Psychedelics

Hallucinogens, Psychedelics, Deliriants, Dissociatives, Mind Altering Drugs

This class of psychoactive drugs is tough to classify.  In fact, depending on who you talk to, you're likely to get a variety of responses on the matter.  Used to be that they were mostly all under the same major category (often called Hallucinogens or Psychedelics), but many people disagree about how to classify different drugs in this corner.  

The two primary reasons for this difficulty in classification are, firstly, that the effects of drugs of this type vary drastically in their manifestations, as well as the mechanisms they utilize.  Secondly, nobody really completely understands exactly what they are and are not doing to a body.  

On a chemical level, we have found many of the methods that drugs interact with the body through, but on the whole, nobody really knows explicitly what these mechanisms do in the body.  We have identified many neurotransmitters, as well as drugs which work on a chemically compatible level, and there are many guesses about what function these neurotransmitters serve in the body, but nothing has been concretely proven yet.  In other words, we can see the parts moving, but we're not quite sure how they're all working together.  

The effects of these so-called 'consciousness-altering' drugs are also often very subjective, as it's tought to separate the direct effects of the drug versus the interaction of the drug with the brain and/or mind of the recipient.  With many other drugs, it tends to be much, much easier to classify them--for example, caffeine, a stimulant, clearly does certain things to the body without causing such drastic effects to the mind.  In other words, with some drugs, we're pretty sure exactly what they do, while others have more subjective (personal) effects which may be affected by mood, expectations, etc.  

We can see a lot of what they do, but we're not completely sure why.  

The Breakdown

Consequently, this category of mind-altering drugs is now broken down into further sub-categories--psychedelics, dissociatives, and deliriants.  These subcategories each better reflect the associated effects of drugs.  It's important to note that not all drugs (like many things in life) can be cleanly put into just one category--cannabis, for example may be classified as a psychedelic or a depressant, and mdma (x, ecstasy) exhibits functionality of both a stimulant and a psychedelic.  

Attempts have been made to separate these drugs by their methods (chemical functionality), and we continue to learn more all the time.   

Psychedelics

This category holds many of the drugs traditionally thought of as hallucinogens--LSD (acid), psilocybin (mushrooms), mescaline (peyote), etc.  While these drugs do not often cause explicit hallucinations, they clearly affect the mind and its perceptual mechanisms.  Again, it's hard to categorize these drugs properly, since we're not sure exactly how they work.  Many of the drugs in this category are non-toxic, allowing for a drastic range of dosages. 

Different theories exist about the mind altering effects of psychedelics.  A prominent explanations is that psychedelics mitigate the brain's ability to filter out inputs, making it difficult to lie to oneself.  This theory, known as the 'reducing valve' concept was first brought forth by Aldus Huxley.  The reducing valve concept asserts that these drugs limit the ability of the brain to hold things (memories, sensations, ideas, thoughts) out of consciousness.   The effects described here would also explain the prominent use of psychedelics for spiritual and psychological exploration, the use of psychedelics to induce trance-like states, and the exploration of the uses of psychedelics in mind control and interrogation.  

Dissociatives

These drugs turn off (or reduce) sensory messages from other parts of the brain and body.  This can create a sensory deprivation effect.  Wikipedia compares the use of dissociatives to that of lucid dreaming, as you might realize you're awake, but the lack of normal sensory flow to the conscious mind can allow for "self exploration, hallucinations, and dreamlike states of mind".  

Deliriants

These drugs are often, strictly speaking, true hallucinogens--these drugs can make you see and hear things which are not there at all.  Deliriants have powerful effects similar to other causes of deliriousness (extreme fever, etc.).  Deliriants also frequently leave users out of touch with reality, often with no memory or conscious interaction, yet still up and about, making these extremely dangerous drugs.  In essence, deliriants can shut down your brain, yet leave your body up to run around and cause trouble.   

Trippin'

Psychedelic experiences are often referred to as 'Trips'.  The range of phenomena exhibited under the blanket term of  'psychedelic experiences' contains such a drastic array of differences as to make this a very generic term, however.  In many of the more extreme cases, users of psychedelics have reported the effects to be uncommunicable, or inexplicable, and human knowledge of the relationship between the neurochemistry of the brain and the conscious manifestations of the mind is still very limited.  

We are essentially attacking the problem from two distinct angles--that of the chemical interaction with the body (neurotransmitters) and that of neuropsychology (or trying to link mental constructs with physical causes in the body/brain).  

In short, the term trip may describe any psychedelic experience, though specific biological/psychological causes have not been identified.  

Bad Trips

When a trip goes bad.  Frightening, confusing experiences that arise when taking a psychedelic are often called 'Bad Trips'.  This is usually characterized by paranoia, confusion (about where one is or what's going on), and panic.  This can be an extremely disconcerting thing, but will often pass as the drug begins to wear off.  

Many people who have a bad trip will equate the experience with the use of the drug itself, and therefore never want to take it again.  Bad trips can be brought on by worries of bad trips, unexpected stimuli during the experience, interaction with other drugs, memories or thoughts, etc.   

Spirituality and Religious Uses

Because of the 'mind-expanding' properties of many psychoactive drugs, history has seen many uses in religious ceremonies and attempts at gaining spiritual insight, or deeper meaning.  

