History Main / PsychoSerum

* Booster drugs in the ''Fanfic/TriptychContinuum'' are the ''only'' way for a unicorn to boost his or her magical strength. The drug's effect manifests as a boost ranging from fifteen to fifty percent of the user's original strength, but that strength is obtained by cannibalizing the rest of the body, which means that the stronger drugs have a good chance to kill the user when they run out. In addition, boosters are highly illegal, and all known variants produce visible side effects.

* Sam Winchester of ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' spent half the season break between three and four, and all of season four, using demon blood to enhance psychic powers conferred upon him by feeding him demon blood as a baby. This allows him to kill demons without necessarily killing their hosts, a power that usually only beings that are ''at least'' on par with angels can use. There turn out to be three definite problems with the system. However, the stuff is incredibly addictive, and his growing addict behaviors are not good for any other part of his emotional life. What's more, it's to some degree slowly turning Sam into something other than human. To what degree his bad behavior stems from this instead of straightforward addiction is impossible to determine. At any rate, a Sam [[WellIntentionedExtremist willing to make sacrifices]] was a major change in [[TheHeart his character]], and it was one way or another down to the combination of PoisonousFriend Ruby and Psycho Serum.

* Phazon from the ''[[VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy Prime]]'' trilogy of the ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' series, and that's the "best case" scenario as otherwise [[ToxicPhlebotinum it just kills you outright]] whether instantly or making you go crazy first. It isn't quite clear whether to call it Psycho Serum, [[ILoveNuclearPower radioactive ore]], or [[FesteringFungus malevolent fungus]]. [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot Radioactive Psycho Fungus]]?

* In ''Series/TheBoys2019'', like the [[ComicBook/TheBoys original comic]] the SuperSerum Compound V displays several symptoms associated with this trope with the implication that the myriad of mental diseases and personality disorders were merely [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity a by-product of growing with the powers granted by the compound]]. However, when Butcher gets his hands on a [[EmpoweredBadassNormal temporary variant of it]] he states that it was [[NoManShouldHaveThisPower worse than any drug he's ever done]] as it amplified all the negative feelings he bottles up, while normal Supes don't notice since they've been on the stuff since birth. [[spoiler:To make matters worse, it's revealed near the end of Season 3 that the temporary variant Butcher & Hughie have been using [[YourDaysAreNumbered causes brain death with prolonged usage]].]]

* The original ''ComicBook/AntMan'', Hank Pym, early on had to ingest Pym Particles like a drug to grow or shrink, at least until it became natural for his body to produce them (an affect caused by overuse of them), which had a demonstrative effect on his mental health; even as early as the '60s it was shown that it caused anger problems and left him unstable. The Wasp used the same but had no such issue (nor did [[LegacyCharacter Scott Lang, Cassie Lang, or Eric O'Grady]]), which is later clarified as being [[ZigZaggingTrope because Hank's mental problems were largely unrelated]], as he actually just suffered from bipolar disorder, and Pym Particles were merely making his existing condition worse (which is TruthInTelevision).

** Deathstroke's Psycho Serum has been shown to drive anyone else using it insane, including his wife, his daughter, and Comicbook/{{Batgirl}}. At one point the serum also granted its users immortality, but this has been glossed over in recent years.

* ''Comicbook/{{Empowered}}'' has a variant -- Mayfly gives you MadScientist-level genius, at the cost of filling your brain with tumors that kill you within forty-eight hours. And that's only when it works -- which is ''point two percent'' of the time. Mostly it just kills you.

* While the original Mr. Hyde in the classic story was not originally a super-power drug, Mr. Hyde of ''Comicbook/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'' is.

* In ''FanFic/{{Fractured}}'', a ''Franchise/MassEffect''[=/=]''Franchise/StarWars''[=/=]''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' [[MassiveMultiplayerCrossover crossover]], an InsaneAdmiral invents [[VideoGame/StarCraft JumpPaks]] that boost combat ability. They also cause (or amplify) BloodKnight[=/=]CombatSadomasochist tendencies, and the one user we are shown becomes HemoErotic, smearing blood all over herself. Never mind the BodyHorror that comes with [=JumpPak=] use--dry, brittle hair and skin, sallow eyes, or turning MsFanservice into an asymmetrically-bulked-up BrawnHilda.

* In the ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' fanfic ''FanFic/TheDarkSideOfInnocence'', Team Rocket has been experimenting with drugs in order to make normal-type Pokemon stronger in battle. Giovanni however decide to give them to weaker members in order to make them aggressive, knowing that the drugs [[spoiler:usually lead to death and have caused one member to go on a murderous rampage where he killed his wife and child]].

