Which drug is classified as a psychedelic and alters thinking processes?

LSD, or lysergic acid diethylamide, is classified as a psychedelic drug due to its unique ability to alter an individual's perception, mood, and cognitive processes. Psychedelics like LSD work primarily by interacting with serotonin receptors in the brain, particularly the 5-HT2A receptor, which plays a crucial role in mood, cognition, and perception. The use of LSD can lead to profound changes in thought patterns, sensory perception, and emotional experience, often resulting in visual and auditory hallucinations.

This classification helps to differentiate it from other substances. For instance, cocaine is primarily a stimulant that affects the nervous system by increasing energy and alertness but does not produce the altered states of consciousness that psychedelics do. Heroin is an opioid that primarily depresses the central nervous system, leading to feelings of euphoria and pain relief but not altering thought processes in the way psychedelics do. Similarly, PCP, while it has dissociative properties, does not fit the classical definition of a psychedelic in the same way that LSD does. Thus, LSD is recognized for its specific psychological effects, defining it as a psychedelic drug that significantly alters thinking processes.