Why Hallucinogens
Are Growing in Popularity and How They Can Lead to an SUD
Why Hallucinogens
Are Growing in Popularity and How They Can Lead to an SUD
In recent years hallucinogenic use has been on the rise as more people use them for recreational purposes or as treatment for behavioral health issues such as anxiety or depression. A study by Columbia University shows that over 5.5 million U.S. Adults reported using hallucinogens as the LSD use rate grew from 0.9% in 2002 to 4% in 2019. While these numbers may not seem significant, they are noteworthy because hallucinogen use has remained stable for the past several decades.
To understand what’s behind this sudden increase, it’s important to understand the different types of hallucinogens, the way they impact the human body and how the new trend of microdosing is causing more people to experiment with these substances for the first time.
How Hallucinogens Work
Hallucinogens are a diverse group of drugs that alter a person’s awareness of their surroundings as well as their thoughts and feelings. They are commonly split into two categories: classic hallucinogens (such as LSD) and dissociative drugs (such as PCP). Classic hallucinogens temporarily disrupt communication between brain chemical systems throughout the brain and spinal cord while dissociative hallucinogens interfere with the brain chemical glutamate, which regulates things such as pain perception, learning and memory.
Both types can cause hallucinations or sensations that seem real even though they are not. Dissociative drugs can also cause users to feel out of control or disconnected from their body and their surroundings. Some hallucinogens are extracted from plants or mushrooms, while others are created by humans.
Common hallucinogens include the following:
- LSD
- Psilocybin
- Peyote
- Ketamine
- DMT
- MDMA
- PCP
- Dextromethorphan (DXM)
- Salvia
- LSD
- Psilocybin
- Peyote
- Ketamine
- DMT
- MDMA
- PCP
- Dextromethorphan (DXM)
- Salvia
Hallucinogen users can experience side effects brought on by a “bad trip” which could cause the user to experience hallucinations. Other side effects can include:
- Increased heart rate
- Nausea
- Changes in sense of time
- Increased blood pressure
- Loss of appetite
- Dry mouth
- Sleep problems
- Tremors
- Seizures
- Increased heart rate
- Nausea
- Changes in sense of time
- Increased blood pressure
- Loss of appetite
- Dry mouth
- Sleep problems
- Tremors
- Seizures
Because of the risks hallucinogens pose, medical professionals like Ofir Livne, MD, MPH, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Epidemiology at Columbia Mailman School says that while some studies suggest that hallucinogens could have some benefits, more research needs to be done to determine how effective and safe they are in treating certain medical conditions “While new findings suggesting benefits from the use of certain hallucinogens among a range of cognitive areas are being published at a rapid rate, there are still gaps in knowledge concerning safe hallucinogen use, and evidence for potential adverse effects even with professionally supervised use that warrant attention,” says Livine.
“Evidence for potential adverse effects even with professionally supervised use that warrant attention”
Ofir Livne, MD, MPH
Microdosing’s Growing Popularity
In recent years more people have started microdosing which involves taking small doses (one-tenth or less) of a psychedelic, such as LSD or psilocybin. They often do this to help treat mental health issues such as anxiety or improve productivity or creativity. This may explain why in another study LSD use in people between the ages of 19 and 30 grew from 3.7% to 4.2% in 2021 and other hallucinogen use in the same age group increased from 3.4% to 6.6%. Experts caution that there’s not enough research available to determine if microdosing is safe for these purposes and that results can vary greatly from person to person.
While some people may see benefits after microdosing, it can also cause negative side effects including physical discomfort, headaches, or anxiety. Experts also caution people who experience psychosis, have a severe mental health condition, or take other medications to consult with a medical professional before microdosing. Experts also caution people to remember that microdosing is unregulated and that some of the potential risks from overdosing include:
Dependence
Tolerance
Misuse
Addiction
Nate Moellering, a community outreach coordinator at Allendale Treatment and Fort Wayne Recovery says that hallucinogens have a similar impact on the brain that drugs and alcohol do and that people should remember that before experimenting with microdosing. “How addiction works is that we use alcohol or drugs to turn off part of the brain so we can feel better. So, when we take away our primary coping mechanism, it doesn’t go back to how it was before we started using because it’s been conditioned over time with the substances.”
“How addiction works is that we use alcohol or drugs to turn off part of the brain so we can feel better. So, when we take away our primary coping mechanism, it doesn’t go back to how it was before we started using because it’s been conditioned over time with the substances.”
“How addiction works is that we use alcohol or drugs to turn off part of the brain so we can feel better. So, when we take away our primary coping mechanism, it doesn’t go back to how it was before we started using because it’s been conditioned over time with the substances.”
Using Traditional Mental Health Treatment to Prevent Substance Use Disorders
While data is mixed around microdosing, evidence suggests that certain hallucinogens are addictive, especially among people who already deal with addiction. The fact that people are microdosing in a lot of cases to improve the way they feel, is similar to people who experiment with drugs or alcohol for the same reason. Because of this, even if they try to use microdosing in place of other drugs or alcohol, they could be trading one addiction for another instead of treating the root cause of the issue that’s making them feel bad.
That’s why most addiction experts still recommend people use traditional methods such as therapy or medication to treat behavioral health issues. Therapy in particular can provide many of the same benefits as microdosing including reducing anxiety, enhancing critical thinking skills and finding healthy coping mechanisms to navigate through difficult times.
“Using drugs and alcohol is always a symptom of a bigger underlying issue such as depression or bipolar disorder.”
Nate Moellering, a community outreach coordinator
Addiction experts like Moellering also encourage people who already struggle with alcohol or drug addiction to seek treatment at a professional detox or rehabilitation facility that uses a dual diagnosis approach that focuses on treating the mental health issues that are driving the addiction. “Using drugs and alcohol is always a symptom of a bigger underlying issue such as depression or bipolar disorder. People who can find alternative ways to deal with these issues through things such as group counseling or private therapy are going to be in a better position to not have to turn to alternative methods like microdosing which there are still so many unknowns about.”
