Psychedelics
Psychedelics
About Psychedelics
Psychedelics are a type of
drug
that changes a person’s perception of reality. Also known as ‘hallucinogens’, they make a person see, feel and hear things that aren’t real, or distort their interpretation of what’s going on around them. Some you will feel their effects quickly, others will take longer before you feel something. Being under the influence of a psychedelic is commonly referred to as ‘tripping’.
Some psychedelics are manufactured, like LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), PCP (phencyclidine, or ‘angel dust’) Others are naturally occurring compounds found in particular plants. For instance, the peyote cactus produces the hallucinogen mescaline, while psilocybin is found in certain mushrooms, known as ‘magic mushrooms.’
Types of psychedelics
Psychedelics come in a number of different forms. For example:
LSD
comes in small squares of blotting paper or gelatine that are soaked in LSD, which are then swallowed, it can also come in tablets or capsules.
Psilocybin (magic mushrooms)
can be cooked, boiled into a drink or eaten raw. The dried version is sometimes smoked, mixed with cannabis or tobacco. Psilocybin can also come dried in capsules.
Mescaline
from the peyote cactus can be found as a white powder, while dried, ground peyote buttons can be found as capsules. It is usually swallowed, but can be chewed or smoked.
Ayahuasca
is a plant based hallucinogenic tea. Traditionally used in parts of South America.
DMT
is found in a variety of plants and is the psychoactive ingredient in ayahuasca. It usually comes as a white crystalline powder when produced synthetically.
Some drugs can have hallucinogenic-like effects in higher doses, such as
cannabis
or
MDMA (ecstasy)
.
Since a person’s sense of distance, time and objective reality are warped when under the influence of psychedelics, serious injury and accidental death are risks.
Synthetic psychedelics
In recent years, a wide range of synthetic drugs have become available in Australia. These are commonly referred to as new psychoactive substances (NPS), which are designed to mimic established illicit drugs and claim to have similar effects. Among these NPS’s are synthetic psychedelics, such as
NBOMes
External Link
or 2C-B. The active ingredients in these products can be a number of unknown chemicals, and are often sold as other drugs, yet contain very different ingredients that can lead to potentially harmful and unexpected effects.
How psychedelics work
Psychedelics target specific centres of the
brain
to alter its understanding of sensory input. For instance, a person may be looking at a blank wall, but their hallucinating brain may interpret the blank wall as moving and swirling, and they might also be hearing noises that aren’t really there.
Effects of psychedelics
The effects a person experiences will depend on the type of psychedelic, the strength of the dose, their tolerance, whether other drugs have been taken as well and the persons functioning/state of mind.
Generally, some of the common effects of psychedelics include:
hallucinations of sight, sound, taste and touch
a blurring of the senses, such as sounds being ‘felt’ or colours being ‘heard’
feeling detached from the body
distortions of time, direction and distance
relaxation
accelerated
heart rate
dilated pupils
nausea and loss of appetite.
Psychedelics and ‘bad trips’
Psychedelics can be unpredictable drugs. If someone has an enjoyable ‘trip’ the first time, this doesn’t guarantee they will always have pleasant experiences.
Every person runs the risk of having a ‘bad trip’. Symptoms can include scary hallucinations, extreme
panic
,
paranoia
and nausea. It is also possible to have a mixture of good and bad experiences in the one trip.
If a large amount or a strong batch is consumed, other unpleasant side effects can include:
muscle
spasms and loss of coordination
convulsions and unconsciousness
aggressive, hostile or risky behaviour
psychosis
.
If an overdose is suspected, dial triple zero (000) for an ambulance immediately.
Dependence, tolerance and withdrawal
Like many other drugs, it is possible to build up a tolerance to psychedelics. This means larger doses are needed to achieve the same effect. Some people can develop a psychological dependence and feel that the drug is an important part of their lives.
It’s not likely you can become physically dependent on psychedelics, so there are no withdrawal symptoms even after using them for a long time.
There is however the possibility of experiencing ‘flashbacks’, which can happen days, weeks, months or even years after taking the drug. This is when someone briefly relives the hallucinations of a previous trip. The experience could be pleasant or it could cause severe feelings of
anxiety
. Flashbacks can be triggered by
stress
,
fatigue
,
physical exercise
or the use of other drugs.
Where to get help
If an overdose is suspected, call triple zero (000) for an ambulance immediately
Your
GP (doctor)
Alcohol and other drug
service
External Link
Alcohol and Drug
Foundation
External Link
DrugInfo
External Link
Tel.
1300 85 85 84
– information and referral services for anyone seeking help for alcohol or drug use
DirectLine
External Link
Tel.
1800 888 236
– for 24-hour confidential drug and alcohol telephone counselling, information and referral
Self Help Addiction Resource Centre
(SHARC)
External Link
Tel.
1300 660 068
– for information and support for people concerned about a relative or friend using drugs
Youth Drug and Alcohol Advice
service
External Link
(YoDAA), Victoria Tel.
(03) 9415 8881
(9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday)