Hallucinogens are substances that alter perception and can cause hallucinations in some cases. All known hallucinations are illegal in the United States, and are closely controlled in most European countries. Besides visual and auditory hallucinations, these substances instigate many temporary changes in the body due to manipulation of the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. The long-term dangers of hallucinogens to the body and mind are still largely unknown.
History
Hallucinogens have been used by humans for thousands of years. Some of the earliest evidence includes the archaeological remains of peyote and mescal seeds in Texas that date to thousands of years before European contact. In the Middle Ages, herbalists and healers procured hallucinogen brews from datura and belladonna to achieve altered states of consciousness and "soul-flight," argues historian Carl Ginzberg in his book "Esctasies." Many of the women who used these substances were persecuted as witches. Today, many indigenous cultures around the world use hallucinogens for religious rituals.
Effects on Perceptual System
The central effect of hallucinogens occurs in the brain, where the psychedelic substances mimic neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. These neurotransmitters in turn induce unusual perceptual effects. Although the mechanism is still unknown, elevated levels of serotonin or dopamine in the brain are associated with visual distortion, hearing enhancement and sensitivity to light. Sense of time is distorted and the user may dissociate for short periods of time. In some cases, actual hallucinations occur in which the user sees someone or something that does not exist.
Effects on Regulatory Systems
Neurotransmitters spurred on by psychedelic intoxication also regulate many bodily functions. During a "trip," core body temperature is elevated, appetite is diminished and sleep is disturbed for hours. Slurred speech, loss of muscular coordination and profuse sweating are also common. Depending on the hallucinogen used, these effects can last up to 24 hours. In general, hallucinogens are not addictive.
Overdose
Hallucinogens may lead to life-threatening conditions or death if taken in excess. Coma and respiratory arrest have been reported with the psychedelic compound DMT. The few reported LSD-related deaths are mostly related to poor decision-making rather than toxicity, according to Reese Jones, professor of psychiatry at the University of California in San Francisco. On the other hand, new designer drugs such as DOB should be considered toxic and dangerous.
Medical Controversy
In the 1960s, the Harvard psychologist Timothy Leary and other academics popularized the recreational use of psychedelics, leading to a government concern and the subsequent scheduling of LSD, mescaline and peyote in 1970. Medical research using LSD was approved again in the United States in 2008, and other hallucinogens such as psilocybin mushrooms and MDMA--known popularly as "ecstasy" or "e"--are in the process of re-evaluation for possible medical use. MDMA, in particular, has shown promise for treating PTSD, or post traumatic stress disorder, in initial clinical studies.
References
- "Journal of Economic Botany": Prehistoric Psychotropic Drug Use in Northeastern Mexico and Trans-Pecos Texas
- "Ecstasies: Deciphering the Witches' Sabbath"; Carlo Ginzberg; 2004
- Multidisciplinary Association for the Study of Psychedelics: LSD and Psilocybin Research
- Office of Diversion Control: DMT
- "Forensic Science International": Nonfatal and Fatal DOB (2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromoamphetamine) Overdose
