Psychedelics, like LSD, DMT, mescaline, and psilocybin, are a class of hallucinogenic drugs takes because they alter perception and cognition, giving users feelings of heightened and altered consciousness. Psychedelics do not create the same changes in brain chemistry that lead to physical dependence as other drugs, so many people do not believe that addiction to psychedelics is possible. However, the disease of addiction encompasses much more than just physical dependence, and it is possible for a user to develop addiction from a psychological standpoint. Addiction develops when a person continues to use drugs in spite of the consequences. The inability to stop using drugs does not have to come from physical dependence– addiction can be the result of psychological dependence, cravings, and tolerance. The National Institute on Drug Abuse explains, “LSD is not considered an addictive drug because it doesn’t cause uncontrollable drug-seeking behavior. However, LSD does produce tolerance, so some users who take the drug repeatedly must take higher doses to achieve the same effect. This is an extremely dangerous practice, given the unpredictability of the drug. In addition, LSD produces tolerance to other hallucinogens, including psilocybin.” Cravings for the drug are also possible, albeit not the result of physical dependence. Cravings and tolerance can come together to create strong psychological addiction, which can cause a person to lose control of their ability to maintain control over how much or how frequently they use the drug. From a recovery perspective, addiction to psychedelics can be complicated because of the severity of the psychological dependence. Like other drugs, such as heroin or alcohol, treating the psychological aspects of the addiction requires more time and effort on the part of the user. Physical dependence is only one aspect of addiction recovery—the real work begins after detox. Those addicted to psychedelics do not face the physical consequences of withdrawal, but for many, their psychological addiction is severe and requires strong adherence to recovery programs and therapeutic methods to break their reliance and cravings for the drug. Although psychedelics do not fit in neatly with the disease model of addiction, psychological dependence is possible and treatment is necessary if a person is to recover.
Recovery can be the next great chapter of your story. You can make the decision to seek help now and begin building a better life in sobriety. Oceanfront Recovery, a treatment center in beautiful Laguna Beach, offers cutting-edge treatment methodologies and techniques to give you all the tools needed to achieve and maintain sobriety. For more information, please call today: (877) 279-1777
