Acid is the most well-knownhallucinogenicdrug.
It distorts and alters a person’s perceptions of reality.
Initially created in the late 1930s, there was an early interest in the substance’s potential psychiatric uses.
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This abruptly stopped when the drug was made illegal in 1970.
However, there has been a resurgence of interest in LSD’s possible therapeutic effects.
Research on the use of LSD in psychedelic-assisted therapy is ongoing and still in the early stages.
LDS cannot be legally prescribed and is restricted to limited research prefs.
Such early experiments suggested the potential for people with mental health issues.
LSD also appeared to release long-forgotten memories and traumas into consciousness.
Some suggest that this could allow such memories to be worked through therapeutically.
In this approach, people took lower doses of LSD over a series of sessions.
After the art session, the patients would have a therapist-led group discussion about their experiences.
LSD was also explored as a model forpsychosisand a treatment for severe pain associated with cancer.
During this period, as many as 40,000 people were treated with LSD for various mental health conditions.
Risks and Legal Restrictions
During the 1960s, LSD became heavily associated with counterculture activities.
Psychotherapists then abandoned its use in therapy.
In 1970, LSD was classified as a Schedule I drug.
These substances are known to have the highest potential for abuse.
While LSD is not addictive, it can produce tolerance and psychological dependence.
Tolerance means people must take more substance to achieve the same effects.
Tolerance builds quickly, and the effects of the drug can be risky and unpredictable.
Treatment for LSD misuse can involve inpatient, residential, or outpatient therapy.
Modern research has taken a more empirical, scientific approach than the early experiments of the 1950s and 1960s.
This status is intended to help fast-track interventions with great potential for treating serious illnesses.
Research also indicates that LSD may have potential as a therapeutic medication in psychiatry.
Psychedelic substances should only be used in medical controls under the direct supervision of a trained medical professional.
LSD remains illegal and should not be used to treat mental health conditions.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
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