Hallucinogens

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• Hallucinogens are substances that produce
changes in perception , thought and mood

• Psychotomimetics
• Psychedelics – Mind modifying
• Psycholytics – Mind releasing

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 Classification
Ergot alkaloids:
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)

Tryptamine derivatives:
1. DMT (di-methyl- tryptamine)
2. DET (di-ethyl- tryptamine)
3. Bufotenine (hydroxy-dimethyltryptamine
4. psilocybin and psilocin (mushroom)
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Phenethylamine derivative:
• Mescaline
• DOM (dimeth - oxy- methylamphetamine)
• STP – (serenity ,tranquility ,peace)
• MDA –(MDMA )(methylene – dioxy -
amphetamine) ( ecstacy - XTC) (love drug)

Miscellaneous:
• Phencyclidine (PCP)
• Marijuana ( charas , Bhang)
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 PSYCHOSIS
• THIS IS A DISORDER CHARACTERISED BY
WITHDRAWAL FROM REALITY, AS IF LIVING
IN the WORLD OF FANTASY,

• PRESENCE OF DELUSIONS AND

HALLUCINATIONS.
• TOXIC PSYCHOSIS

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 Hallucination
• THIS MEANS A FALSE PERCEPTION WITHOUT
A SENSORY STIMULUS. ANY SENSATION
MAY BE INVOLVED.
• Visual , auditory, olfactory, and gustatory and
tactile senses

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• An abnormal sensory experience that arises in
the absence of a direct external stimulus.
Hallucinations may occur in any sensory
modality. Hallucinations should be
distinguished from illusions,

• in which an actual external stimulus is

misperceived or misinterpreted.

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• Auditory hallucination: Involves the
perception of sound, most commonly of
voices.
• Visual hallucination: Involves sight
• formed images, such as of people,
• unformed images, such as flashes of light.
• Colours

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 Delusion
• DELUSION IS A FALSE, BUT FIRM BELIEF IN
SOMETHING WHICH IS NOT A FACT.

• IT INDICATES A SERIOUS DISORDER SUCH

AS SCHIZOPHRENIA

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The primary actions of hallucinogens are changes
in perception , mood and behavior

• Mood change range from euphoria to dysphoria

, causing hilarious laughter at first then the
mood swiftly changing to sadness and crying
episodes.

• These mood swings influenced by small changes

in the environment.
• There is alteration in time perception
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Hallucinogens effects on sensory perception:
• act on the auditory, olfactory, and gustatory
tactile, senses, the most marked effects are on
visual perception.

• Color of objects become more intense.

• Fixed objects begin to undulate and flow.
• Body parts may feel unnatural or foreign.

• LSD also causes disruption of ego function and

the fear of self-destruction - suicide
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 Effects on sympathetic NS
• Act as a sympathomimetic agent
• Marked mydriasis, hyperthermia, piloerection
• tachycardia, hypertension.
• hyperglycemia,

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 Acute Toxicity
• When taken in a so-called “therapeutic” dose,
a temporary psychotic state or trip results
• Trip: The psychotropic effect ( temporary
psychotic state ) resulting from use of
hallucinogens

• Sometimes, hallucinogens produce adverse

reactions (effects) called bad trip
• Bad Trip: when the effect is panic reaction, it is
known as a “bad Trip”
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• This occurs in first time users due to lack of
experience in relating observed effects as
pleasurable

• The mental state of the user also influences

the incidence of adverse effects.

• Adverse reaction may occur from

contaminants or impurities.

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 Adverse effects
• Adverse effects fall into three categories:
1. Panic reactions 2. Flashback 3. Prolonged
psychosis or neurosis

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 Management
• most hallucinogens have a high therapeutic
index so toxicity is rare
• No specific antidote , treatment is largely
supportive and symptomatic
•
• It is the psychological manifestations that
need to be addressed.
• Placed in a quiet environment to minimize
external stimuli
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• must be given constant positive assurance.
Psychotherapy and Reassurance
• The surroundings should be quiet.
• continued reassurance and Remind that

• he is a real person
• experience is drug induced
• bad trip will not last forever.
• Repeating the person’s name and the present
location
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• Other treatment is :
• Increased blood pressure may be severe -
vasodilator.
• Convulsions and anxiety - diazepam.
• Bad trips, panic reactions, and psychotic episodes
treatment with chlorpromazine.
• After recovery, psychiatric consultation is
mandatory.
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 Medico-legal aspects
• They pose hazards from flash back even
months after the last dose.
• ALL 3 manner of deaths can occur
• Suicide, homicide , Accident
• Suicide, homicide occur due to disruption of
ego function and emotional flashbacks -
persistent feeling of fear, loneliness

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 Street drugs
• These drugs are not obtained from pharmacies
but, from illegal sources (on the street)
• Sold against the drug rules
• Quality control of street drugs is non-existent and
many such drugs are likely to be adulterated with
substances

• Includes stimulants, hallucinogens , depressants,

narcotics, and designer drugs.
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 Designer drugs:

• The term ‘designer’ is used to indicate an

analog, that is a compound similar in its action
to another compound but different in its
structure
• Legal problems in the storage, distribution,
and sale of street drugs,
• illegal laboratories manufacture new drugs by
altering the chemical structure of a known
drug illegally.
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• Classified in four main groups
1. Stimulants (amphetamine group)
2. Depressants (methaqualone group)
3. Narcotics (opioid group)
4. Hallucinogens (phencyclidine group)

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Trip: The psychotropic effect resulting from their use
is known as “Trip”
Bad Trip: when the effect is panic reaction, it is
known as a “bad Trip”
Flash Back: When the trip experience recurs in a
drug-free state, it is known as a “flash back”
Synaesthesia: Sensory perception is uniquely altered
Sounds being seen, colors heard, and sense of time,
space and distance
Thinking is altered to a dream state and the
awareness of body boundaries is lost (out of body
experience)
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THANK YOU!

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