LSD is the short form for Lysergic acid diethylamide. It is manufactured from lysergic acid which is found in the ergot fungus that grows on rye and other grains. It is produced in crystal form in the laboratories. The crystals are converted into a liquid for distribution. It is odorless, colorless and has a slightly bitter taste. It is sold in various forms. Some are sold in tablet, capsules, gelatin squares and microdots. They can also be found in liquid forms. It can also be put on absorbent paper which is cut up into small squares decorated with cartoons.
How LSD functions
It is a hallucinogenic drug that alters perception, distorts visual judgments, sensation, moods, and feelings. A group of UK researchers studied brain activity under the influence of this drug. They found out that the brain regions responsible for constraining consciousness were turned off allowing a free flow of thought. The increase in brain activity is caused by serotonin receptors which are the brain's key chemical messenger. This results in the overactive imagination that most users report. Some users experience a positive of happiness and calmness with flashes of kaleidoscopic plays of colors. Others may experience a bad trip which may include panic, confusion and scary images. However, there is no way to determine who will have a good trip or a bad trip.
Effects
Short-term
- Dilated pupils
- Higher body temperature
- Increased heart rate
- Increased blood pressure
- Sweating
- Loss of appetite
- Sleeplessness
- Dry mouth and tremors
- Severe terrifying thoughts and feelings
- Fear of losing control
- Fear of insanity and death
- Despair
- Hallucinations
- Poor coordination
- Chills and flushing
- Nausea and loss of appetite
- Heart failure
- Lung failure
- Abnormal rapid breathing
- Suspicious
- Confusion
- disorientation
- Meaningless movements
- Mixed up speech
- Loss of muscle control
- Unpredictable trips which may be pleasant or not, causing havoc
- Distorted body image, feeling of floating or out-of-body experiences
- Sense of relaxation and well- being
- Distorted sense of time and space
- Aggressiveness
- Distorted reality
- Violent behavior
- Irrational actions
- Changed emotional feelings
Long-term
- Increased panic
- Psychosis
- Flashbacks weeks, months or even years after the use of the drug
- Flashbacks ma be set off by using other drugs or even by physical exercise
- Flashbacks may be pleasant or not
- Most flashbacks last for a very short time , a minute or two
- Increased delusions
- Decreased motivations
- Prolonged depressions
- Impaired memory and concentration
- Bad trips may last hours, weeks or even months
- Possible severe mental disturbance
Withdrawal symptoms
- Feelings of emotional and physical discomfort
- Experience of flashbacks even when a person has stopped using the drug
- The extreme flashbacks may result in psychological breakdown and possibly suicide. Flashbacks can occur weeks, months and even years after quitting the drug
- Psychological addiction which causes intense cravings
- Confusion
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Distorted perception
- Difficulty concentrating
- Feeling of vulnerability and helplessness
Treatment
- Treatment involves the following collaborative effects.
- Addiction rehabilitation
- Counseling
- Therapy
- Behavioral modification
- Psychological treatment
- Family therapy and counseling
- Support groups
- Aftercare programs
References
What is Lsd? C 2015 Foundation for a Drug Free World. Retrieved from: http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/lsd.html
Olson.S(2014 June 12)This is your brain on drugs: The truth about where LSD trips take your mind and body. c 2015 Medical Daily. Removed from: http://www.medicaldaily.com/your-brain-drugs-truth-about-where-lsd-trips-take-your-mind-and-body-287852
LSD. c 2015. Foundation for a Drug-Free World. Retrieved from: http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/drugs/lsd.html
LSD. c 2015.Administrative Office of the Courts. Retrieved from:
http://www2.courtinfo.ca.gov/stopteendui/teens/resources/substances/hallucinogens/short-and-long-term-effects.cfm
LSD Addiction: Withdrawal Symptoms and Treatment Help. c 2015. Addiction 411. Removed from: http://www.addiction411.com/lsd/
Can LSD Withdrawal Symptoms be Fatal? c 2015 LSD Abuse Help. Removed from: http://www.lsdabusehelp.com/can-lsd-withdrawal-symptoms-be-fatal
