Substances/Content

A psychoactive substance is defined as a chemical substance, other than a nutrient or essential dietary ingredient, that affects brain function to produce alterations in sensation, perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, and behaviour.

Psychoactive substances are used for a number of purposes; for example, they can be taken recreationally for their novelty and euphoric effects, as entheogens for ritual or spiritual purposes, or as tools for probing and augmenting the mind. Many psychoactive substances have therapeutic utility and are used in routine medical practice (e.g. anaesthetics, analgesics, anxiolytics, antidepressants, etc.).

This index attempts to catalog and provide relevant, accurate and unbiased information for any and all psychoactive substances, with a particular focus on those that can be used as tools for expanding consciousness. The individual articles detail not just the chemistry, pharmacology, toxicity and harm potential of each substance, but also its subjective effects. This is done by following a standardized system of definitions and terminologies that can be found in the subjective effects index.

Please see our summary index to view conveniently condensed versions of each article.