Categories/types of Psychedelics/Entheogens

[No_Manny]

I took notes from a podcast a few years ago. The speaker mentioned 3 categories/types of Psychedelics. They are:

1) HALLUCINOGENS

 ---ayahuasca [for information]

 --- toway (which is brugmansia scopolamine)

 ---nicotine (for power)

 ---mapacho (tobacco) (for protection)

 

2) EMPATHOGENS (heart-opening)

 ---peyote

 ---san pedro/huachuma

 

3) INSIGHT/DEPTH INDUCING

 ---psilocybin

 

*****

I wanted to ask where would 5-MEO-DMT, LSD, or Salvia Divinorum fit in these categories? Or would it be a different category? Would there be more categories? If so, which psychedelics/entheogens would fall under those categories?

[halfknots]

Do you find those categories and their contents useful and accurate?

[No_Manny]

@halfknots

I have only started to work with psilocybin mushrooms. Just based on trip reports, I assume those three categories are accurate. I think it is very useful for one to know what to expect and how to work with different categories. I hope someone with extensive experience can weigh in. 

Edited November 29, 2023 by No_Manny
Forgot to answer part of user's question

[halfknots]

I would not choose to categorize psychedelics this way. It is somewhat arbitrary and even misleading which can be dangerous.

For example we see tobacco listed under hallucinogens while mushrooms, which can produce astonishing completely immersive hallucinations, are categorized under insight/depth inducing.

There are many other issues with this particular categorization.

It would be more accurate and useful to classify psychedelics based on their chemistry and mechanism(s) of action in addition to their intended/traditional use and effects. The effects of course are subjective to a degree and open to interpretation.

Are these categories you created or were they stated explicitly in the podcast?

Edited November 29, 2023 by halfknots

[No_Manny]

@halfknots

They were stated explicitly. I don't have the podcast/episode. 

Also, i have no experience with, but would tobacco provide insight or be depth inducing? Would any of the ones listed under category of hallucinogens have insight/depth inducing effects? Maybe some can be under more than one category.

Edited November 29, 2023 by No_Manny

[halfknots]

Any mind altering substance can be potentially insight/depth inducing, even caffeine for example, so I wouldn't choose to define a whole category of substances based on that quality. All classical psychedelics aka hallucinogens can be and often are insight/depth inducing.

As I said I wouldn't choose to categorize psychedelics in the ways you mentioned. Rather than trying to make the data fit a bad model, why not use/create a better model?

Edited November 29, 2023 by halfknots

[Schizophonia]

I don't think you've ever used psychedelics, this classification is weird.

There are three common classifications that work quite well :

-Classic serotonergic tryptamines. (Psylocibin, N N-DMT...)

-Lysergamids (LSD, AL-LAD, LSA, LSZ..) which act longer and are more stimulating.

-Phényléthylamins (MDMA, Mescaline, 2cx...) with mostly additional empathogenic properties, probably the least safe given that most function at least in part as direct inhibitors of monoamine reuptake and/or by directly increasing their release.

[No_Manny]

I found another list. There is some overlap between the categories.

https://www.plantmedicinepeople.com/blog/psychedelic-classifications

PSYCHEDELICS:
-Cannabis
-DMT
-Psilocybin
-Ayahuasca/Changa
-LSD
-Salvia Divinorum
-LSA
-Iboga
-Amanita

DISSOCIATIVES
-Ketamine

DELIRIANTS
-Datura/Toé/Angel’s Trumpet/Brugmansia, Belladonna, Henbane, Mandrake, Fly Agaric

EMPATHOGENS
-MDMA
-San Pedro/Huachuma/Peyote/Peruvian Torch
-Kanna

ONEIROGENS
-Examples include Blue Lotus/Water Lily, Damiana, Amanita Muscaria, Mugwort, Iboga (also a psychedelic), and Valerian

PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICINES THAT ARE NOT PSYCHEDELIC 
-Sacred Tobacco / Mapacho / Rapéh 
-Kambo
-Coca

 

[halfknots]

@No_Manny you'll find many such lists online, none authoritative, with varying degrees of overlap, some more accurate than others.

The simple truth is that classification based on chemical structure and mechanism of action is as "real" as it gets. Everything else is semantics. Look at what Schizophrenia posted.