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Using hallucinogens with other drugs

Using hallucinogens with other drugs, including alcohol can be a very dangerous practice. The effects of hallucinogens are unpredictable and combining them with other drugs will only make this worse.

‘Bad trip' -  what it is and what to do

• Reassure and comfort the person until the effects of the drug wear off. This can take many hours and may not completely disappear for a couple of days.
• Move and speak calmly and confidently.
• Address the person by name to remind them who they are and tell them who you are. Do not leave someone experiencing a bad reaction to hallucinogens alone.
• Provide them with reassurance and a safe atmosphere.
• If you are unsure of your own or someone else’s safety, it is always best to seek medical advice and/or care.

Binging and overdose - what it is and what to

Increased doses of hallucinogens will also increase the immediate negative effects. Deaths from overdose of LSD, magic mushrooms and mescaline are extremely rare. Hallucinogens affect the way you perceive reality and so deaths under the influence of hallucinogens are generally related to suicide, accidents and dangerous behavior.

Severe overdoses of PCP and/or ketamine can cause respiratory depression, coma, convulsions, seizures and death.

If someone has had a serious reaction while using hallucinogens, it is important that they receive medical assistance as soon as possible; a quick response could save their life.

• Dial 000 straight away. Ambulance officers are not obliged to involve police.
• Stay with the person till the ambulance arrives - if necessary perform CPR.
• Ensure adequate air by keeping crowds back, opening windows and loosening tight clothing.
• If a person is unconscious, don’t leave them on their back, turn them on their side to the recovery position and tilt their head back to stop them from choking.
• Provide ambulance drivers with as much information as possible, including what drug was taken, how long ago, how much of it and any pre-existing medical conditions of the user.

Mood, environment and personal factors

Like alcohol, personal factors such as weight, height, sex and general health all influence the way in which a drug may affect you.

The setting in which you choose to take hallucinogens can influence the effect it will have on you.  It is best to use the drug in a place where you feel safe and relaxed to reduce the chance of anxiety attack or paranoia and as with all drugs have a close friend nearby in case anything goes wrong.

How you are feeling when you take hallucinogens can influence how the drug will affect you.  If you are feeling anxious or paranoid the drug may only enhance these feelings.

Method

Some methods of use have higher health risks associated with them than others.

Eaten- Be careful when eating mushrooms that you have found. Some people eat poisonous mushrooms, thinking they are psilocybin mushrooms. This is dangerous and can cause permanent liver damage or death. When taking any drug made in a laboratory, such as LSD, it is very difficult to know the purity of the drug and therefore what other harmful substances may be present.

Smoked - Smoking tobacco or cannabis mixed with hallucinogens can cause respiratory illness, lung cancer, stroke and many other smoking related illnesses.

Injected - Injecting hallucinogenic substances is associated with greatly increased risk to disease. Sharing needles, syringes and injecting equipment greatly increases the risks of contracting blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.

Tolerance and withdrawal

As with other drugs, tolerance to hallucinogens quickly builds with repeated use and quickly reduces when regular use ceases. Developing a tolerance to the effects of hallucinogens may encourage you to use more of the substance to gain a similar effect.

This tends to lead to increased problems, especially when having a 'bad trip'.

To date, there has been little evidence that you experience physical withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly stop taking hallucinogens.

Driving

Hallucinogens can distort perception while driving. This means that you may see or hear things that are not actually there. Other effects include taking longer to react - especially to emergency situations; a reduced ability to think clearly, making it difficult to perform the multiple tasks required in order for you to drive safely and ensure the safety of others and having a reduced ability to pay attention, meaning that you may not notice other road users or something you normally would have observed.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Taking any unprescribed drugs whilst pregnant or breastfeeding is not recommended.

Many drugs cross the placenta barrier and have negative effects on unborn children. Use of LSD and other hallucinogens has been linked to an increased risk of miscarriage and birth complications and has also been related to higher numbers of birth defects. The adverse effects of drugs are also passed on through breast milk to breastfed children.

This fact sheet was prepared with assistance from the Australian Drug Foundation.