Psychology2016

Consciousness 169

LSD LSD, or lysergic acid diethylamide, is synthesized from a grain fungus called
ergot. Ergot fungus commonly grows on rye grain but can be found on other grains as
well. First manufactured in 1938, LSD is one of the most potent, or powerful, hallucino-
gens (Johnston et al., 2007; Lee & Shlain, 1986). It takes only a very tiny drop of LSD to
achieve a “high.”
People who take LSD usually do so to get that high feeling. Some people feel that
LSD helps them expand their consciousness or awareness of the world around them.
Colors seem more intense, sounds more beautiful, and so on. But the experience is not
always a pleasant one, just as dreams are not always filled with positive emotions. “Bad
trips” are quite common, and there is no way to control what kind of “trip” the brain is
going to decide to take.
One of the greater dangers in using LSD is the effect it has on a person’s ability
to perceive reality. Real dangers and hazards in the world may go unnoticed by a per-
son “lost” in an LSD fantasy, and people under the influence of this drug may make
poor decisions, such as trying to drive while high. A person who has taken LSD can have
flashbacks—spontaneous hallucinations—even years after taking the drug, and chronic
uses of the drug can develop hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD), an irre-
versible condition in which hallucinations and altered perceptions of reality can occur
repeatedly, accompanied by depression and physical discomfort (Brodrick & Mitchell,
2016; Lerner et al., 2002).

PCP Another synthesized drug was found to be so dangerous that it remains useful
only in veterinary medicine as a tranquilizer. The drug is PCP (which stands for phenyl
cyclohexyl piperidine, a name which is often contracted as phencyclidine) and can have
many different effects. Depending on the dosage, it can be a hallucinogen, stimulant,
depressant, or an analgesic (painkilling) drug. As with LSD, users of PCP can experience
hallucinations, distorted sensations, and very unpleasant effects. PCP can also lead to
acts of violence against others or suicide (Brecher, 1988; Cami et al., 2000; Johnston et al.,
2007; Morris & Wallach, 2014). Users may even physically injure themselves unintention-
ally because PCP causes them to feel no warning signal of pain.

MDMA The last synthetic drug we will address here is technically an amphet-
amine, but it is capable of producing hallucinations as well. In fact, both MDMA
(a “designer drug” known on the streets as Ecstasy, molly, or simply X) and PCP are
now classified as stimulatory hallucinogenics, drugs that produce a mixture of psy-
chomotor stimulant and hallucinogenic effects (National Institute on Drug Abuse,
2016; Shuglin, 1986). Although many users of MDMA believe that it is relatively
harmless, the fact is that it—like many other substances—can be deadly when mis-
used. MDMA causes the release of large amounts of serotonin and also blocks the
reuptake of this neurotransmitter (Hall & Henry, 2006; Liechti & Vollenweider, 2001;
Montgomery & Fisk, 2008; United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime [UNODC],
2014). The user feels euphoric, energized, and may feel increased emotional warmth
toward others. But there is some evidence that MDMA may damage the serotonin
receptors, which could lead to depression. Other negative effects include severe
dehydration and raised body temperature, which can lead to excessive intake of liq-
uids—with possible fatal results (Laws & Kokkalis, 2007; Leccese et al., 2000; Meyer,
2013; UNODC, 2014). It should also be noted that since MDMA is illegal, illicit drug
manufacturers try to stay ahead of the legal system by manufacturing novel psycho-
active substances (NPS) such as “ivory wave” or “bath salts” that are similar in effect
to MDMA but just different enough to skirt the law, at least for a while (Baumeister
et al., 2015; Bright, 2013; European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction
[EMCDDA], 2015).

NONMANUFACTURED HIGH: MARIJUANA One of the best known and most commonly
abused of the hallucinogenic drugs, marijuana (also called “pot” or “weed”) comes

LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide)

powerful synthetic hallucinogen.

PCP

synthesized drug now used as an

animal tranquilizer that can cause

stimulant, depressant, narcotic, or

hallucinogenic effects.

MDMA: (Ecstasy or X)

designer drug that can have both

stimulant and hallucinatory effects.

stimulatory hallucinogenics

drugs that produce a mixture

of psychomotor stimulant and

hallucinogenic effects.

marijuana

mild hallucinogen (also known as

“pot” or “weed”) derived from the

leaves and flowers of a particular type

of hemp plant.