There are multiple reports of recreational snake envenomation describing psychotropic effects in absence of any adverse effects. This is in contradiction with known effects of snake venom. We report a case of a young male who subjected himself to repeated envenomation by a snake purported to be 'Indian Cobra' and experienced a 'high'. However, a direct identification of snake revealed it was a benign 'Rat snake'. We attempt to explain the reported psychological effects as a result of high expectation of rewarding experience, strong suggestion, personality traits and most importantly the dangerous nature of willfully receiving snakebites.
BT - Asian journal of psychiatry C1 -http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28262128?dopt=Abstract
DO - 10.1016/j.ajp.2016.10.003 J2 - Asian J Psychiatr LA - eng N2 -There are multiple reports of recreational snake envenomation describing psychotropic effects in absence of any adverse effects. This is in contradiction with known effects of snake venom. We report a case of a young male who subjected himself to repeated envenomation by a snake purported to be 'Indian Cobra' and experienced a 'high'. However, a direct identification of snake revealed it was a benign 'Rat snake'. We attempt to explain the reported psychological effects as a result of high expectation of rewarding experience, strong suggestion, personality traits and most importantly the dangerous nature of willfully receiving snakebites.
PY - 2017 SP - 106 EP - 108 T2 - Asian journal of psychiatry TI - What kills everyone, gives a high for some - Recreational snake envenomation. VL - 25 SN - 1876-2026 ER -