Hallucinogens PDF

HALLUCINOGENS NFNF3512 Dr. Kaisan Mahadi  Types of psychoactive drugs Hallucinogens Stimulants Depressants Opiates & Opioids  Lecture objectives: Explain the definition of hallucinogens and some of the examples. Explain different classes of hallu...

HALLUCINOGENS NFNF3512 Dr. Kaisan Mahadi  Types of psychoactive drugs Hallucinogens Stimulants Depressants Opiates & Opioids  Lecture objectives: Explain the definition of hallucinogens and some of the examples. Explain different classes of hallucinogens. Explain the physiological effects of hallucinogens.  Hallucinogens Hallucinogens, or psychedelic drugs, are drugs that alter perception (hear, see, thoughts, feelings). It drives wild imaginations/hallucinations/visual distortion. Doesn’t cause addiction, but the person can be addicted to the effects of hallucinogen.  Examples of Hallucinogens LSD Ketamine PCP Marijuana Amphetamines Natural compounds: mescaline (from the peyote cactus), psilocybin (from certain mushrooms), anticholinergics (from jimson weed)  History of Hallucinogens Albert Hofmann first synthesized LSD in 1938. Accidentally tasted the stimulants and described his experience. Hallucinogens have been around forever in the form of mushrooms. It’s believed that our ancient ancestors have been using hallucinogens for a very long time for medicines or religious reasons. They believed hallucinogens brought them closer with their Gods. Some people even today use hallucinogens illegally for medicine.  How it is taken? Swallowed-pills, drinks Smoke On the tongue- blotter acid Injection- i.v.,i.m.  Subclasses of hallucinogens Psychedelics Entactogens Dissociatives Atypical  Psychedelics Under normal conditions, the brain uses a selection process that determines how a person perceives his or her surroundings. In effect, this process filters out certain aspects so a person can attend to a task or activity. Psychedelic hallucinogens strip away this selection process, so users experience everything in their surroundings. Drugs belonging to this type of hallucinogen include: When “high,” users experience an overwhelming sense of expansion where colors, sounds, smells, and textures become worlds of their own. Seeing visions and hearing voices are also common.  Entactogens Produce experiences of emotional communion, oneness, relatedness, emotional openness (empathy/sympathy constantly evoked). Therapeutic benefit in post traumatic stress disorder and also anxiety.  MDMA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bZan8gRmr8 Liechti, M. 2014  Dissociatives The brain’s ability to translate sensory perceptions enables a person to experience his or her immediate environment. Dissociative hallucinogens create a state of sensory deprivation where the mind is free to create its internal environment and perceptions. While drug effects can vary from dose to dose and drug to drug, dissociative effects produce an “out-of-body-type” experience that leaves users in a trance state. Atypical  Harmful effects Physical: Flashbacks, Increased energy and heart rate, nausea Emotional: mood swings, panic attacks, loss of senses, depression  Mixing with other drugs Mixing hallucinogens with stimulants can cause the body extreme stress. Mixing hallucinogens with alcohol can further reduce coordination and increased chance of vomiting. Reference