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Article: Hallucinogens and related disorders
- Article from:
- Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Hallucinogens and related disorders
Definition
Hallucinogens are a chemically diverse group of drugs that cause changes in a person's thought processes, perceptions of the physical world, and sense of time passing. Hallucinogens can be found naturally in some plants, and can be synthesized in the laboratory. Most hallucinogens are abused as recreational drugs. Hallucinogens are also called psychedelic drugs.
Description
Hallucinogens are as old as civilization. Many cultures recorded eating certain plants specifically to induce visions or alter the perception of reality. Often these
hallucinations
were part of a religious or prophetic experience. Shamans in Siberia were known to ...