LSD FACT Sheet
BY Jess, Lucy AND TILL
How is LSD taken?
Most commonly LSD is consumed orally, added to absorbent paper such as blotter paper, and
divided into small, decorated squares, each square representing one dose.
Why do people use them?
LSD in its self is a treatment for addictions. People might take LSD as a recommendation to help
control another drug’s addiction, and it might help but when LSD is abused- taken in large
quantities and for the wrong reasons- it becomes threatening to someone’s life. It gives you an
alteration of perception i.e. vision, time, sound, taste and gives you the impression that you are in
control and understanding perfectly. People who don’t want to experience reality would take
these, hoping for a better hallucination than reality. But LSD isn’t always a euphoria feeling,
sometimes the user will have a ‘bad trip’, and you can never be sure which they will have.
Social Effects- How DOES it affect user, friends, family?
As with most drugs, LSD disconnects the user from everyone else. Though with most drugs the
user forgets what they did while under its influence LSD leaves you with the memories, and regrets.
People who abuse LSD usually find themselves without family or friends to lean on, they push
them away subconsciously until they are left alone.
Treatment
LSD drug treatment is more based on psychological treatments than on physical because it isn’t
addictive like drugs that create compulsive drug-seeking behaviors. Instead of harming the person
from the outside it effects the brain so that psychological effects can remain long after the first
effect of a “trip” are over and they are fearful or filled with anxiety.
Project Know, (2014), ‘LSD’, http://www.projectknow.com/research/lsd/
A group called Narcotics Anonymous uses the 12 steps and 12 traditions of NA to help individuals
walk through the rehab process. The 12 steps include:
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Admit that the drug addiction is beyond your control.
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Believe that a higher power can help you work through the addiction.
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Turn your life over to God and seek His will in your life.
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Create an inventory of yourself and what you have become.
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Admit to all of your wrong doings to God, yourself and others.
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Ask God to help remove character flaws.
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Ask God to remove all of your shortcomings.
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Make a list of everyone that you have hurt and figure out how you can make amends.
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Contact people on your list and ask how you can make things better.
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Continue to take a personal inventory of yourself.
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Pray and meditate daily.
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Help others suffering from addiction.
Where to get help
There are many rehab facilities or help phone lines around such as:
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www.arrowhealth.com.au/------ 1300 295 989
http://www.lsdabusehelp.com/lsd-abuse-problem-------1 (877) 714-1313
http://www.projectknow.com/research/lsd/------- (800) 928-9139
http://malvernprivate-px.rtrk.com.au/MalvernPriv.asp------ 03 9998 3737
http://www.recoveryconnection.org/lsd-addiction-treatment/------- 800-993-3869
http://www.exchangesupplies.org/drug_information/what_and_why/lsd/ww_lsd.html-----01305262244
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Treatment solutions, (2013), ‘How is LSD consumed?’, http://www.treatmentsolutions.com/lsdaddiction-treatment/
Exchange Supplies, (2014), ‘What and Why? |LSD’,
http://www.exchangesupplies.org/drug_information/what_and_why/lsd/ww_lsd.html
LSD Addiction, (2009), ‘Treatment for LSD Abuse’, http://www.lsdaddiction.us/content/treatmentfor-lsd.html
Project Know, (2014), ‘LSD’, http://www.projectknow.com/research/lsd/
Recovery.org, (2014), ‘Entering an LSD Rehabilitation Program’,
http://www.recovery.org/topics/lsd-recovery/#entering-an-lsd-rehabilitation-program
Does LSD have any other names/brands?
LSD has many other names that are used mostly on the streets where it is dealed. Some of these
street names are Acid, Loony Toons, Lucy in the sky with diamonds, Golden Dragon, Yellow
Sunshine, Heavenly Blue, Pane, Purple Heart, California Sunshine, Hippie and Superman.
Reference:
The Truth about Drugs, (2006-2014), ‘LSD Street Names,’
http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/drugs/lsd.html
WHAT ARE THE LONG TERM EFFECTS OF LSD?
LSD has many severe effects that can stay with you for years of your life. They can be extremely
painful or can cause very damaging effects to your body and organs including your brain.
