Hallucinogens
Hallucinogens include LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), psilocybin (magic mushroom), mescaline (peyote), and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine (DOM, STP), an amphetamine derivative. Many new compounds are being synthesized, and the list of hallucinogens is growing.
Symptoms and Complications
Hallucinogens distort auditory and visual sensations. The actual effect can depend on the user's mood when the drug is taken and the setting in which the drug is taken. For example, users who were depressed before the drug was taken are likely to feel sadder when the drug takes effect. The chief dangers of using these drugs are the psychologic effects and impaired judgment they produce, which can lead to dangerous decision making or accidents. For example, a user might think he can fly and may even jump out a window to prove it.
The user's ability to cope with the visual and auditory distortions also affects the experience, often referred to as a "trip." An inexperienced, frightened user is less able to cope than someone who is more experienced and not afraid of the trip. A user under the influence of a hallucinogen, usually LSD, can develop extreme anxiety and begin to panic, resulting in a bad trip. The user may want to stop the trip, which is not possible.
Some users remain psychotic for many days (or longer) after the drug's effects have worn off. A prolonged psychosis is more likely in a user with a preexisting mental health disorder.
Some people--especially long-term or repeated users of hallucinogens, particularly LSD--may experience flashbacks after they have discontinued the drugs. Flashbacks are similar to but generally less intense than the original experience. Generally, flashbacks disappear over a 6- to 12-month period but can recur as long as 5 years after the last use of LSD, especially when the user still suffers from an anxiety or other mental health disorder.
Treatment
Most hallucinogen users never seek treatment. A quiet, dark room and calm, nonthreatening talk can help a user who is having a bad trip. The user needs reassurance that the effects are caused by the drug and will end. A person who experiences a prolonged psychosis may need mental health treatment.
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