# We're the first psycho-active drugs really discovered by accident? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 28, 2003, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-first-psycho-active-drugs-really-discovered-by-accident/198140 "2003-08-28T05:38:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-first-psycho-active-drugs-really-discovered-by-accident/198140/1 "2003-08-28T05:38:25Z")
So, in my so far less than impressive Psych 1001 lecture of over 500 kids today, my prof claims that the principal driving force behind deinstitutionalization in the 1960’s was the advent of anti-psychotic drugs. Absolutely reasonable. She then rambles on to explain how the first psychoactive drugs were essentially trial analgesiacs which failed as analgesiacs. Okay, I can buy it. Specifically, she points to a single, unnamed patient, a paranoid schizophrenic who broke his leg. Apparently, his pain was not diminised but his thoughts were, “cleared up.” Hmmm, I’m not willing to buy this specific ancdote. Maybe it is because she bugs me, but I simply don’t believe that researchers would be able to happen luckily upon a single analgesiac in a single patient due to his change in psychotic thoughts and behaviors. I suppose that I am in this class to learn this stuff, but don’t schizophrenics show a great deal of variation in their mental/affective states, and how would researchers involved with patients in pain-killer research be able to get to know patients well enough to effectively monitor this anyway. I smell a UL. Worse, an inane, stupid, boring UL from somebody paid to know better. Doppers? Elliot ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-first-psycho-active-drugs-really-discovered-by-accident/198140/2 "2003-08-28T06:35:12Z")
I would have thought that the first “psycho-active” drug was alcohol. And since there are written records of it from thousands of years ago (as far back as there _are_ written records), it probably was discovered by accident. ---
**Author:** ![vasyachkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c5a1d2/32.png) [@vasyachkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vasyachkin)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-first-psycho-active-drugs-really-discovered-by-accident/198140/3 "2003-08-28T06:48:04Z")
stuff like Mushrooms was probably used for a looong time. probably since before alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-first-psycho-active-drugs-really-discovered-by-accident/198140/4 "2003-08-28T06:54:49Z")
We’re the first psychoactive drugs. We _are_ the first psychoactive drugs. Whoa. That’s heavy. ---
**Author:** ![st1d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@st1d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/st1d)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-first-psycho-active-drugs-really-discovered-by-accident/198140/5 "2003-08-28T06:56:33Z")
Not by accident. I’m sure the first people to discover them probably just looked at them and said, “gee that looks like it’ll get me high”. 🙂 I’m not even sure some of the claims by scientists that it was just an accident are truly honest. Can you imagine being the poor ancient bastard that was out looking for something to spice up his lunch and ended up tripping? That’s a topic all in itself. ---
**Author:** ![spinky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@spinky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spinky)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-first-psycho-active-drugs-really-discovered-by-accident/198140/6 "2003-08-28T06:58:29Z")
She may have been referring to the synthesis of LSD by Albert Hofmann. It was one of a number of similar substances created during pharmaceutical research. Hofmann hadn’t set out to create phsychoactive drugs, but that’s what he did, and his report detailing his discovery of the effects is a pretty amusing read. Do a search for “discovery of LSD” and/or “Albert Hofmann” and you’ll find it. ---
**Author:** ![spinky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@spinky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spinky)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-first-psycho-active-drugs-really-discovered-by-accident/198140/7 "2003-08-28T07:00:11Z")
(and that’s not to say that LSD was the _first_ psychoactive drug. Maybe it was the first _synthetic_ psychoactive drug, I don’t know…) ---
**Author:** ![hybrid\_dogfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@hybrid\_dogfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hybrid_dogfish)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-first-psycho-active-drugs-really-discovered-by-accident/198140/8 "2003-08-28T08:16:53Z")
Certainly many shamanistic cultures all over the world used plants containing psychoactive compounds in their rituals [http://www.laweekly.com/ink/00/43/books-lewis.php](http://www.laweekly.com/ink/00/43/books-lewis.php) ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-first-psycho-active-drugs-really-discovered-by-accident/198140/9 "2003-08-28T10:18:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ntucker \* > \*\*She may have been referring to the synthesis of LSD by Albert Hofmann. It was one of a number of similar substances created during pharmaceutical research. Hofmann hadn’t set out to create phsychoactive drugs, but that’s what he did, and his report detailing his discovery of the effects is a pretty amusing read. Do a search for “discovery of LSD” and/or “Albert Hofmann” and you’ll find it. \*\* Better yet, here’s his [book](http://www.psychedelic-library.org/child.htm) online. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-first-psycho-active-drugs-really-discovered-by-accident/198140/10 "2003-08-28T10:47:35Z")
