TL;DR

•A new PsyArXiv paper does not prove that DMT entities are real. It offers ways to test whether DMT trips show patterns that are hard to explain as private hallucinations alone.

•Many people who use DMT say they meet beings that feel aware, smart, and separate from them (2) (4).

•Brain studies still show that DMT strongly changes brain activity, so claims about outside beings need careful testing (3).

•Whether the beings are outside the brain or not, the experience can feel real and may need thoughtful psychedelic integration support. 

What is the core question this article answers?

The core question is this: Can science test whether DMT entities exist outside the human brain? The honest answer is yes, researchers can design tests. But no study has proven that these beings exist outside us. The best current work asks whether DMT reports show stable, shared, or outside-shaped patterns.

DMT, or N,N-dimethyltryptamine, is a short-acting psychedelic. It can bring intense visions, a sense of entering another world, and meetings with beings. Some people say the encounter felt more real than daily life.

A new paper by Andrew R. Gallimore, Niffe Hermansson, and Donald D. Hoffman explores this question through a theory called conscious realism (1). In simple terms, the paper asks whether DMT may change the mind’s usual “interface” with reality. 

What does the new DMT entity paper actually propose?

The paper proposes that DMT may change normal perception so deeply that people reach unusual parts of experience. The authors do not say this proves entities are real. Instead, they suggest tests for shared, stable, or outside-shaped features in DMT trips (1).

This is a key point. The paper is not just saying, “people see beings, so the beings must be real.” It asks what kind of evidence would make the idea stronger. For example, researchers might test whether people in separate sessions report the same clear details more often than chance. Here are the prevailing theories: 

Private hallucination: The brain makes the whole event, but science needs brain and mind data explain the reports well.

Outside contact: The person meets agents beyond normal sight, but science needs strong shared data that cannot be explained by chance or suggestion.

Meaningful but unproven: The event can matter even if its source is unclear, but science needs careful support, humility, and more research.

Why do DMT entities feel so real to many people?

DMT entities may feel real because the encounter often includes sight, emotion, communication, and a strong sense of “someone else.” In a survey of 2,561 people, many said the beings seemed aware, smart, and kind. Many also said the event changed their beliefs (2).

This is different from seeing random colors or shapes. Many people describe a meeting. They may feel watched, taught, healed, tested, or warned. In one interview study, 94% of people reported beings, and all reported other worlds after inhaled DMT (4). A large study of online DMT reports found entity encounters in 45.5% of reports (5).

These studies do not prove the beings exist outside the brain. But they do show why the topic matters. A DMT encounter can affect a person’s faith, grief, fear of death, identity, or sense of purpose. 

What does brain science say about DMT experiences?

Brain science shows that DMT strongly changes how the brain works. In a placebo-controlled EEG-fMRI study, DMT changed brain connectivity, reduced alpha waves, and increased signal diversity (3). This supports a brain-based view of the DMT state.

That matters because a strong feeling of reality is not proof. Psychedelics can change how we see, feel, remember, and make meaning. A person can feel certain during the trip and still need time to understand it later.

Still, brain data does not answer every question. All experience has brain activity, including reading this sentence. The deeper question is whether the brain creates the whole event or helps shape contact with something wider. That is why careful testing is better than quick certainty.

If you are trying to understand a powerful psychedelic experience, you do not have to decide everything at once. Serenity Professional Counseling offers psychedelic integration therapy for people who want to process strange, deep, or spiritual experiences in a grounded way. You can also read Serenity’s related article, Can a Single Dose of DMT Safely and Rapidly Treat Depression?, for more DMT research context. 

How could researchers test whether DMT entities exist outside the brain?

Researchers could test this by looking for patterns that should not appear if every DMT trip is only private. The tests would need to reduce bias, hide key details from participants, and compare reports across people.

One test could ask whether people in separate sessions describe the same specific place, symbol, message, or being more often than chance. Another test could use hidden cues and ask whether those cues shape the DMT world in a reliable way. Strong studies would need blind raters, enough people, and clear rules set before the study begins.

These studies would be hard. DMT trips are short and intense. People may be shaped by stories they heard online. Memory can also change. That is why researchers would need to separate true shared patterns from suggestion.

Why should people be careful with “it was real” or “it was all in my head”?

