About
LSD stands for Lysergic acid diethylamide, a hallucinogenic drug that has mood and psychedelic properties used for recreational and occasional spiritual purposes. The drug can induce mild alterations to the brain’s way of thinking, perceiving, and mood functioning even when it is taken in small doses. There is a high chance of experience spatial and time distortions as the dosage increases.
LSD is made from lysergic acid of ergot, a fungus growing on rye. The illegality of it is due to its high level of abuse and its Schedule I Drug classification. Medical doctors and professionals have decided that it is dangerous in most countries. The trademark effect of LSD is a trip. A trip is a sensory perception that expands from the consciousness to the boundaries of reality, giving a feeling of transcendence. An LSD trip makes the user more relaxed and sociable. Negative effects of the drug, on the other hand, can lead to unsure and panicked feelings that affect one’s state of mind.
LSD has become a symbol for youth counterculture from the 1960s until the present. Popular icons in the arts admit to having used the drug for artistic motivation. In its purest form, LSD appears as a white and odorless crystalline. It can be crushed to a powder or be equally potent as a liquid drug. Its liquid form is characterized as colorless and bitter. For transport and preservation, they are kept in vials, small bottles or frozen into ice cubes. LSD can also take the form of small tablets/capsules or as an intravenous solution that can be injected or dissolved into drinks.
The drug is also available as gelatin squares (also called as window panes). These are absorbent, blotter-looking sheets divided into small squares that form into a puzzle design or cartoon character. When dipped in acid solution, colorful graphics are printed and perforated to a quarter of an inch (6.35 millimeters wide). One square holds the equivalent of a single small dose while a sheet is made of 900 doses.
Apart from its abbreviation, LSD can be called several names including Acid, Window panes (gelatin squares), Sugar cubes, Yellow sunshine, Dots, Microdots, Lucy, Tab, and Looney Tunes. More uncommon terms are Backbreaker, Battery acid, Boomers, Boomers, Doses, Elvis, Golden Dragon, Seed, Superman, Trips, and White Lightning.
Other types of LSD involve the combination of other drugs to add to their potency and after-effects. These are Candy Flipping/Troll (acid + Ecstasy), Frisco special (acid + cocaine), Frisco speedball (acid + heroine) and Banana split (acid + nexus).
Effects
The effects of LSD on the body are sensory and psychological. The individual loses a significant amount of brain cells after using the drug that the memory retrieval and cognitive function in the mind are permanently impaired. These damages will have a long-term impact on the individual. In addition, LSD’s specific chemical effect in the brain is cutting off the area responsible for immediate input. Any recent experiences stored and exaggerated are made responsible by the drug.
LSD trips can range from being extremely relaxed to being exhilaratingly high. These can last from 6 to 8 hours where the mind jumps from idea to memory, eventually temporarily distorting perception. These trips can be good or bad on the effects that they leave on the body. A trip’s physical symptoms are non-specific and are dependent on the individual. Initial reactions are dilated pupils, loss of appetite, restlessness/sleeplessness, and sweating.
Other physical symptoms are salivation or dry mouth, blurred vision, tingling fingers/toes, fatigue or weakness, dizziness, sweating and chills, inability to perform tasks that can easily be done, coordination issues, evidence of convulsions, an extreme swing of body temperature, tremors, and appetite. The extreme end to LSD is abuse, becoming dependent and addicted to the point of not being to distinguish ideas and images from the present reality.
For behavioral symptoms, emotional distress, paranoia, anxiety, depression, and disorientation are signs to look out for LSD consumption. Another type of effect LSD has on the body are constant flashbacks of past memories coming back to the person and eventually leads to what is called a crazed state. A crazed state is when the shifting of visions becomes too strong that it affects the remembering of actual experiences.
When abused regularly, LSD can affect one’s daily routine and activities through occasional psychological disorders paranoia and psychosis.
Addiction and Treatment
Initially, LSD was once seen as a dependable and possible cure for treating different kinds of mental and psychological disorders similar to prescription drugs. This proved to be risky since relying on such might resort to occasional users becoming addicts. Determining whether someone has used LSD depends on the vital statistics–if the person has increased blood pressure, a fast heart rate, warm body temperature or sweating irregularly.
Even until the third ingestion of the drug, the body reverts into an intoxication mode once the user experiences a series of moods, emotions and intensified senses. When this happens, the immune system then starts to develop physical tolerance around LSD symptoms and eventually, one craves more than their primary trip. With regular intake, even small doses can make the user tolerant of the emotional and psychological side effects of LSD. the drug’s hallucinogenic chemicals have the tendency to stay in the body for a long period of time even after intake and can cause permanent brain damage and distortion.
The good news is abuse or overdose of LSD is treatable. Like most illicit substances, treatments are individualistic and depends on the overall health condition, stability and history of the patient.
To overcome addiction, users need to remain focused, determined and forward-looking with realistic expectations because the process is difficult and can take a toll on the body, mentally and physically. The phase of withdrawal involves a series of behaviors and symptoms: these are flashbacks, memory impairment, confusion, difficulty with decision-making, anxiety, panic attacks, extreme vulnerability, ravings, reduced excitement, and tremors that can be felt from the first day without the drugs and throughout the treatment process.
During and after treatments, recovering users and addicts consider mental health assessments as part of the counseling. Psychological therapy, behavior modification, family and peer support, aftercare programs are also options for treatment.
