Psychedelic and Dissociative Drugs

Highlights

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Medical researcher wearing surgical gloves while working in a laboratory.
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  • Psychedelic and dissociative drugs can temporarily alter a person’s mood, thoughts, and perceptions. Among other health effects and safety concerns, people who use these substances report feeling strong emotions ranging from bliss to fear and experiencing vast changes in how they perceive reality.
  • In recent years, there has been growing research interest in the potential of psychedelic and dissociative drugs to treat medical conditions, including mental health disorders. An increasing number of people also report taking these drugs outside of medical settings for recreation, to improve well-being, or for spiritual or self-exploration.
  • NIDA supports and conducts research to better understand the health effects of psychedelic and dissociative drugs and to learn whether some of these drugs may help treat substance use disorders in medical settings.

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