Hallucinogen Addiction Treatment in Los Angeles

What Are Hallucinogens?

Hallucinogens are a broad category of drugs that alter perceptions, causing sensations, visions, or beliefs that aren’t real.[1] LSD, psilocybin, mescaline, and ketamine are examples of hallucinogenic drugs.

Hallucinogens can refer to many different drugs, often known as “psychedelic drugs.” Both classic hallucinogens and dissociative drugs fall in this category, with only subtle differences between them. They’re capable of making you see, hear, and feel things that aren’t real, but dissociative drugs can elicit dissociative experiences – or an out-of-body experience in which you feel disconnected from your mind, body, or surroundings.[2]

Types of Hallucinogens and Psychedelic Drugs

Though hallucinogenic and psychedelic drugs have broad similarities in their effects, there are some important distinctions between them:

• Lysergic acid (LSD): Also known as acid, LSD is hallucinogenic and known to warp reality and alter serotonin levels long after the trip ends, leading to unpredictable effects.[3]
• Psilocybin: Commonly known as “magic mushrooms,” psilocybin is often consumed raw or dried to induce sensory distortion or hallucinations that can range from comforting or spiritual to terrifying.[4]
• Phencyclidine (PCP): Also known as “angel dust,” PCP is a synthetic drug that alters the body’s pain response and induces a high, but it can cause extreme aggression.[5]
• N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT): A serotonergic hallucinogen, DMT interacts with the serotonin receptors in the brain to produce potent psychedelic effects. It’s often used for ritual purposes and shamanic practices, but repeated use can trigger derealization.[6]
• Ketamine: Known as “special K,” ketamine is used as a party drug or date-rape drug to induce a feeling of detachment.[7]
• Mescaline or peyote: Peyote, which contains mescaline, comes from a small cactus native to the Southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico. It’s used for ritual purposes and as a recreational drug to induce hallucinogenic effects.[8]
• Dextromethorphan (DXM): A common cough suppressant, DXM is an easily accessible drug that can cause hallucinations at high doses.[9]
• 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA): Commonly known as ecstasy, MDMA is a synthetic party drug that can increase empathy and awareness, though it has fewer hallucinatory effects than other psychedelics.[10]

Hallucinogen Addiction and Abuse

The research is mixed on whether hallucinogens and psychedelics are addictive. The compulsive use of psychedelics is more psychological than physical, but it can still cause similar problems in daily life. Just because you’re not chasing a chemical dependency doesn’t mean you’re not still looking to escape – and that’s what makes it dangerous.

However, hallucinogen addiction – known as a hallucinogen use disorder – does occur. It doesn’t happen as frequently as addictions to “hard” drugs like opioids or alcohol, with the exception of PCP.[11] Ketamine and MDMA, which affect the dopamine levels in the body like other addictive drugs, appear to have a much higher risk of hallucinogenic use disorder.[12]

Hallucinogen addiction is classified as an “other hallucinogen use disorder” in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). The “other” refers to drugs other than PCP and PCP-like substances, which have a high addiction potential. The criteria for a hallucinogen use disorder include:[13]

• Taking hallucinogens in larger amounts or over longer periods than intended
• A persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control hallucinogen use
• Spending a lot of time getting, using, or recovering from hallucinogens
• Craving hallucinogens
• Failing to fulfill responsibilities at work, home, or school because of hallucinogen use
• Giving up important recreational activities because of hallucinogen use
• Using hallucinogens in situations that may be physically dangerous
• Continuing hallucinogen use despite knowing the problems it causes

Hallucinogen Side Effects and Risks

Though these drugs have been viewed as safe because they’re “natural” and “therapeutic,” psychedelic overuse can mess with your brain, your body, and your future. After use, psychedelics can cause nausea, increased heart rate, agitation, and altered senses.[14] Some of these side effects subside after the trip ends, but others can persist for weeks or months.

Psychedelics don’t just amplify positive emotions. They amplify everything. If the trip goes sour, it can cause you to go into a panic or feel like you’re losing your mind. That anxiety may not go away once you come out of it. Depersonalization and derealization can also occur, which causes you to feel like you’re watching “from the outside” of your life, numb, detached, and unsure of what’s real and what’s not.[15] For some people, the crash after the trip – as the brain’s serotonin levels deplete – can cause significant depression and hopelessness.

One of the biggest psychological risks of psychedelic drugs is hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD). HPPD causes you to see afterimages, visual trails, flashing lights, or distorted vision, even when sober.[16] These symptoms can last for months or even years, feeling like you’re stuck in a glitched version of reality.

The effects don’t stop at your mind, though. Psychedelic use takes over your serotonin system, altering your brain chemistry over time to cause unstable moods, impaired decision-making, and emotional dysregulation.[17] With frequent trips, you may experience brain fog, poor concentration, forgetfulness, and trouble staying focused in daily life. Insomnia and nightmares only make this worse.

Treatment for Hallucinogen Use Disorder

Hallucinogen addiction is mostly psychological, so the focus of treatment at iRely Recovery is on identifying the underlying causes of hallucinogen use and learning how to stay grounded in the present. Here are some of the treatment modalities we use:

• Individual therapy: One-on-one sessions dive deep into your patterns, stress, pain, and potential to find out why you want to escape or enhance reality.
• Family therapy: Hallucinogen abuse strains even the closest bonds. Family therapy brings loved ones into the healing process to rebuild trust and set boundaries that support long-term recovery.
• Group therapy connects you with others who are fighting the same fight, sharing real stories, engaging in honest conversations, and holding each other accountable to grow and connect.
• Recovery-oriented treatment: Recovery from addiction is more than treating symptoms. Our recovery-oriented care focuses on identity, meaning, and purpose to help you feel whole without a good trip.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT breaks the cycle of distorted thinking and compulsive behavior to challenge the mental shortcuts that lead you back to drugs.
• Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT): Hallucinogens are often used to escape emotional chaos, but DBT teaches emotional control, distress tolerance, impulse management, and the power of staying present.
• Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT): ACT helps you face uncomfortable emotions and commit to actions that align with your values, rather than giving in to urges.
• Somatic experiencing therapy: Trauma hides in the body. Somatic therapy helps you release physical tension and restore nervous system balance without the need for substances to “feel normal.”
• Adventure therapy: Adventure therapy uses real-world experiences in nature to reconnect you with your body, build confidence, and find joy in simplicity.
• Trauma-informed care: Some people use psychedelics to cope with trauma. We ensure that your treatment is based on safety, choice, and empowerment, rather than re-traumatization.
• Experiential therapy: Talking helps, but sometimes you need to show, not tell. Art, role-playing, music, and movement therapy can unlock your emotions and insights that words alone can’t reach.
• Mindfulness-based therapy: Mindfulness teaches awareness, presence, and peace without requiring you to alter your mind to achieve that state.
• Motivational interviewing (MI): Still unsure if you’re ready to quit for good? MI meets you where you are to unpack your ambivalence and build authentic motivation from the inside out.