* Booster drugs in the ''FanFic/TriptychContinuum'' are the ''only'' way for a unicorn to boost his or her magical strength. The drug's effect manifests as a boost ranging from fifteen to fifty percent of the user's original strength, but that strength is obtained by cannibalizing the rest of the body, which means that the stronger drugs have a good chance to kill the user when they run out. In addition, boosters are highly illegal, and all known variants produce visible side effects.

** ''[[Videogame/FireEmblemAkaneia Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem]]'' reveals in the past a mysterious force caused this to happen to the dragons, reducing them to insane, irrational monsters. The only known resistance was for dragons to seal their power in stones, and conserve power in a humanoid form. Unfortunately many, such as the prideful Earth Dragons, were too proud to do this, and went insane. Several characters instory considering this a FateWorseThanDeath

* The nightmare drug Valkyr from the first ''VideoGame/MaxPayne'' was originally meant to be a SuperSerum of sorts for the military, enhancing the stamina and morale of infantry troops. Project Valhalla, which was responsible for creating Valkyr, was canceled after the nasty effects of the drug made themselves known, but the key figure of the project, [[BigBad Nicole Horne]], knew exactly what she had in her hands and continued the experiment unauthorized. [[spoiler:Her bid to silence anyone who caught wind of the project would eventually bring Max Payne to her doorstep when his family was murdered by her test subjects.]]

* Phazon from the ''[[VideoGame/MetroidPrime Prime]]'' trilogy of the ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' series, and that's the "best case" scenario as otherwise [[ToxicPhlebotinum it just kills you outright]] whether instantly or making you go crazy first. It isn't quite clear whether to call it Psycho Serum, [[ILoveNuclearPower radioactive ore]], or [[FesteringFungus malevolent fungus]]. [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot Radioactive Psycho Fungus]]?

* ''Videogame/SunsetOverdrive'' has Overcharge, a [[MayContainEvil soft drink]] that turns its drinkers into horrible mutants that will attack anyone in their way for more Overcharge and is responsible for turning the city the game is set in into an apocalyptic hellhole. Floyd, one of the scientists responsible for creating the drink states that the product was rushed out before they could finish refining it and can use it to create useful upgrades for the player that won't mutate them.

** [[Characters/BatmanDeathstroke Deathstroke]] was the result of the military's experiments in producing a SuperSoldier. The formula used left him a crippled wreck for months or years, with brief periods of increased strength and intelligence. Later, after the military cut him lose, Slade revealed that he'd started faking the bouts of weakness at some point to get out on his own.

* ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} is a {{Creator/Marvel|Comics}} example. Originally Wade Wilson, a mercenary dying of [[TheTopicOfCancer cancer]], he elected to be given an artificial HealingFactor to help cure his cancer. It didn't work all that well. He received a healing factor but as a side effect his cancer got turned UpToEleven, meaning that [[BlessedWithSuck his entire body is constantly in flux between being eaten by cancer and being healed]]. Also the process seems to have left him [[AxCrazy very]], [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} very]], ''[[HeroicComedicSociopath very]]'' insane, though [[CursedWithAwesome he would consider that a benefit]].

** ''VideoGame/Fallout4'' gives the player the ability to craft two existing chems together to combine and even [[UpToEleven boost their effects]].

* In ''Series/TheBoys2019'', like the [[ComicBook/TheBoys original comic]] the SuperSerum Compound V displays several symptoms associated with this trope with the implication that the myriad of mental diseases and personality disorders were merely [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity a by-product of growing with the powers granted by the compound]]. However, when Butcher gets his hands on a [[EmpoweredBadassNormal temporary variant of it]] he states that it was [[NoManShouldHaveThisPower worse than any drug he's ever done]] as it amplified all the negative feelings he bottles up, while normal Supes don't notice since they've been on the stuff since birth.

* In ''Series/TheBoys2019'', like the [[ComicBook/TheBoys original comic]] the SuperSerum Compound V displays several symptoms associated with this trope with the implication that the myriad of mental diseases and personality disorders were merely [[BewareTheSuperman a by-product of growing with the powers granted by the compound]]. However, when Butcher gets his hands on a [[EmpoweredBadassNormal temporary variant of it]] he states that it was [[NoManShouldHaveThisPower worse than any drug he's ever done]] as it amplified all the negative feelings he bottles up, while normal Supes don't notice since they've been on the stuff since birth.

