LSD therapy in Dutch psychiatry: changing socio-political settings and medical sets.
Stephen Snelders, Charles D. Kaplan
Med Hist April 1, 2002 DOI: 10.1017/s002572730006909x (opens in new tab) via PubMed Central
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe word 'hallucinogens' is commonly used to classify LSD and similar drugs, but it is vague and sometimes confusing. A more clinically precise classification, proposed by Jean Delay in 1959, categorizes these substances as psychodysleptics because they disturb mental activity and distort a person's judgment of reality. This classification implicitly acknowledges that cultural definitions of reality shape the drug experience. Despite this precision, the authors choose to use the term 'hallucinogen' for literary reasons.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | LSD Therapy LSD Treatment Therapeutic LSD Psycholytic therapy |
| Citations | 27 |
| Key finding | Argues that the term "psychodysleptics" is more clinically precise than "hallucinogens" for classifying LSD and similar drugs, as it better describes their psychological effects and acknowledges the role of cultural definitions of reality. |
Abstract
The use of the word "hallucinogens" to classify LSD and other drugs is common-sensical, vague and sometimes confusing. The classification scheme of Jean Delay, first suggested in 1959, is more clinically precise. In this scheme hallucinogens are classified as psychodysleptics (psycho-dysleptiques) because of their characteristic psychological effects: disturbance of mental activity and the engendering of distortions in a person's judgement of reality. See Jean Delay and Pierre Deniker, Methodes chimiotherapiques en psychiatrie: les nouveaux medicaments psychotropes, Paris, Masson, 1961, pp. 14-17 . In our view, this classification implicitly recognizes the role of cultural definitions of reality as part of the problematic of the drug experience, as will be elaborated below. Despite this precision we have chosen to use the term "hallucinogen" for literary reasons.