Hallucinogens effective for Therapeutic in Addiction Treatment
Hallucinogens are drugs that produce hallucinations which produce distortions in a person’s perception of reality. Although, hallucinogens do pose a danger to both our body and mind there is a positive side to hallucinogens for therapeutic uses. The focus will be on three hallucinogens which are LSD, Psilocybin and Ibogaine therapy for their effectiveness for therapeutic uses for addictions to alcohol, smoking cessations etc.
LSD is a hallucinogen that can alter and distort an individual senses. It was originally deprived from a fungus called “ergot”. Pure LSD is a white, odourless, and slightly bitter crystalline powder that can dissolve in water and be taken by mouth or
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Research on Ibogaine as a treatment for addiction started in New York City in 1962 by Howard Lotsof.
Ibogaine doses ranging from 0.14 to 19mg/kg were given to heroin-dependent group and they experienced an unexpected elimination of the physical symptoms of opioid withdrawal. In 1980, Lotsof received a US patent for using Ibogaine in opioid dependence and many countries like, France, The Netherlands, Czech Republic, Slovinia,, Panama, Mexica, Canada and South Africa used Ibogaine in nonmedical settings (Alper, 2007). Ibogain is used to reduce or eliminate the addiction to opioids, and to alleviate the symptoms of opioids withdrawal. It is also used in treating dependence on cocaine, and other stimulants, alcohol, nicotine, and polysubstance abuse (Bastiaans, 2004).
Experiences of patients who are treated with Ibogaine consist of three stages: acute, evaluative and residual stimulation. Acute phase starts within an hour of taking the ibogaine, their physical changes, and patients lose coordination and feel the need to lie down. It relates to visual experiences like dreams rather than hallucination and visual experiences ranges from autobiographical, life narratives, themes relating to prehistory and evolution and sometimes surreal or comical cartoon like images. But visual phenomenon from Ibogaine varies due to doses and they cannot recall the visual images afterwards (Alper, 2007). In the evaluative phase, which
Another clinical study of psilocybin done at the University of Arizona and led by Francisco Morena, was conducted in 2007 to evaluate the effects of psilocybin on the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder in nine subjects. The researchers addressed two questions: does oral ingestion of psilocybin lead to an acute decrease in OCD symptoms and is what dose is required to demonstrate significant reduction in symptoms. The results revealed that when administered in a supportive clinical environment, psilocybin was safe and well tolerated. The psilocybin was associated with “transient symptomatic reduction of OCD symptoms in subjects with treatment-resistance OCD”( ). Although there is an understanding of the psychedelic mechanism of action of psilocybin, it’s not clear exactly which receptors and pathways are involved in mediating the anti-obsessional responses. The intent of the study was not to conduct psychedelic-facilitated therapy, however five of the subjects readily described their experiences as very psychologically and spiritually enriching and four of the subjects reported profound positive transcendental experiences such as exploration of other planets, visiting past-life reincarnations and interacting with deities. The results also showed most subjects reporting symptom reduction experiences a period of relief that extending far beyond the session. In summary, although there are some gaps in the understanding of how the psilocybin interacts to reduce OCD
Although prescribed use of psilocybin is rare nowadays for medicinal purposes; many tests have been done on its medicinal uses in patients with personality disorders. Some tests have shown a noticeable reduction in obsessive compulsive disorder as a result of psilocybin use. Psilocybin has also been tested and is sometimes administered to cancer patients and has been proven to ease mental stress and the emotional baggage caused by cancer by changing the patient’s perspective on his/her situation and life in general. This compound has also been proven to reduce the pain resulting from cluster headaches in 85 % of patients tested and distanced the frequency of the attacks in 96% of patients.
Jyllian Kemsley Ph.D. is a chemical research scientist, and scientific research contributor to the CENtral Science’s Safety Zone blog that seeks to “cover science and technology, business and industry, government and policy, education, and employment aspects of the chemistry field”. Her article entitled “Psychedelic Compounds like Ecstasy May Be Good for More than Just a High", reports on the revolutionary research theory within the field of medicine that seeks to examine the prospective benefits of using psychoactive compounds in treating a number of mental conditions. The piece is well written, and presents a number of background studies that have evaluated the efficiency of these
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide or LSD is a hallucinogenic drug that can be taken orally, injected or even absorbed through the skin. Once LSD has entered the body, it starts to take effects on the levels of serotonin in the brain which can cause; hallucinations, mood change, and even sensory distortion. After taking LSD, the effects on the brain usually last from 6 to 9 hours depending on multiple factors; the dosage of LSD taken, the subject taking LSD, and even the user 's mood can affect the duration of LSD use. LSD is a non-lethal, non-addictive, and a non-habit forming drug that has little to no effect on the long-term health of an individual. However, LSD has been illegal since the 1960 's. Not only did availability of LSD become scarce with the criminalization of the substance, but the legislation also put a halt on the research of the chemical as well. Much of the way LSD interacts with the brain has been left unknown. This derivative from the rye fungus Ergot has been the source of controversy that has left many people wondering why LSD has been classified as a drug that is just as dangerous to use as heroin. It becomes difficult for an individual to understand how legislation could criminalize a chemical without completely understanding how it functions and affects people. LSD should be legalized for scientific, medical and recreational usage.