Some include:
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Flashbacks that can last weeks, months, or even years after the drug use. They can be set off by
using other drugs or by physical exercise. They may be pleasant or could be like a living nightmare
for the user. Most of the flashbacks last a very short time, only a minute or two.
Decreased motivation
Prolonged depression
Increased panic
Impaired memory and concentration
Possible severe mental disturbances
Psychosis
Increased delusions
Bad trips (that may last hours, weeks, and even months)
Reference:
Only the strong survive, (2014), ‘Long-Term Effects,’
http://www2.courtinfo.ca.gov/stopteendui/teens/resources/substances/hallucinogens/short-and-long-termeffects.cfm
What are the short term effects of lsd?
LSD also has many short term effects that are just as painful and frightening as the long term effects
except they are do not do permanent damage to your body.
They include:
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Dilated pupils
Higher body temperature
Increased heart rate and blood pressure
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Sweating
Loss of appetite
Sleeplessness
Dry mouth and tremors
People can also severe, terrifying thoughts and feelings, fear of losing control, fear of
insanity and death and feelings of despair while using LSD.
How can you minimise the harm of taking lsd?
The most common effect of LSD is a bad trip. You can reduce the risk of having a bad trip by:
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Making sure you take it with someone you know and trust, preferably someone who knows
how strong the effects of a hallucinogen can be like a trusted friend.
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Making sure you are somewhere where you feel safe, secure and comfortable.
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Avoid taking LSD if you are upset, feeling low or insecure--this could lead to a bad trip.
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Avoid taking more. The effects come on stronger after a while, and you could end up
having a much stronger trip than you can handle.
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If you're having a bad trip, avoid flashing lights and visuals, and get a friend to take you to a
safe, calm space.
Reference:
Brown University Health Education, (2014), ‘LSD,’
http://brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/alcohol,_tobacco,_&_other_
drugs/lsd.php
Australian statistics-deaths and usage
Overall, the lifetime prevalence of hallucinogen use is 7.5%, with 0.7% of the population aged 14
years or older having used these drugs in the preceding 12 months. There has been very little
research conducted specifically on LSD users, so the demographics described here pertain to
hallucinogen users in general. Hallucinogen users are most commonly male, polydrug users in
their twenties, who were born in Australia or the British Isles. LSD appears to be a drug that is used
infrequently, mainly for recreational purposes and in the company of others. While LSD is usually
swallowed it may also be injected. Injectors of LSD are also likely to have injected other drugs.
Hallucinogens (including LSD) appear to be commonly used in conjunction with other
psychoactive drugs.
The 2013 National Drug Strategy Household Survey found that 9.4% of Australians aged 14 and
above had ever tried hallucinogens (including naturally occurring hallucinogens, such as magic
mushrooms, as well as synthetic hallucinogens such as LSD), while 1.3% had used hallucinogens in
the year preceding the survey.
Illicit drug use in Australia,2007, Joanne Ross, www.nationaldrugstrategy.gov.au
What happens if you mix LSD with another drug?
Abuse of drugs can cause problems, a user who starts mixing drugs may end up in an even more
dangerous situation. In many cases, people mix drugs on purpose to increase the high or to
provide a different effect than a single drug on its own.
While drug mixing is common among social drug users. Many people, who use dangerous drugs
such as cocaine, heroin, marijuana, LSD, or ecstasy, switch between drugs during a single session
of drug use. In some cases, the goal of mixing drugs is to create a more intense high. Sometimes
the drugs are mixed before being used. One example of this is when heroin and cocaine is
combined into a blended drug called speedball, which can be injected into a user's vein. Other
recreational drug users take specific drugs in a specific sequence in order to ease the comedown
off the first drug. For example, some users take marijuana to ease the comedown off cocaine or
ecstasy. Mixing drugs can be dangerous in both the short and long term. In the short term,
combining drugs can increase the risk of an overdose from one or both drugs. Some effects can
result in a coma or respiratory arrest caused by slowed breathing. Also you may experience a heart
attack, stroke, or seizure. Depending on the amount and period of time the drugs are taken the
effects can vary.