Hallucinogen
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is applied somewhat interchangeably with "psychotomimetic" and "hallucinogen". The classical hallucinogens are considered to be the representative psychedelics and LSD is generally considered the prototypical psychedelic. In order to refer to the LSD-like psychedelics, scientific authors have used the term "classical hallucinogen".
The word psychedelic was coined to express the idea of a drug that makes manifest a hidden but real aspect of the mind. It is commonly applied to any drug with perception-altering effects such as
- LSD // LSA
- DMT
- MESCALINE
- PSILOCYBIN
Dissociative's
- Ketamine
- Salvia Divinorum
- Nitrous Oxide
Deliriant's
Deliriant's induce a state of delirium in the user, characterised by extreme confusion and an inability to control one's actions. They are called deliriant's because their subjective effects are similar to the experiences of people with delirious fevers.
Included in this group are plants such as
- Atropa belladonna (Deadly Nightshade)
- Brugmansia species (Angel's Trumpet)
- Datura stramonium (Jimson weed)
- Hyoscyamus niger (Henbane)
- Mandragora officinarum (Mandrake)
- Myristica fragrans (Nutmeg)
- Uncured tobacco is also a deliriant due to its intoxicatingly high levels of nicotine.
Brief History
Psychedelics, dissociatives, and deliriants have a long history of use within medicinal and religious traditions around the world including shamanic forms of ritual healing and divination, initiation rites, and rituals of syncretistic movements.
In the context of religious practice, psychedelic drug use, as well as other substances such as tobacco (hypnotic), are referred to as entheogens. In some places peyote is classified as 'sacrament' for part of religious ceremonies, and is legally condoned for such use.
Hallucinogenic substances are among the oldest drugs used by human kind, as hallucinogenic substances naturally occur in mushrooms, cacti and a variety of other plants. Numerous cultures worldwide have endorsed the use of hallucinogens in medicine, religion and recreation, to varying extents, while some cultures have regulated or outright prohibited their use. In most developed countries today, the possession of many hallucinogens, even those found commonly in nature, is considered a crime punishable by fines, imprisonment or even death.Justification of choice between terms
A "hallucinogen" and a "psychedelic" may refer correctly to the same substance, while "hallucinations" and "psychedelia" may both refer to the same aspects of subjective experience in a given instance.
The term psychedelia however carries an added reference to psychedelic substance culture, and "psychedelics" are considered by many to be the 'traditional' or 'classical hallucinogens' including DMT, Psilocybin, Mescaline, and LSD.
'A hallucinogen' in this sense very broadly refers to any substance which causes changes in perception or hallucinations, while psychedelics carry a positive connotation of general perceptual enhancement. This is the scientifically recognised difference between each classification and as hallucinogen is often deemed as too ambiguous a term - too unspecific to the effects of the unique group of substances I am wanting to research, therefore psychedelic is the true correct term and what I will be using throughout my project.
Below are the substances that fall into the category of "true" psychedelics, which (as well as other plants/species/strains that also contain these specific set of chemicals), I will be focusing on for my research project. I have chosen this group specifically (not deliriant's or dissociative's ) due to the interest I have in the very nature of the psychedelic experience, the vast history of use, memorable periods in history associated with this class of "drugs" and what altered states of consciousness // change in perceptual enhancement (brought about specifically in psychedelics - not deliriant's or dissociative's) can do to benefit lives through medicinal use.
LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide)
A psychedelic substance first manufactured by Dr Albert Hoffman from lysergic acid, which is found in the ergot fungus that grows on rye and other grains.
LSA (D-Lysergic Acid Amide, ergine)
The seeds of several varieties of Morning Glory (Ipomoea Violacea) and Hawaiian Baby Woodrose (Argyreia nervosa), contain a naturally occurring indole called Lysergic Acid Amide (LSA), which is closely related LSD in psychedelic effects.
Peyote Cacti - Mescaline
Mescaline is a hallucinogen obtained from the a small, spineless cactus Peyote. Mescaline From earliest recorded time, peyote has been used by natives in northern Mexico and the southwestern United States as a part of traditional religious ceremonies.
Ayahuasca - DMT
Ayahuasca is an Amazonian plant mixture used primarily as a medicine and as a shamanic means of communication, typically in a ceremonial session under the guidance of an experienced drinker. The main ingredient of the tea is a vine, Banisteriopsis caapi, which like the tea itself is also called ayahuasca (which means ‘vine of the soul’ or ‘vine with a soul’). The secondary ingredient is either chacruna (Psychotria viridis) or chagropanga (Diplopterys cabrerana), plants that contain a relatively high amount of the psychedelic substance DMT.
Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound produced by more than 200 species of mushrooms, collectively known as psilocybin mushrooms. Psilocybin is quickly converted by the body to psilocin, which has mind-altering effects similar, in some aspects, to those of LSD, mescaline, and DMT. In general, the effects include euphoria, visual and mental hallucinations, changes in perception, a distorted sense of time and spiritual experiences.
Iboga // Ibogaine
Ibogaine is an isolated active alkaloid from the root bark of the central West African shrub Tabernanthe Iboga . It has been used for thousands of years for spiritual development and as a rite of passage into adulthood. Its properties are well known as a treatment to stop opiate withdrawals and academic facilities have shown that Ibogaine is an effective addiction interrupter for most substances including heroin, methadone, methamphetamine, cocaine, alcohol, and nicotine.
Cannabis - THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among several other names, is a preparation of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or medicine. The main psychoactive part of cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC); one of 483 known compounds in the plant, including at least 65 other cannabinoids.
Notes & Aims
The above substances and plants that contain them (as well as the various strains which also contain the active chemical in question) form the core group of substances which I am to focus my research on and I aim to include these substances by way of research and analysis within my dissertation as well as focus on these unique plant varieties in my practical response. In my practical response I want to focus on these substances in their natural form by developing a botanical aesthetic within my work which is an area of illustration I am really interest in and a part of my practice I came into third year wanting to attempt and experiment with. By focusing on these plants in their natural and beautiful true form, I hope to create a striking juxtaposition to the common negative "drug" stigma many people in modern day western culture have with regards to psychedelics.