Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder: Etiology, Clinical Features, and Therapeutic Perspectives

After all, the likelihood that successful treatments are reported on by individual authors—and subsequently published in scientific journals—is probably much larger than it is for failed treatments. Finally, the observed association between prognosis and anxiety and/or depressive symptoms or disorders does not inform us about the direction of causality. This Psychology Today article works to clear up many of the myths behind the poorly understood Visual Snow Syndrome. Following the onset of visual snow from the use of hallucinogenic psychedelic drugs, HPPD is commonly diagnosed. However, recent research from the American Academy of Neurology proved that visual snow affects a huge number of individuals without a history of illicit drug use. Visual snow is in itself a “disease entity, clinically distinct from migraine with aura.” Dr. Christoph Schankin at the University of California goes over his study, his trials and errors, and his surprising findings.

What Is Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD)?

Methodological quality of the case reports as assessed with the MAQ-HPPD. The holiday season can be a time of https://ecosoberhouse.com/ joy, but for many, it’s also a … This Support Forum provides an open space for patients to ask questions, share stories, and explore a supportive community environment while dealing with this little known and difficult disorder.

• In both cases, Clonazepam (2 mg/day) was effective in improving symptoms, but focal visual disturbances without anxiety (trailing phenomena in one case, and black moving spots in the second case) persisted during and after therapy 19.
• The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/supplementary material, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author/s.
• If a person is experiencing visual disturbances, they should speak to their doctor.
• Trails or tracers, or when the image of objects seem to linger even after they move, creating a repeated “trail” of the object as it moves.
• Reaching an HPPD diagnosis may be easier if your doctor is familiar with the condition and your past drug use.
• With HPPD a person experiences ongoing visual disturbances, flashbacks, and other persistent symptoms after hallucinogenic drug use.

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There are cultural caveats in the DSM-5 for a range of conditions, yet there are none currently for HPPD. Many people with HPPD have to learn the hard way that life goes on. You’ve got to accept what’s happened, or it’ll take over your life. When the symptoms first came on, it helped that I had quite enjoyed my acid trips – the witches, demon dogs, shadow people, and panic attacks notwithstanding – so the condition could provide a funky distraction.

• These visual disturbances mirrored what individuals have previously reported as “flashbacks” from using LSD.
• A 2011 survey of 2,445 psychedelic users on Erowid found that up to three-fifths of users reported lingering changes.
• Researchers and doctors do not yet have a solid understanding of who develops HPPD and why.
• But it’s very real, as many know, and this article gives a basic, easy-to-understand run-down of what it is, its scientific background, common misconceptions, recent research, and personal stories from people affected by this condition.
• Also, because none of the case reports used a standardized HPPD interview, the risk of recall bias cannot be eliminated, which risk is already high since patients often needed to describe experiences that happened months or years ago.
• People may feel as though their surroundings are unreal or dreamlike.

What flashbacks feel like

Symptoms of depression may include low energy, difficulty sleeping, and a lack of interest in previously enjoyable activities. About 40% of individuals with HPPD report an altered sense of time, perceiving it as moving either too quickly or too slowly. It is thought to arise from disruptions in the brain’s temporal processing, which can be affected by hallucinogens. This symptom is often more pronounced in the early stages of the disorder. The exact cause of HPPD remains uncertain, but it is thought to involve disruptions in the brain’s visual processing system. Some researchers theorize that hallucinogens interfere with neurotransmitter function, leading to persistent visual distortions.

People who have this level of hyperresponsiveness to visual stimuli may have the same hyperresponsiveness to audible stimuli, resulting in tinnitus. A 2016 hppd symptoms study suggested that visual snow syndrome could be linked to tinnitus and other sensory processing issues through a shared mechanism. There’s a common experience shared among VS and HPPD patients — the goose chase. Many begin to experience symptoms and reach out to their doctors, only to be given a misdiagnosis.

Understanding Different Types of Mental Illness

However, there are examples of people experiencing HPPD symptoms over a number of years. If a person is experiencing visual disturbances, they should speak to their doctor. To have an effective doctor-patient relationship, it’s important that you can be honest with your doctor about all your behaviors, choices, and health history. These factors will help your doctor reach a diagnosis and help you avoid possible complications from drug interactions. The antidepressant and nerve pain medication amitriptyline has also been documented to improve some visual snow symptoms. It is theorized that visual snow may be the result of a hormone imbalance that can be caused by a fatigued pituitary gland and possible peripheral nerve pain.

Treatment Programs

However, more research is needed to understand exactly how hallucinogens work. This means that once vision and other senses have been altered, they are more likely to amphetamine addiction treatment occur again without prompting. This drug is approved for use as an injectable, short-acting anesthetic and a nasal spray for depression.

• Case 10 had significantly reduced color perception with 5/17 OS (oculus sinister, left eye) and 4/17 OD (oculus dexter, right eye).
• Individuals with a history of mental health conditions, such as anxiety disorders, depression, or other psychiatric challenges, may be more vulnerable to HPPD.
• Although there is no definitive treatment for HPPD, the supposed first-line treatment for HPPD is with alpha-2 adrenergic drugs such as clonidine and benzodiazepines such as alprazolam and clonazepam.
• Like derealization, depersonalization can be distressing and may heighten anxiety.

Drugs and Me recently posted a blog post concerning experiences with HPPD, symptoms to look out for, what can cause it, and how one might be able to avoid developing the disorder. In some cases, HPPD can also cause other symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, and depersonalization. Danny Fernandez talks about his own experience with visual snow, discussing how he has found ways to deal with his changing vision and his hopes for the future. Sometimes symptoms of other disorders can be confused with those of HPPD. Click below to download Dr. Locke’s screening questionnaire for HPPD. Flashbacks can come on unpredictably or in response to a trigger, such as tiredness, anxiety, or stress.

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The exact cause of HPPD is unknown, but it is thought to be caused by changes in the brain’s visual processing pathways. HPPD is more likely to occur in people who have used high doses of hallucinogenic drugs, or who have used them frequently. It is also more common in people who have a history of mental health problems.