Hallucinogen use disorder, also known as hallucinogen addiction, is when someone becomes addicted to taking hallucinogenic drugs. Hallucinogens are a group of drugs that have mind-bending and altering effects and can cause a wide range of symptoms, including hallucinations. Hallucinogenics are extremely addictive because of the chemical effect they have on your brain and because people crave the effects that hallucinogens offer.
In addition to being highly addictive, hallucinogens are also illegal unless you have a prescription because of how dangerous they are. Hallucinogen use disorder often results when people take hallucinogens for a long period of time and can lead to drug overdose and death. While not everyone who takes hallucinogens will get addicted, it’s a very easy drug to abuse.
Part of the reason that so many people struggle with hallucinogen use disorder is because of why they start taking them in the first place. Hallucinogens are often used in religious ceremonies to experience a spiritual awakening or for medicinal purposes to manage stress, pain, or anxiety. However, people also take hallucinogens strictly for recreational purposes because of the mind-altering realities and experiences they offer.
While there are many signs and symptoms of a hallucinogen use disorder, they aren’t always obvious or noticeable. In most cases, you have to pay close attention to someone in order to know if they have a hallucinogen use disorder. As will all forms of addiction, the main sign that someone has hallucinogen use disorder is when they continue taking hallucinogens even after it starts causing mental, emotional, or physical damage to them.
Here are some of the other signs and symptoms to watch out for with hallucinogen use disorder.
Hallucinogen use disorder is the result of getting addicted to hallucinogens. Hallucinogen addiction happens because of the chemical effects that these drugs have on your brain. Addiction often results from repeatedly taking hallucinogens for recreational or medical purposes. While anyone can form this addiction, there are some definite risk factors that increase your chances.
There isn’t any one, single diagnostic test that your doctor can use to determine whether or not you have hallucinogen use disorder. Instead, they will rely on several different methods to confirm or rule out an addiction. Typically, the process will start with your doctor asking you how often you use hallucinogens and how long you’ve been taking them.
They will also ask if you currently have hallucinogens in your system or if you’re experiencing the aforementioned symptoms of addiction. Next, they will examine your health history to see if you have any illnesses or conditions that would put your pre-disposed to addiction. Finally, based on their clinical interaction with you, they can determine whether or not you have a hallucinogen use disorder.
Unfortunately, as with all drug addictions, there’s not a quick pill or treatment you can take to get rid of hallucinogen use disorder. Instead, it will take a combination of therapy, medications, and other treatments. Cognitive and behavioral therapy can help you overcome your desire and need for hallucinogens, while medications can help to safely wean you off of them. While it’s very possible to recover from hallucinogen use disorder, it’s a lifelong process that will take time and determination.