We use drugs for many reasons: to release some stress after a long day, or maybe a celebration, or it could be some underlying psychological issue such as fear or depression. You may want to get out of your reality because of how much it hurts you emotionally, not just because of curiosity. Using drugs to cope with our everyday lives has been an answer for a lot of us.
It seems to work initially but always ends up worse either psychologically, emotionally, physically, or all the above and more. A family of drugs has been known to take a user out of their reality and create an illusion of another reality, and those are hallucinogens.
What Are Hallucinogens?
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the definition of hallucinogens is a diverse group of drugs that alter a person’s awareness of their surroundings and thoughts and feelings. They are commonly split into classic hallucinogens (such as LSD) and dissociative drugs (such as PCP). Both types of hallucinogens can cause hallucinations or sensations and images that seem real though they are not. Additionally, dissociative drugs can cause users to feel out of control or disconnected from their bodies and environment.
Hallucinogens are not addictive in the usual way like alcohol or heroin is. In other words, there’s no evidence indicating users form a physical addiction. However, many of these hallucinogenic substances create a psychological need for the user to continue escaping from reality.
As mentioned above, hallucinogens may also have a high potential for abuse among those attempting to self-medicate depression or suicidal ideation due to their ability to stop these states so quickly. So while hallucinogens don’t usually lead to the type of physical addiction that results from the abuse of drugs such as Alcohol and Heroin, it does impair a user’s cognitive abilities, so the ability to just quit may be more complex than one would think.
Can You Become Dependent on Hallucinogens?
When trying to stop using hallucinogens, users may experience cognitive and psychological symptoms that make it difficult to control their drug use. Also, if a person’s hallucinogen abuse results from a mental health issue, mood disorder, or behavioral problem, the co-occurring disorder may preclude stopping without professional treatment.
So with the answer to the question, “are hallucinogens addictive,” being no, not physically, treatment is necessary and is still available for people with this disorder. In the case of hallucinogens, it’s most likely a patient will not need to go through a detox process. But, there is still much evidence to support the fact that chronic hallucinogen users have psychological issues. Because their use of hallucinogens made it easy to escape the unwanted realities of their lives, intense counseling and therapy should help people who have trouble living life on life’s terms.
We Can Help with Hallucinogen Addiction
At Allure Detox, we understand that even though you stopped using drugs that there is an underlying reason for doing so in the first place. Our Dual Diagnosis Treatment uses medication, counseling, and behavioral therapies to treat substance use disorders and build a strong relapse prevention plan.
We at Allure Detox understand the importance of treating all existing disorders simultaneously. Our team of experienced and dedicated professionals comprises men and women who have been in the addiction field and the mental health field for years – we know that for drug or alcohol treatment to be truly effective, all underlying disorders must be adequately addressed. We understand the complex ways in which one diagnosis affects another, and we provide comprehensive care designed to successfully treat each of our patients on a highly individualized basis.
At Allure Detox, we understand that one must tackle all existing conditions to live a life of fulfilled recovery. Our team of qualified and experienced professionals will treat each individual thoroughly, focusing on mental health, physical health, and a return to emotional well-being. If you or someone you love has been struggling with addiction and untreated mental illness, we are available to help. Please feel free to call us today to learn more about our West Palm Beach dual diagnosis treatment program.