Essay What are Hallucinogens and What Happens?

LSD, Psilocybin, DMT, MDMA, Ketamine and Adrenochrome… what do they all have in common? They are all psychedelic drugs. Psychedelic drugs are drugs that cause hallucinations and apparent expansion of consciousness. There are many unanswered questions about the drug, what exactly is a psychedelic and what defines it also, what is the purpose of a psychedelic drug? Psychedelics are usually thought of as one of the most profound times in your life or one of the worst decisions you have ever made, but either way it is a life changing experience. Another aspect of psychedelic drugs is the myths and misconceptions about the different types, some are exponentially more dangerous than the others and in the end each drug has a different effect on whomever

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

Throughout human history people have sought experiences that somehow transcend every day life. Some sort of wisdom that might progress their knowledge of self and of the world that they live in. For some reason they believed that the tangible world just could not be all there is to life. Some believed in a greater force that controlled them, some believed of invisible beings that influenced their lives, some of an actual other world that paralleled their own. Many of these people also believed that it was possible to catch a glimpse of these forces, beings, or worlds through a variety of means that propel individuals into altered states of consciousness. These techniques include

These substances are in turn broken down in the body into a great many more

Although marijuana is a hallucinogen it does not have a highly addictive characteristic like other hallucinogens. In 2004 the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that its short term effects include, but are not limited to: blood shot eyes, dry mouth and increased heart rate. Its long term effects include, but are not limited to: lower testosterone levels in men, and higher testosterone levels in women. When you compare this to other drug’s side affects you see that they are not so bad.

“Psychoactive substances exert their their effects by modifying biochemical or physiological processes in the brain.” Psychedelics are taken out of context to be for recreational use only, when they can be taken to enhance spiritual journeys.

Other drugs, such as amphetamine or cocaine, can cause the nerve cells to release abnormally large amounts of natural neurotransmitters or prevent the normal recycling of these brain chemicals. This disruption produces

The purpose of this research paper is to examine the different effects of different types of hallucinogenic drugs on the human brain. The paper will focus specifically on LSD, DMT, and Shrooms as they are amongst the strongest types of drugs in their category. The chemical structure of the different drugs and the way they alters chemicals in the brain will be examined as well. This topic is worth investigating because if you or anyone you know is interested in trying LSD, DMT, and Shrooms, it is important to know the effects they will have on your brain if you are unaware or don’t

For most people, when the phrase psychedelic mushroom is thrown out, the first thing that comes to mind is hallucination. Some people think of LSD or the 60s, others may think more specifically to personal experiences they have had with the drug. Some may have used them recreationally as a teen, some may have had a single awful experience with them, or some may totally resent the idea of psychedelic mushrooms. No matter what someone may think of them, there is not a stranger thought process than Terence McKenna’s. When psychedelic mushrooms are brought up around him, there are much stranger things than a memory of seeing God or a condescending idea of recreational fun going through his mind. McKenna’s thought process is best explained in his

For thousands of years people have spoke of all types of visions. Whether the visions were from religious groups, Indian tribes, or self proclaimed prophets; all types of people have seen things. This was more than likely occurring with the help of different types of hallucinogens. Hallucinogens have been around since the beginning of time. Some mushrooms, cactus flowers, and even different types of mold are all able to produce hallucinogenic effects. However, it was only within the last century that man actually started to produce his own. LSD, or lysergic acid diethylamide-25, is a relatively new substance in society. All known effects show LSD, or acid, as the harmful drug most people know it as. There are people who believe

Animal studies have been performed to validate this. Smoking Marijuana has been proven to be harmful. The THC, when smoking Marijuana, blocks the memory formation. THC acts in the part of the brain called the hippocampus that forms the memories in the human brain. THC is also said to increase people’s risk of depression, which many people smoke Marijuana due to being depressed. Common side effects THC has when smoking Marijuana is anxiety, fear, and distrust. These effects usually last about 2 hours, 10-30 minutes after using the drug. Those people are also said to suffer from Paranoia after smoking this drug. People who use this drug are at risk for a relapse for schizophrenic symptoms and may also experience Acute Psychosis due to this chemical. This causes hallucinations, delusions, and loss of sense of self awareness. THC effects the Cerebellum, causing loss of balance and impairs the person under the influence, ability to drive due, to loss of motor skills. Driving under the influence of this chemical can largely increase the risk of having an automobile accident. Teens who use Marijuana are also at risk for the THC to damage their brain, creating a decrease in an IQ level. There was a study that was performed that high-risk male teens who used Marijuana had changed in brain volume. The males who had a genetic risk for Schizophrenia that reported using Marijuana before age 16 had less thickness of the cerebral cortex than non-users. There is a belief that the cannabis users can turn out differently than others who use this drug depending on how early they were using or their genetic factors involved. THC co-opts the human body’s natural pathways to create its effects that it has on the human brain and

This will effect the messages that these chemicals should be sending. Drugs have both short and long term effects on the use, some short term effects are: drug-induced anxiety disorder. This can create severe anxiety and panic attacks. There is also drug-induced mood disorder. This means that there are times where you can feel irritable, tired, sad, depressed, it can cause impulsive behaviour and racing thoughts. Some long term effects are: depression, which can be cause by ecstasy. Another effect is schizophrenia which is where the user may hear voices in their head and believe that people are trying to harm them. The risks of schizophrenia are higher for younger people, and people who smoke cannabis more often, as schizophrenia can be caused by cannabis. Using drugs can also cause cardiovascular disease, strokes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, lung disease, hepatitis B and C and damage to internal organs such as the liver, lungs, brain, throat and

On April 16, 1943, Dr. Hoffman decided to do further research with the LSD compound (Dye, 1992 p. 5). While handling the drug,

Probably one of the most common forms of psychoactive drugs is stimulants. Stimulants are a class of psychoactive drugs that elevate mood, increase feelings of well-being, and increase energy and alertness. Nearly everybody has tried a stimulant and many people rely on them every single day. The best example of this is the drug caffeine, which is in many of the sodas or coffee we drink. Other forms of stimulants include: cocaine, methamphetamine, amphetamines, methylphenidate, nicotine, and MDMA. An additional common stimulant is nicotine, which is found in various types of tobacco. Stimulants change the way the brain functions by inhibiting neurons, which are nerve cells. These nerve cells communicate using neurotransmitters . One of the neurotransmitters they affect is dopamine, which makes people feel good. Dopamine can be released naturally by simply doing something you enjoy such as riding a bike or eating your favorite food. While these drugs may give the user pleasure, continual use may render their dopamine system useless. This will give the user little to no pleasure, which is often followed by an increased amount used in order to chase that high (NIDA).