Author: Alex Thompson

Psychedelic Drugs: Types, Uses, and Effects

Ketamine commonly goes by the street name “Special K.” The drug has no odor or color. It can cause hallucinations and temporarily wipe out a person’s memory. The effects of DMT include intense auditory and visual hallucinations, an altered sense of time, and depersonalization. These drugs are considered dangerous because people can harm themselves or others while detached from reality.

1. There is no clinically established treatment for HPPD, although some drugs may be prescribed off-label to reduce the symptoms.
2. Illicit experimentation continued over the following decades, partly inspired by the mystical writings of Aldous Huxley, and a vigorous subculture sprang up surrounding hallucinogens in the 1960s.
3. These episodes are spontaneous, repeated recurrences of the sensory distortions that were originally produced by LSD.
4. Numerous indigenous cultures around the world have used hallucinogenic plants to induce states of detachment from reality, to precipitate “visions” or mystical insight, as medicines, or as adjuncts to social and religious rituals.

Though some literature reviews indicate that these symptoms may be more likely to occur in those with a family history of schizophrenia, they have also been known to occur in people who have no history or other symptoms of psychological disorder. NIDA conducts and supports research to better understand how often and to what extent people experience tolerance, withdrawal, and other substance use disorder symptoms related to the use of psychedelic and dissociative drugs. Hallucinogens, or psychedelics, are a group of drugs that alter a person’s perception of reality.

What is the relationship between psychedelic and dissociative drugs and mental illness?

There has been no medical research done that can prove that LSD is able to do anything more than induce paranoia, hallucinations, dry mouth, sweating, and psychosis. Ololiuqui’s effects are similar to those of LSD, but the drug may also cause nausea, vomiting, headache, high blood pressure, and drowsiness. Effects of peyote include uncoordinated movements, excessive sweating, and flushing.

Information provided by NIDA is not a substitute for professional medical care or legal consultation. Among people aged 12 or older in 2020, 0.2% (or about 493,000 people) had a hallucinogen use disorder in the past 12 months. Death more often results from accidental injury or suicide during PCP intoxication. Because PCP can also have sedative effects, interactions with other central nervous system depressants, such as alcohol, can lead to coma. Ketamine is an anesthetic that healthcare providers use for surgery on humans and animals.

Potential adverse effects

Also known as psychedelics, they alter a person’s thoughts and feelings, as well. Some hallucinogens are human-made (synthetic), and some come from naturally occurring compounds found in certain plants and fungi (plural of fungus). Schedule III hallucinogenic drugs are considered to be less dangerous because they have a lower risk of addiction, dependency, and damage to the mind and body.

Treatment for drug addiction should incorporate behavioral changes to help patients manage cravings and triggers; patients may also take medications as part of their treatment regimen. The emergency and referral resources listed above are available to individuals located in the United States and are not operated by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). NIDA is a biomedical research organization and does not provide personalized medical advice, treatment, counseling, or legal consultation.

People have used hallucinogens for religious and healing rituals for centuries. Healthcare providers don’t consider any amount of psychedelic drug use safe. However, scientists are now looking into the possibility of using certain hallucinogens as provider-supervised treatments for mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety. To be diagnosed with a substance use disorder, a person must meet specific diagnostic criteria for continued substance use despite negative consequences. Many different names have been proposed over the years for this drug class.

In the lay press, the term psychedelic is still the most popular and has held sway for nearly four decades. Most recently, there has been a movement in nonscientific circles to recognize the ability of these substances to provoke mystical experiences and evoke feelings of spiritual significance. Thus, the term entheogen, derived from the Greek word entheos, which means “god within”, was introduced by Ruck et al. and has seen increasing use. This term suggests that these substances reveal or allow a connection to the “divine within”.

The active ingredient in salvia, salvinorin A, causes hallucinations when ingested. Salvia is currently legal in America, but its psychedelic properties have motivated many people to make the plant illegal. Salvia’s effects last 30–60 minutes, and include vivid hallucinations, lack of coordination and slurred speech. The long-term effects of this hallucinogenic drug are not yet known as further research is needed. Most “classic” hallucinogens, including LSD and psilocybin, are not considered addictive; other hallucinogenic substances, including PCP, are.

Are psychedelic and dissociative drugs legal?

Dissociative hallucinogens have many of the same properties of classic hallucinogens, but also cause a person to dissociate, or lose touch with reality, while abusing the drugs. Mescaline is a naturally occurring psychedelic substance found in certain species of cactus, the most well-known being the peyote cactus. NIDA supports and conducts research to learn whether some of these drugs may help treat substance use disorders in medical settings.

Types of hallucinogens include LSD, peyote, PCP, psilocybin and others. Nearly all hallucinogens are illegal, and researchers don’t consider any amount of use safe. Hallucinogenic drugs—particularly naturally occurring substances such as mescaline, ibogaine, or magic mushrooms—have played a role in human life for thousands of years. Numerous indigenous cultures around the world have used hallucinogenic plants to induce states of detachment from reality, to precipitate “visions” or mystical insight, as medicines, or as adjuncts to social and religious rituals. Nearly all hallucinogens are illegal, and researchers don’t consider any amount of drug use safe. The drugs can cause many adverse effects to your health and well-being.

Schedule II hallucinogenic drugs can be prescribed by doctors because they have some medical purposes. Schedule I hallucinogenic drugs are not prescribed by doctors because they have no medical purpose. The following is a list of hallucinogenic drugs by DEA drug schedules.

Teen Rehab Treatment

The use of these hallucinogens can cause serious harm to you and the people around you. If you have questions about the use of hallucinogens or you think you may be experiencing substance use disorder, reach out to your healthcare provider for help. Find a list of hallucinogenic drugs, a list of drug schedules for hallucinogenic drugs, and information on each common hallucinogen.

PCP stands for phenylcyclohexyl piperidine, but you may also see the term phencyclidine. It comes in a variety of forms, including liquids, powders, tablets and capsules. People usually swallow, sniff or inject the drug, but they can also smoke it. Psilocybin can cause a wide range of effects from heightened sensory awareness to impaired judgment. “Bad trips” may cause frightening hallucinations, terror, depression or panic attacks. LSD isn’t considered addictive because it doesn’t cause uncontrollable drug-seeking behavior.

Can hallucinogens be used as medicines?

There is a wide variety of hallucinogenic mushrooms, and their legal status is somewhat ambiguous, as they can be found growing wild in many parts of the world. If you are looking to treat symptoms of a mental health condition, be sure to talk to a doctor about other treatment options that may help, such as therapy, prescribed medication, and meditation. Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder symptoms may be mistaken for those of other neurological disorders such as stroke or brain tumors, sufferers often consult multiple clinicians before the disorder is accurately diagnosed. LSD and other manufactured hallucinogens were first synthesized in early- to mid-20th century. They first became widely used in the United States and Europe in the 1960s. Many of the individuals who used hallucinogens expressed a desire to expand their own consciousness and experience spiritual or psychological insight.