Clinical presentation

Ingestion of hallucinogenic drugs can cause hallucinations in all sensory modalities, as well as synaesthesia (the perception of one sense relating to another sense or part of the body [eg hearing a colour]).

Hallucinogenic drugs cause mental state and behavioural changes, and serotonergic toxidrome, which can be life threatening.

Novel psychedelic hallucinogenic drugs also have potent stimulant effects, and a higher risk of acute sympathomimetic toxidrome than established psychedelic hallucinogenic drugs.

See Drug examples and effects of hallucinogenic drugs for drug examples and effects of hallucinogenic drugs.

Table 1. Drug examples and effects of hallucinogenic drugs

Dissociative hallucinogenic drugs

drug examples

ketamine (‘K’, ‘special K’)

methoxetamine

phencyclidine (PCP, ‘angel dust’)

routes of use

oral, inhalational (snorted, smoked), parenteral

desired effects

euphoria

altered perception, synaesthesia [NB1]

‘out of body’ experience

adverse effects

aggression

psychotic symptoms

catatonia (‘K-hole’)

acute reversible cerebellar toxicity

Established psychedelic hallucinogenic drugs

drug examples

partial serotonin agonists:

  • lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)
  • psilocybin (‘magic mushrooms’)

routes of use

oral, sublingual (LSD)

desired effects

altered perception

synaesthesia [NB1]

hallucinations of all sensory modalities

adverse effects

behavioural disturbance

psychotic symptoms

physical injuries (sequelae of behavioural and psychotic effects)

Novel psychedelic hallucinogenic drugs

drug examples

2C–substituted phenylethylamines:

  • ‘2C-B’
  • N-methoxybenzyl (‘NBOMe’, ‘N-bomb’, ‘2C-C’)
  • 5-methoxy-N, N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT), 5-methoxy-N, N-diisopropyltryptamine (‘foxy-methoxy’)

routes of use

sublingual, inhalational (snorted, smoked), intravenous

desired effects

stimulation

altered perception

hallucinations

adverse effects

sympathomimetic toxidrome

serotonergic toxidrome

seizures

behavioural disturbance

psychotic symptoms

sensation of paralysis

rhabdomyolysis, kidney injury

physical injuries (sequelae of other adverse effects)

Note:

NB1: Synaesthesia is the perception of one sense relating to another sense or part of the body (eg hearing a colour).