Hallucinogen Dependence

What are hallucinogens?

Hallucinogens are drugs that can cause people to see, hear, and feel things that are not real. Some hallucinogens produce intense mood swings.

Some hallucinogens occur naturally (peyote cactus and certain mushrooms). Several others are man-made (LSD, MDA, STP). Common names for hallucinogens include angel dust, love boat, LSD (acid), mescaline (peyote), and psilocybin (magic mushroom).

What is hallucinogen dependence?

Hallucinogens can cause psychological dependence. You are psychologically dependent on a drug if you feel you need it to function.

How does it occur?

Hallucinogens change body chemistry, especially in the brain. When you first start using the drugs, you use them because they make you feel good. If you use them because you cannot feel good without them, you have become dependent on the drugs.

You have a higher risk of becoming dependent on hallucinogens if you:

• have a mental illness such as depression or anxiety
• have a family history of drug abuse
• abuse other drugs.

What are the symptoms?

Signs of hallucinogen use include:

• dilated pupils
• warm skin and heavy sweating
• higher body temperature
• increased heart rate and blood pressure
• loss of appetite
• sleeplessness
• dry mouth
• tremors
• distorted sense of sight, hearing, and touch
• distorted image of self and time perception
• mood and behavior changes like roller-coasters
• panic attacks
• rigid muscles
• coma
• unpredictable flashbacks that can occur years later.

If you are a heavy user, you may have signs of brain damage, such as memory loss, short attention span, confusion, and trouble thinking. These changes may be strong or they may be subtle. They may be permanent or they may disappear when you stop using hallucinogens.

More extreme reactions to the drug may make you become very strange. You may be violent against yourself or others. Sometimes heart or lung failure may occur.

A very serious problem with hallucinogens is their distortion of your sense of reality. For example, you may believe you can fly or drive 1000 miles an hour. Thousands of people end up in emergency rooms with injuries they caused themselves while "tripping."

How is it diagnosed?

Your health care provider will ask about your symptoms and drug use and examine you. A sample of your urine may be tested for drug use.

How is it treated?

For any treatment to be successful, you must want to give up hallucinogens.

Withdrawal from long-term hallucinogen use is usually not life threatening and does not cause physically painful symptoms. Treatment initially consists of managing the symptoms of withdrawal, which can include a longing to reuse, hallucinations, and panic.

You may be prescribed antipsychotic medicines such as haloperidol (Haldol), aripiprazole (Abilify), risperidone (Risperdal), olanzapine (Zyprexa), quetiapine (Seroquel), or ziprasidone (Geodon).

You can join a self-help group (for example, Narcotics Anonymous), a support group, a therapy group, or you might be treated in a supervised clinic program. The health care providers and counselors in any treatment program will provide a safe environment to help you overcome hallucinogen dependence.

How long do the effects last?

There are few known long-term effects from hallucinogens. However, "flashbacks" - times when you feel the effects of the drug again - can happen days, weeks, or even years after you stop taking the drug.

How can I take care of myself?

The best way to help yourself is to see your health care provider and make plans to stop taking drugs.

Changing your lifestyle can help you to stop using hallucinogens. Make the following a regular part of your life:

• Drink little or no alcohol or caffeine.
• Exercise 30 minutes 3 times a week.
• Participate in relaxing recreation activities at least once or twice a week.
• Do relaxation exercises daily.
• Think of good things about your life often.
• Eat healthy meals.
• Get 8 hours of rest each night.
• Practice deep breathing exercises when you feel stressed.
• Talk and spend time with friends.
• Listen to music to help you relax.
• Get help at home and at work when the load is too great to handle.
• Seek professional help to talk through anxiety-producing life events. Ask for help in developing positive ways to cope.

For more information, contact:

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS
PO Box 9999
Van Nuys, California 91409 USA
(818) 773-9999
Web site: http://www.na.org/index.htm