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Drugs > L.S.D.
Editors Comments:
During the 1960's the C.I.A. in America funded
experiments where psychiatric patients were given LSD in
conjunction with electric shock therapy. The results were
that those recipients of this treatment had their brains
fried and most spent the rest of their lives in
institutions, some are still there..
Also at this time
renowned people such as Timothy Leary and Fritz
Pearls researched the effects of LSD as part of a
research into the nature of the mind and as a way to
unlock the doors of perception within the human
mind. In the process they came to recognise the
similarities between drug use and altered states of
consciousness found in meditation.
Since the 1950's most popular music
groups have used drugs for inspiration
LSD is a
very low cost drug to manufacture and in its pure
form has fewer side effects. However manufacturers
seem to always mix in other compounds such as PCP
and DMT as well as arsenic and other compounds. It
is thought that these other compounds cause most of
the side effects although this is disputed by some
manufacturers. ED.
What is LSD?
LSD is an odourless,
colourless and tasteless drug. It is sold on the
streets in many forms: tablets, capsules, liquid, or
thin squares of gelatin (called window panes) or
absorbent paper squares, such as blotting paper.
Usually called a ticket, the paper is divided into
small decorated squares, each representing a dose.
These tickets come in many different designs -
Snoppy, Garfield, Superman, strawberries, flowers
and a variety of animals and cartoom characters well
known to children. Those designs are made to make
LSD more attractive to children. Tickets can also be
just a plain colour, with dotted lines where each
dose is indicated.
LSD is manufactured
from lysergic acid which is found in ergot, a fungus
that grows on rye and other grains. It is one of the
most potent mind-altering chemicals known to man.
LSD is considered a very dangerous drug as it stays
in the body for long periods. The effects may be
reactivated again when the user is placed in a
stressful situation. The user has no control over
when and if a flashback may occur.
During the 1960s, LSD
became popular as a mind expanding-hallucinogenic
drug. The popularity of this drug vegan to decrease
as its potency and unpredictable side effect became
known. In the last few years the popularity of LSD
has increased. Teens today do not know of LSD’s bad
reputation and mistakenly think it is safer than
marijuana or cocaine. They use LSD for the visual
stimulation, sheer entertainment or simply to get
high.
What are
Hallucinogens?
Are mind-altering
hallucinogenic substances that distorts the user’s
sensations, thinking, self-awareness, emotions and
perceptions of reality. Hallucinogens or
psychedelics include such drugs as LSD, PCP,
mescaline, found in some cactus, and psilocybin,
found in what is known as magic mushrooms or M & M.
What are the
effects of LSD?
After the drug is
swallowed there is a gradual build-up of physical
symptoms. The effects are unpredictable. They depend
on the amount taken, the user’s personality, mood,
emotional level and surroundings when the drug is
used. The LSD affects the user’s sense of hearing,
sight, touch, body image, time and emotions. The
user can experience rapid swings from one mood to
another. It is not uncommon for them to laugh
hysterically, then suddenly become very sad,
depressed and even cry for no apparent reason. The
psychological effects of the drug can be felt 30-90
minutes after taking it. The LSD "high" or "trip" is
uncontrollable and can last from 8-12 hours. The
responses of LSD cannot be predicted. This makes it
an extremely powerful and dangerous drug.
Other physical effects include:
- Dilated pupils
- Higher body
temperature
- Increased heart
rate
- Increased blood
pressure
- Sweating
- Sleeplessness
- Tremors
- Numbness
- Muscle twitching
- Nausea/vomiting
- Mystical/cosmic
experiences
- Loss of appetite
- Dry mouth
Sensations and
feelings change. The next day after the use of LSD,
users often feel very depressed. They may feel
several different emotions at once or swing rapidly
from one emotion to another. Sensations may seen to
"cross over" giving the user the feeling of
"hearing" colours and "seeing" sounds. All of these
changes can be frightening and cause panic. It is
not known if someone can overdose or "OD" on LSD.
When death occurs, it is usually due to accident or
suicide, rather than an overdose.
What is a "bad"
trip?
Having a bad
psychological reaction to LSD and similar drugs is
common. The scary sensation may last a few minutes
or several hours and be frightening or terrifying.
The user may experience panic, confusion,
suspiciousness, anxiety, feelings of helplessness,
and loss of control. Sometimes taking a hallucinogen
such as LSD can unmask mental or emotional problems
that were previously unknown to the user. Flashbacks
occur when the user experiences the drug’s effects
without taking the drug again. These flashbacks
which vary widely intensity and duration can recur
days, weeks, months and even years after the drug is
taken. LSD can shatter what was once a strong hold
on reality. During a "bummer trip" the user can
freak out, react to loud noises and self mutilate.
What are the
effects of heavy use?
Research has shown
some changes in the mental functions of users of
LSD. Users sometimes develop signs of organic brain
damage, such as impaired memory and attention span,
mental confusion, and difficulty with abstract
thinking. These signs may be strong or they may be
subtle. The user can build a tolerance to LSD or a
cross tolerance when using with other
hallucinogenics. It is not yet known whether such
mental changes are permanent or if they disappear
when LSD use is stopped.
Hallucinogens and the Brain
LSD interferes with
the function of serotonin, a chemical transmitted
substance in the brain.
The release of
transmitter substances facilitate the receiving and
the relaying of messages between neurons (nerve
cells). The effects can be either excitatory or
inhibitory. Each transmitter substance has a
specific receptor site, which regulates the amount
of chemical that is released.
Serotonin generally
has an inhibitory effect and plays a role in the
regulation of mood and in the control of eating,
sleep and arousal. Serotonin is also involved in the
regulation of pain and the control of dreaming.
LSD stimulates the
serotonin receptors, leading to hallucinations,
vivid after images, distortions of perception and
eventually paranoia and panic.
Furthermore, LSD
molecules are reabsorbed by the neuron and
subsequently released again by those cells, thus
accounting for repeated "flashback" activity and
persistent perceptual distortion.
Neuron - A Nerve
Cell
The individual nerve
cell or neuron, is the basic unit that carries out
the work of the nervous system. To receive and relay
messages accurately, each neuron must be capable of
performing 10 essential reactions in a thousandth of
a second.
Any substance which alters sensations, mood, thought, or coordinated
activity, interferes with normal cell function at
any of these 10 major sites. LSD alters neural
activity by stimulating the serotonin reactors
during the first step fo synaptic transmission, thus
interrupting ALL subsequent reactions.
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