What is HPPD?
Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder is a long-term visual disorder caused by taking hallucinogens. While sometimes referred to as “Flashbacks”, it is generally agreed that this term is inappropriate for the visual disturbances most commonly experienced after psychedelic use. It is a recognised condition described in DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) under Diagnostic Code: 292.89. The DSM is the standard manual for mental disorders used by psychologists and psychiatrists in the United States. In the DSM III, HPPD was referred to as Post Hallucinogen Perception Disorder (PHPD) and this phrase is often still used. In the 1960s and 1970s, HPPD was often included under the umbrella term “flashbacks”. Although flashbacks and persisting perceptual disorders are distinct problems, the two may be associated. Unlike flashbacks, HPPD is most often characterized by continual visual interference rather than a series of acute attacks. In mild cases, subjects occa