Both phrases can be too simple. Saying “it was real” may go beyond the evidence. Saying “it was all in my head” may dismiss the deep meaning of the event. A better stance is curious, calm, and humble.

Hoffman’s earlier theory of perception helps explain this problem. It argues that normal perception may be useful without being a perfect copy of reality (7). Psychedelic perception may be even less ordinary. So a DMT entity can feel deeply real while still needing careful thought.

For many people, the main question is not only, “Was it real?” It is also, “What do I do with this now?” Some people feel awe. Others feel fear, grief, or confusion. 

For people in Texas who want support after a difficult or meaningful experience, integrative post-psychedelic support can help turn the experience into reflection rather than overwhelm. 

What should you do if a DMT entity encounter is still affecting you?

If a DMT entity encounter is still affecting you, take it seriously without rushing to one final belief. Write down what happened. Notice how it changed your mood, choices, sleep, faith, or sense of self. If you feel anxious, depressed, or shaken, consider speaking with a trained professional.

Psychedelic integration means making sense of the experience and bringing useful insights into daily life (6). It does not mean you must treat every image or message as literally true. It means you can explore the event with care and context.

If the experience touched trauma, panic, depression, or old pain, therapy may help. Serenity also offers trauma therapy for people whose psychedelic experiences bring up memories or feelings that are hard to hold alone. 

Conclusion

The new DMT entity paper does not prove that DMT beings exist outside the brain. It asks whether the question can be tested through shared patterns, hidden cues, and better study design. Current evidence shows that DMT entity encounters are common, powerful, and linked to strong brain changes, but their final source is still unknown.

If you are reading this because you met something on DMT, you may feel pulled between wonder and doubt. You may also feel protective of the experience because it felt sacred, strange, or too important to explain away.

I offer psychedelic integration therapy to help people process experiences like this without forcing belief or disbelief. I would be glad to talk through what happened, what it means to you, and how it is affecting your life now. Schedule a free consultation with Jeff Jones, LPC

About the Author

This article was written by Jeff Jones, a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Texas in practice since 1999. He is a 2024 graduate of the CIIS Center for Psychedelic Therapies and Research program. With a compassionate and evidence-based approach, he helps clients navigate life's challenges and find a path toward healing.

Disclaimer

The information in this article, including discussions of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, is for informational purposes only. Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy has not been approved by all regulatory agencies in the United States, and its safety and efficacy are still being established. This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. 

References

(1 ) Gallimore, A. R., Hermansson, N., & Hoffman, D. D. (2026). Traces of the other – Are DMT entities real? DMT phenomenology in the framework of conscious realism. PsyArXiv. https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/8qvgy_v2

(2 ) Davis, A. K., Clifton, J. M., Weaver, E. G., Hurwitz, E. S., Johnson, M. W., & Griffiths, R. R. (2020). Survey of entity encounter experiences occasioned by inhaled N,N-dimethyltryptamine: Phenomenology, interpretation, and enduring effects. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 34(9), 1008–1020. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32345112/

(3 ) Timmermann, C., Roseman, L., Schartner, M., Milliere, R., Williams, L. T. J., Erritzoe, D., Muthukumaraswamy, S., Ashton, M., Bendrioua, A., Kaur, O., Turton, S., Nour, M. M., Day, C. M., Leech, R., Nutt, D. J., & Carhart-Harris, R. L. (2023). Human brain effects of DMT assessed via EEG-fMRI. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(13), e2218949120. https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2218949120

(4 ) Michael, P., Luke, D., & Robinson, O. (2021). An encounter with the other: A thematic and content analysis of DMT experiences from a naturalistic field study. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 720717. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.720717/full

(5 ) Lawrence, D. W., Sharma, B., Griffiths, R. R., & Carhart-Harris, R. L. (2022). Phenomenology and content of the inhaled N,N-dimethyltryptamine (N,N-DMT) experience. Scientific Reports, 12, 8562. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-11999-8

(6 ) Bathje, G. J., Majeski, E., & Kudowor, M. (2022). Psychedelic integration: An analysis of the concept and its practice. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 824077. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.824077/full

(7 ) Hoffman, D. D., Singh, M., & Prakash, C. (2015). The interface theory of perception. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 22, 1480–1506. https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/s13423-015-0890-8