* Mescaline 
* LSD
* PCP (angel dust) 
* Ketamine (an animal anesthetic)
* Marijuana
* Peyote
* Mescaline
* DMT

Examples of Hallucinogens

* Increased heart rate 
* Increased blood pressure 
May dissipate over time

Hallucinogens Effects on the Body

The use of hallucinogens can lead to a range of perceptual effects. Common experiences include vivid visual hallucinations, distorted bodily sensations, such as feeling disproportionately large, and a warped sense of time.

Perceptual Effects of Hallucinogens

Hallucinogens can be categorized based on their primary mechanism of action within the brain's neurotransmitter systems. Key examples of these categories include serotonin agonists, such as mescaline and LSD, and NMDA glutamate receptor antagonists, like PCP and ketamine.

Classification of Hallucinogens by Mechanism

In comparison to other major classes of psychoactive drugs, hallucinogens are generally considered to possess a lower potential for abuse.

Abuse Potential of Hallucinogens

Based on the primary effects described in the scenario, which class of psychoactive drugs is the most likely cause? Justify your answer by explaining how the reported experiences align with the fundamental characteristics of that drug class.

Analysis of Psychoactive Effects

Hallucinogens are a category of psychoactive drugs known for causing significant distortions in a user's sensory and perceptual experiences, affecting how a person sees, feels, and perceives the world. This class of drugs is notably diverse, impacting a variety of different neurotransmitter systems.

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Columbia University

- Psychotherapeutics

- Opioids

- Depressants

- Marijuana

- Hallucinogens

- Stimulants

- Nicotine


Psychoactive Drugs

* Opioids
* Depressants
* Hallucinogens
* Stimulants

Psychologically Addictive Psychoactive Drugs

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

Diagram of psychoactive drugs

Opioids are pain-reducing drugs, such as heroin, morphine, methadone, and codeine, that can mimic the body's endogenous opioid painkilling system. Because this system reduces pain and can produce euphoria, opioids have a high potential for abuse.

Opioids

Stimulants are drugs that send more messages throughout the body. You feel more awake, energetic, and alert. Simulants are also a type of psychotropic medication that can be prescribed for ADHD. Common brand names are Adderall and Ritalin. They work by improving the individual's ability to focus on tasks and maintain attention. Some of the side effects include lack of appetite, sleeping probelms, stomachache, and headache.

Stimulants

A cannabinoid is any substance that attaches to the cannabinoid receptors in the brain. There are three types of cannabinoids include; recreational, medicinal, and synthetic.

- Cannabis
- Hemp
- THC

Cannabinoids

Empathogens increase a persons feeling of empathy through the release of dopamine and serotonin. Through the release of serotonin, there is an increase in mood, appetite, and sleep.

- Ethylone
- MDMA

Empathogens

Psychedelics, another name being hallucinogens, are a class of drug that changes perceptions and mood. They affect a persons thinking, emotions, and sense of time.

Psychedelics

A class of psychoactive drugs that is often characterized with symptoms of distorted perceptions and detachment.

- PCP
- Ketamine

Dissociatives

Hallucinogens

Depressants, also known as sedative-hypnotics, are a class of psychoactive drugs that suppress the activity of the central nervous system. Due to their quieting effect on the brain, they are often prescribed by medical professionals to manage conditions such as anxiety and insomnia.

Depressants (Sedative-Hypnotics)

The effects produced by all psychoactive drugs are a result of their interactions with the body's natural, or endogenous, neurotransmitter systems.

Psychoactive Drugs' Interaction with Neurotransmitter Systems

The human body possesses an endogenous opioid neurotransmitter system. This system naturally produces small amounts of opioid compounds that bind to opioid receptors, resulting in pain reduction and feelings of euphoria.

Endogenous Opioid System

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is an organization that provides informational resources, such as the 'Commonly Abused Drugs Chart' and the 'Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs Chart,' for individuals seeking to learn more about frequently misused prescription and street drugs.

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Resources

An individual is observed to have constricted pupils, slurred speech, and a significantly slowed breathing rate. They appear drowsy and disoriented. This specific combination of physiological and behavioral effects is most characteristic of which class of psychoactive substances?

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