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What & Why? 8: LSD
LSD is an extremely powerful hallucinogen. It is usually sold on small squares cut from sheets of printed blotting paper, which are swallowed or put under the tongue. It may also be available as tiny tablets called 'microdots', or occasionally in liquid from.
Originally derived from ergot (a fungus that grows on rye plants) pure Lysergic acid diethylamide - or LSD - is now synthetically produced in the form of a white powder. Such tiny quantities are required for each dose that the powder is usually dissolved in alcohol and impregnated into blotting paper, printed with a distinctive design. These are then cut into quarter inch squares known as ‘tabs’ which cost £2 - £5.
The effects begin 15 - 60 minutes after swallowing a tab, with the intensity of the experience peaking after between 2 and 6 hours, and lasting for a total of around 12 hours. The amount of LSD contained in a single dose may vary considerably between ‘brands’ (and even over individual sheets of tabs) because of inconsistencies in the manufacturing process.
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LSD was discovered in 1938, by Albert Hofmann, a Swiss research chemist who was examining ergot derivatives for their effects on blood circulation. However, following initial experiments on animals, LSD was thought to be of little use and shelved.
In 1943, Hofmann decided to conduct further studies on the substance, in the course of which a tiny quantity was accidentally injested. For around two hours he experienced an ‘extremely stimulated imagination,’ a pleasant mild intoxication and, when he closed his eyes, a ‘kaleidoscopic play of colours.’ At 4.20pm on19 April 1943 Albert Hofmann experimented with what he believed to be a tiny dose of LSD. Shortly after taking just 250 millionths of a gram of the powder he felt that a ‘demon had invaded his mind and taken possession of his mind, body and soul,’ he was certain that he was about to die and experienced a series of powerful, frightening, hallucinations. These feelings eventually subsided to be replaced by the more pleasant sensations he had experienced during his first, accidental, trip. Incredibly, during the early part of this experience he managed to cycle home!
‘Flashbacks’ (re-experiencing thoughts or feelings encountered during a trip, days or weeks afterwards) are often talked about as a potential negative consequence of LSD use. However, it is important to understand that flashbacks are psychological in origin and are not a return to a drug induced hallucinatory state. In many cases the experiences are likely to be associated with the extreme anxiety that may accompany a very bad trip, and are considered by some to be similar to the experiences of people suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.
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An LSD trip induces profound and vivid alteration of perception, particularly vision and time but also sound and taste. This might be coupled with sensations of having perfect insight and understanding.
The hallucinogenic effect of LSD is caused by it closely mimicking the naturally occurring chemicals that transmit impulses between brain cells, and ‘creating’ new and different connections. The effects are similar to psilocybin. At very high doses, LSD has the unique effect amongst drugs of ‘mixing up’ sensory perception, creating illusions such as ‘seeing’ sound as coloured patterns.
Until the 1960s LSD was widely used as a treatment for mental illnesses including depression in the belief that it could help release repressed thoughts and feelings, this practice was finally outlawed in 1973 when LSD was brought within the remit of the Misuse of Drugs Act.
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Whether the effects of the drug are perceived as pleasurable or frightening is largely determined by the mood of the user prior to taking it, the place in which they take it and the dose. Taking LSD when feeling anxious, in unfamiliar surroundings, or in large doses all increase the likelihood of a ‘bad trip’.People are usually aware that what they are experiencing is an effect of the drug and is not real, but it can be extremely unpleasant.
Mental health problems can be ‘uncovered’ or made much worse by the use of LSD, but there is no evidence that it actually causes serious mental illness.
The body quickly develops tolerance to the effects of LSD, making daily use unrewarding. LSD is also unlikely to lead to dependence or even very regular use, because the effects are heavily dependent on an individuals mood and therefore are much less consistent than the effects of drugs such as heroin or cocaine.
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