Is There Treatment for Hallucinogen Addiction?

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Hallucinogens found in plants have been used for thousands of years to evoke enlightenment, explore the inner mind, in healing rituals, and for other cultural or religious ceremonies. Advances in chemistry led to the development of  LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) and its well-known “trip.”  After gaining popularity in the 1960s, LSD helped usher in a broader use of hallucinogens, many of which have since entered society with unpredictable and sometimes dangerous effects.

Hallucinogen Effects

Treatment at a hallucinogen rehab is mainly counseling and behavioral therapy.

Hallucinogens affect people in different ways because they come from a variety of sources, such as plants or synthetic compounds, which may contain multiple chemical compounds. They cause distorted perceptions of time, objects, space, movement, color and sounds as well as impacting thoughts, reasoning, judgment, emotions and psychomotor skills. Dissociative hallucinogens cause the user to feel a distance from their reality or self, potentially causing them to lose their coordination or balance.

The effects of these types of drugs are unpredictable from event to event. One trip may be described as a ” good one,” while another may be described as a “bad trip” that causes frightening hallucinations, severe panic, paranoia and anxiety, which can lead them into harmful situations and overdose.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in 2024, 7.6 million people used hallucinogens in the past year. These hallucinogens include LSD, MDMA (ecstasy or molly), PCP, psilocybin mushrooms, ketamine, mescaline, peyote and salvia divinorum.

Hallucinogen Addictions

Hallucinogens affect the brain and central nervous system in a variety of ways based on their chemical structures and the combination of other chemical elements involved. The majority of hallucinogens cause their effects by disrupting serotonin activity in the brain and central nervous system. Serotonin is involved in the control of behavioral, perceptual and regulatory survival systems of mood, hunger, sensory perception, body temperature, muscle control and sexual behavior.

While hallucinogens generally do not cause physical dependency, they can result from other compounded substances. Psychological dependency and addiction result from repeated disruptions to the serotonin system, continued exposure to hallucinogens and the predisposition of the person to develop an addiction, such as mental health status, biological, developmental or environmental factors.

Is There Treatment for Hallucinogen Addiction?

Treatment is available for hallucinogen-related disorders and can address the psychological, behavioral and physical effects of use, though the approach often varies significantly from person to person based on their symptoms and overall health.

Withdrawal and after-effects from hallucinogens are less predictable than with many other substances but may include depression, anxiety, flashbacks, muscle spasms, hyperthermia, confusion, agitiation and in some cases, symptoms of psychosis. Because these reactions can be sudden and severe, safety is a primary concern during treatment. Medical supervision may be necessary to manage acute symptoms, including the use of medications such as antipsychotics to stabilize mood and perception.

Counseling and therapies play an important role in hallucinogen treatment and many types of therapy will help with the cognitive, social, familial and behavioral aspects of the addiction. Maintaining sobriety, changing thought patterns, and coping with the addiction to hallucinogens as well as other substances is a long-term process.

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