* Compound V from ''ComicBook/TheBoys'' is a peculiar example. While the super heroes created with the serum display several symptoms associated with this trope, it's never stated that Compound V had anything to do with turning the subjects into rampaging psychopaths and/or ruthless narcissists. It seems the myriad of mental diseases and personality disorders were merely [[BewareTheSuperman a by-product of growing with the powers granted by the compound]]. The only negative side-effect observed in the comic is that there's a chance for superheroes to the revived by the serum after being killed... as [[CameBackWrong braindead zombies prone to soil themselves]].

* On ''Series/TheYoungOnes'', Vyvyan creates a potion that turns the drinker into an [[AxCrazy ax-wielding homicidal maniac]]. {{Subverted|Trope}} and {{lampshade|Hanging}}d in that this is, in fact, precisely what Vyvyan had intended it to do.
** He in fact described it as "a cure for not being an ax-wielding homicidal maniac!"

** There's also the Imperium's Arcano Flagellants. Take a person, lobotomize him, replace his arms with flails, swords, or whatever. Then condition it to be perfectly calm and at peace with its condition so long as its helmet (Which plays calming, soothing religous images and music) is on, making it easy as pie to put them into position. Then take the helmet off while they're pointed at the enemy, pump them with an insane amount of stimulants, and watch your lobotomized murder machines rip the Foul Xenos to shreds. In case you haven't noticed, the Imperium of Man is not very nice.

[[folder:Film--Animation]]

[[folder:Film--Live Action]]

* ''Film/TheCrazies'' is based on a psycho serum being released into the local watershed.

* The film version of ''Film/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'' reduces Doctor Jekyll's serum to this, downplaying the psychological explanation. Here, the formula not only removes the user's inhibitions, but it causes temporary physical changes, as well. However, we only see this happen when TheDragon takes the serum. Not only was he drinking the attempted ''replication'' of the Hyde formula, and a whole lot of it, he'd presumably have considerably more malevolent natural tendencies than Jekyll.
* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:''
** ''Film/{{The Incredible Hulk|2008}}:'' Emil Blonsky, though in his case, it isn't serum but [[spoiler:Bruce Banner's [[SuperhumanTransfusion blood sample]] that grants him both power and loss of sanity. He gets two shots of SuperSerum over the course of the film but that just makes him DrunkOnTheDarkSide enough to want Banner's blood in him as well when the time comes in order to get his [[WorthyOpponent fair rematch]] with the Hulk.]]
** ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger:'' A prototype version of the same serum used on Blonsky is used to create the Red Skull. However, unlike the later version used on Steve Rogers, the original serum deforms the Skull's face (hence the name) and drives him mad with delusions of grandeur. Dr. Erskine implies that even Rogers' version can manifest as a Psycho Serum if applied to someone with less than noble qualities, saying that "good becomes great - bad becomes worse". This is why he chose to give the serum to Rogers rather than a different soldier who, while far stronger, was a bully to the other soldiers in boot camp.
** ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar:'' It's shown that [[spoiler:Howard Stark was finally able to re-create the Original Serum and it was promptly stolen by Hydra and used to create five more Winter Soldiers who were so out of control they had to be [[HumanPopsicle placed into cryo]] permanently.]]

* The nightmare drug Valkyr from the first ''VideoGame/MaxPayne'' was originally meant to be a SuperSerum of sorts for the military, enhancing the stamina and morale of infantry troops. Project Valhalla, which was responsible for creating Valkyr, was canceled after the nasty effects of the drug made themselves known. But the key figure of the project, [[BigBad Nicole Horne]], knew exactly what she had in her hands and continued the experiment unauthorized. [[spoiler:Her bid to silence anyone who caught wind of the project would eventually bring Max Payne to her doorstep when his family was murdered by her test subjects]].
** Valkyr eventually became a common street drug; with a [[ClimaxBoss memorable encounter]] between Max and [[LargeHam Jack Lupino]], a gangster driven insane by his "V" addiction. The sequence was either full of terror, {{Narm}}, or both. Additionally, Max's nightmare sequences in the first game are a result of being dosed with Valkyr.

** {{Inverted|Trope}} when [[spoiler:James Gordon, Jr.]] doses baby formula with a chemical that might cause permanent psychopathy but does not grant superhuman powers, though he does it because he believes [[VirtueIsWeakness psychopathy is innately superior to sanity]].

[[folder:FanWorks]]

** Jane's combination of the cherubs' jujus, the [[GRatedDrug Spiral Sucker]], compels her to lick itself and thus makes her engage [[TastesLikeDiabetes Trickster]] [[StepfordSmiler Mode]]. Unlike other serums the psycho part ''[[InfectiousInsanity spreads]]''.

