Types of psychedelics
Psychedelics can be categorized in several different ways or subclasses.
Personally, I like to split them up into two categories.
Natural occurring and human-made.
Naturally occurring psychedelics
Various psychedelic compounds are to be found in nature:
Psilocybin is present in varying concentrations in over 200 species of mushrooms. They can be found on every continent, but the majority of species are found in subtropical humid forests.
DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) is found in various plants and animals, even in human beings. It is one of the most powerful psychedelics and is often referred to as “The Spirit Molecule” which was coined by Rick Strassman in his book after doing extended research. He couldn’t deny the overwhelming religious experiences reported by participants, over half of the volunteers claimed to have interacted with non-human beings while under the influence of DMT.
Mescaline is a psychedelic compound that occurs naturally in several species of cacti. The most commonly used are the San Pedro cactus, Peyote cactus, and Peruvian torch cactus.
Salvia or “Salvia Divinorum” is a perennial herb of the largest genus of plants in the Labiatae (mint) family. Native to the cloud forest regions of the Sierra Mazateca in Oaxaca, Mexico, it typically grows in shady, moist locations. Salvia divinorum plants can reach over one meter in height and have large green leaves, hollow square stems, and white flowers with purple calyces.
Ibogaine is a naturally occurring psychoactive substance found in plants in the family Apocynaceae such as Tabernanthe iboga, Voacanga africana, and Tabernaemontana undulata. It is a psychedelic with dissociative properties. Due to the complexity of the molecule structure of ibogaine, it affects the mind and body in various ways and is not just psychoactive.
Datura is a genus of highly poisonous flowering plants of the nightshade family. It thrives best in tropical and temperate climates or can grow even in strange conditions, like roadsides and landfills. The psychoactive alkaloids scopolamine and atropine are also both known for their characteristic hyperactive effects and ability to cause stark and dream-like hallucinations.
Other naturally occurring compounds that can create arguably psychedelic properties are Kambo “frog medicine” and Cannabis “marijuana”
Synthetic psychedelics
Human-made psychedelic compounds synthesized in laboratories:
LSD (Lysergic acid diethylamide) or acid is probably the most famous psychedelic. It was first synthesized by Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann in 1938 from lysergic acid, a chemical derived from ergot, a fungus that infects grain. Hofmann discovered its effects in humans in 1943, after unintentionally ingesting an unknown amount, possibly absorbing it through his skin. When he was riding back home on his bicycle he started feeling the effects of LSD on himself, which was the world’s first LSD trip, leading to the famous “Bicycle day” a celebration day on 19th April for LSD.
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic used medically for the induction and maintenance of anesthesia. Ketamine was first synthesized in 1963 by Parke-Davis Laboratories, it was originally intended as a replacement for the surgical anesthetic phencyclidine (PCP). It almost instantly got patented in Belgium in 1963 serving as a veterinary anesthetic. At sufficiently high doses, users may experience what is called the "K-hole", a state of dissociation with visual and auditory hallucination.
2C-B (4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine) is a psychedelic drug of the 2C family. It was first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin in 1974. It first saw use among the psychiatric community as an aid during therapy. The gentle nature of 2C-B, in addition to its mild side effects and short duration, were found to be desirable traits for a therapeutic setting. Recreationally it is being used as a substitute for MDMA due to its minimal comedown and a clear, euphoric headspace.
MDMA (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine) was first developed in 1912 by Merck, a German multinational science and technology company. It was used to enhance psychotherapy beginning in the 1970s and became popular as a street drug in the 1980s. MDMA is commonly associated with dance parties, raves, and electronic dance music. Although it is sometimes classified as a stimulant based on its effects, it is also psychedelic.