Hallucinogens Flashcards
What are the positive connotations of hallucinogens?
1) psychedelic
2) entheogenic
What does “psychedelic” mean?
mind expanding and making the mind manifest
What does :entheogenic” mean?
generating the divine within (religious/spiritual)
What are the negative connotations of hallucinogens?
1) psychotomimetic
2) psychodysleptic/psycholytic
What does “psychotomimetic” mean?
having the appearance of psychosis
What does psychodysleptic/psycholytic mean?
mind disrupting or mind dissolving
What is a possible operationalization of hallucinogens?
a chemical that induces perceptions of something that does not exist in the environment
What are some problems with the operationalization of hallucinogens?
1) most do not create hallucinations but distort reality
2) many drugs can induce hallucinations (toxic effect)
What are the three psychological effect categories of hallucinogens?
1) psychedelics
2) dissociatives
3) deliriants
Describe the psychological effect: psychedelics.
“reducing valve”, subjective feeling that the brain’s filter is being disabled by the drug
Describe the psychological effect: dissociatives.
1) physical numbing
2) psychological detachment
What are two aspects of psychological detachment?
1) derealization: perception of dream-like state or unreal
2) depersonalization: detached or removed from the body (out-of-body)
Describe the psychological effect: deliriants.
confusion, inability to control behaviour, sometimes rage
What are LSD and DMT structurally similar to?
serotonin
What are ecstasy and mescaline structurally similar to?
norepinephrine
