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Discuss the physiological and psychological effects of LSD
Discuss the physiological and psychological effects of LSD
Discuss the physiological and psychological effects of LSD
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There have been hundreds of cases involving various hallucinogens ranging from petty theft to murder. Why a few of these individuals are able to attain a lesser charge, be acquitted, or be placed into a psychiatric ward may be better understood with background of how these drugs impact the human brain and body.
Hallucinogens stem from extracts and parts of some mushrooms and plants. These compounds have been used for centuries, if not longer, for religious rituals, recreational use, and sometimes as filler in other drugs. The most known commonly used hallucinogens include LSD (d-lysergic acid diethylamide), PCP (phencyclidine), and peyote. Although it is still debated how they trigger their effect, it is believed that these drugs interfere
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It was developed originally as a stimulant for circulation and respiration. This drug mainly affects dopamine, serotonin, and adrenergic receptors. It can cause dilated pupils, a raise body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure, loss of appetite, sweating, and sleeplessness. The main receptor that causes the hallucinations is 5 - HT 2A, (PNAS) which is found in the visual cortex. While researchers know which receptor causes the hallucinations and where they are located, it is unknown why. It was theorized by Jack Cohen that lines and patterns seen are due to the human brain’s ability to find and make patterns. (Youtube) Another cause was found when researchers from the UK did fMRI test on thirty LSD users, it was found that the regions of the brain that control consciousness are muted causing the user to have an influx of thought. They found this to be an over stimulation of …show more content…
Peyote is developed from a cactus using mescaline as an active ingredient. This ingredient can also be made using chemical synthesis. The cactus has disc-shaped pieces that are cut from the roots and dried. The long term effects are not well understood by scientist and it is typically used for religious ceremonies. It has many of the same side effects as LSD, increased body temperature, increased heart rate, ataxia, sweating, and flushing. It may also be associated with fetal abnormalities.
PCP, phencyclidine, was developed around the 1950s. Its original use was an anesthetic, however, in today's age it is used mostly recreationally. PCPs use as an anesthetic ended in 1965 when those being treated with it were found to be irrational, agitated, and delusional. Many of the side effects mimic that of schizophrenia. This can cause serious long term impacts on the human psych. PCP can interact with hormones causing a stunt in growth. (Nhtsa) Depending on the dosage the physiological impacts vary. In low doses it can cause a small increase in breathing, a rise in blood pressure, a rise in pulse, flushing, sweating, numbness, and loss of muscular coordination. In high doses it can cause blood pressure, pulse rate, and respiration to drop. This may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, flicking up and down of the eyes, drooling, loss of balance, dizziness,
A Swiss chemist named Dr. Albert Hoffman first produced lysergic acid Diethylmide –or best known as LSD in 1938 (Dye, 1992, p. 2). Hoffman discovered the drug while trying to synthesize a new drug for the treatment of headaches. He obtained the lysergic acid from the parasitic fungus that grows on rye plants known as ergot. From the lysergic acid, he synthesized the compound LSD. He used the compound to test for its pain killing properties on laboratory animals. Being that appeared totally ineffective, the bottle of LSD was placed on a shelf and remained untouched for five years.
LSD stands for Iysergic acid diethylamide. LSD is a hallucinate know to be the most powerful drug of this kind. LSD is commonly known as acid. This drug changes a person’s mental state by distorting the perception of reality to the point where at high doses hallucination occurs. Acid is derived from a fungus that grows on rye and other grains. It is semi-synthetic. It’s manufactured chemically in illicit laboratories, except for a small percent, which is produced legally for research.
Hallucinogenic drugs have corroded the minds of the youth in our society, once used as a contact for spirits, is now used as a narcotic. The most commonly used “Party drug” is known as: Ecstasy, Happy pill, Molly, or scientifically MDMA.
The primary use for the mushrooms is for recreational purposes as psychedelic hallucinations are produced once eaten. Upon ingestion of a mushroom containing the compound, the psilocybin is immediately dephosphorylated into psilocin which is responsible for creating the “trip” or high that people experience. The chemical then travels to the brain where it begins to prevent the reuptake of the neurotransmitter serotonin, increasing its activity. Also, because psilocin is structurally similar to serotonin, it binds to receptors, amplifying the effects. This is what ultimately causes the hallucinations however, technically it is more of an overwhelming distortion of typical senses creating unrealistic perception. Other areas affected are hippocampus and the anterior cingulate cortex which are associated with dreaming. Specific emotional regions of the brain are chemically activated, adding to the complex hallucinogenic feeling. The high is completely subjective to the individual however common experiences are established based on the reports of drug users. The high last three to eight hours yet, because the dephosphorylated chemical alters sense of time, a user may feel it last much longer. Thirty minutes after ingestion auditory, visual and tactile senses are noticeably changed. People report
It is said that everybody has their own type of medicine that works for them, however on certain occasions not all of these medicines are prescribed and many strongly oppose for this type of medicine to be used. John Lennon was one of the many who used un-prescribed medicine. Lennon and many others agree that the use of hallucinogenic drugs peacefully cleared their mind and made them understand what they meant to the world and connected them to everything around them in a deeper level. Which lead to the creation of the well-known Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. quote “A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimension’s”. No medicine had ever helped them achieve that inner peace and understanding that they were looking for until they tried hallucinogens in a medicinal way. After what is known as the “hippie era” Hallucinogenic drugs were made illegal and societies view went from the drug that made a person peaceful and lovable to the drug that was repugnant and awfully dangerous. Although hallucinogens are considered dangerous drugs not to be dabbled with by the average person, it has recently been proven to work as a successful therapy proving that they are safe and raising the question if they should be recognized as a way of therapy.
