HALLUCINOGENS AND SUCH

Tell Me About

I READ with interest about the case of the man who vanished in the
middle of the ocean while aboard a cruise. He was drinking absinthe.
What is absinthe and what can it do to your body?

Absinthe is a strong alcoholic liqueur made from a herbal abstract,
including wormwood (called Artemisia absinthium). It is emerald green
in colour because it contains chlorophyll, and is extremely bitter.

In order to drink it, you have to dilute it with cold water, which is
poured over a spoonful of sugar into a glass containing one shot of
absinthe. The drink then changes colour to an opaque, milky white.

It was very popular in the 19th century with artists and writers like
Pablo Picasso, Degas, Manet, Ernest Hemingway, Van Gogh, Oscar Wilde
and Baudelaire, because it was said to stimulate creativity. It is
also believed to have curative and aphrodisiac properties. It was so
popular that many artists featured absinthe in their priceless paintings!

In the 1850s, absinthe became so popular that even a term was coined
for its chronic abuse - a syndrome called absinthism. This was
characterised by addiction and dependence (pretty much like alcoholism
and drug dependence), fits, hallucinations and delirium. Absinthe was
subsequently banned in many countries in the early 1900s.

What Is A Hallucinogen

Hallucinogens are drugs or chemical/biological entities that cause
hallucinations. Hallucinations are distortions in the way a person
perceives reality.

Some hallucinogens found in plants include mescaline, from a cactus
known as peyote, and certain mushrooms ("magic" mushrooms.) Chemical
hallucinogens not found in nature include LSD (acid), MDA, MDMA
(ecstasy) and PCP (angel dust). LSD is the most famous hallucinogen in
the world.

Hallucinogens act by disrupting the interaction of the nerve cells and
its neurotransmitter, called serotonin, throughout the brain and
spinal cord. Serotonin (5-HT) is involved in behaviour, perception,
mood, hunger, body temperature, sex, muscle control, sleep, emotion
and sensation. So if you disrupt this system, all these modalities
will be affected.

What Types Of Hallucinations Are There

Hallucinations tend to seem very real to the person experiencing it.
Some people refer to them as "tripping". Generally (not necessarily
related to only hallucinogens), hallucinations can include:

Auditory hallucinations - the person hears voices or sounds coming
from external sources, which are not heard by anyone else.

Visual hallucinations - the person sees things that are not there,
such as another person or a ghost. A good example of this is found in
the movie, A Beautiful Mind, where the protagonist sees and interacts
with a university roommate he does not have.

Tactile hallucination - feeling someone or something touching
you.

Olfactory hallucination - smelling something which is not
there.

Gustatory hallucination - tasting something which is not
there.

Some other unusual hallucinations include Lilliputian hallucinations,
in which you perceive things around you to be smaller than they really
are; and somatic hallucinations, when you perceive a physical
experience occurring with your body.

Hallucinations can occur in all psychotic mental states, like
schizophrenia, mania and depression.

What Does LSD Do

LSD is an abbreviation for "lysergic acid diethylamide", derived from
a rye fungus. It's the most potent mood and perception altering drug
known to man. It acts within 30 to 90 minutes of ingestion, and may
last up to 12 hours.

LSD is a very unpredictable drug, and has given rise to the term
"trips". These trips vary with the amount ingested. You might have
increased blood pressure and heart rate, loss of appetite, sweating,
nausea and tremors. Your emotions may shift from euphoria to fear, and
you can even experience several emotions simultaneously.

Colours, smells, sounds and sensations seem intensified manifold. In
some cases, it is so severe that a person can experience
"synesthesia", where you "hear" or "feel" colours instead of seeing
them! You can even perceive that time is moving very slowly, or that
you are changing shape. The worst range of emotions can include
nightmarish feelings, despair and insanity.

LSD is so dangerous that you can experience its effects long after you
discontinue the drug, for up to many years. Many users complain of
"flashbacks", sudden repetitions of their LSD experiences long after
they have stopped using the drug.

What About Ecstasy

MDMA (Ecstasy) is also known as the love drug. Chronic users have poor
memory and cognition. In high doses, you can experience a sharp
increase in body temperature, leading to heart, liver and kidney
failure. You can suffer confusion, depression, sleep problems and
severe anxiety. This can persist for days or weeks.

Take too much of ecstasy, and you can experience long-term damage to
your nerves.

The bottom line for all these hallucinogens and drugs: They are not
worth it. They have too many side effects and can cause you permanent
damage, both physically and mentally. Just for a "trip" lasting
several hours, it's not worth throwing your life away.

Dr YLM graduated as a medical doctor, and has been writing for many
years on various subjects such as medicine, health advice, computers
and entertainment. The information contained in this column is for
general educational purposes only. Neither The Star nor the author
gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality,
usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and
the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to
property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from
reliance on such information.