Psychoactive drug chart edit

The following Venn diagram attempts to organize and provide a basic overview of the most common psychoactive drugs into intersecting groups and subgroups based upon pharmacological classification and method of action.[1][2][3] Items within each subgroup are close to those of most similar action, and also follow a general placement in accordance with the legend below the diagram. Primary intersections are represented via color mixing.


 


Legend edit

Primary groups edit

  • Blue: Stimulants generally increase in potency to the upper left.
  • Red: Depressants generally increase in potency to the lower right.
  • Green: "Hallucinogens" are psychedelic to the left, dissociative to the right, generally less predictable down and to the right, and generally more potent towards the bottom.
  • Pink: Antipsychotics are generally more sedative/tranquilizing to the right.

Secondary groups edit

  • Cyan (light blue): Overlap of Stimulants (Blue) and Psychedelic hallucinogens (Green) — Primary psychedelics exhibit a stimulant effect
  • Yellow : Overlap of Depressants (Red) and Dissociative hallucinogens (Green) — Primary dissociatives exhibit a depressant effect
  • Lavender: Overlap of Stimulants (Blue) and Antipsychotics (Pink) - The modern non-sedating antidepressants.
  • Salmon: Overlap of Depressants (Red) and Antipsychotics (Pink) - The older sedating antidepressants and anxiolytics.

Tertiary groups edit

  • Magenta (purple): Overlap of Stimulants (Blue) and Depressants (Red) — Example: nicotine exhibits effects of both.
  • White: Overlap of Stimulants, Depressants and Hallucinogens — Example: THC exhibits effects of all three sections.
  • Sky-blue: Overlap of Stimulants, Psychedelic hallucinogens and Antipsychotics - The empathogens / entactogens.
  • Peach: Overlap of Depressants, Dissociative hallucinogens and Antipsychotics

Quaternary group edit

  • Light-pink: Center overlap of all four sections (Stimulants, Depressants, Hallucinogens and Antipsychotics) - Cannabis, containing both THC and CBD exhibits a mix of all sections, leaning towards the hallucinogen section due to THC being the primary constituent.
  1. ^ William A. McKim (2002). Drugs and Behavior: An Introduction to Behavioral Pharmacology (5th Edition). Prentice Hall. p. 400. ISBN 0-13-048118-1.
  2. ^ "Information on Drugs of Abuse". Commonly Abused Drug Chart. Retrieved December 27th. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ "Erowid Psychoactive Vaults". Retrieved December 27th. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)