The 6 main types of hallucinogenic drugs

Hallucinogenic drugs are a variety of substances that cause hallucinatory perceptions, or cause the subject to have a detachment 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 may vary depending on the types of hallucinogenic drugs and tolerance level 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.

• Related article: "Types of drugs: know their characteristics and effects"

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 mushroom. It is white in color and soluble in water, as well as being completely odorless. Originally this drug is produced in crystal form, to be later ground and turned into a powder.

The effects of this drug are called "trips" by its users, who cannot be certain whether the effect of the drug will be pleasant or unpleasant. The main effect of this drug is

disrupt serotonin receptors (5-HT- receptors), in addition to producing hallucinations.

• You may be interested: "First use of LSD: effects on mental health"

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 removed from those we reviewed above for LSD. The most significant difference is found 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 family of amphetamines, and it is a stimulant, so its consumption generally causes people to experience feelings of high pleasure and mental stimulation. Therefore, ecstasy is a very popular recreational drug.

Although the effects may seem good, they are not naturally regulated by the body, so the effects The negative ones end up being greater than the “positive” ones, which basically consist of a feeling of well-being transitory.

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 that this drug receives on the streets is “angel dust”, and it is presented 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 those previously presented, 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 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.

6. Dimethyltryptamine

From the tryptamine family, dimethyltryptamine is a rare drug that is usually consumed in multiple forms, being the most popular of them in the form of a cigarette, although it can also be administered by injections or inhalations.

The effects are much shorter than those of the previous drugs, approximately between 5 and 30 minutes maximum. Despite its short effect, hallucinations that occur after consumption are usually quite intense.

The risks of consuming these substances

This variety of drugs 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 the organic level related to the neurotransmitters of the brain.

These risks depend largely on a number of factors, such as the amount of consumption and the time during which the subject has been 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. With time and frequency of consumption, people generate greater tolerance.

Another risk of using hallucinogenic drugs is that they play an important role as Prelude to the subject starting to consume other types of more powerful and dangerous drugs for your health.

For example, people who use cannabis frequently have a high probability of switching to other drugs such as LSD, ecstasy, or mescaline. When the person generates tolerance, it becomes more difficult for them to achieve the same pleasant sensations associated with consumption than at the beginning, and we resort to experimentation with other substances psychoactive.

Where do these drugs come from?

A large number of hallucinogenic drugs are from Latin American and African countries. For example, peyote mushrooms originate from 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 fly agaric or false oronja, which can be obtained from a substance called psilocybin with psychoactive properties.

However, not all types of hallucinogenic drugs arise from substances present in fungi.

• You may be interested: "Hallucinations: definition, causes, and symptoms"

Bibliographic references:

• Gahlinger, P.M. (2001). Illegal Drugs: A Complete Guide to Their History, Chemistry, Use and Abuse. USA: Sagebrush Press.
• Mahoney A., Evans, J. (2008). Comparing drug classification systems. AMIA Annual Symposium Proceedings: 1039.