Teen Drug Addiction Help

When it comes to hallucinogens teen use, the most commonly used are shrooms, acid and PCP. Teens may use hallucinogens because they want to have a mind-altering experience and the high they receive from the drug use. However, hallucinogens teens use also have many negative side-effects and dangers.

Hallucinogens like acid (LSD), mushrooms and PCP cause people to experience imagined experiences that may seem real. The trip that is received from taking a hallucinogen can last hours, which is why many people become psychologically dependent on the drug. Unlike other drugs, hallucinogens are not a drug where the users become chemically or physically dependent on the drug. However, with enough and frequent use, the user may become disappointed when they revert back into reality, and instead become psychologically dependent on the drug usage. This is why hallucinogens teens use become so wide spread among the teen community. 

How Do Hallucinogens Work?

Hallucinogens teens use as well as adults work by powerfully affecting the brain because the drugs distort the way a person's five primary sense work. They also change the users perception of time and space. During the "trip" they often have a difficult time concentrating on reality, and therefore struggle to be able to tell the difference between reality and illusion. There are about 20.2 million residents throughout the United States that have admitted to trying at least one type of hallucinogen at least once. Among those numbers, about 742,000 teens from ages 12 to 17 have tried the drug once according to a National Household Survey on Drug Abuse. In addition, about 4.5 million individuals ages 18 to 25 have reported trying hallucinogens. There are many concerns about teens using these drugs, which amount to about eight percent of all high school seniors who have tried the drug. 

The Risks of Hallucinogens Teens Use for Recreation:

While it may seem like a harmless way to have fun, there are many risks involved with using hallucinogens. However because hallucinogens aren't usually the illegal drug parents and educators are the most concerned about, little information about the drug is ever passed on to teens by their parents or teachers. However there are many risks involved with using the drug. The first being how hallucinogens affect your brain. First of all, the serotonin in a person's brain is important to the body's nerve cells that receive sensory information like the cells that control mood, ability to sleep and memory. When the brain is exposed to hallucinogens, the neurons cause the neurotransmitter to cause overactive serotonin basically damaging the sensory cells. Eventually after drug use is over, the fibers that have been damaged do grow back. However, they may grow back incorrectly and wind up in places where they don't belong. This may inhibit a person's ability to feel, see, smell, hear and taste correctly. 

The most dangerous risks when hallucinogens teens use are used too much or too much is taken, the effects are very unpredictable. Some people that use the drug find themselves acting extremely aggressive. Some however might be passive and drowsy. Because of the psychological effects, users may easily become addicted to the feelings and effects they get when they use the drug. The danger also arises when users take the drug and then get behind the wheel of a car, or do something else that is dangerous because of the poor judgment created when on the drug. Users have been known to act violent to the others they are around because of their altered sense of reality. They may feel threatened by a person even if there is no real threat there. As a result, they may try to hurt the other person, and users have been known to act homicidal or suicidal while on the drug. 

Prevention: 

Because of the dangerous, but often underrated effects, of using hallucinogens, it is important to teach teens about the risks of using these types of drugs. While they may not be as addictive as cocaine or other serious drugs, they are still detrimental to the brain and the body in so many different ways. In addition, the drug user may lose entire control over their behavior and judgments, which can lead to other serious consequences including teen violence, dangerous driving and even death of the user or another who may die at the hand of the user. If you are a parent, be sure to discuss these risks with your teens to ensure they know about the dangers posed when taking the risk to try illegal drugs. 

Sources: teens.drugabuse.gov, collegecrawler.com, justice.gov