LSD or lysergic acid diethylamide is synthesized from a grain fungus called ergot. Ergot fungus commonly grows on rye grain but can be found on other grains as well. LSD was first
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
Merry Pranksters were famous for using LSD and they used higher doses of LSD because they felt that they were in touch with the nature spiritually and it also gave them sensations that they never felt before. In reality, LSD is a
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
Psilocybin Mushrooms are unique in many ways, whether it is the characteristic properties, the history from culture to culture over the course of time, or the portrayal they have in the media. This is why I am interested in writing about such a topic as this. I find it interesting how they are not addictive in nature and how the body begins to develop a tolerance, making hallucinations less potent with frequent use. I would like to address the why Mushrooms are classified as Schedule One Drugs in the United States, their existence in fields of medicine and religion, and how Psilocybin evolutionary came to exist in Mushrooms.
“Between the second World War, when Dr. Albert Hofmann accidentally got high with his invention of LSD, and in the late ’60s there were thousands of studies conducted by medical and psychiatric researchers looking into the therapeutic benefits of psychedelic drugs” (Antonia). Hofmann’s experiments had opened the minds of many scientists, making them curious as to what LSD could potentially have in store for the future of medicine. “The extraordinary mental effects of LSD described in 1943 by Hofmann prompted hope in the following two decades that a powerful therapeutic tool was at
LSD was also tested on schizophrenics, drug addicts and criminals (Dye, 1992 p. 38). Research determined that LSD was ineffective in treating any behavioral problems. It was also concluded that LSD might transform a normal individual into a person with a very calm to severe personality problem.
As we know, hallucinogens are a type of drug that specialize in distorting the way a user perceives time, motion, colors, sounds, and self, or simply, causing psychological consequences onto their victims (Volkow 2015). However, the Foundation for a Drug-Free World (FDFW) prefers to link the term “hallucinations”, or psychological experiences in seeing images, hearing sounds and feeling sensations that seem very real but do not exist, to hallucinogens as a better and summarized definition replacement (2016). True to some level, the two categories that make up hallucinogens, classical psychedelics and dissociative drugs, each specialize into specific psychological harm, which correspondingly, simplifies our broad description in what hallucinogens commonly cause. Once a classical hallucinogen, like LSD, psilocybin, and DMT, is taken and ingested, psychological effects consisting of psychotic-like episodes that can occur long after a person has taken the drug, massive mood swings, emotions to swing wildly and unpredictably, real-world sensations to appear unreal, and ultimately intense modifications in the sensorium, the sense of “self,” and the experience of reality, are all experienced throughout the phase up until the presence of the hallucinogen is no longer present in the body (Volkow 2016, Alonso 2015). A very similar process that happens when a dissociative drug is ingested, like PCP, ketamine, dextromethorphan, but instead, events of respiratory depression, heart rate
The four main classifications of the illicit drugs are stimulants, depressants, narcotics, and hallucinogens. Stimulants are a type of drug that you can get sold off of the street that makes a person alert at all times and energetic. Depressants are a type of drug that makes a person calm down, normally given to one when they have anxiety problems. Narcotics are a type of drug that is normally prescribed to a person when they need treatment but that individual can be addicted to it just because of the relief it gives. Hallucinogens are a type of drug that causes a person to see things that aren't really there. In this essay I will be writing about these four illicit drugs: stimulants, depressants, narcotics, and hallucinogens.
Psilocybin can either be dried or fresh and eaten raw, mixed with food, or brewed into a tea, and produces similar effects to LSD.
Throughout the history of the human species, we have been always wanted to know three basic questions: why we are here, where did we come from, and where do we go after this life? Whether we were created from an omnipotent being as in many religions, we happened by chance and made it to where we are through evolution, or maybe even something else. Whatever the case may be, humans have always been curious and wondered about our existence and consciousness. Along with these age old questions, also came the use of psychoactive drugs and other mind altering substances. In order to try to understand these questions, humans have experimented with drugs that alter their state of consciousness.