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Tips For Teens About Hallucinogens... |
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Tips For Teens About Hallucinogens... |
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GET THE FACTS
Hallucinogens affect your brain.
Hallucinogens change the way the brain interprets time, reality, and the
environment around you. They also affect the way you move, react to situations,
think, hear, and see. This may make you think that you're hearing voices, seeing
images, and feeling things that don't exist.
Hallucinogens affect your heart. The
use of hallucinogens leads to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure.
Hallucinogens can put you in a coma. They can also cause heart and lung failure.
Hallucinogens affect your
well-being. The use of hallucinogens may change the way you feel
emotionally. They may cause you to feel confused, suspicious, and disoriented.
Many PCP users are brought to emergency rooms because of PCP overdose or its
disturbing psychological effects, including delusions and paranoia.
Hallucinogens affect your self-control.
The effect of hallucinogens varies from time to time and person to person,
so there is no way to know how much self-control you might maintain. They can
cause you to mix up your speech, lose control of your muscles, make meaningless
movements, and act in irrational, aggressive, or violent ways.
BEFORE YOU RISK IT
Know the law. Hallucinogens are
illegal to buy, sell, or possess.
Get the facts. Hallucinogenic drugs
distort your perception of reality. Hallucinogens cause your sense of space and
time to become distorted and cause you to see objects that aren't really there.
Stay informed. The body can quickly
form a tolerance to a hallucinogen, so a person would have to take more and more
of the drug for the same effect. This is very dangerous because taking stronger
doses of any drug may cause severe side effects, including overdose.
Know the risks. Hallucinogens can
cause flashbacks. Effects of the drugs, including hallucinations, can occur
weeks, months, and even years after use.
Look around you.The majority of
teens are not using hallucinogens. According to a 2002 study, 94 percent of
teens have never even tried hallucinogens.
KNOW THE SIGNS
How can you tell if a friend is
using hallucinogens? Sometimes it's tough to tell. Different
hallucinogens have different effects, depending on the dose and the user. If
your friend has one or more of the following common warning signs, he or she may
be using hallucinogens:
What can you do to help someone
who is using hallucinogens? Be a real friend. Encourage your friend to
stop or seek professional help. For information and referrals, call the National
Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at 800-729-6686.
Q&A
Q. Do hallucinogens have long-term
effects?
A. Yes. In addition to flashbacks, long-term effects may include
decreased motivation, prolonged depression, anxiety, increased delusions and
panic, and psychosis.
Q. Can I predict if I will have a
"bad trip"?
A. There is no way to predict a “bad trip.” There is no consistency
in hallucinogenic drugs, so each “trip” may differ depending on the drug’s
strength and purity. The psychological effects of the hallucinogen also depend
on the user's frame of mind.
Q. How can I help someone through a bad
trip?
A. Don't try to handle this situation on your own--call 911 and a trusted
adult immediately. While waiting, address the person by name, remind them who
and where they are, talk to them calmly, make sure they're safe, and don't leave
them alone.
The bottom line: If you
know someone who uses hallucinogens, urge him or her to get help. If you're
using them--stop! The longer you ignore the real facts, the more chances you
take with your life.
It's never too late. Talk to your parents,
a doctor, a counselor, a teacher, or another adult you trust.
Do it today!
Info Provided By: U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services