The phenomenology of the intoxication with psychoactive substances – from clinical data to self-experiments in the medical and literary world (I).

The phenomenon of substance use disorders (SUDs) represents a continuous challenge from medical, psychological, social and economic perspectives, although constant efforts have been made in the last decades to elucidate the pathophysiological, clinical and therapeutic aspects of this type of pathology. Intensely studied at the clinical and translational level, SUDs can also be subjected to a phenomenological analysis, more specifically for this review, from the perspective of substance-induced altered states of consciousness (ASC). Such an approach is considered useful because of the need to define the vulnerability and resilience factors for addictive disorders, and how each individual perceives the experience of intoxication with psychoactive substances can contribute to the description of a person’s path from the status of an occasional user to that of a patient diagnosed with a SUD. This literature review is focused on self-experiments with psychoactive substances in the scientific and literary world, presented in parallel with data obtained from studies with healthy volunteers or clinical trials. All relevant reports found during the literature search that were based on exploring the psychological effects of psychoactive substances during intoxication were reviewed. In this first article, the most relevant self experiments from the scientific world (where mescaline and LSD were used), as well as clinical experimental data (that involved the use of alcohol, opioids, cannabis, PCP, cocaine, hallucinogens, and amphetamines) will be presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]