* Recounted in ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'', Mojo Jojo gave a [[FiveTokenBand blatantly multicultural group of kids (including one in a wheelchair)]] some Chemical X, giving them superpowers. Once hooked, he ordered them to destroy the Girls. Afterwards, their actions were completely excused by noting that Mojo put "something bad" in the Chemical X. [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything The first hit was free]]...

* From the original ''{{WesternAnimation/My Little Pony|TVSpecials}}'' series' second TV special "Escape from Katrina": Witchweed potion. It grants strong magical power (plus a size-boost), but wrecks the true personality of the drinker and is highly addictive. Fortunately, Katrina manages to kick the habit.

* In ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'', the "shields" [[spoiler:Lex Luthor]] gave to Superboy suppress his human DNA [[HourOfPower for one hour]]. He gets the full range of Kryptonian powers, but since the human DNA was used to stabilize Superboy in the first place, Superboy also becomes far more unhinged and aggressive.

* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEED'' has Gamma Glipheptin, a stimulant given to the Earth Alliance's enhanced pilots that boosts their stamina and reaction speed, but has horribly painful withdrawal symptoms (and since only the Alliance can make it, the pilots can't defect). The chemical is the primary reason for the trio's FanNickname "The Druggies".

** ''Film/TheIncredibleHulk:'' Emil Blonsky, though in his case, it isn't serum but [[spoiler:Bruce Banner's [[SuperhumanTransfusion blood sample]] that grants him both power and loss of sanity. He gets two shots of SuperSerum over the course of the film but that just makes him DrunkOnTheDarkSide enough to want Banner's blood in him as well when the time comes in order to get his [[WorthyOpponent fair rematch]] with the Hulk.]]

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': While Hazel Rainart already has a few screws loose following [[YouKilledMyFather the death of his sister]], his Semblance allows him to stab himself in the veins with Dust Crystals, which power his physical abilities up, but at the cost of him [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnyhing going berserk and]] AxCrazy.

[[quoteright:350:[[Film/TheIncredibleHulk https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/b2005b2f09e53f476a0e23864a0e9898.jpg]]]]

* In ''ComicBook/ActionComics'', Captain Strong (DC's lawyer-friendly {{Expy}} of ComicStrip/{{Popeye}}) discovered a form of alien seaweed he dubbed sauncha that gave him enough super-strength to go toe-to-toe with even Franchise/{{Superman}}. Unfortunately, it also messed with his sense of reason, leading him to try and kill a CorruptCorporateExecutive and later Superman for protecting him. After going through a painful withdrawal that was explicitly compared to drug addiction, the Captain swore off sauncha for good, leaving him as "just" a CharlesAtlasSuperpower.
* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' villain ComicBook/{{Bane}} used the drug Venom to boost his already considerable strength to titanic levels. In the animated continuity he eventually withered into a coma from overuse. He gave up the drug for years in the comics, but post-reboot he's back on the stuff.

* Creator/DanielClowes' parody of ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, "The Battlin' American", goes through heroin-like withdraw symptoms if he doesn't get a regular dose of super-serum. [[spoiler: Too bad the thugs who steal it from him don't know about this.]]

** Stan Carter, the original Sin-Eater, was a test subject for yet another serum attempt that turned out to drive people crazy. He managed to live a normal life for a while, but then his police partner was killed and he had a nervous breakdown that led to him developing an AxCrazy split personality that killed some of Daredevil and Spider-man's supporting cast. His criminal career ended when an enraged Spidey beat the tar out of him, leaving him crippled.

* [[Characters/BatmanDeathstroke Deathstroke]] was the result of the military's experiments in producing a SuperSoldier. The formula used left him a crippled wreck for months or years, with brief periods of increased strength and intelligence. Later, after the military cut him lose, Slade revealed that he'd started faking the bouts of weakness at some point to get out on his own.
** Deathstroke's son, the first Ravager, was given treatments by the Hive to turn him into Deathstroke's equal. Unfortunately the treatments ended up killing him, which was the [[ThanatosGambit Hive's plan all along]].
** Deathstroke's Psycho Serum has been shown to drive anyone else using it insane, including his wife, his daughter, and Comicbook/{{Batgirl}}. At one point the serum also granted its users immortality, but this has been glossed over in recent years.

