2. Major Hallucinogens and their Effects LSD, Psilocybin Mushrooms, and DMT are the major ones. PCP is NOT a hallucinogen. Don’t do PCP. These drugs usually last around 8 hours, but can continue to affect an individual for days. Hallucinogens distort the world for the user, giving visual “hallucinations” in very high doses and feelings ranging from paranoia to euphoria Side effects from hallucinogen abuse can be psychoses or what they call flashbacks However hallucinogen use can also have good side effects
3. Method of Ingestion LSD is usually blotted onto a slip of paper and put on the tongue. It could also be dissolved into a drink and in rare cases injected intravenously Mushrooms are usually eaten, in any variety of mushroom food, or simply straight, or crushed up into capsules and swallowed.
4. Flashbacks Flashbacks are experiences similar to a hallucinogen trip that occurs after the drug has already exited the body These mini-trips can be quite frightening or inappropriate, but some report not at all minding them, and even enjoying them. The intensity can range from one stopping and having a strangely deep thought, to full-throttle freak-out visuals
5. Negative Side Effects Note that most hallucinogens are non-addictive Psychoses is the major worry here. People who take LSD and mushrooms are more likely to develop a mental illness than sober individuals Research disagrees with this leading comment, which implies that the drugs CAUSE schizophrenia and the like. Correlation does not necessarily mean causation, and evidence points out that people who are already mentally ill are taking these drugs, which only brings it out more. Suicide is also a big side effect, with many people being very disturbed by their trip and killing themselves, accidentally or otherwise.
6. Positive Side Effects In a study done by Griffiths in 2006, 36 individuals were given psilocybin. Many of these people ranked the 7 hour trip as the most meaningful experience in their lives, with others ranking it similarly. One man from the study, who had chronic depression his whole life, felt superb for years after the trip. The experience changed his life for the better and there has yet to be problems from him. Creativity is also seen to be enhanced while on hallucinogens. Countless art and music has been influenced by LSD and mushrooms, notably in the 60’s and 70’s.
7. Well these are far ranging effects… True they are. The effects largely depends on the user’s “set and setting,” as they like to call it. The set is short for the mindset one is in. Positive and confident thoughts are likely to bring about a good trip, while negative thoughts may induce uncontrollable paranoia and anxiety. The setting is simply the environment. A trouble with early LSD studies is that they were conducted in a harsh, frightening setting in a lab. This led to most patients having a bad trip and LSD getting a very biased bad name. A good environment is a must for a safe and enjoyable trip.
8. Weeee lets go trip on drugs! No lets not. Not only are they very VERY understudied, they are also not at all regulated. While this goes for every illegal drug, it could be cut with some strange hazardous thing (such as, say, PCP!), or perhaps you may get an imitator like LSA, or not the correct dose, or you may even get into drug lord troubles. Also, these two are illegal. Very illegal. Cocaine is more legal than mushrooms and LSD, in fact. For good reason too. One may decide to trip out on mushrooms and then go driving and twitch and crash and burn, while perhaps one high on cocaine would have more control. Don’t do either.
9. “It’s not a war on drugs, it’s a war on personal freedom, keep that in mind at all times.” It is my opinion that these drugs can have tremendous medical and recreational benefits with the right education and research, however as they are still illegal I must as you all to stay safe and sober. I am hopeful that this recent mushroom study has opened the door to studies on other potentially useful drugs, and that the taboo can all fffffade away.