Because of the subjective nature of such experiences, and the lack of hard data correlating physical interactions of psychedlics with mental perceptions caused by their use, much of this remains a very personal (unexplained) choice/experience.  

Expectations and Setting

Unlike most other drugs, the effects of psychedelics are often influenced by the mind of the person taking the drug.  Expectations and the situation (setting, stimuli, current happenings in the area) may drastically alter the experiences created by the drug.  It has been said that if you expect to have a 'bad trip' you almost certainly will, and likewise, if you expect to have a postive experience, you almost certainly will.   

External stimuli can also influence the outcome of a trip.   

Stimulants

Stimulants boost alertness and energy levels, increasing the rate of your biological processes.  There are a variety of stimulants which alter your body through different chemical mechanisms.  These differences in action produce a range of potency and side-effects.  

Types of Stimulants

Phenethylamines 

This is the molecule which is the base for most traditional stimulants including amphetamines (amphetamine, methamphetamine, mdma (ecstasy), etc.), some human neurotransmitters (dopamine, epinephrine, norepinepherine), bronchiodilators, and on and on.  

Norepinephrine and Dopamine Reuptake Inhibitors

The brain regulates biological processes through the release and reuptake of neurotransmitters.  When present, a particular neurotransmitter begins to have an affect on a system, and as it is reabsorbed the effect is lessened.  These drugs prevent or slow the reuptake of certain neurotransmitters, increasing resulting effect.  

Ampakines

Recent events have produced a new class of stimulants known as ampakines.  These work differently than traditional stimulants and as such tend to affect the alertness and concetration without the normal accompaniment of other body systems being stimulated (such as the flight or fight respones, vascular constriction, bronchidilation, etc. ).  However it's worth noting that these drugs are much newer, and as such less tested, so we might learn something bad about these drugs at some point. 

Dealing with Stimulated People

Stimulants alter the neurochemistry of the brain, and can cause a range of influences depending on the situation.  Emotional responses are often increased and many stimuants create an excess of energy which is sometimes manifested in jittery, twitchy, or repetitive movements.  This is sometimes called tweaking or tweaking out.  

Side effects can include not only increased energy and emotion, but also lead to sleep deprivation and paranoia.  Prolonged use sometimes compounds these problems, and people have been known to become erratic, unpredictable, irrational,  and extremely paranoid.  This is sometimes known as being 'sketched out'.  

Stimulants and Other Drugs

Drugs work on your body through a range of chemical mechanisms, and as such different drugs will act differently on different people, or when combined with other drugs.  Results can change with the situation.  This phenomenon is called drug interaction.  

Stimulants can often be used to counteract depressants, but unpleasant and even deadly results can happen from the wrong interaction.   

Drugs as Technology

Pharmacology is simply the study of drugs and how they interact with the body. While society often paints a variety of pictures colouring drugs as either bad or good depending on who you talk to, it is important to remember that drugs are simply a form of technology. A drug is a tool, just like any other, and like all tools, may be used in both constructive and destructive ways.

The knowledge of drugs in general, as well as specific sub-category knowledge can be very empowering. It's important to make all of your choices with the best information you can get, so by learning more about the various aspects of our universe, we become better equipped to deal with it positively and add to it our own unique points of view.

Drugs in Society

Drugs in the Mainstream

Modern society often sends out very mixed signals regarding drugs and their uses. For instance, administrations who fight the 'War on Drugs' and at the same time, perscriptions for antidepressants and ADD/ADHD related drugs have continued to skyrocket. Another example is that of alcohol versus marijuana. Sometimes, drugs make it out into widespread use before negative side affects are discovered or made public, such as heroin and thalidomide to name a couple.

Drugs within Subcultures

Individual subcultures within modern society hold points of ranging from casual usage to 'take off the edge' to reckless recreational uses to metaphysical and religious uses. Some will have basis in science, other popular myth, but no matter how stupid an idea it may be to take a particular drug, you can basically always bet that someone out there would take it no problem and enjoy it in the process.

Addiction

One of the most dangerous aspects of many drugs is the possibility or tendency to cause addiction. Addiction comes in two forms. Being addicted is one of the most UnEmpowering things you can do for yourself, so it is important to understand drugs and make good choices.

Psychological Addiction

Psychological addiction may form about anything, really, but drugs can be particularly good at helping this along because of the good feelings that can be induced. Psychological addiction is all in the mind, not chemically based, but it can be just as real as any addiction there is.

Physical Dependency

Some drugs begin to alter your biochemistry after repeated use. In essence, these drugs change the baseline for how your biological processes operate--where the norms are for you, and you begin to need this drug at a chemical level in order to function.

Types of Drugs

Stimulants (Uppers) - These types of drugs make you go up, providing increased energy, concentration, stamina, etc. After a time, this effect becomes diminished and side effects and addiveness for stimulants ranges right up into the real bad.

Depressants (Downers) - The opposite of simulants, depressants make you go down, become tired, slow, relaxed, etc. Depressants also range from the mild to the wild.

Psychedelics (Hallucinogens) - These might be up, down, or in between, but they alter things along the way. Psychedelic drugs range from mild mood altering effects to full-on hallucinations.

Hormones (Steroids) - Hormones are drugs which regulate biological processes, and as such usually very powerful with long term effects. Coming in both natural and synthetic varieties, use of hormones can thrown a body's balance out of whack and cause some serious results.