Psilocybin
History
Psilocybin first appeared in Native American habitats as long ago as 1000 b.c. but was seriously investigated until 1936.
Westerners first discovered the drug and it was first synthesized by Dr. Albert Hoffman in 1958.
It was first used as a tool in psychotherapy and the treatment of emotional disorders.
LSD History/Effects
Lysergic acid diethylamide– LSD– comes from lysergic acid which comes from ergot, a fungus found on grains such as rye. This drug was revealed in 1938. LSD causes hallucinations resulting in peoples’ minds functioning differently. People usually tend to “hear” colors and “see” sounds. Some experiences might be enjoyable, but then other “trips” have the potential to be bad.
LSD is short for lysergic acid diethylamide.LSD is a hallucinogenic drug. It alters your thoughts and your perception of reality. It was invented by Albert Hofmann on November 16, 1938 in Sandoz laboratories in Basle, Switzerland. Albert thought it could be used as a circulatory and respiratory stimulant, but in 1943 he discovered LSD had very strong hallucinogenic properties. LSD disrupts how your nerve cells and the neurotransmitter serotonin interacts throughout the brain and spinal cord. LSD distorts visual judgment,sensations, moods and feelings. If enough of it is used then hallucinations and delusions can happen.Short term effects of the drug are terrifying thoughts, feelings of despair, fear of losing control, fear of insanity, or even fear of death, hallucinations and delusions. Long term effects of the drug are Flashbacks,severe depression, and a complete loss of contact with reality. Flashbacks can happen a days, weeks, or a years after the last use of LSD. There are no medical uses of Lysergic acid diethylamide and it is illegal to make, posses, and use in the United St...
Hallucinogen drugs are the oldest known drugs and were originally used in medical and religious practices. These drugs are usually found in plants, fungi, and mushrooms. LSD was discovered in 1938; manufactured from a fungus named ergot found on rye and other grains (Teen Challenge). PCP was developed in the 1950s and originally used as an anesthetic but was discontinued due to serious adverse effects in 1965 (Teen Challenge). Psilocybin is found in certain mushroom; indigenous to tropical and subtropical regions of Southern America, Mexico, and the U.S. (Teen Challenge). For centuries, Peyote would be used for religious ceremonies by natives in northern Mexico and southwestern U.S. (Teen Challenge).
Historically, before some substances have had the chance to be outlawed by the government, they have been used in the field of medicine. Cocaine was a local anesthetic, MDMA was used in therapy for people with depression, and more famously, marijuana still has a use in the treatment of various diseases today. Natural psychedelics, like mushrooms and DMT, hold similar potential for use in therapeutic sessions due to the effect they have on the mind.
Lysergic Acid Diethlyamide
The psychedelic effects of d-Lysergic Acid Diethylamide-25 (LSD) were discovered by Dr. Albert Hoffman by accident in 1938. In the 1950s and 1960s, LSD was used by psychiatrists for analytic psychotherapy. It was thought that the administration of LSD could aid the patient in releasing repressed material. It was also suggested that psychiatrists themselves might develop more insight into the pathology of a diseased mind through self experimentation. 1,2
Raves are becoming more popular than ever and these designer drugs are becoming even easier to get a hold of (Kusinitz 46). When asked, over 50 percent of high school seniors said they knew they could get ecstasy “fairly easily” or “very easily” if needed (National Institute on Drug Abuse). Since untrained amateurs commonly create designer drugs in underground laboratories, the drugs can be dangerous (Mass 16). Among all designer drugs, MDMA, or Ecstasy is the most commonly used (Kusinitz 47). Others include Ketamine known commonly as Special K or “K”, and LSD also known as acid.
Individuals who use methamphetamines have a wide variety of reason for starting their use. Some of the reasons people use meth is: mood elevation, self-medication, weight control, and for feelings of euphoria. Methamphetamine is a powerfully addictive stimulant used to enhance feelings of pleasure by hijacking the body’s central nervous system. Methamphetamine commonly enters the body in one of four ways: Meth can be inhaled, snorted, ingested, and injected intravenously or threw the anus. The initial high lasts anywhere form a few hours to a couple minutes. However, the side effects: heightened alertness, loss of time, and increased energy can last anywhere from 2-24 hours. Methamphetamine has a high addiction rate due to the fact that many users go on binges rather than using occasionally. Although meth has these short term benefits, they come with long term destruction. Methamphetamine affects the individual’s health in numerous ways over the long haul. Extended use can cause irreparable damage to the brain, lowered dopamine, Parkinson’s disease, movement disorders, Insomnia, birth defects, and death. Methamphetamine can also cause extensive damage to the individual’s mental health. Methamphetamine users develop numerous mental symptoms connected to prolonged use: such as addiction, violent...
In 1998, 3.6 percent of 12th-graders, 3.3 percent of 10th-graders, and 1.8 percent of 8th-graders reported they had used MDMA in the past year, according to the NIDA-funded Monitoring the Future survey (MTF), which is conducted by the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research.
Individuals using hallucinogens can see images, feel sensations and hear sounds that they perceive as real but are not (Whitbourne, 2017). Additional psychological effects include rapid intense moods swings and a the condition hallucinogen persisting perception disorder, where the individual has flashbacks or spontaneous hallucinations even though they are not intoxicated with the drug (Whitbourne, 2017). Depending on the type of hallucinogen, physiological effects may include increases in heart rate, blood pressure, blurred vision and muscle weakness (Whitbourne, 2017). Like many other substances, users may build up a tolerance after continued use, and certain hallucinogens such as MDMA are usually taken with other substances (Whitbourne, 2017). Depending on the hallucinogen abused, the withdrawal symptoms may vary, LCD users may choose to stop using it without withdrawal (Whitbourne,