Hallucinogen Addiction and Abuse

Hallucinogens are a class of drugs that induces hallucinations that alter perception, thoughts, and feelings.

Examples of hallucinogens are DMT, Psilocybin (magic mushrooms), Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD), Phencyclidine (PCP), mescaline (peyote cactus), ketamine, morning glory seeds, and datura.

The very first synthetic hallucinogen, diethylamide lysergic acid (LSD), was discovered by Sandoz laboratories in 1938 while researching for a new ergot-derived analeptic agent.

According to the NHSDA (National Household Survey on Drug Abuse), it was found that in the year of 1995, the use of hallucinogens was most common at the age of 19. The survey also noted that the transition from adolescence to adulthood is the period in which most individuals used hallucinogens.

LSD, also known as acid, is among the most powerful hallucinogenic drugs available.

The use of hallucinogens in people vulnerable to mental health problems can trigger anxiousness, depressive symptoms, psychosis, paranoia, flashbacks and panic attacks.

Phencyclidine (PCP) is a dissociative anesthetic that was stopped for human consumption in the year 1965. This drug is known to produce an “out of body” feeling, and coming down from its anesthetic effects can cause users to have feelings of agitation and irrationality.

PCP is added to many other street drugs (including LSD, marijuana, and methamphetamine). The addition of PCP to these drugs amplifies their psychedelic effects. Mainly distributed as a powder, PCP is snorted, smoked, and swallowed.

PCP can cause hallucinations, comas, and seizures when abused at high dosages. PCP induced deaths are most common when the user commits suicide or gets involved in an accident due to his /her altered state of consciousness.

PCP is also known by the below-mentioned names :

• Angel dust
• Embalming fluid
• Killer weed
• Zoom
• Supergrass
• Peace pills

Lysergic Acid diethylamide, also known as LSD, is a highly effective synthetic hallucinogen. LSD was initially used in psychiatric therapy and research. However, its contribution and value as a therapeutic substance were largely debunked in the 1980s.

Today LSD is considered as a Schedule 1 drug. This drug is generally abused by users in their late teens or early twenties. LSD is considered by these users as a club drug along the same lines as MDMA and Ketamine.

LSD impacts the neurotransmitter serotonin. This neurotransmitter plays a part in regulating the control of behavioral, regulatory, and perceptual systems. By interfering with these systems, LSD generates hallucinogenic effects where the user loses his /her grasp on reality and has visions and a confusing blend of senses.

Magic mushrooms are a type of fungus that naturally produces psychedelic substances, such as psilocybin and psilocin. These hallucinogenic substances are chemically akin to LSD. Psilocybin is regarded as a Schedule I Substance under the Controlled Substances Act, as it holds no legitimate medical function and a high potential for abuse.

Psychedelic mushrooms generate several effects, such as:

• Heightened sensory
• Impaired judgment
• Inability to distinguish between fantasy and reality
• Frightening hallucinations
• Depression
• Panic attacks
• Terror

Mescaline is a naturally formed psychedelic drug that is found in the peyote cactus. Peyote has been used for generations in Native American culture, and it is the oldest known psychedelic agent. It was such a central part of Native American culture that the Native American Church was established in 1918 to solely preserve their rights to use the drug.

Mescaline has been regarded as an effective drug in treating depression and alcoholism. However, its negative effects far outweigh the positives, and thus, it was classed as a Schedule I Substance. The psychological effects of mescaline consumption may vary depending on the users’ body type, personality, history of drug use, and the user’s expectation of the drug use.

Some of the common effects of mescaline/peyote use are:

• Distorted sense of body
• Vivid mental images
• Altered space
• Altered perception of time
• Losing a sense of reality

Bath salts are a concoction of synthetic stimulants, with no particular chemical makeup. Each batch of bath salt may differ slightly from one another, with the main ingredient often being a synthetic version of cathinone (a substance discovered in khat). Most drug labs tend to slightly modify their bath salts‘ chemical structure to bypass federal regulations. This further contributes to the drugs‘ inconsistency and volatility.

Bath salts have been the main cause of many disturbing and bizarre incidents since 2012. The most publicized of these bizarre incidents was that of a 31-year-old Miami man who attacked a homeless man by clawing his clothes off and attempting to chew off his face. Many bath-salts users claim to have witnessed seeing demons and monsters while being hospitalized.

Salvia divinorum is a psychoactive plant that triggers hallucinations and visions when consumed. Also known as Sage of the Seers or the Diviner’s Sage, this drug can generate a sensation of traveling through time and flying/floating above the ground. Dizziness, nausea, chills, and lack of co–ordination are a few of the physical effects of this substance. Salvia divinorum is currently a legal drug in the US.

Gamma – hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is a naturally occurring neurotransmitter and a psychoactive drug that is synthesized for its sedative and intoxicating effects. GHB is a central nervous system depressant that can cause a variety of side effects depending on the amount consumed and the presence of other drugs in the user‘s system.

Some of the commonly reported side effects of GHB are:

• Euphoria
• Decreased inhibitions
• Sleepiness
• Disorientation
• Loss of co–ordination
• Decreased heart rate

Hallucinogens function by activating or suppressing the functioning of the chemically alike neurotransmitters. This causes the brain to experience a temporary chemical imbalance, which causes hallucinations and other symptoms, including euphoria.

There are many risks associated with taking hallucinogens as they can cause you to experience anxiety, fear, and paranoia, sometimes verging on psychosis. It can also cause serious harm or accidents to you and those around you while you are under its influence.

Most hallucinogens tend to increase the heart rate.