Hallucinogens & Addiction Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

The side effects of hallucinogens on the brain are perhaps the most important to understand, as these tend to be the most profound symptoms of use and the longest lasting. Additionally, the psychological effects of hallucinogens can be the most debilitating. These include ongoing psychosis, depression, mood disturbances, and paranoia. Users suffering from these conditions can find themselves unable to function in their day-to-day lives.

How Long Does Hallucinogen Withdrawal Last?

• The psychological effects are a key factor in developing acid addiction, as users seek to replicate or escape from these altered states of consciousness.
• However, with the right combination of medical treatment, lifestyle changes, and support, recovery is possible.
• For example, LSD can also give emotional disturbances and painful flashbacks that can last for months or even years.
• Substance abuse of LSD often stems from curiosity, peer pressure, or a desire to escape reality.
• However, there is evidence that this can occur with the heavy, chronic use of certain hallucinogenic drugs.

Withdrawal is the body’s reaction to the stopped use of a habit-forming drug. This can develop as a result of drug dependence, or a physical reliance on a drug. For example, hallucinogens can trigger intense panic attacks in individuals with anxiety or lead to prolonged depressive episodes in those with depression. Some dissociative drugs (like ketamine) are still used medically as an anesthetic, while others (like PCP) no longer have any approved medical use. Hallucinogens can be overdosed, leading to fatal consequences, like physical injuries and suicide. However, general symptoms of a hallucinogen overdose are depressed breathing, seizures, coma, and death (rare).

Anxiety (50-60%)

Dissociative drugs are a subclass of hallucinogens that cause people to feel disconnected from their body and environment. These substances can also cause hallucinations, delusion, incoherence and paranoia. The drug alters mood and perceptions, but it also increases energy and emotional warmth. But they can also cause behaviors that compromise safety or lead to an accidental death. These substances are Schedule I drugs, which means they are illegal in the United States.

Commonly Abused Drugs

Depending on the type of drugs and other personal factors, fully detoxing may take up to a week. A clinical intake assessment may involve a physical evaluation, as well as an assessment of your mental and psychological health. With some hallucinogens, like PCP and ketamine, physical reactions to detox may also occur. Over time, this reliance can lead to regular use, as the person may feel unable to function or experience joy without the drug.

Medical detox is not as important as therapy, behavioural support, and peer recovery. Those who are addicted to drugs like heroin or alcohol keep using them to stave off withdrawal symptoms. Users of hallucinogens do not feel compelled to take them just to function normally since they do not cause uncomfortable physical withdrawal. While there are currently no FDA-approved medications specifically for treating hallucinogen use disorder, behavioral therapies have proven highly effective.

• Before the modern era, substances with strong hallucinogenic properties were mostly used in the context of social and religious gatherings as well as for medicinal purposes.
• Signs of overdose include extreme confusion, agitation, psychosis, and seizures.
• Consequently, mixing this stimulant drug and alcohol might result in some bad effects on health.

This prohibition also applied to other hallucinogens like psilocybin and mescaline. The drugs were banned largely without any evidence showing their danger. However, since their effects are not predictable, they are no longer part of psychiatric treatment in the United States. While it might not be an overdose, the end result is still a life lost. Quite simply, the answer is yes—people can die from psychedelic drugs, either by overdosing on them alone or by mixing them with other substances, resulting in extreme toxicity.

Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD)

Additionally, individuals who use other substances, such as alcohol or marijuana, may be more likely to try hallucinogens as part of a broader pattern of substance use. The availability of hallucinogens in certain environments, such as college campuses or urban nightlife scenes, can also increase the likelihood of use. Risks of using hallucinogens include adverse psychological reactions, impaired judgment, and dangerous behaviors while under the influence. Individuals with preexisting mental health conditions are more vulnerable to negative effects. Hallucinogen abuse can lead to significant psychological challenges, including dependency, mental health issues, and long-term effects like HPPD. In severe cases, hallucinogenic drug use can cause psychosis or long-term mental health problems, especially if the person already has an underlying mental health disorder like schizophrenia.

Hallucinogens Addiction Withdrawal Timeline

Drugs that are considered hallucinogens include LSD, psilocybin, PCP, and ketamine, among others. These substances alter perception, mood, and cognitive processes, leading to hallucinations and changes in sensory experiences. According to the SAMHSA report, the prevalence of hallucinogen use among individuals aged 18 and older in New Jersey was approximately 160,000 people in 2021 and 2022. Hallucinogen addiction is diagnosed by evaluating an individual’s behavioral patterns, physical symptoms, and psychological state through addiction screening and substance use assessment tools. Healthcare providers use structured interviews, such as the DSM-5 criteria for substance use disorders, to identify hallmark signs like compulsive use, withdrawal symptoms, and the inability to control consumption. Hallucinogens work on the brain by disrupting neurotransmitters responsible for regulating mood, perception, and cognition, particularly serotonin and dopamine.

What Are Psilocybin Mushrooms?

Within an outpatient program, you’ll likely be required to visit a detox facility or rehab center during the day for supervision. Drug detox programs are offered by inpatient and outpatient treatment facilities. Research has found mixed evidence on whether hallucinogens cause withdrawal. Copyright © 2025, AddictionHelp.com The information provided by AddictionHelp.com is not a substitute for professional medical advice. View our editorial content guidelines to learn how we create helpful content with integrity and compassion. In addition to managing a successful family medical practice, Dr. Hoffman is board certified in addiction medicine by the American Osteopathic Academy of Addiction Medicine (AOAAM).

What Factors Can Affect Hallucinogen Detox?

Abusing DXM can lead to euphoria and visual and auditory hallucinations. Psilocybin is a chemical compound found in certain mushrooms or produced synthetically in labs. These hallucinogenic mushrooms can cause confusion, disordered thinking and anxiety. Peyote is a small, spineless cactus containing the hallucinogenic ingredient mescaline. Also called “buttons” and “mesc,” the substance can be chewed, swallowed or hallucinogens effects, addiction potential and treatment options smoked with marijuana or tobacco.