Define what it means to be a psychedelic drug and a hallucinogen drug.
Psychedelic refers to "mind expanding" (Prus, 2017). Psychedelic drugs usually induce an experience that alters with the realty to an individual, i.e., it causes hallucinations, delusions, or sensory distortions. Psychedelic drugs are strong psychoactive substances that interfere with the mood and perceptions of a person, thus affecting other plentiful cognitive processes (Nichols, 2016). Psychedelic drug is a general term which is used to describe a group certain drugs. Psychedelic drugs are usually classified into three main classifications. They include dissociative anesthetics, hallucinogens, and mixed stimulant-psychedelics.
Hallucinogen drug is a representative of a significant group of psychedelic drugs that is responsible for the hallucinations due to its pharmacological effects. The notorious and commonly known hallucinogen is the lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), having several street names such as blotter and windowpane, among others. Other known hallucinogens are dimethyltryptamine, mescaline, and psilocybin. Synthetization of LSD is from Lysergic acid. All types of hallucinogen drugs are capable of inducing hallucinations. Besides, the dissociative drug, i.e., PCP, can make its users feel as though they are disconnected or not in control of their bodies and environment (National Institute of Drug Abuse, 2019).
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Compare and contrast the similarities and differences between lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, mescaline, and dimethyltryptamine (DMT).
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, mescaline, and dimethyltryptamine (DMT), despite all of them being hallucinogens, each of them has a different impact on the body. Since their pharmacological effects are not the same, they hold different or similar effects when induced. For example, LSD, also known as acid (street name) it imposes its victims to visual hallucinations, anxiety, and feeling dizzy. Similarly, psilocybin, mescaline, and dimethyltryptamine (DMT) expose their victims to visual hallucinations (Prus, 2017).
Explain how LSD was created and became accessible to the public.
The hallucinogenic drug, LSD, first came into existence in the early 1930s after its first synthesis by a Swiss scientist. The scientist later (Dr. Hofmann) later had contact with the LSD, after which the first experience with the drug occurred. He later did a test on himself and later had mixed reactions and feelings (Hartney, 2020). It was later put into application by the CIA during the cold war to gather information from individuals since I could help release long-forgotten memories into the present consciousness (Hartney, 2020). As time passed by, the drug became a culture of the people, and by the 1960s, it had reached the American and other markets, thereby joining the hallucinogens and the other recreational drugs going around at rave parties (Hartney, 2020). Many well-meaning and recognized people supported the drug believing that it was a good thing and thus supported peace and love in the society. As the 1960s were coming to an end, the negative side effects of the LSD drugs came to light, as many unlawful acts such as murder among others took place causing tension to the public and thus the seizure of the drugs' production as well as distribution in addition to its use in 1965 (Hartney, 2020)
Explain the Harvard Psilocybin Project and what outcomes it had on society.
This study was led by Richard Alpert and Timothy Leary to examine the effects that psilocybin had on humans. They led the study on the effects of the drug on human beings. The study was conducted at Harvard University, thus attracting the name Harvard Psilocybin Project which ran from 1960-1962. The study was conducted on human volunteers who were subjected to the drug to understand the impacts it had on humans.
Explain the effects of LSD on the serotonin system and its implications for recreational drug use.
"LSD functions as a receptor agonist with a high binding affinity for 5-HT 1A , 5-HT 2A , 5-HT 6, and 5-HT 7 receptors". LSD usually targets the serotonin receptors, thus activating them, as a result neurotransmission is affected which in return affects the numerous sensory-processing systems within the brain. It also activates 5-HT 2A and 5-HT 1A receptors within the visual cortex, which may result to visual process modification. As a result, model object completion may be interfered with four different objects. Modal object completion refers to "perception of object boundaries" (Prus, 2017).
Explain the differences between LSD's mild and profound drug effects.
LSD is rarely considered to be a drug that is addictive among its users simply because it does not cause its users to seek it regularly, like other drugs. The drug, however, generates no tolerance, and therefore some of its users need to take larger amounts, or doses to attain some effect, just like other addictive drugs. What is more, LSD is capable of producing tolerance to the other hallucinogens, for instance, psilocybin (National Institute of Drug Abuse, 2019).
LSD in normal circumstances usually produces the so-called pseudo-hallucinations, which are an "altered perception of" reality. Profound use of this drug may result in extreme and unexpected actions, i.e., due to hyper suggestibility, which can result in victims jumping off buildings due to the belief that they are capable of flying.
