Hallucinogen use is on the rise, especially among young adults. Unfortunately, many people who use hallucinogens are unaware of the dangers of these drugs. Hallucinogen addiction can impact your physical health, mental health, relationships, and practically every other area of your life.
If you or a loved one is struggling with hallucinogen addiction, help is available. Professional treatment is the best way to address the root causes of your addiction and develop healthy coping skills to sustain your recovery in the long run.
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Understanding Hallucinogen Addiction
Hallucinogen addiction is not as widely discussed or understood as other types of addictions. However, the dangers are just as real. You should understand what hallucinogens are, how they affect your brain, and how you can recognize addiction in yourself or someone else.
What Are Hallucinogens?
Also known as psychedelics, hallucinogens—including substances like lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), angel dust (PCP), MDMA (ecstasy), dimethyltryptamine (DMT), magic mushrooms (psilocybin), ayahuasca, and salvia—are substances that alter your senses and distort your perception of reality. Hallucinogens can be both naturally occurring and man-made, and their effects can range from mild to intense. They also come in various forms, including tablets, powder, and blotter paper.
There are two main types of hallucinogens: psychedelic drugs and dissociative drugs. Psychedelics affect the way your brain processes serotonin, resulting in changes to your mood, sense of self, and sensory perceptions. Common psychedelic substances include LSD, psilocybin (shrooms), MDMA (ecstasy), mescaline, and DMT.
Dissociative drugs interfere with levels of glutamate in your brain, causing sensory distortions and feelings of detachment from your body. Examples of dissociative substances include ketamine, PCP (angel dust), and DXM.
How Hallucinogen Addiction Develops
People use hallucinogens recreationally to experience visual hallucinations, feel connected with others and the world, and increase their self-awareness. However, these substances also have a significant risk of addiction, and excessive use can be very dangerous.
Hallucinogens stimulate the reward center in your brain, so you may experience a strong desire to continue using the drugs. Repeated use causes your brain to build up a tolerance, so you’ll need to take higher and higher doses to feel the same effects. This results in long-term disruptions to your brain chemistry. When you stop taking the substance after frequent use, you might experience depression, anxiety, mood swings, sleep problems, and other psychological symptoms.
A pre-existing mental health disorder is a major risk factor for hallucinogen addiction. Some people use hallucinogens as a form of self-medication for depression, anxiety, trauma, or other mental health issues. While the drugs may provide temporary relief, the long-term effects of frequent hallucinogen use can be destructive.
Signs and Symptoms of Hallucinogen Addiction
The following are some of the key signs and symptoms of hallucinogen addiction:
- Needing to take the substance in larger quantities to feel the same effects
- Craving the substance
- Taking the substance even when it interferes with work, school, and other responsibilities
- Taking the substance when it’s dangerous to do so, e.g. when driving a car
- Trying and failing to stop using the substance
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you stop using the substance
Hallucinogen Addiction Treatment Options in New Jersey
Untreated hallucinogen addiction can have devastating consequences. Frequent and excessive use of these drugs can put a strain on your body and result in physical health problems, like extreme weight loss and blood pressure issues. Hallucinogens can have a long-term impact on your mental health, too, due to the disruptions in your brain chemistry.
Some people who struggle with hallucinogen addiction lose their jobs or drop out of school. Keeping up with your responsibilities can become increasingly difficult as your addiction gets stronger. Your relationships with family or friends could suffer as a result of the addiction, too.
Seeking help if you’re struggling with addiction is critical. Fortunately, there are a wide variety of treatment options available, and New Jersey is one of the best states for addiction services.
Medical Detox
Withdrawal from hallucinogens after prolonged use can be very uncomfortable. In some cases, withdrawal can cause severe hallucinations, which is incredibly dangerous to try to manage on your own. A medical detox center provides 24/7 care and supervision while the drugs leave your system and your body and brain adjust.
Inpatient Rehab
An inpatient treatment center provides 24/7 support to those recovering from addiction. Inpatient treatment often involves a combination of medical and psychological care. Patients attend therapy to address their addictions and co-occurring mental health disorders. Working through the early stages of recovery in such a structured environment can be very helpful for those struggling with severe addiction.
