LSD and Hallucinogens Addiction Facts

Signs of Hallucinogens Use

Most but not all users are under the age of 21. They may be used as “club drugs,” similar to ketamine or ecstasy, or for religious reasons. They may have paraphernalia lying around or the drug. While they are using the drug they particularly mellow or relaxed, fixated on inanimate objects, hallucinations, extreme terror, severe mood changes. They may not sleep or eat while on the drug. If you or someone you know is addicted to using hallucinogens, it’s important to get them the help they need before any self-harm or harm to others happens.

Short term effects of LSD abuse can range in severity and length. However, being short-term symptoms should not deter from how dangerous they can be. If you or your loved one may be suffering from addiction symptoms it is imperative that you seek help immediately. If you have a family member that needs LSD or hallucinogen treatment, but do not want to approach them alone, you may find the help of an addiction interventionist very helpful.

If either the short-term or long-term abuse symptoms of LSD & hallucinogens continue to appear, you or your loved one may be in need of medical attention. Hallucinogens can cause serious mental health issues that will need to be assessed by an addiction specialist in a substance abuse treatment setting.

Treatment for LSD & Hallucinogens

If you or a loved one is in desperate need of LSD & hallucinogen addiction treatment, we can help find affordable and effective rehab services that are right for you. Our admissions team are here to take your call, review your insurance and find out if it will cover the costs associated with addiction treatment.

If you’re ready to start the admissions process please call 888.986.7848

LSD and Hallucinogens/Psychedelics Addiction

Hallucinogens and psychedelic drugs are closely associated with the culture of the 1960s, especially by the popular use of Timothy Leary. Timothy Leary was a Harvard psychology professor who experimented with LSD and other hallucinogens. Hallucinogens, or psychedelics, is an umbrella term referring to many individual drugs that cause the user to hear, see, and feel things that seem real but in fact do not exist. This can be very dangerous for the user or other people near the user.

When searching for LSD and hallucinogen addiction treatment, it’s important to keep in mind that quality is key. A mark of quality for a solid drug rehab clinic is to be JCAHO accredited. Recovery Ways has received the Joint Commission of Accredited Healthcare Organization’s Gold Seal of Approval. Only 6% of the nation’s rehab centers earn this honor. We are committed to an integrated quality of care that is comprehensive, person-centered, and recovery focused. Meaning we don’t just treat the initial drug use but work on treating the whole person and looking at any co-occurring disorders. We help our patients get their lives back and enjoy them healthy and clean. Our multiple diverse treatment options allow for patients to get the individualized help they need to overcome these hallucinogens.

LSD (d-lysergic acid diethylamide)

The National Institute on Drug Abuse states that this drug was found in 1938 with its active ingredient being lysergic acid from the ergot fungus or mold found on rye and other grains. LSD is the most potent hallucinogen known to man and is most often sold as tiny pieces of decorative absorbent paper on which the liquid form of the drug is dropped. The user can then place the paper on or under their tongue. It can also be sold in capsule or tablet form. It is colorless, odorless, and tastes slightly bitter. The user’s high or “trip” can last up to 12 hours or more and when it goes bad it is known as a “bad trip”. LSD affects the neurotransmitter serotonin causing the user to lose touch with reality and even have a blending of the sense such as hearing colors. LSD can cause tremors, euphoria, anxiety, paranoia, mood swings, sweating, hypothermia, increased heart rate, cardiac arrest, dilated pupils, horrifying thoughts and/or severe injuries or death from bad judgment while high. The long-term effects of LSD mostly involve the brain and psyche than the body. Even if an LSD user hasn’t used in months, or even years, they still may succumb to flashbacks that can last for a minute or up to a few hours. These may cause users to need medical therapy similar to that used for schizophrenia. These flashbacks are known as “hallucinogen persisting perception disorder,” or simply HPPD.

Mushrooms and Peyote (Mescaline)

These are both natural substances and have been used in many religious ceremonies in an effort to increase consciousness and connection. Mushrooms contain psilocybin and psilocin which are chemically similar to LSD. Peyote is most well known for the association with the Native American Church and culture.  Users report a state where sounds, colors, and sensation seem more vivid. However, mushrooms can cause nausea, vomiting, and drowsiness. Peyote can cause anxiety, sweating, increased heart rate, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, and flushed skin. People who use mushrooms may unknowingly ingest toxic mushrooms.

PCP (Phencyclidine)

The National Institute on Drug Abuse says that PCP was originally developed as an anesthetic until studies suggested it did more harm than good. It is typically sold as a powder that can be swallowed, snorted, smoked, or injected. It is also sometimes added to other drugs to increase their psychedelic effects. The drug causes anxiety, paranoia, delusional thoughts, feelings of invincibility, and hallucinations. It can also cause unusual eye movements, drooling, loss of balance, nausea, vomiting, drastically slow breathing, seizures, comas, and death. PCP affects the dopamine production in the brain which increases the risk for addiction. PCP increases pleasure and decrease pain leading to a manic stage where users may feel invincibility or unreality and do something life-threatening.

Common PCP Names

• Angel Dust
• Trank
• Embalming fluid
• Wack
• Killer Weed
• Ozone
• Zoom (Rocket Fuel)
• Peter Pan
• Super Grass
• Lethal Weapon
• Peace Pills