Drug Abuse of Hallucinogens Essay

This answers the complicated question, but broken down it is somewhat simple. The “altered perception and thought” side means that the psychedelic drug changes what you are seeing and mangles up what is real and what is not. These types of drugs can cause you to see things that are not there, colors or shapes, make you hear things, like songs or people and overall distorts what is actually happening. The “mind expanding” part mean that the psychedelic broadens your perspective on the world and what you are perceiving at that moment, many people say you are “re-learning” everything you see. When on a psychedelic drug you may feel as if you are able to answer anything, and everything makes sense, but at the same time nothing makes sense at all; every secret in the world has been exposed and only you know the answer but it’s in a foreign language you do not understand. Finally, the “heightened awareness but diminished control” side means that you are extremely aware of what is going on, but you have no control over what is actually happening. There is no specific purpose that a psychedelic drug is meant to fill, they were previously used in therapy sessions for extreme cases of PTSD and MDMA was used in

7 of my patients who experienced depression made more improvement with E, than with years of therapy and other anti-depressive drugs." (British Medical Journal by Dr. Green Hancock). Drugs are harmful to the human mind, and body in many ways, it is also capable of preventing the body, and mind in fully developing. There are many types of drugs, there are drugs that slow you down, drugs that speed you up, and hallucinogens. Hallucinogenic drugs are substances that distort the perception of objective reality. The most well-known hallucinogens include phencyclidine, otherwise know as PCP, lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly known as LSD or acid, and psilocybin, or "magic" mushrooms. Under the influence of hallucinogens, the senses of direction, distance, and time become disoriented. You see sound and hear light. These drugs can produce unpredictable, erratic, and violent behavior in users that sometimes leads to serious injuries or death. Drowning's, burns, falls, and automobile crashes have also been reported. Some physical risks include mangled, and unclear speech, decreased awareness of touch and pain, convulsion, coma, heart, and lung failure. Psychological risks associated with using hallucinogens is depression, anxiety, paranoia, confusion, loss of control, and flashbacks. Marijuana is chemotherapeutic drug. This means that it can be used to treat certain types of cancer. The point of these past sentences is to make

A new wave study on hallucinogens, and other mind-altering substances, was organized to address whether these

A . Psilocybin mushrooms are the scientific name of “magic mushrooms” and they are also referred to as psychedelic mushrooms or simply shrooms. They are often known for being a drug used by hippies during the summer of love back in the 70’s, and they have similar effects as LSD, which is another psychedelic drug. There are about 180 species and mushrooms are the most commonly used psychedelic for people under the age of 34. Some main effects of taking shrooms is feeling insightful, euphoric, in awe, giggly, and more creativity. Some people experience vivid hallucinations and maybe even a spiritual awakening.

Users of PCP report memory loss, difficulties with speech and learning, depression, and weight loss. These symptoms can persist up to a year after cessation of PCP use. PCP has sedative effects, and interactions with other central nervous system depressants, such as alcohol and benzodiazepines, can lead to coma or accidental overdose. Use of PCP among adolescents may interfere with hormones related to normal growth and development. Many PCP users are brought to emergency rooms because of PCP's unpleasant psychological effects or because of overdoses. In a hospital or detention setting, they often become violent or suicidal, and are very dangerous to themselves and to others. They should be kept in a calm setting and should not be left alone.According to the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), the number of past year initiates of PCP aged 12 or older decreased from 123,000 in 2002 to 45,000 in 2009 and 2010. PCP is grouped into the hallucinogens group in the NSDUH, which also include LSD, peyote, mescaline, psilocybin mushrooms, and "Ecstasy" (MDMA). In the survey, hallucinogens were used in the past month by 1.2 million persons (0.5 percent) aged 12 or older in 2010, including the 45,000 who had used PCP. These hallucinogen estimates were similar to estimates

LSD acts to decrease the responsiveness of the LGN to signals from the retina. How this effects the production of visual hallucinations is unclear LSD is also concentrated highly in parts of the limbic system. The limbic system is dedicated to regulating emotion, aggression, docility, and memory. Also, LSD concentrates in areas of the reticular formation. The reticular formation mediates the level of arousal and alertness in the brain.

