Psychoactive substance in the context of "Salvinorin A"

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⭐ Core Definition: Psychoactive substance

A psychoactive drug, psychopharmaceutical, mind-altering drug, consciousness-altering drug, psychoactive substance, or psychotropic substance is a chemical substance that alters psychological functioning by modulating central nervous system (CNS) activity. Psychoactive and psychotropic drugs both affect the brain, with psychotropics sometimes referring to psychiatric drugs or high-abuse substances, while “drug” can have negative connotations. Novel psychoactive substances are designer drugs made to mimic illegal ones and bypass laws.

Psychoactive drug use dates back to prehistory for medicinal and consciousness-altering purposes, with evidence of widespread cultural use. Many animals intentionally consume psychoactive substances, and some traditional legends suggest animals first introduced humans to their use. Psychoactive substances are used across cultures for purposes ranging from medicinal and therapeutic treatment of mental disorders and pain, to performance enhancement. Their effects are influenced by the drug itself, the environment, and individual factors. Psychoactive drugs are categorized by their pharmacological effects into types such as anxiolytics (reduce anxiety), empathogen–entactogens (enhance empathy), stimulants (increase CNS activity), depressants (decrease CNS activity), and hallucinogens (alter perception and emotions). Psychoactive drugs are administered through various routes—including oral ingestion, injection, rectal use, and inhalation—with the method and efficiency differing by drug.

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Psychoactive substance in the context of Entheogen

Entheogens are psychoactive substances used in spiritual, religious, recreational, therapeutic, and experimental contexts to induce altered states of consciousness. While the term itself emphasizes ritual and sacred applications, the same substances are also frequently employed recreationally—sometimes in ways that diverge from or disregard traditional protocols. Hallucinogens such as the psilocybin found in so-called "magic" mushrooms have been used in sacred contexts since ancient times. Derived from a term meaning "generating the divine from within", entheogens are, in religious and shamanic contexts, intentionally employed in the attempt to facilitate experiences of transcendence, healing, divination, and mystical insight.

Entheogens have been used in religious rituals in the belief they aid personal spiritual development. Anthropological study has established that entheogens are used for religious, magical, shamanic, or spiritual purposes in many parts of the world. Civilizations such as the Maya and Aztecs used psilocybin mushrooms, peyote, and morning glory seeds in ceremonies meant to connect with deities and perform healing. They have traditionally been used to supplement diverse practices, such as transcendence, including healing, divination, meditation, yoga, sensory deprivation, asceticism, prayer, trance, rituals, chanting, imitation of sounds, hymns like peyote songs, drumming, and ecstatic dance.

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LINKED FROM (PARENTS)
← Entheogen ← Entheogens
LINKS TO (CHILDREN)
Medication → Alcohol (drug) → Caffeine → Cocaine → Crack cocaine → Methylphenidate → Ephedrine → MDMA → Peyote → Mescaline → Lysergic acid diethylamide → Psilocybin → Psilocybe cubensis → Diphenhydramine → Amanita muscaria → Muscimol → Salvia divinorum → Salvinorin A → Tylenol 3 → Acetaminophen → Codeine → Tobacco → Nicotine → Bupropion → Cannabis (drug) → THC → Hashish → Coffee → Chemical substance → Central nervous system → Designer drug → Prehistory → Mental disorder → Performance-enhancing substance → Anxiolytic → Entactogen → Stimulant → Depressant → Hallucinogen → Route of administration →