Hallucinogens are a class of psychoactive substances defined by their hallmark capacity to induce hallucinations and other perceptual anomalies, distinct from stimulant and depressant drug classes despite some members exhibiting overlapping sympathomimetic or CNS-depressant features. Within pharmacology and toxicology, each hallucinogen is characterized by a specific mechanism of action (e.g., cannabinoid receptor agonism, serotonin reuptake inhibition, NMDA receptor antagonism) that determines its distinct intoxication syndrome, withdrawal syndrome, and associated treatment approach. This body of theory belongs to psychiatry/toxicology's substance use disorder framework, in which drugs are classified by receptor-level mechanism and matched to corresponding clinical presentations and antidotal or supportive management strategies.
Hallucinogens are a class of psychoactive substances defined by their hallmark capacity to induce hallucinations and other perceptual anomalies, distinct from stimulant and depressant drug classes de…