Navigation: Toad Venom Overview, Toad Venom Abuse, Toad Venom as a Cure for Depression, Toad Venom Dangers
More people are engaging in a so-called “religious experience” that involves smoking toad venom. The psychedelic substance found in the Colorado River toad causes users to hallucinate. While some claim that it can cure depression, research shows that it can be addictive and dangerous.
Toad Venom Overview
Using toad venom from the Colorado River toad to go on drug-induced trips is slowly becoming a dangerous trend. Recently, the practice of smoking toad venom has been gaining traction across the United States.
Licking toads of the Bufonidae family is also a common practice that leads to a psychedelic trip, but it also causes muscle weakness, rapid heart rate, and vomiting. The toad being used nowadays is the Colorado River toad, also known as the Sonoran Desert toad. It is a semi-aquatic toad, which is why it can be found in desert areas as well as near bodies of water such as springs, canals, and ponds.
This nocturnal toad grows up to 7 inches in length and has a dark leathery skin. It is found in Mexico, and in the United States in California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. The toad eats many insects, but it can also eat lizards, small mammals, and amphibians.
Its toxic secretions ward off predators like raccoons, birds, and skunks. This toxic secretion is what makes the toad valuable to people, as it is the substance that produces psychedelic sensations.
Toad Venom Abuse
Each toad has venom glands that excrete toxins containing 5-MeO-DMT, which is a psychedelic chemical. The liquid extracted from the toad’s glands is dried into a paste, which is then smoked by people looking to get high. Users experience a trip within 10 to 30 seconds.
According to a report from the John Hopkins University, users become physically incapacitated for about 30 minutes. During this time, their perception of reality may be distorted. Users say that the experience is hard to describe. Some say they feel “connected to a higher power” as if they are being “reborn”. This is why some users associate toad venom with spiritual and religious experiences.
The trip is typically done after an hour. Users are left with an altered mood, with some people even making major life changes because of their new outlook in life.
Toad Venom as a Cure for Depression
Aside from the Colorado River toad, the psychedelic chemical 5-MeO-DMT can also be found in certain plants, and can be made synthetically in a lab. It is rumored that toad venom may be a cure for depression. However, the hallucinogen is a Schedule I controlled substance, meaning it has no accepted medical uses and is generally considered dangerous because of its high potential for abuse. Researchers are still looking into the potential effects of toad venom on people with depression and anxiety.
People obtain the drug by either extracting it from the frogs or paying a foreign shaman to pass around the drug at ceremonies intending to have a religious experience. During these group experiences, it is common for at least one person in attendance, who is not under the drug’s influence, to oversee others because of its incapacitating effect.
A study published in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse found that 80 percent of participants in a ceremonial group who suffered from depression or anxiety reported improvements in their conditions after consuming 5-MeO-DMT.
A total of 362 people were surveyed for the study. They consumed the drug while being overseen by a “facilitator”, with 5 to 12 people participating per session. However, there is no data on how long the improvements lasted.
Some scientists believe there is potential for helping people with depression and anxiety, but it is difficult to study these topics involving illegal drugs due to resources and funding.
Toad Venom Dangers
After smoking toad venom, the user will be unable to move for a certain period of time. Their perception of their surroundings will be altered, making it impossible for them to stay aware of their environment. Toad venom incapacitates a person—making it even more dangerous than the usual recreational drugs.
Some people can suffer from anxiety for days after taking the drug, while others end up in the emergency room.
There is no evidence that toad venom is physically addictive, much like other hallucinogens. But the psychedelic experience is enough for some people to keep abusing the drug. Toad venom abuse can affect a person’s mood, body temperature, sexual behavior, sleep, and sensory perception. They may also experience nausea, increased heart rate, and altered perception.
Hallucinogens in general are known to cause panic, excessive sweating, dry mouth, insomnia, and psychosis. In some of the worst cases, abusing hallucinogens can lead to persistent psychosis and continued mental problems. This has to do with disorganized thinking, paranoia, and visual disturbances caused by the drugs.
The dangers of smoking toad venom are being brought to light as more and more people are experimenting on this largely unstudied drug.
If someone in the family is struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, it is important to seek help. A combination of medical detox and behavioral therapy can go a long way in the fight against substance abuse. But because every individual is affected by addiction differently, a comprehensive program tailored to their specific needs is necessary. Look for a nearby addiction treatment facility today and find out how drug treatment programs work.
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