Psychotropic Substances: An Introductory Journey Through the World of Drugs

Since the beginning of recorded history, people have puzzled about spirituality, and how strong feelings linked to it may be related to forces beyond our control. How can one pin down mystic experience, or life-changing epiphanies? One way is to get down to the nitty-gritty of chemical reactions in the brain. Psychoactive drugs are substances that cause temporary alterations in mood, behavior, perception and consciousness [1]. These substances can be divided according to their origin (synthetic or naturally occurring) and purpose of use, such as medical, recreational or as entheogens for spiritual experiences. 

Drugs affect consciousness differently

The history of psychoactive drugs linked to religious practices use goes back thousands of years to ancient cultures like Mesoamerica or Egypt (see also page 7). Many ancient cultures consumed mostly organic substances for medical purpose, but also in shamanistic rituals to communicate with their gods. Even in some present-day societies, such as some indigenous groups in Mexico or Brazil, this is actively practiced as part of local culture. Throughout history, humans have always been drawn to experimenting with their state of consciousness. This reached a scale that international authorities felt obliged to set up a Convention on Psychotropic Substances, signed by the United Nations in 1971, to rein in the increasing availability of drugs that ‘have negative health effects and lead to lowered moral standards’ [2]. What has changed, however, is people’s motives: as nowadays, people are more likely to use these drugs for fun and improved performance rather than spiritual experience.

Source: Wikipedia Commons

The Pocket Library of Psychoactive Drugs
Whatever the purpose, recreational or religious, the pharmacological effects of psychoactive drugs (and, as a consequence, what they are primarily used for) can vary widely. Below is a concise table of some of the most important substances and their mode of action [2]. It should be noted that the listed licit and illicit drugs often have multiple biological effects, including side effects, which also depend on their dosage.



Moral Remarks
Dr. Timothy Leary, a former leading proponent of hallucinogen use, postulated a theory in the 1960s based on personal experiences [3], in which he stated that the effect of a psychotropic substance on an individual is influenced by the chemical and pharmacological nature of the drug, but also by the individual’s psychological and physical settings. Probably, however, the dose has the strongest influence, as some substances are pleasurable and beneficial when consumed in small doses, but turn into harmful or even fatal substances in higher doses, which applies even to inconspicuous substances like the 'laughing gas'. Interestingly, this was already hypothesized nearly 500 years ago, when Paracelsus said: "sola dosis facit venenum" ("The dose makes the poison.") [4].



[1] http://bit.ly/2sQmE25
[2] http://bit.ly/2sFAVjn
[3] Leary, Universe Books, Inc., New York 1964
[4] Paracelsus, Septem Defensionenes, 1538

By Anahita Poshtiban, PhD Student AG Plested
 

This article originally appeared September 2017 in CNS Volume 10, Issue 3, Spirituality in Science