Outpatient Rehab
Outpatient recovery offers many of the same therapies and supports as inpatient treatment. However, patients only attend the program part-time and usually continue to live at home. Outpatient can be a good option if you need to continue with work, school, or other responsibilities while also committing to your recovery. Many individuals attend an outpatient program after they complete a course of inpatient treatment.
Therapy
Outpatient and inpatient treatment programs typically offer a variety of therapies. These therapies can also be helpful as standalone treatments even if you do not attend an inpatient or outpatient program.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps you address the relationship between your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Many people have used CBT to break the cycle of addiction. Group therapy can be a valuable resource, too, because it allows you to connect with others who are going through similar experiences.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment
Dual diagnosis treatment involves addressing both your addiction and your co-occurring mental health disorders at the same time. People with mental health disorders are more likely to experience addiction because substance use can be a powerful coping mechanism. Additionally, substance use can lead to mental health problems because it affects your brain chemistry.
To successfully recover from both an addiction and a mental health disorder, you should look for dual diagnosis treatment. The treatment program may include a combination of individual and group therapy, medication management, and support groups.
Why Choose New Jersey for Hallucinogen Addiction Treatment?
New Jersey has a great reputation for addiction recovery resources, especially for individuals struggling with hallucinogen abuse and use of hallucinogens. It’s one of the best states to receive addiction care due to the variety of treatment options available.
New Jersey has a number of state-funded and private addiction centers, making hallucinogen addiction treatment accessible to those paying out-of-pocket, using insurance coverage, or with limited financial means. Many treatment facilities in New Jersey address specific issues related to hallucinogenic drugs, including the effects of hallucinogens on the heart rate, body temperature, and neurotransmitter function, as well as short-term effects like increased heart rate, side effects such as memory loss and psychosis, and long-term effects like flashbacks, bad trips, hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD), and other lingering hallucinogenic effects.
You can also find many specialized treatment centers in New Jersey that understand the unique challenges of hallucinogen users. Because hallucinogen addiction, such as to peyote, peyote cactus, phencyclidine (PCP), and anesthetics like opioids, is not as widely understood as some other forms of addiction, it’s important to choose a recovery center that specializes in it. This ensures you receive a comprehensive approach to managing high doses and mitigating risks associated with out-of-body experiences and hallucinogenic drugs.
New Jersey also offers a wealth of long-term supports for addiction treatment. For example, there are countless support groups throughout the state to help maintain recovery after completing inpatient or outpatient treatment.
NJ Addiction Resources’s Approach to Hallucinogen Addiction Treatment
Hallucinogen addiction is one of NJ Addiction Resources’s many specialties. We understand how dangerous and destructive hallucinogen addiction can be, and our center is fully equipped to support you throughout your recovery.
Personalized and Compassionate Care
We avoid taking a “one-size-fits-all” approach at NJ Addiction Resources. Everyone’s experience with addiction is unique, so we customize our treatment plans to fit your individual needs. We address both the physical and psychological symptoms of addiction through a patient-centered lens. Our team strives to understand your unique background, strengths, struggles, and needs to help you achieve long-term recovery.
Expert Team of Professionals
Our multidisciplinary team includes doctors, counselors, and therapists who are dedicated to supporting patients through all stages of recovery. Hallucinogen addiction impacts both your physical and mental health, so our treatment team is prepared to address all aspects of your substance use disorder.
Holistic and Evidence-Based Treatment Programs
NJ Addiction Resources is committed to well-rounded care. We offer a combination of evidence-based treatments and holistic therapies, such as mindfulness meditation and yoga. Our aim is to treat the mind, body, and spirit to promote long-term healing.
Struggling With Hallucinogen Addiction? We Are Here to Help
Hallucinogen addiction is a painful and life-altering experience, often intertwined with broader issues such as substance abuse, drug use, and drug addiction. Support is available through professional treatment to help you overcome the physical symptoms of withdrawal and address the underlying mental health and behavioral health issues that may have contributed to your addiction.
If you or a loved one is struggling with hallucinogen addiction or other forms of substance abuse, NJ Addiction Resources is here to help. Reach out to us today to take the first steps toward recovery and a healthier future.