Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder

At Banyan Treatment Centers Massachusetts, we know that hallucinogenic drugs like LSD, ecstasy, and mushrooms cause hallucinations and visual distortions.

People who frequently use hallucinogens may experience recurrent side effects days, weeks, and even years after their last use. These recurring side effects are also referred to as flashbacks, which cause the person to relive the “trip” they experienced when they were high. While some of these flashbacks can be pleasant, others can cause visual disturbances like seeing halos around lights or distorted colors and shapes. These side effects cause visual impairment, which can put the person in danger. If you’ve ever experienced these symptoms, then you may have hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD).

Flashbacks Caused by Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder

Hallucinogens are mind-altering drugs that cause side effects that distort a person’s perception of time and their environment, which can result in hallucinogen persisting perception disorder. The most common sign of HPPD is a series of flashbacks – when a person relives a past experience. While flashbacks most commonly occur following a traumatic experience, others result from drug abuse. Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder causes disturbing flashbacks that usually only affect a person’s vision. The way they see colors, shapes, and even light can be distorted. As the condition worsens, the person’s symptoms may become more severe, preventing them from safely getting around or completing their responsibilities.

While there isn’t much information on HPPD yet, our drug and alcohol rehab center in Massachusetts is familiar with the side effects of hallucinogens and long-term substance abuse. We know that recovering from addiction requires comprehensive and effective treatment, like the one we offer at our facility.

Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder Symptoms

People who experience HPPD usually struggle with visual distortions and disturbances that can lead to a variety of other side effects.

The most common symptoms of hallucinogen persisting perception disorder are hallucinations such as:

• Intense or bright colors
• Halos around lights
• Random flashes of color
• Outlines of objects that follow your line of sight
• Patterns on things that don’t have patterns
• Images within images, usually not actually there

Besides visual hallucinations, other common symptoms of HPPD include problems with peripheral vision, where objects appear larger or smaller than they really are, as well as difficulty reading and writing.

People who experience hallucinogen persisting perception disorder are usually engaged in long-term substance abuse; HPPD is only one of the many effects of long-term drug abuse on the brain. While its various causes are unclear, what is known is that hallucinogen persisting perception disorder requires professional care. It’s an unpredictable condition that many people haven’t been diagnosed with, which makes it difficult for medical professionals to learn more about it.