Compare and contrast hallucinogen flashbacks, persisting perception disorders, and mixed stimulant-psychedelic drugs.
The adverse effects that hallucinogens have are the adverse subjective experiences that it predisposes its users to. Using the drug may result in individuals having previous memories of past experiences. Flashbacks refer to the short trip, which is short and free, causing no stress to individuals. Hallucinogen perception disorder tends to be characterized by the recurring hallucinogenic experiences, unpleasant feelings, and long-term experiences, which usually prove hard to reverse, i.e., users may experience after images occurring within their peripheral field. Some of their experiences include halo effects on objects and misperceiving objects sizes, among others. The mixed stimulant-psychedelic drug is a substance which exhibits both hallucinations and psychostimulant effects. An example of this drug is the 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine commonly known as MDMA with Ecstasy as the street name; ecstasy may refer to another thing other than MDMA (Prus, 2017).
What are the differences from a hallucinogen, entactogen, and empathogen drug?
The drug MDMA tends to be popularly known for the psychostimulant and psychedelic effects that it possesses, also referred to as empathogen, which means "enhanced empathy" or entactogen, which means "touching within" (Prus, 2017). Hallucinogen, on the other hand, refers to a category of psychedelic drugs with their pharmacological effects being hallucinations (Prus, 2017). The terms synonymously point to the effects which MDMA initial studies had observed that closeness and friendliness were observed among its users with others around them perceiving greater emotions and thoughts.
Compare and contrast how MDMA affects the serotonin and dopamine systems, tolerance, dependence, withdrawals, and its adverse effects. Then compare and contrast the implications for MDMA for recreational and therapeutic drug use for psychotherapy.
MDMA and serotonin do not mingle. For instance, MDMA administration alters the serotonin neurotransmission via two mechanisms. MDMA interferes with the transportation of serotonin "into synaptic storage vesicles," thereby preventing storage of serotonin. The MDMA leads to the reversal of the membrane transporters of serotonin, thus expelling the unstored serotonin. As a result, "MDMA produces an increase in extracellular brain serotonin levels" (Prus, 2017). With the increased serotonin levels, there can be an increased activation of the receptors of serotonin (Prus, 2017). Also, MDMA may cause enhanced extracellular dopamine levels within the brain, although the effects on dopamine are weaker compared to those on serotonin. Dopamine levels are usually enhanced by higher doses of MDMA. Lower doses inhibit the entry of serotonin into the vesicles. Higher doses on the hand usually harm serotonin neurons (Prus, 2017).
Explain what drugs are considered as dissociative anesthetics, how they work and effects the serotonin and dopamine systems, tolerance, dependence, withdrawals, and its adverse effects. Then compare and contrast the implications for both recreational and therapeutic drug use for psychotherapy.
Dissociative anesthetics refer to a group of pain-relieving sedative drugs which produce disconnectedness feelings from the body and possess stimulant and depressant effects. Drugs considered to be dissociative anesthetics include phencyclidine having its street name as dust, angel, and PCP, among others, is commonly abused and is used for recreational purposes. The other drug is ketamine, also known as KK (street name), also used for recreational purposes. The drug is also used in the anesthetic in animals. Phencyclidine affects the neurotransmission of dopamine and serotonin by interfering with the neurons inhibiting numerous activities within the body. For instance, phencyclidine enhances the levels of dopamine "by inhibiting reuptake and functioning as a partial agonist for D 2 receptors". On serotonin, it enhances its "levels by inhibiting reuptake and functioning as an agonist for 5-HT 2A receptors (Prus, 2017). Administration of the dissociative anesthetics is usually once every week, and this helps in preventing tolerance among users. Withdrawals symptoms may not be missed, especially for those using it regularly. Some withdrawal symptoms include depression and craving for the drug, among others.
References
Hartney, E. (2020, Mar. 26). Do You Know the History of Acid or LSD? Very Well Mind https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-acid-22089
National Institute of Drug Abuse. (2019, April). What are hallucinogens? National Institute of Drug Abuse. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/hallucinogens
Nichols, D. E. (2016) Psychedelics. Pharmacological Reviews 68 (2) 264-355; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1124/pr.115.011478
Prus, A. (2017). Psychedelic drugs. In Drugs and the neuroscience of behavior: an introduction to psychopharmacology . Pp 355-394. SAGE Publications, Inc
