Shrooms Overview

Psilocybin mushrooms are mushrooms that are taken as an illegal drug because of the hallucinogenic properties the mushrooms possess. They are more commonly known as magic mushrooms or shrooms. The mushrooms are eaten to produce the desired effect and can also be brewed into a potent tea. Users report seeing things that are not there, distortion of spatial relationships, inability to tell the real world from fantasy, and auditory hallucinations. These effects vary greatly from person to person depending on the mindset of the user and the amount of mushrooms that are eaten.

A potentially lethal problem with eating mushrooms is that if a person mistakenly ingests a poisonous mushroom they may have a fatal reaction. Since there are obviously no controls in place for shrooms since they are illegal this can pose a serious danger.

Shroom Side Effects:

• Loss of Appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Increased heart rate
• Loss of muscle control
• Coldness in the extremities
• Swollen features

Shrooms Addiction

Shrooms have not been shown to be physically addictive, but as with any euphoria producing drug the potential for psychological addiction is very real. Shroom addicts do not typically need to be in a hospital and the best treatment lies in therapy and a commitment to quitting shrooms.

Shroom Treatment

Since shrooms are not physically addictive there is not usually a painful withdrawal in store for a shroom addict who wants to quit. There are no approved medications to treat shroom addictions. Shroom addicts should speak with a therapist in conjunction with attending a twelve step group to begin on the road to recovery.

Shroom Links

If you would like to know more about shroom use, prevention, or side effects please feel free to visit the following web sites:

http://www.clearhavencenter.com/addictions-research/additional-substances/magic-mushrooms/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrooms#cite_note-shroomery-15 http://www.drug-rehab.ca/mushroomaddiction.htm

Overview

Peyote is a cactus that contains an alkaloid called mescaline. The mescaline is a psychoactive drug and has been compared to LSD or mushrooms. Peyote is used in Religious ceremonies by certain Native American tribes. When used by these tribes peyote is not illegal to possess or ingest.

It is also used as a recreational drug, particularly in the American Southwest. When the dried leaves of the peyote cactus are ingested the user can have intense hallucinations. Other users claim it helps them achieve a more spiritual state and heightens the ability to be introspective.

The peyote leaves may be boiled to produce a psychoactive tea, the leaves may be eaten, or the mescaline alkaloid can be created synthetically.

Peyote Side Effects

The side effects of peyote include:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Increase in body temperature
• Increased heart rate and blood pressure
• Numbness, weakness, and tremors
• Feelings of terror and loss of control

Peyote Addiction

The current research indicates the peyote is not physically addictive. Users will develop a tolerance to peyote fairly quickly however which means more of the drug is needed to achieve the psychoactive effects. The user may also become psychologically addicted to the effect of the drug.

Peyote Treatment

There are several hospitals in the American Southwest that claim to be able to treat a peyote addiction. Addiction to peyote can cause the user to become anxious. There is not a current medication approved for the treatment of peyote addiction. As with all addictions a desire to stop, a willingness to go to a twelve step program, and a supportive environment will proved a user with a good foundation for overcoming their peyote addiction.

Peyote Links

If you would like more information on about peyote use, prevention, or side effects please feel free to visit the following web sites:

http://www.drugfree.org/Portal/Drug_Guide/Peyote http://www.cesar.umd.edu/cesar/drugs/peyote.asp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peyote

Overview

Lysergic acid diethylamide, more commonly known as LSD, is a psychedelic drug that is taken orally and causes the user to experience vivid hallucinations. It was discovered by Swiss chemist, Albert Hofmann in the 1930’s. It was originally used as a treatment for various psychiatric disorders, but it quickly became an illicit drugs when the hallucinogenic effects became more widely known.

When a user ingest LSD they refer to it as a “trip”. The trip can cause the user to see patterns of light, lose their sense of time, feel sensations on the body, can alter awareness of the user, and can cause emotional instability. Many users claim that by using LSD they are able to achieve higher plains of being or the ability to understand complex problems. The duration of the “trip” can last from anywhere between three and twelve hours and it is dependant of the dose that was ingested. Users can also have what is known as a bad trip where they become fearful, anxious, and in some cases terrified of objects or ideas that are not real.

LSD Side Effects

• Dilated Pupils
• Increased Body Temperature
• Sweating
• Loss of Appetite
• Tremors
• Increased heart rate and blood pressure

LSD Addiction

LSD is not chemically addictive, but many users will develop a tolerance for the drug over time. This will result in the user needing to take higher doses of LSD to achieve the high.

LSD Treatment

The main treatment for LSD is social support and twelve step programs. Many users use less frequently as they age and quit altogether without many of the harmful side effects associated with quitting more addictive substances.

LSD Links

If you would like to know more about LSD use, treatment, or side effects please feel free to visit the following web sites:

http://www.clearhavencenter.com/substance-abuse-treatment-resources/signs-of-LSD-use.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LSD

http://www.theantidrug.com/drug_info/drug_info_lsd.asp