The Most Common Hallucinogens

There are many different kinds of hallucinogens. Some are found naturally in plants, seeds, fungi and leaves, while others are synthetic and developed in a laboratory. The most common hallucinogens are:

LSD
LSD (lysergic acid diethlamide) is one of the most powerful hallucinogens. It might cause a person to focus on small details like the pores of their skin or see objects in brilliant color. LSD can also prompt strong moods swings that range from joy to depression. An LSD 'trip' can last up to 10 hours, during which time the person can experience impaired judgment and hallucinatory-like experiences. Though LSD is not considered to be addictive, like cocaine and heroin, you can build up a tolerance that requires using more of the substance in order to get the same high.

Peyote
Peyote is a small, spineless cactus that contains a hallucinogenic compound called mescaline. Mescaline can also be created synthetically. Mescaline produces a hallucinatory state similar to LSD but with fewer visual distortions. Mescaline's perceptual distortions typically affect a person's thinking process, time awareness and self-awareness. For example, a mescaline-induced experience might give the user the impression of floating or the impression that they are able to communicate with inanimate objects, like trees. As with LSD, mescaline users build up a tolerance where more of the drug is required to get the same effects.

Psilocybin
Psilocybin is a naturally occurring hallucinogen found in over 200 species of mushrooms, commonly referred to as psilocybin mushrooms. Psilocybin has mind-altering effects that are similar to LSD and mescaline and include an altered sense of time, feelings of euphoria and distorted visual and mental images. Psilocybin mushrooms can be eaten raw, cooked, brewed in tea or dried. Psilocybin mushrooms can easily be mistaken for poisonous look-alikes and, if eaten, can cause death. As with LSD and mescaline, psilocybin use builds a tolerance that leads to greater amounts being used to achieve the same effect.

PCP
PCP (phencyclidine) is called a dissociative drug, meaning that it distorts the user's perceptions of sight and sound and produces feelings of detachment. It was originally created as an anesthetic to be used in traditional medicine, but was later discontinued because of its serious side effects. PCP can create schizophrenic-like symptoms, such as delusions, paranoia, disordered thinking and extreme anxiety. For example, a PCP user might experience delusions that lead him to think that he can jump off of a building and fly through the air. With continued use, a person can become addicted to PCP.

How Hallucinogens Affect Behavior

Hallucinogens can continue to produce physical, psychological and emotional consequences lasting up to 12 hours or more. Some of the most common immediate effects are:

 Anxiety, panic, agitation Increased breathing, heart rate and blood pressure Nausea and vomiting Loss of coordination Blurred vision Sweating, chills Numbness Disorganized thoughts, confusion, difficulty concentrating With continued use, flashbacks of previous hallucinogenic 'trips' can occur. These flashbacks might be pleasant or prompt strong feelings of anxiety. They are often triggered by stress, fatigue or exercise. These flashbacks may be re-experienced weeks, months or even years after the use of hallucinogenic drugs.

USES:
Before it was a recreational drug, LSD was used in psychiatric therapy. In the beginning, psychiatrists hoped that LSD would prove to be a cure for some forms of mental illness. It was thought that giving a patient LSD would remove the need for years of psychotherapy and bring about permanent changes in behavior and personality

peyote is used for treating fevers, joint pain(rheumatism), and paralysis.

People apply peyote to the skin for treating fractures, wounds, and snakebite. Peyote is also used as a recreational drug because it can cause hallucinations. It contains a chemical called mescaline that has effects that are similar to LSD, but less powerful.

The psilocybin mushroom has been proven in studies to show benefit to medical patients- and it has even been proven to help cure mental afflictions.
PCP has a medical use as a veterinary anesthetic/tranquilizer primarily used on large animals such as horses. Effects : LSD

Although most LSD trips include both pleasant and unpleasant aspects, the drug's effects are unpredictable and may vary with the amount ingested and the user's personality, mood, expectations, and surroundings. Users of LSD may experience some physiological effects, such as:

Increased blood pressure and heart rate Dizziness Loss of appetite Dry mouth

Sweating Nausea Numbness Tremors