Hi everyone, I know this is a subject that you'd imagine might only need a simple look on Google - and don't worry, I've had a look and got plenty of useful information on there. However, nothing that quite fits the question I have in mind. What kind of hallucinogenic drug would be most likely to be used in this situation: a woman feeds them to her husband (in food, drink, or otherwise) to cause hallucinations that are a) deeply personal to him and b) strong enough that both he and anyone else would be convinced they're related to a mental illness, and subsequently attempt to treat him for such. Any advice on the drug itself (which is most appropriate, which is most interesting, etc) methods of delivery (this is for a strong horror, so I'm not against her putting it in medicine or something truly nasty, I just need the most realistic) and whether this idea on the whole seems plausible. As I said, I've had a little browse and while I can find plenty on types of drugs and types of hallucinations, I can't quite find the details I'm looking for. If anyone has any knowledge on this I'd hugely appreciate it!! Thank you all, Piper
I would think that LSD fits the bill for easy to deliver, it is incredibly potent so the tiniest amount would do the job, and could certainly induce a sense of going mad... (ask Syd Barret!) Things like psilocybin (magic mushrooms) or peyote would induce a far more personal/spiritual effect, but I don't think they could be introduced without the recipient retching. True hallucinations are, I believe, very rare, it is more an altered perception of reality with auditory and visual distortions. Apparently.
PCP is one option source Street names: angel dust, zoom, boat, amp, belladonna Methods of use: ingested, snorted, injected, or smoked, often sprinkled into other drugs Short-term effects: nausea, salivation, hallucinations, “bizarre or hostile behavior,” violence, anxiety, irregular heartbeat, depression, agitation, euphoria, staring, confusion, terror, muscular rigidity, decreased sensitivity to pain (CESAR) Long-term effects: addiction, toxic psychosis, tolerance, dependence, flashbacks, severe paranoia, mental illness, stuttering, memory problems, suicidal behavior Or my other thought is maybe your character has access to drugs not on the market (currently being tested). This way you could give any kind of qualities to the drug you want.
Probably LSD, as exactly those types of behaviors are well documented. The CIA did experiments where they dose unsuspecting people and documented those types of behaviors. One scientist was supposedly dosed once, which sent him into a depression spiral that culminated in his suicide. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_MKUltra#LSD
LSD looks like the one to go for so far, although I'll take some time digging into all of these and see what I can find. Thanks to all for your help, this is really great stuff and I'm very grateful.
Some horrendous fly agaric nightshade cocktail...try the gardening poisoner websites, I think. There are some real beauties that are so ghastly no-one would even try to doubt your version. Off the top of my head though, hazel twig. That said, LSD spiking [a bit tedious in fiction to be fair] would certainly provoke terrible sensations of personality and personal breakdown, death.
Story goes that one viking would eat the fly agaric. He would suffer agonizing seizures and vomitation. Meanwhile other vikings would drink his urine and enjoy great merriments, visitations from wood nymphs, and profound messages from our god Thor. Cadfael or Bede [ref]
Growing mushrooms has a pretty big sub-culture (check out their forum for some wild reads). It wouldn't be outside the realm of fiction, and would be kind of interesting, if this woman was carefully growing more and more powerful mushrooms in her closet or something for the purpose of ruining this guy. However, mushrooms have a pretty absurdly distinct taste. The only way I can think of would be as a mushroom tea, mixed with another really strong tasting tea. And the guy doesn't have taste buds or something. Little late to the party but it's some food for thought.
