Perhaps it just started out as something fun to do with friends. Or maybe your loved one found drugs like LSD or PCP as a way to cope with stress and take a break from reality. No matter how your son or husband stumbled onto hallucinogens, it’s important for you to understand more about them, so you can help your loved one get the treatment he needs.
Why Does My Loved One Take Hallucinogens?
Hallucinogens and dissociative drugs like LSD, PCP, magic mushrooms and Ketamine (Special K) are taken for many different reasons. When you look back at the history of hallucinogens, you’ll find that the drugs were oftentimes used in religious rituals. People would take them to receive what they thought were visions of the spirit world to gain enlightenment.
Today, we know those “visions” were actually hallucinations. But similar to how these drugs were originally used, many people still take them in order to feel like they are gaining a greater sense of thinking or being.
For others, hallucinogens are perceived as recreational drugs that help them relax and have a good time. These drugs have also been found to relieve symptoms associated with mental health disorders like schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and bipolar disorder.
No matter what the reason is for taking hallucinogens, the problem arises when the user becomes dependent on or addicted to the drug.
Are Hallucinogens Addictive?
While hallucinogens aren’t necessarily talked about in the same way we talk about alcohol addiction or opioid addiction, they’re still dangerous drugs. Some research has even shown that those who use hallucinogens can build a tolerance to both hallucinogens and other drugs.
Let’s take LSD and PCP as examples:
LSD is not necessarily considered an addictive drug, but it does produce a tolerance that makes the user need more and more of it in order to feel its effects. LSD has also led some users to feel like they need other types of hallucinogenic drugs.
PCP also triggers a tolerance in those who are using it, as well as addictive behaviors. This is because those who abuse PCP end up going through withdrawal symptoms like cravings, sweating and headaches if they stop taking it for too long.
In either case, hallucinogens come with their own set of risks that can lead a person down the path of increased tolerance, dependence and addiction. The only way for your loved one to get out of this vicious cycle is to get addiction treatment.
Find Support at Spirit Mountain Recovery Center
One of the things that is truly unique about Spirit Mountain Recovery is our remarkable recovery program and the fun we bring to recovery. We take a non-conventional, balanced and dual-diagnosis approach to addiction treatment that includes individual and group therapy sessions, nutrition, physical workouts and amazing support from peers and recovery staff.
If your loved one is suffering from hallucinogen addiction, we offer a beautiful treatment center in the mountains that can help him get away from his old life, so he can fully focus on his recovery.
Contact us today to speak to an admissions counselor or to schedule a tour.
