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Hallucinogen Abuse and Dependence

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Encyclopedia of Psychopharmacology

Definition

Hallucinogen abuse and dependence are known complications resulting from the illicit use of drugs in this category, such as LSD and psilocybin. Users do not experience withdrawal symptoms, but the general criteria for substance abuse and dependence otherwise apply. Dependence is estimated in approximately 2 % of recent-onset users in the United States. Acute hallucinogen intoxication may induce a plethora of physical and psychological effects that can become so overwhelming to the user as to result in seeking emergency psychiatric care. Providing supportive psychotherapy usually proves effective, though sometimes the use of a sedative hypnotic for anxiety is indicated in addition. No randomized controlled trials have examined treatments of hallucinogen abuse or dependence, but standard treatments (motivational interviewing, relapse prevention, outpatient counseling, participation in self-help groups, family therapy) should still be offered.

Role of Pharmacotherapy

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, The Laboratory for Integrative Psychiatry, Belmont, MA, USA

    John H. Halpern & Pedro E. Huertas

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Addiction Psychiatry Service, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Joji Suzuki

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str., 1 D-30625, Hannover, Germany

    Torsten Passie

Authors
  1. John H. Halpern
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  2. Joji Suzuki
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  3. Pedro E. Huertas
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  4. Torsten Passie
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to John H. Halpern .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Behavioural Pharmacology, King's College London Institute of Psychiatry P049, London, United Kingdom

    Ian P. Stolerman

  2. Brown Medical School, Butler Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, USA

    Lawrence H. Price

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Halpern, J.H., Suzuki, J., Huertas, P.E., Passie, T. (2014). Hallucinogen Abuse and Dependence. In: Stolerman, I., Price, L. (eds) Encyclopedia of Psychopharmacology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27772-6_43-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27772-6_43-2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27772-6

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