health, Psychological Health, Social Relationships, and Environment (WHOQOL-BREF), and partially Inner Peace and Hope & Optimism (WHOQOL-SRPB). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that inhaled DMT, combined with psychological support, is associated with recovery of daily functioning and health domains in patients with depression. Although limited by open-label design, lacking placebo control, and modest sample size, this exploratory study highlights the value of incorporating multidimensional outcomes in psychedelic research and DMT's potential relevance in both clinical and public health contexts.