Not by accident, but by trying things out, observing the results, and making a informed guess at where an experimental drugs effects might be put to good use. [Giscovery of chlorpromazine (Thorazine)](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/dh52dr.html): > [@](#): > > In 1952, Henri Laborit, a surgeon in Paris, was looking for a way to reduce surgical shock in his patients. Much of the shock came from the anaesthesia, and if he could find a way to use less, his patients could recover quicker. He knew that shock was the result of certain brain chemicals and looked for a chemical that might counteract these. He tried antihistamines, usually used to fight allergies. > > He noticed when he gave a strong dose to his patients, their mental state changed. They didn’t seem anxious about their upcoming surgery, in fact, they were rather indifferent. Laborit was able to operate using much less anaesthetic. He was so struck by the effect on his patients, especially with a drug called chlorpromazine (trade name Thorazine) he thought the drug must have some use in psychiatry. This is a pretty standard method even today. ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-first-psycho-active-drugs-really-discovered-by-accident/198140/11 "2003-08-28T21:24:26Z")
Alright, I think that this thread was pretty well mis-interpreted, probably partially my fault. I really, really should have said anti-psychotic in the thread title, not psycho-active. What I meant, which should actually be fairly obvious if people read the OP, is psycho-active medications for the treatment of psychiatric conditions, or at least those belonging to the class of modern anti-psychotics, such as Thorazine. So, I’m sorry the title was deceptive, but thanks Squink. Based upon an apparently trustworthy and well documented source from Squink, I feel pretty safe saying that the “UL” in the OP was indeed bullshit as I originally suggested. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![TheBrahmanator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de0a6/32.png) [@TheBrahmanator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBrahmanator)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-first-psycho-active-drugs-really-discovered-by-accident/198140/12 "2003-08-28T21:39:48Z")
Nicotine has anti-psychotic properties (which helps explain why something like 75% of diagnosed schizophrenics smoke) and has obviously been around quite a bit longer than modern medicine. ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-first-psycho-active-drugs-really-discovered-by-accident/198140/13 "2003-08-28T22:24:57Z")
Wow, really? Do you happen to have any more cites on that? I will conced that this seems to co-incide with my own personal experience with patients with Tardive Dyskensia (and by extension, probably schizophrenia), and I’d be interested to learn more. Elliot ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-first-psycho-active-drugs-really-discovered-by-accident/198140/14 "2003-08-28T22:55:38Z")
[Major Mental Illness and Nicotine Dependence](http://216.239.39.104/search?q=cache:nYgAUNPfVekJ:www.quitandstayquit.com/addiction%2520and%2520mental%2520illness%2520handouts/nicotine-mental-illness.doc+smoking+schizophrenia+percent&hl=en&ie=UTF-8) > [@](#): > > Smoking in general population = 28 percent. > Smoking in patients with schizophrenia = 58 percent There’s a bit of background here: [Scientists Find Link for Smoking, Schizophrenia](http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1045186360462_70/?hub=Health) Oddly, the politicians never seem to address this issue when they balance the state budget by raising cigarette taxes, nor is it widely acknowledged by the anti-smoking lobby. ---
**Author:** ![BooksWoods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e0b2c6/32.png) [@BooksWoods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BooksWoods)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-first-psycho-active-drugs-really-discovered-by-accident/198140/15 "2003-08-29T00:06:52Z")
Squink: > [@](#): > > Oddly, the politicians never seem to address this issue when they balance the state budget by raising cigarette taxes, nor is it widely acknowledged by the anti-smoking lobby. Uh, probably because it doesn’t really work very well? I don’t think there’s really a cover-up campaign going on by the “anti-smoking lobby.” People try to self-medicate with a lot of things. Cocaine and heroin, too. Usually there are better medications for these people that aren’t _as_ harmful for their health as cigarettes are (tobacco is a lot more dangerous than heroin is). ---
**Author:** ![BooksWoods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e0b2c6/32.png) [@BooksWoods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BooksWoods)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-first-psycho-active-drugs-really-discovered-by-accident/198140/16 "2003-08-29T00:13:54Z")
From your cite, Squink: > [@](#): > > The findings suggest that schizophrenia medications that block dopamine are fixing one problem but causing another, he said. > “What’s really happening is that you’re blocking dopamine in the schizophrenics, you’re increasing nicotine’s rewarding effects. And that’s why you see 95 per cent of schizophrenics are heavily addicted to nicotine.” > “It’s a two-edged sword. The drug is removing the psychosis but at the same time making them addicted to these extremely dangerous drugs.” Smoking might be more pleasurable to schizophrenics, but it doesn’t treat their mental illness. (Sorry for the hijack)