In extreme cases, convulsions, comas, and heart/lung failure have been reported. The more insidious effects of hallucinogens are found not in their potential for physical impairment, but in that of their psychological danger. The hallucinations, or something that is seen, heard, smelt, felt, or tasted without really existing, that accompany this genre of substances are strong, vivid, and can last for up to 12 hours. Hallucinogen users’ brains are altered in such a way that they are unable to separate reality and the effects of their trip. This can cause severe anxiety, intense mood swings, impaired time perception and the sense that objects around you are distorted. In addition, those under the influence experience a God Complex, described as a feeling that a person is superior to their peers, and able to accomplish the impossible. At least 4.6 million emergency room visits per year worldwide can be accredited to the dangerous actions taken by users of the psychedelic drug that can include fighting, jumping out of windows, and running across roads with the assumption that they are invincible and stronger than their physical limitations (drugabuse.gov).

There are many substances in this world that are used and abused in order to achieve pleasing psychoactive effects. Two substances of such nature that are abused in today’s society are alcohol and LSD. Alcohol is a liquid that is derived from the fermentation of grains and/or fruit (7). LSD is an ingestible form of lysergic acid which is derived from a fungus called ergot. Both of these drugs are drastically different with minimal similarities, primarily because alcohol is classified as a depressant and LSD is classified as a hallucinogen. Even though these drugs differ in many ways, they are commonly used in unison.

Throughout history a multitude of human populations have been using and abusing a number of psychoactive drugs. These drugs can include very common substances such as caffeine to the more deadly but arguably just as addictive heroine. Further on the list of psychoactive drugs include those of the psychedelic variety. These would include the chemicals such as d-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), peyote and psilocybin among others. All of which have hallucinogenic properties that tend to blur the line between fantasy and reality. How dangerous are these chemicals, and what are the consequences of sustained long term use? Due to the controversial nature of the use of psychedelic drugs in a medical setting, the study of short and long term effects

This lecture covered stimulants and hallucinogens, such as the morning glory which has alkaloids similar to LSD, but has about 10th the potency of LSD. Typically the seeds are coated with an herbicide so users must be cautious when using morning glory. Mescaline is derived from the peyote cactus, and is not legal in America, but is permitted in some states for the use among Native American religious ceremonies. Plants with hallucinogenic properties such as belladonna, mandrake, henbane, and Datura have all been around for centuries, and have serve various purposes other than just the psychoactive effects. Henbane has been used as part of a cure for alcoholism, as well as being used to poison hamlets father. The ancient Chinese used Datura to

It is important to note that from the tens of thousands of doses of LSD and other classical compounds such as mescaline which has been conducted under medical administration, a general fact about these drugs have emerge which posits that the drugs are not addictive but is self-limiting meaning that if taken three days in a row it will no longer produce a psychic effect (Buckley, 1966). Studies on LSD have revealed that it causes no organic changes to the brain or any permanent changes in brain activity.

Hallucinogens are also known as psychedelics for their effects on people. These drugs cause people to see and hear things which are not actually there. Many times people use hallucinogens when they attend “raves” which are parties that tend to go all night in a warehouse or urban nightclub. The popular age group for these drugs is the 18 to 24 year old group.

Hallucinogens, deform or alter the users perception of reality. They have auditory or visual hallucinating effects and create behavioral and emotional changes in the user.

In fact the precise neural pathway that LSD effects is not fully known but LSD has such a similar chemical structure to that of the neurotransmitter called serotonin in the brain which contributes to feelings of happiness and well being and it may affect sleep and appetite as well. It is believed that LSD modifies the way the brain’s serotonin receptors work preventing neurotransmission or stimulation. For a person with a serious mental illness, LSD can be dangerous as it may worsen or speed up the effects of their illness. For example, a person who suffers from schizophrenia and takes LSD may worsen their current mental

Peyote, a spineless cactus that grows in clusters on the ground, they have a button sort of shape to them. Natives have used peyote as a natural medicine for years but they’ve also used it for metaphysical insight, or the fundamental nature of being, and spiritual introspect. In todays society peyote is used as a hallucinogen, it contains mescaline a very hallucinogenic compound that is chewed or boiled into tea producing a wide range of effects. The main issue with peyote is that like with most hallucinogens, the effects felt are completely dependent on the user. Two users taking the same amount could experience total opposite effects, some users report a deep meditation like trance while others say their anxiety spikes ten fold and the hallucinations are completely uncontrollable and scary. Mescaline interacts with the brains cognitive centers and