A comparison of the phenomenology of hallucinogens and schizophrenia from some autobiographical accounts

Autobiographical accounts of several hallucinogens (mescaline, psilocybin, DMT, LSD, and amphetamines) and schizophrenia were reviewed and compared. A broad spectrum of phenomena was described with each hallucinogen and schizophrenia. Disorders of thought content, mood, and sleep were most prominent in all the auto-biographical accounts. Although there was considerable overlap in symptomatology between hallucinogens and schizophrenia, there was no single hallucinogen that corresponded well with schizophrenia. Most promising was the case of chronic benzedrine abuse, but there was a significant contrast with regard to depression for schizophrenia and euphoria for benzedrine.