Hallucinogens

About psychedelics, or hallucinogens heard every person. But beyond the stereotypical “gorged on mushrooms and watching the carpet,” the knowledge of the average citizen does not go.

If you specify the word “psychedelics” or “hallucinogens” in a search engine, then at the output you will receive two diametrically opposite rows of articles.

In one of them, all possible horrors that await the consumer of these substances will be described. You can’t read what kind of “facts” there - that with a one-time intake you firmly “sit down” on psychedelics, that by taking them you will go crazy, commit suicide, shake your health and be ready to kill for a dose of buzz. The best that a consumer of hallucinogens can expect, according to these authors, is a cozy room with soft walls in a local mental hospital. There is an opinion, and I adhere to it, that the authors set themselves the goal of writing horror stories without bothering to conduct at least some search and analysis of information. Also, such articles are necessarily present on the sites of rehabilitation centers, which is not surprising - it is necessary to somehow attract customers.

The second series of articles is not very common in our segment of the network, but sometimes they are published (usually on thematic resources). They contain descriptions of psychedelic experiences, research data in a popular form, and the risks of taking this group of substances are reasonably described.

Of course, it is better to look for this information in the English part of the Internet, but unfortunately not everyone is strong in lingua franca, so I will take on the role of enlightener and talk a little about classical psychedelics.

So, classic psychedelics include LSD, DMT, Mescaline, and Psilocybin. They also include salvinorin-a, which was on the list of prohibited substances not so long ago, but I will write a separate article about it, because the substance is extremely curious (of course, only from a scientific point of view) and has no analogues known to science.

The four substances listed above differ in their effects on the consumer and give an effect that differs both in time and in sensation. DMT lasts only 10-15 minutes, psilocybin (mushrooms) - 4 hours, mescaline (cacti) - 6-8 hours, and the effect of LSD can last up to 12 hours in a row.

All of them act on serotonin receptors in the brain. Who does not know - serotonin is responsible for good mood, it is also called the “happiness hormone” - one of the main neurotransmitters in the human body.

I will give the most important facts about this group of substances:
1 - no psychedelic does not cause dependence. Neither psychological nor physical. If you are told the opposite - it means either they are trying to mislead you, or the applicant himself is mistaken.

Separately, I want to say leave a comment about mushrooms and cacti - in their case addiction is even theoretically impossible. With daily use of mushrooms, for 7-12 days, they cease to have any psychoactive effect - tolerance is developed. With cacti it is even more interesting - after a one-time reception, tolerance immediately appears, which partially passes on the 3rd day, and completely passes on the 7th day.

2 - psychedelics are not a “high”, but a means of self-knowledge. Fans of shoving into themselves any nastiness “to put in” are often unwitting distributors of horror stories. Psychedelics do not tolerate fun. Stories like "I was so bad that I was afraid to go crazy" - these are just such fans of entertainment.

3 - studies conducted both before the era of the ban of psychedelics, and in recent years, show many areas of psychiatry and psychotherapy, in which they bring undeniable benefits. For example, mushrooms are effective for nicotine addiction and as a rehabilitation tool for cancer patients, and LSD is an effective remedy for the treatment of alcoholism, and also proved the effectiveness of its use in cluster headaches.

4 - in continuation of paragraph 3, there is an opinion that many psychological disorders appeared relatively recently and are caused by separation from nature. Psychedelics taken with the right attitude and under the supervision of a professional restore a sense of unity with the outside world. A significant improvement in moral well-being notes the overwhelming number of people who have passed the ayahuaska reception ceremony.

It is noteworthy that LSD and DMT do not have a lethal dose, and for mescalin and psilocybin it is so high that it is extremely difficult to use it, especially when it comes to a plant product. But, as written above - psychedelics are not about “high”, but deadly overdose is something from the realm of fantasy.

Like any substance, psychedelics also have contraindications. First of all, they can not be given to children, adolescents, pregnant women and the mentally ill. Also, vegetable psychedelics are undesirable to use with problems with the liver and / or kidneys. It is undesirable to mix psychedelics with other substances, especially with alcohol.

For the rest - there are no special contraindications, but before use you need to seriously prepare for their reception.