Hallucinogens

What Is Hallucinogen Addiction?

Regular, frequent use of any mind-altering substance has the potential to turn into an addiction. When you take drugs — including hallucinogens — they interfere with your natural brain function, either by triggering the production of particular chemicals or by dampening specific communications pathways. The brain is a flexible and moldable organ that is always changing, and when you introduce outside influences like hallucinogens, they can start to alter the way your brain works on a daily basis. If the brain becomes accustomed to the way it functions and feels while you are using hallucinogens, you may begin to feel the effects while you are sober in the form of withdrawal symptoms like headaches, paranoia, nausea and depression.

If you are questioning whether your use of hallucinogens is problematic, or whether someone you love is developing a hallucinogen use problem, you should always talk to a healthcare provider, mental health counselor or other addiction professional to get an evaluation. It’s also important to remember that all hallucinogens are considered harmful illegal drugs, and any use of these substances can be problematic. These substances are unregulated, so you can never really be sure what you are putting in your body. What’s more, their illegal status means that research has not been conducted for scientists to fully understand how these substances affect mental and physical health in the long run. Any hallucinogen use should therefore be considered concerning and should be addressed by a professional.

You can also watch for certain signs and symptoms that indicate hallucinogen use has become dependent or addictive, including:

• Allowing drug use to interfere with responsibilities like school, work or family
• Mood swings or irritability
• Using drug-related language (e.g., “tripping,” “rolling,” “dropping” or drug street names)
• Depression or anxiety
• Poor hygiene
• Drug cravings
• Paranoia or delusional thoughts
• Detachment from reality
• Inability to distinguish between drug-induced hallucinations and reality
• Loss of interest in usual hobbies or activities
• Spending time with a new group of people who share drug-related interests
• Financial difficulties due to overspending on drugs or drug-related activities

Hallucinogens and Your Health

When addiction to or misuse of hallucinogens causes these changes in your brain, it affects your mental and physical health in ways that can be severely damaging. The brain is the control center of your whole body, so interfering with the way it functions can interrupt critical physical processes including sleep cycles, heart rate and blood pressure regulation. You might start to exhibit symptoms such as: 

• Insomnia
• Slowed resting heart rate
• Poor circulation
• Liver or kidney concerns
• Excessive sweating
• Tremors or shakiness

If you begin struggling to feel healthy, calm or focused while you are sober, you may be experiencing withdrawal, a key indicator that drug use has progressed to dependence or addiction. Without professional treatment, these withdrawal symptoms will only worsen over time — continuing to use a drug will serve to further throw the brain and body out of balance and lead you down a path of unhealthy habits and patterns.

Who is At Risk for Hallucinogen Addiction?

Young adults — men and women aged 18 to 25 — are by far the most likely age group to use hallucinogens, according to the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. This age group is trailed by 12- to 17-year olds, who are approximately 60% less likely to use hallucinogens than young adults, but twice as likely to use hallucinogens as adults over 26. Some studies indicate that men may also be more likely to abuse hallucinogens, and usually report beginning hallucinogen use at a younger age than women.

Young people are at a high risk for abusing many types of drugs, including hallucinogens, as a result of a few factors including environment, accessibility and brain chemistry. Environment plays a vital role — studies consistently show that people who grow up with difficult family lives, who have significant negative or traumatic experiences or who see examples of others engaging in drug use are more likely to develop substance use problems themselves. Accessibility also makes a difference; living in an area with high drug use means an individual can get drugs when they want them or may be more pressured to try them. For young people, this poses a problem: college campuses are often a prime target for drug dealers, and other events that are popular among young adults, like concerts and music festivals, often have high rates of drug availability including hallucinogens. And finally, the human brain is not fully developed until around the age of 25. Prior to this, most young people have an underdeveloped prefrontal cortex — the area of the brain that registers risks, anticipates consequences and carries out long-term thinking. This means that young people are more likely to engage in risky activities such as drug use.

When it comes to hallucinogens in particular, the public perception of these drugs always seems to play an important role. Young people go through a period of self-discovery in their teens and 20s, and seek experiences that will help them understand the world around them and their role within it. The reputation of hallucinogens as “mind-expanding” or exploratory drugs makes them very tempting for people who struggle with their reality, either as they come to terms with their independence or if they find themselves feeling confused or frustrated with their day-to-day life. In treatment for hallucinogen use, it’s important to help clients realize that they don’t need drugs to find their place and that hallucinogens, like other drugs, merely mask the problems at hand rather than solving them.

When to Seek Treatment for Hallucinogen Addiction

Abuse of hallucinogens should never be ignored, despite claims in popular culture that suggest these drugs are less harmful than others. Any mind-altering substance can be dangerous to the brain and body, and choosing drugs over reality can result in lifelong difficulties with relationships, employment and otherwise. It’s important to be aware of the ways in which drug habits can develop, and to know when to ask for help to prevent drug use from spiraling out of control.

There are resources and treatment centers that can help with overcoming withdrawal, restoring health and rediscovering fulfillment in sober life. Whether you or your loved one is just developing a habit of hallucinogen abuse or if they have been struggling with drug addiction for some time, you should seek treatment if you notice any signs of drug use affecting their health and happiness.