* ''ComicBook/TheFlash'': Jerry 'Speed' [=McGee=] used the experimental Steroid B-19 to give himself SuperSpeed powers and become the supervillain Speed Demon. However, the drug also distorted his body and twisted his mind. He came a psychotic killing machine; driven only by rage, malice, and heart break.
* The [[Characters/MarvelComicsNormanOsborn Green Goblin's]] juice seems to cause dissociative identity disorder in exchange for SuperStrength and [[HealingFactor rapid healing]].
** The [[Characters/SpiderManGoblins Hobgoblin]] claimed that his version of the Goblin formula was perfected to remove the insanity. On the one hand, he did test it on another subject and altered the formula before he took it himself. On the other hand, well, he was the freaking Hobgoblin, and suggesting he was nuts was his BerserkButton. Something of a moot point, since he died and took the formula variant with him. [[DeathIsCheap Until he came back, anyway]].
* ''Webcomic/{{Henchgirl}}'': Monsieur Butterfly has Dr. Maniac inject Mary with L-47, known as “Evil Serum”, to correct her after [[spoiler: her conscience prompts her to leak an orphanage corruption scheme to the press.]] Mary then becomes more reckless and cruel, culminating in her [[spoiler: trying to kill Amelia out of jealousy, when Amelia was just teaming up with Fred as crimefighters, not girlfriend/boyfriend.]]

* "Condition Red" from ''ComicBook/KickAss'', a secret chemical compound to be used only in emergencies. It's designed to give Hit-Girl the strength of ten men and make her even more violent. [[spoiler:It's probably cocaine]].

* [=FX7=] in ''ComicBook/NoHero'' is based off of a psychedelic drug already. So, not only does it give you super powers but it makes you have living nightmares and many of the Levelers had to get into Downers to counter the drug. Oh yeah, there's also a chance that it could make you [[SuperPowerMeltdown explode]] when you first take it.
* In ''[[ComicBook/RobinSeries Robin]]'', Strader Pharmaceuticals develops a drug that's meant to give the user super-strength, and while it does it is also addictive, makes them incredibly violent and slowly starts breaking down their bodies killing them horrifically and painfully. When they realize the side effects they hire mercenaries to quietly hunt down, kill and dispose of the bodies of everyone who took their concoction.

* Shortly before he was captured in ''Comicbook/SpiderMan'', the crime lord Mr. Negative used his corrupting touch on ComicBook/{{Cloak And Dagger|MarvelComics}} to turn them evil. The duo then started taking a drug called Shade that duplicated his power in order to avoid changing back before they could break him out. When they do so, he's darkly amused that not only does he have Cloak and Dagger working for him, he's got the extremely anti-drug heroes taking a psycho serum to stay that way.
* Angolmois in ''ComicBook/TransformersBeastWars'' is derived from Unicron and corrupts anything it touches. When the heroic [[FullBoarAction Razorbeast]] was injected with it by one of Unicron's minions, it turned him into a nigh-unstoppable [[TheBerserker berserker]], forcing his friends to MercyKill him before he fully lost control.

* In the ''ComicBook/XMen'' [[ComicBook/NewXMen titles of the early 2000s (Grant Morrison's run)]] there was the super-steroid Kick. It turns pathetic [[MugglePower mutant-wannabe]] nerds into the U-Men, [[OrganTheft vivisection-happy]] domestic terrorists. It also turned Xorneto into someone willing to recreate the Holocaust against the ordinary humans of New York, when the real [[Characters/MarvelComicsMagneto Magneto]] would NEVER go that far (ComicBook/UltimateMarvel Magneto, on the other hand...). It was responsible for Quentin Quire's temporary AscensionToAHigherPlaneOfExistence following the chaos of Open Day. What do you expect for something made at least in part from Sublime, an eons-old EldritchAbomination?

* The drug that gave Cloak And Dagger their powers was tampered with and forcibly administered to Wolfsbane and [[Characters/MarvelComicsSunspot Sunspot]] in ''ComicBook/NewMutants''. Wolfsbane got Dagger's [[LightEmUp light powers]] and Sunspot got Cloak's [[CastingAShadow Darkshroud powers]], but both of them were out of control and left destruction in their wake. Eventually Cloak and Dagger show up to absorb the powers, and then sorceress ComicBook/{{Magik}} severs the New Mutants' ties to the powers completely.

* Shortly before he was captured in ''Comicbook/SpiderMan'', the crime lord Mr. Negative used his corrupting touch on ComicBook/{{Cloak And Dagger|Marvel}} to turn them evil. The duo then started taking a drug called Shade that duplicated his power in order to avoid changing back before they could break him out. When they do so, he's darkly amused that not only does he have Cloak and Dagger working for him, he's got the extremely anti-drug heroes taking a psycho serum to stay that way.