General Information
History
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In the 1920s Dr Albert Hoffman first made LSD as we know it today
- In April 1943 he first experienced LSD's mind altering state when he wrote his famous account of riding home on his bicycle while tripping
- In the 1950's it was experimented with by the governments of various countries (most notably the British and US governments) in dubious experiments that often included giving LSD to unsuspecting soldiers, hospital patients and even to members of the public
- It quickly became clear that LSD was not an entirely suitable drug for treating mental conditions.
- In the 1960's the use of LSD as a recreational drug was started by the psychedelic movement and was used by people such as ex-Harvard professor Timothy Leary and authors such as Aldous Huxley (Brave New World) and Ken Keesey (One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest). This was a basis of a great deal of the hippy movement which used LSD extensively.
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After the 60s and early 70s LSD use declined and it wasn't until the 80s with the sudden arrival of Acid House parties which caused LSD to become more popular again.
- Although ecstasy and speed are now more commonly used at raves, parties and clubs, LSD has gained a foothold in youth culture again and is used by a wide range of people.
- LSD is the hallucinogen Lysergic Acid and Mushrooms such as "gold tops" , "blue meanies" contain Psilocybin
Hallucinogens
Hallucinogens are:
- a group of drugs that work on the brain to affect the senses and cause 'hallucinations' - seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting or touching things that do not exist
- sometimes called 'psychedelic drugs', 'trips', 'magic mushrooms', 'LSD', 'acid'
Forms of Hallucinogens
Some hallucinogens:
- occur naturally in trees, vines, seeds, fungi (e.g. psilocybin or 'magic mushrooms') and leaves
- are made in laboratories by mixing different chemical substances ('trips', LSD, 'acid').
- some drugs, such as cannabis and ecstasy, can cause hallucinogen-like effects when used in high doses or in certain ways
- using hallucinogens is often called 'tripping'.
- Lysergic Acid Diethyl amide - LSD
LSD (acid, trips) is the most commonly used form of hallucinogen. In its pure form LSD is a white, odourless powder. This pure form is very strong, so LSD is usually mixed with other things to make the large dose enough to take.
LSD comes in:
- liquids
- tablets
- capsules
- squares of gelatin or blotting paper.
- Psilocybin
Psilocybin (magic mushrooms) is the hallucinogenic chemical that occurs in some mushrooms. In its pure form, psilocybin is also a white powder, but it is usually sold as dried mushrooms or in substances made from mushrooms.
- Psilocybin is from the same chemical family as LSD so their effects are similar.
- Some people eat poisonous mushrooms thinking that they are the mushrooms that contain psilocybin.
- This can be very dangerous as some poisonous mushrooms can cause death or permanent liver damage.
Effects of Hallucinogens
What hallucinogens do to you depends on:
- how much taken
- height and weight
- general health
- mood
- individual experience with hallucinogens
- whether you use hallucinogens on their own or with other drugs
- whether you use alone or with others, at home or at a party, etc.
- The effects of hallucinogens are not easy to predict. The effects are different for different people and at different times.
The main effects of hallucinogens include:
- changes in the way you perceive things with your senses
- strange sensations such as floating or your body becoming part of another object.
- Some people find such unusual sensations interesting and pleasant, while to others these same effects are unpleasant and disturbing.
Immediate Effects
The effects of hallucinogens begin within half an hour of taking the drug, are strongest in three to five hours, and last for up to 12 hours.
They can include:
- s
eeing, hearing, touching or smelling things in a distorted way (you usually know that what you are sensing is not real)
- intense sensory experiences (e.g. colors become very bright, sounds become sharper)
- mixing of the senses (e.g. you hear colors or see sounds)
- changed sense of time (e.g. minutes can seem as slow as hours, or you can re-live something that happened a long time ago)
- space becomes distorted
- strange bodily sensations (e.g. as though you are floating or being pulled down by gravity)
- changed and intense thoughts
- emotional swings (e.g. change from intense happiness to deep sadness)
Effects on your body may include:
-
muscles twitching
- feeling weak
- feeling numb
- pupils enlarging
- shaking
- feeling sick or vomiting
- heart beating faster
- blood pressure rising
- breathing faster and deeper than normal
- poor coordination
'Bad Trips'
Sometimes the effects of hallucinogens are mostly negative. This is called a 'bad trip', and it is common among first time users. Effects of a bad trip can include:
- extreme anxiety or fear
- frightening hallucinations (e.g. spiders crawling on the skin)
- panic, leading to taking risks (e.g. running across a busy street)
- feelings of ?osing control or going mad
- paranoia (feeling that other people want to harm you)
- suicide or violence (rare)
If someone you know is having a bad trip, they need to be reassured and comforted until the effects of the drug wears off. This can take many hours and may not disappear altogether for some days.
Long term Effects
There are few known long term effects from hallucinogens. However, ?flashbacks? ? times when you feel the effects of the drug again - can happen days, weeks or even years after taking the drug.
Flashbacks:
-
can include visual hallucinations and other effects
- can happen without warning, last for a minute or two and can be disturbing.
- may be triggered by using other drugs or by stress, tiredness or physical exercise
- are more likely to be experienced by regular uses than people who only use the drug from time to time.
Some other long term effects of hallucinogens are:
- damaged memory and concentration
- increased risk of mental problems
Hallucinogens and pregnancy
LSD may be related to an increased risk of miscarriage, but little is known about the effects of LSD in pregnancy.
Tolerance and Dependence
- Anyone can develop a 'tolerance' to hallucinogens.
- Tolerance means that you must take more of the drug to feel the same effects you used to have with smaller amounts.
- With hallucinogens this happens very quickly.
- Being tolerant to one kind of hallucinogen (e.g. LSD) can also make you tolerant to other kinds (magic mushrooms).
- Tolerance goes away when you stop using the drug regularly.
- Dependence' means that a drug takes up a lot of your thoughts, emotions and activities. Withdrawal means that if you stop or greatly reduce your intake of the drug, you will experience uncomfortable physical and mental signs.
- There is little evidence that dependence or withdrawal symptoms exist for hallucinogens.
