Hallucinogenic Drugs

Avoid Painful Hallucinogenic Drug Effects with Treatment

If you use hallucinogenic drugs, there are treatment centers ready to help you NOW. Your addiction is slowly destroying your body and mind, taking over your life and hurting those closest to you. We know; we've been there and couldn't shake the hallucinogenic drug effects by ourselves either. Call Recovery Connection® NOW for help. Call 1-800-99-DETOX (1-800-993-3869).

What are Hallucinogenic Drugs?

Hallucinogenic drugs are among the oldest known group of drugs used for their ability to alter human perception and mood. For centuries, many of the naturally occurring hallucinogenic drugs found in plants and fungi have been used for a variety of shamanistic practices. In more recent years, a number of synthetic hallucinogenic drugs have been produced, some of which are much more potent than their naturally occurring counterparts.

The biochemical, pharmacological, and physiological basis for hallucinogenic activity is not well understood. Even the name for this class of hallucinogenic drugs is not ideal, since they do not always produce hallucinations.

Hallucinogenic Drug Effects

Changes in perception, thought and mood
Elevated heart rate
Increased blood pressure
Dilated pupils
Perceptual distortion
Disorders of thought
Disorders associated with time and space

Weeks or even months after some hallucinogenic drugs have been taken the user may experience flashbacks - fragmentary recurrences of certain aspects of the experience in the absence of actually taking the drug. Flashbacks, though unpredictable, are more likely to occur during times of stress and are experienced more frequently in younger individuals. With time, these episodes diminish and become less intense.

Abuse of Hallucinogenic Drugs

The abuse of hallucinogenic drugs in the United States received a great deal of public attention in the 1960s and 1970s. A subsequent decline in their use in the 1980s may be attributed to real or perceived hazards associated with taking these drugs; however, there was a resurgence of the use of hallucinogenic drugs in the 1990s. Mushrooms, LSD, and ecstasy became popular among junior and senior high school students who used hallucinogenic drugs.

Today, young adults ages 18-25 are most likely to have used hallucinogenic drugs. While there is a considerable body of literature that links the use of some hallucinogenic substances to neuronal damage in animals, other studies have shown that hallucinogenic drugs such as mushrooms may offer some medicinal value. Though hallucinogenic drugs are neuro-toxic to humans, the most common danger they pose is impaired judgment, which often leads to rash decisions and accidents.

Back to Drug Information

If you believe you or someone you know is in need of treatment for addiction to hallucinogenic drugs, or for immediate assistance finding drug rehab centers that specialize in hallucinogenic drugs, please call Recovery Connection® now at 1-800-99-DETOX (1-800-993-3869). Help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and all calls are confidential. Don't wait - GET HELP NOW!