Hallucinogens or hallucinogen drugs are those that dramatically affect the perception of reality, creating auditory or visual sensations that are not really there. They can cause users to lose grip on reality or dissociate from themselves.
What are hallucinogens?
The term hallucinogen is an umbrella term for drugs that cause hallucinations, changing the way things look, sound, feel, or taste and making users experience sensations that are not really there. There are a wide variety of hallucinogens and their effects vary widely. Because the effects of hallucinogens can be so dramatic, scary or distressing episodes — commonly referred to as a “bad trip” — can cause severe anxiety or panic attacks.
Some hallucinogens occur naturally from mushrooms or plants that have psychedelic properties. These have been used since ancient times as part of early medical treatments, religious ceremonies, and cultural practices. Other hallucinogens are manufactured in a lab, which can make their effects unpredictable and more potent, particularly when hallucinogenic substances are cut with other substances.
Natural hallucinogens vs. synthetic hallucinogens
Natural hallucinogens are those that grow in nature such as certain mushrooms, cacti, and other plants. These can be eaten or brewed as a tea to experience its hallucinogenic properties. Synthetic hallucinogens do not naturally occur in nature; they are designed in medical or illicit labs. When manufactured illicitly, synthetic hallucinogens are more dangerous and unpredictable as they may have varying potency. It’s common for synthetic hallucinogens like LSD or DMT to be cut with unknown substances that can interact with the hallucinogen and exacerbate its effects.
Psychedelics
Psychedelics, or classic hallucinogens, tend to cause vivid hallucinations and sensations of euphoria. They can be natural hallucinogens or synthetic hallucinogens and include commonly abused drugs like mushrooms and LSD.
Dissociative hallucinogens
Dissociative hallucinogens cause one to feel like they are detached or dissociated from their body or reality. These drugs can also create delusions or paranoia. Some commonly abused dissociative hallucinogens are salvia divinorum and PCP.
Deliriants
Deliriants are categorized as hallucinogens that create feelings of acute confusion and delirium as well as dream-like hallucinations. While most hallucinogens affect the serotonin neurotransmitter, deliriants affect the function of acetylcholine. Some deliriants include plants like henbane and belladonna.
Common hallucinogenic drugs
LSD
LSD, or lysergic acid diethylamide, is a synthetic hallucinogen that is derived from lysergic acid, which is found on some grains. It affects the serotonin neurotransmitter in the brain, creating visual and auditory hallucinations when used.
PCP
PCP, or phencyclidine, is a dissociative synthetic that is designed to cause an out of body experience. This makes the user feel separated from their body or reality. Known by the street names angel dust and zoom, PCP is often used in the illicit production of marijuana and meth to enhance its effects.
Peyote
Peyote is a hallucinogen that has a long history of religious and spiritual use in arid indigenous regions. It comes from a cactus plant and has severe effects on the perception of time and various bodily sensations.
Psilocybin
Known more commonly as mushrooms or shrooms, psilocybin is derived from certain mushroom plants that are native to North and South America. Mushrooms have a similar effect as LSD when they are dried and consumed.
DMT
DMT, or Dimethyltryptamine, is found in some plants but can also be created synthetically. It’s the active substance in the ayahuasca plant. When smoked or brewed as a tea, DMT causes feelings of euphoria and alters perceptions of reality.
Salvia Divinorum
Salvia divinorum is a plant that can be chewed, smoked, or brewed as a tea to get its hallucinogenic effects. It causes short-term effects that last only minutes instead of hours as with most hallucinogens.
Ketamine
Ketamine is a dissociative hallucinogen that is one of the few common hallucinogens that are still used medically. It’s a powerful anesthetic used in surgical procedures. When used illicitly, it can cause users to feel detached from reality.
GHB
GHB, or gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, occurs naturally in the body but a man-made version was developed as an anesthetic. It has euphotic and profoundly sedative effects that can lead to loss of consciousness. It’s commonly known as the date rape drug for its ability to incapacitate sexual assault victims.
Hallucinogens can affect the brain and nervous system for up to 12 hours, though the primary psychedelic effects may peak anywhere from minutes to hours after administration. Though the effects vary depending on the specific hallucinogen, psychedelics generally cause:
- Hallucinations involving seeing and hearing things that aren’t there
- Changed perceptions of time
- Feeling like the senses are amplified, whereby colors seem brighter and sounds more stimulating
- Mixing of senses, like believing that you can hear colors
Though these are the main psychedelic effects of these drugs, hallucinogens have a severe impact on many bodily functions and can have a variety of short-term effects including:
- Increased heart rate
- Increased blood pressure
- Flushing
- Excessive sweating
- Nausea and vomiting
- Dilated pupils
- Dry mouth
- Anxiety or panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
- Irritability
- Headache
- Impaired coordination
- Difficulty sleeping
Long-term use of hallucinogens is associated with many physical and psychological issues including:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Memory problems
- Schizophrenic behavior
- Impaired cognitive abilities
- Disorganized thought
- Weight loss
Hallucinogens are also linked to recurring flashbacks, which are recurring experiences of perceptual distortion. This can occur weeks or years after use of hallucinogens and can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Users may experience visual disturbances including color trails, flashes of light, or perceptions of movement. This is known as hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPDD).
Interaction of hallucinogens and other drugs
The biggest danger associated with hallucinogen interaction with other drugs is that it can lead to wildly unpredictable effects. Since hallucinogens can change sensations of reality or make people dissociate from their body, it may be possible to be unaware of dangerous symptoms like tachycardia or respiratory depression. This makes it more difficult for users to regulate their drug use. For instance, they may drink toxic amounts of alcohol because they cannot feel the sensation of being drunk.
When mixed with nervous system depressants like benzodiazepines, users have a greater risk of overdose. These drugs can severely impair coordination, lead to coma, or loss of consciousness. The combination can also impair reasoning and lead to accidental bodily harm. For example, one might jump from a high altitude because they have an inaccurate perception of how far the ground is.
Treating hallucinogen abuse and addiction
Increased hallucinogen use can have serious detrimental effects on one’s mental and physical health. Treatment for hallucinogen abuse may be necessary if someone’s drug use is affecting their ability to fulfill usual responsibilities like work or family obligations. Since hallucinogen abuse is also associated with co-occurring drug use, treatment can be tailored to help treat this drug use along with other mental health disorders.
Hallucinogens FAQ
Are hallucinogens addictive?
Hallucinogens are not addictive in that they don’t cause dependence or withdrawal. Users are unlikely to experience strong cravings or compulsively use hallucinogens. However, it’s still possible to develop problematic use of hallucinogens that can have a detrimental effect on one’s health and well-being.
Is there a risk of overdose with hallucinogens?
It’s incredibly rare to ingest a toxic amount of hallucinogens. However, that doesn’t mean they are less risky than other drugs. Due to their dramatic effects on perception, excessive amounts of hallucinogens can cause erratic behavior, paranoia, and panic attacks, increasing the risk of accident or injury.
What is a bad trip?
A bad trip is the common term for a distressing or panic-inducing episode of hallucinogen use. The effects of hallucinogens may last for several hours, making users feel like they’ll never be able to stop feeling their effects. They may feel trapped or panicked because they are experiencing some terrifying version of reality.
Is it safe to use natural hallucinogens?
Though synthetic hallucinogens have a reputation for being more dangerous, even naturally-occurring hallucinogens can be harmful. It’s possible to have a bad trip or dangerous physical side effects when using natural hallucinogens. Detrimental long-term effects like flashbacks are also possible even when only using natural hallucinogens.
