Psychedelic Drugs: Types, Effects and Legal Status

Psychedelic drugs are mind-altering substances that alter your perception, thoughts, and feelings, often leading to vivid sensory experiences and hallucinations. They fall into four classes: classic psychedelics, dissociative psychedelics, empathogens, and other psychedelics.

Psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin are generally considered to have a low potential for addiction compared to substances like opioids, and they typically do not cause physical withdrawal symptoms, but they can pose serious mental health risks. Most psychedelic drugs are illegal and not approved for use by the FDA.

What Are Psychedelic Drugs?

Psychedelic drugs change perception, thought, and emotion, producing vivid sensory experiences and hallucinations. Psychedelics do not cause a direct surge in dopamine, which reduces their addictive potential. However, users may seek repeated experiences due to their profound effects, and regular use can lead to tolerance, requiring higher doses for the same effects.

A persistent and problematic pattern of using psychedelics despite adverse outcomes is known as hallucinogen use disorder.

What Are the Different Types of Psychedelic Drugs?

The different types of psychedelic drugs include classic psychedelics, dissociative psychedelics, empathogens, and other psychedelics. Classic psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin produce vivid hallucinations and deep emotional experiences. Dissociative psychedelics such as ketamine and PCP create a trance-like state and feelings of detachment from reality. Empathogens like MDMA induce feelings of love and empathy, while other psychedelics like salvia and ayahuasca offer intense and unique experiences. The empathogen class carries a stimulant load the classic psychedelics do not, so the hyperthermia, hyponatremia and mid-week mood pattern that follow MDMA use have no counterpart in an LSD or psilocybin profile.

DMT produces an intense, short-lived psychedelic state when inhaled, while ayahuasca extends oral effects by combining DMT-containing plants with monoamine oxidase-inhibiting harmala alkaloids. Route of administration changes onset and duration without changing DMT's federal Schedule I status.

Type of Psychedelic	Examples	Description
Classic Psychedelics	LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide)	Produces vivid hallucinations and deep emotional experiences.
	Psilocybin/Psilocin	Found in “magic mushrooms,” causes hallucinations and altered perceptions.
	DMT (Dimethyltryptamine)	A powerful psychedelic often consumed as ayahuasca in a ritualistic setting.
	Mescaline	Found in peyote and San Pedro cacti, known for spiritual and introspective experiences.
Dissociative Psychedelics	Ketamine	Produces a trance-like state and feelings of disconnection from reality.
	PCP (Phencyclidine)	Known for unpredictable effects, inducing feelings of detachment and hallucinations.
	DXM (Dextromethorphan)	Found in some cough medicines, has dissociative properties at high doses.
Empathogens or Entactogens	MDMA (Ecstasy)	Induces feelings of love, empathy, and closeness to others.
	MDA	Similar to MDMA but with more psychedelic effects.
Other Psychedelics	Salvia Divinorum	Induces intense and brief psychedelic experiences.
	Ibogaine	Derived from the African iboga plant, often used for addiction treatment.
	Ayahuasca	Causes powerful hallucinations, used in Amazonian ceremonies.
	2C-B	A synthetic psychedelic with both psychedelic and empathogenic effects.
Research Chemicals	4-AcO-DMT	A synthetic compound similar to psilocybin.
	NBOMes	A class of synthetic psychedelics similar to LSD but with higher toxicity.

What Do You See when You Take Psychedelic Drugs?

When you take psychedelic drugs, you experience altered perceptions, often referred to as "tripping." This altered state creates visions and effects that are not part of normal reality. Some individuals believe that these drugs expand their minds, allowing them to see new aspects of the world and explore their inner selves.

What Are the Risks of Psychedelic Drugs?

While the risk of physical addiction is low, psychedelics can pose serious mental health risks, especially for those predisposed to psychiatric disorders. Incorrect dosages, lack of proper setting, and pre-existing mental health conditions can turn a psychedelic experience into a harmful one. The main risks include:

• Accidents and Injuries: Impaired judgment and altered perception while under the influence of psychedelics can lead to accidents and injuries.
• Increased Anxiety and Paranoia: Frequent use of psychedelics can lead to heightened anxiety, paranoia, and feelings of dread, both during and between episodes of use.
• Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD): HPPD is a rare condition where individuals continue to experience hallucinations or perceptual disturbances even when not using the drug, which can be distressing and disruptive to daily life.
• Psychosis: In vulnerable individuals, persistent use of psychedelics can trigger psychotic episodes characterized by a loss of touch with reality.

Persistent perceptual disturbance, anxiety, and depressed mood after psychedelic use are psychiatric presentations rather than a physical dependence, which is why they are assessed and treated as mental health conditions. A person carrying one of them alongside continued substance use meets the definition of a co-occurring disorder, and treatment that addresses the psychiatric condition and the substance use in parallel is what that combination requires.

Are Psychedelic Drugs Legal?

Most psychedelic drugs are illegal and not approved for use by the FDA. However, some drugs have been found to be useful for treatment like ketamine which are now used in treatment protocols. Other psychedelic drugs like ayahuasca are illegal but are used for religious reasons and fall into a grey area. Psychedelic drugs are becoming more accessible to Americans through a patchwork of state legislative reforms. (JAMA psychiatry)