Hallucinogenic drugs are a variety of substances that cause hallucinatory perceptions, or cause the subject to detach from reality due to the consumption of the substance.
Once these substances (drugs) enter the Central Nervous System (CNS), the person experiences altered states of consciousness, which can vary depending on the types of hallucinogenic drugs and the level of tolerance that the subject who consumes them has.
In the following lines we will see what are the characteristics of the main types of hallucinogenic drugs.
From now on we will see a list of the main types of hallucinogenic drugs that exist, and some of their most characteristic effects.
1. LSD
LSD is a compound derived from rye fungus It is white in color and soluble in water, in addition to being completely odorless. Originally this drug is produced in crystal form, and then ground and converted into powder.
The effects of this drug are called “trips” by its users, who cannot be sure of knowing whether the effect of the drug will be pleasant or unpleasant. The main effect that this drug has is disrupt serotonin receptors (5-HT- receptors) in addition to producing hallucinations.
2. Mescaline
This drug is of the alkaloid type with hallucinogenic properties. The most common way to consume mescaline is by chewing peyote (Mexican cactus), but you can also prepare an infusion similar to that of a tea.
The effects are not too far from those we reviewed previously regarding LSD. The most significant difference is in the duration of the effects; those of LSD last approximately 8 to 10 hours, while in this case effects can last up to 3 days
3. Ecstasy
This drug is also known as MDMA , belongs to the amphetamine family, and is a stimulant, so its consumption generally makes people experience sensations of high pleasure and mental stimulation. For this reason, ecstasy is a very popular recreational drug.
Although the effects may seem good, they are not regulated naturally by the body, so the negative effects end up being greater than the “positive” ones, which basically consist of a temporary feeling of well-being.
4. Phencyclidine
This is a dissociative drug, which apart from having hallucinogenic effects like the rest, It also has an important anesthetic effect The most common name for this drug on the streets is “angel dust,” and it comes as a crystalline powder that is soluble in water, although it is also consumed in pills.
The effect of this drug lasts less than that of the previously presented ones, approximately 4 hours, and causes the subject to experience hallucinations, accompanied by intense states of euphoria and some distortions referring to the senses.
5. Cannabis derivatives
These drugs are not considered hallucinogenic as such, but they present hallucinatory effects in many of those who consume them, which is why they are in this ranking. The main components of this are THC and CBD
These drugs cause significant alterations in perception and hallucinations. It is also common that when its effect is wearing off, the subject experiences an atypical increase in appetite.
From the tryptamine family, dimethyltryptamine is a rare drug that is usually consumed in multiple forms, the most popular of which is in the form of a cigarette, although it can also be administered through injections or inhalations.
The effects are much shorter than those of previous drugs, approximately between 5 and 30 minutes maximum. Despite its short effect, the hallucinations that occur after consumption are usually quite intense.
The risks of consuming these substances
This variety of drugs They have a series of varied risks for those who consume them going through severe behavioral alterations, a possible withdrawal syndrome when they stop consuming (not in all cases), and even alterations at an organic level related to the brain’s neurotransmitters.
These risks depend largely on a series of factors, such as the amount of consumption and the time during which the subject has continued ingesting the substance, in addition to the level of tolerance that the person has towards a certain substance. Those with low tolerance do not need much consumption to be affected by the hallucinogenic effects of these substances. Over time and frequency of consumption, people develop greater tolerance.
Another risk of consuming hallucinogenic drugs is that they play an important role as prelude for the subject to start consuming other types of more powerful and dangerous drugs for your health.
For example, people who frequently use cannabis are highly likely to move on to other drugs such as LSD, ecstasy, or mescaline. When the person generates tolerance, it becomes more difficult for them to achieve the same pleasurable sensations associated with consumption as at the beginning, and they resort to experimentation with other psychoactive substances.
A large number of types of hallucinogenic drugs come from Latin American and African countries. For example, peyote mushrooms are native to Mexico, it is from them that Mescaline is extracted.
As for Europe, there is a type of hallucinogenic mushroom, also known as hallucinogenic mushroom; It is the amanita muscaria or false oronja, from which a substance called psilocybin can be obtained with psychoactive properties.
However, not all types of hallucinogenic drugs arise from substances present in mushrooms.
