Salvia Divinorum - Treatment for Habitual Users

Treatment for Habitual Users

A person going through an intense hallucinatory experience after taking Salvia divinorum may feel a sense of panic, deliriumA mental disturbance marked by confusion, hallucinations, and difficulty focusing attention and communicating., or confusion. In this situation, it is helpful to have another person calmly offer reassurance that the drug will wear off, and that any frightening visions cannot really harm the user.

A guardian who helps the user through the Salvia divinorum experience is typically part of the Indian rituals involving the drug. Part of the guardian's role is to offer reassurance. Guardians also help keep users from accidentally harming themselves or others. In very rare cases, people under the influence of an

The Sierra Mazateca Mountains in Oaxaca, Mexico, are home to the Salvia divinorum plant. People come from various parts of the world, including the United States, to gather the plant. As of 2005, the plant is not illegal in the United States. A
The Sierra Mazateca Mountains in Oaxaca, Mexico, are home to the Salvia divinorum plant. People come from various parts of the world, including the United States, to gather the plant. As of 2005, the plant is not illegal in the United States. AP/Wide World Photos.

hallucinogenic substance may become so anxious and confused that their state of mind may become violent and psychotic. When people become psychotic, they suffer a dangerous loss of contact with reality, sometimes leading to violence against themselves or others. Such a reaction might require treatment with sedatives or tranquilizers, which calm people down, or with antipsychotic drugs.

There is very little hard scientific data about the effects, long- or short-term, of Salvia divinorum use. However, it is considered a hallucinogen, and hallucinogens have been linked with long-term, undesirable side effects. These primarily include hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD, commonly known as "flashbacks"), mood disorders, anxiety disordersA group of mental disorders or conditions characterized in part by extreme restlessness, uncontrollable feelings of fear, excessive worrying, and panic attacks., and psychotic disorders. In a flashback, the user experiences the effects of the drug even though he or she has not recently taken a dose of the drug. The unexpected hallucinations of a flashback can be particularly terrifying.