In 1943, Albert Hofman took the first “acid trip,” from accidentally ingesting his creation known as LSD, or lysergic acid diethylamide. Hofman reported his experience of seeing amazing pictures, fantastic shapes, and effervescent colors. Since then, hallucinogenic drugs have widely spread across the drug market. Why are hallucinogenic drugs used so much across the United States, as well as the rest of the World? What is it about these drugs that alter people’s decisions and consciousness? Why is it that some people would rather spend their nights buying and using these drugs than any other alternative? It is simply for the astounding effects that these drugs can offer one’s mind and alter their moods. The popularity and strength of hallucinogenic drugs have created a cultural phenomenon across the United States. How have the effects of hallucinogenic drugs, such as mushrooms, acid, and ecstasy, affected the American population?
The effects of peyote are quite strong, and cause an array of feelings and emotional perceptions. According to www.xs4all.nl;
A psychedelic drug is one that alters the brains perception and cognition. Drugs of this sort can cause visual hallucinations. People have said it feels as though everything is alive, breathing, dancing. Of course, like any drug, there is the possibility of having a “bad trip.” This is where things seemingly go wrong. The person tripping feels trapped, frightened, and extremely uncomfortable. The
Psilocybin Mushrooms or more commonly referred to as "Shrooms, Magic Mushrooms etc" have been used by many different cultures in varies ways. The early Mesoamericans used them for communion in religious and healing ceremonies. During the era of The Hippie Movement people experimented with Psilocybin for recreation and experience vivid "trips". Some today believe that the mysterious "Manna" that was spoken of in the Old Testament or the "Tree of Knowledge" was infact this particular fungus. Regardless of all this Psilocybin, this natural compound has a interesting effect on the human brain.
using any of these drugs result in having ulcers in the bladder, kidney problems, or poor memory. Of course, they may also cause dissociative behavior. These drugs can lead to hallucinations, delusions, and psychosis. Some other effects are having a dry mouth and tremors. A statistic says,“...young individuals are the ones mostly using hallucinogenic drugs” (www.hallucinogens.com). The drug causes depersonalization and synesthesia, compare a sensation with terms of another. “More than 1.1 million people aged 12 or older reported using hallucinogens within the past 12 months” (NIDA). Although, this drug is not highly abused as others like methamphetamine or heroin. A NIDA study in 2015 shows that 2% of 8th graders had used hallucinogens at
Known as the substance that inspired Jim Morrison, Steve Jobs, and the Beatles, LSD is a hallucinogenic drug with mind-blowing effects. LSD stands for lysergic acid diethylamide, but it has many nicknames such as acid, blotter, doses, or tabs. Many people use acid illegally as a psychedelic drug, but it could act as more than that if used properly. LSD is a misunderstood drug that is desperately in need of more
An associate professor of neurobiology at Johns Hopkins University named Dr. George Ricaurte conducted and analyzed a series of brain scans on people who had been under the influence of ecstasy. The scans included people’s brains that had consumed ecstasy more than 200 times in five years. Ecstasy did not seem to have an effect on the overall behavior of these people, however, the scans did reveal damage to the brains due to use of the drug. The more frequently someone used the drug, the more damage there was to their brain according to the scans.
the drug is a stimulant which speeds up the messages from the body to the brain. After the body gets rid of the drug,
The altered states of consciousness produced by drugs presents an all-to-common phenomenon in today’s society. Whether the desired sensation comes in the form of energy, a means of relaxation, or pain reduction, many people go to great lengths and present their bodies to threatening conditions in order to achieve this euphoric “high.” Unfortunately, the use of these drugs very often comes with dangerous side effects that users must learn to manage with for the rest of their life. According to neuroscientists, our entire conscious existence bases itself off of the lighting-fast reactions occurring in our nervous system (Nichols, 2012). Therefore, changing these neurological reactions can permanently effect our conscious being (Blatter, 2012). The physical and neurological effects from the use and abuse of stimulants, sedatives, hallucinogens, organic solvents, and athletic performance enhancing drugs will be discussed in order to better comprehend why certain individuals expose themselves to such dangerous materials with seemingly no regard to the permanent consequences associated with such actions.
Pre-Columbian Mexicans used many substances, from tobacco to mind-expanding (hallucinogenic) plants, in their medicinal collections. The most fascinating of these substances are sacred mushrooms, used in religious ceremonies to induce altered states of mind, not just drunkenness.