Ain't that a trip?

[innerSpaceman]

There's a lot of anecdotal emphasis on hallucinations when talking about the effects of psychedelic drugs. It's mostly bogus. Far more emphatic hallucinations result - as € pointed out - from sleep deprivation. Psychedelic drugs do provide a panoply of visual effects, but they are not usually the outright hallucinatory effects of no sleep.

LSD's visual effects usually run to "trails" and "melting". Ecstacy has the wonderful visual effect of extreme clarity and precision (unless the tremors get to your eyeballs).

But the hallucinatory or visual effects are NOT the main event, and not - I daresay - why people take psychedelic drugs. It's the effect on the mind, the soul and the psyche that are important. LSD provides uncommon insight and Ecstacy uncommon empathy - often resulting in soul-improving experiences which are of extreme value to personal growth and richness of life.

There are also negative physical effects associated with these drugs, but mostly have to do with the elements they are "cut" with. Ecstacy can give you the shakes, and acid can be very speedy ... but not because of the LSD or MDMA itself. Pure forms of these drugs, much more rarely found, have none of these negative effects.

Some negative effects are endemic to the drugs themselves. Ecstacy, particularly, (in essence) depletes the brain chemical serotonin ... and can leave you feeling a bit blue as a result (easily combatted psychologically if you know why you have the temporary blues).

LSD, Ecstacy and, to a lesser extent, psilocibin mushrooms tend to leave you feeling a little worn out. So does a good hike, a good party or a good day at Disneyland.