LSD and Hallucinogen Information and Treatment

What Is LSD?

LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), commonly called "acid," is a powerful hallucinogenic drug that alters perception, mood, and thought. The UNODC World Drug Report estimates that approximately 7 million people used LSD and other hallucinogens globally in recent years. It's one of the most potent psychoactive substances known—active at doses as small as 20-30 micrograms (millionths of a gram).

LSD was first synthesized in 1938 by Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann while researching potential medical applications of ergot alkaloids (compounds derived from a fungus that grows on rye). He accidentally discovered its hallucinogenic properties in 1943 when he absorbed a small amount through his skin and experienced the world's first "acid trip."

In the 1950s-1960s, LSD was briefly used in psychiatric research and therapy before being banned in 1968 due to widespread recreational abuse and concerns about psychological harm. It became a symbol of the 1960s counterculture movement.

Forms and Street Names

Street Names: Acid, Tabs, Blotter, Doses, Trips, Lucy, Microdots, Window Pane, Sunshine

Appearance:

• Blotter paper - Small squares of absorbent paper soaked in LSD solution, often with colorful designs or cartoon characters
• Liquid - Clear liquid in small vials or dropper bottles
• Gelatin squares (Window Pane) - Small gelatin squares containing LSD
• Microdots - Tiny pills or tablets
• Sugar cubes - Soaked in LSD solution

Methods of Use: Swallowed (blotter paper placed on tongue), liquid dropped on tongue or food, gelatin squares eaten

Typical Dose: 50-150 micrograms (recreational), though street doses vary wildly and are often much higher

How LSD Works: The "Trip"

LSD primarily affects serotonin receptors in the brain, particularly the 5-HT2A receptor. This disrupts normal sensory processing, thought patterns, and perception of reality.

Timeline of an LSD Trip

Onset: 30-90 minutes after ingestion

Peak: 2-4 hours (most intense effects)

Duration: 8-12 hours total

Aftereffects: Fatigue, difficulty sleeping, altered perception can last 24+ hours

The terrifying part: Once you've taken LSD, there's no way to stop the trip. You must endure 8-12 hours of altered reality regardless of whether the experience is pleasant or terrifying.

Effects of LSD: What Happens During a Trip

Perceptual Changes:

• Visual hallucinations - Objects morph, breathe, melt, or transform; geometric patterns overlay vision; colors become intensely vivid
• Synesthesia - Senses blend together (seeing sounds, hearing colors)
• Time distortion - Minutes feel like hours, or hours pass in seconds
• Enhanced sensory perception - Music sounds richer, textures feel more intense
• Trails - Moving objects leave visual trails behind them

Psychological Effects:

• Altered thought patterns - Racing thoughts, profound insights (often nonsensical in retrospect)
• Ego dissolution - Loss of sense of self, boundaries between self and environment blur
• Emotional intensity - Extreme euphoria or terror
• Spiritual or mystical experiences - Feeling of connection to universe, God, or cosmic consciousness
• Paranoia - Belief that others can read your thoughts or are plotting against you

Physical Effects:

• Dilated pupils (very large pupils even in bright light)
• Increased heart rate and blood pressure
• Sweating or chills
• Tremors
• Loss of appetite
• Dry mouth
• Nausea

The Danger of "Bad Trips"

A "bad trip" is a terrifying hallucinogenic experience characterized by extreme fear, paranoia, panic, and disturbing hallucinations. Bad trips can happen to anyone, even experienced users, and are unpredictable.

What Causes Bad Trips?

• Set and setting - Anxious mindset or stressful environment before taking LSD
• Higher doses - More intense hallucinations increase risk
• Unexpected triggers - A disturbing thought, image, or memory surfaces during the trip
• Loss of control - Panic about being unable to stop the experience
• Pre-existing mental health issues - Anxiety, depression, trauma

What Happens During a Bad Trip

• Terrifying hallucinations - Seeing demons, monsters, or disturbing imagery
• Extreme paranoia - Belief that you're dying, going insane, or being attacked
• Panic attacks - Overwhelming fear, rapid heartbeat, hyperventilation
• Thought loops - Getting stuck in repetitive, disturbing thoughts
• Feeling of impending doom - Certainty that something terrible is about to happen
• Suicidal ideation - Wanting to escape the experience by any means

The worst part: Bad trips last the full 8-12 hours. There's no antidote, no way to "come down" early. You must endure the entire terrifying experience.

Dangerous behavior during bad trips: People experiencing bad trips have jumped from windows (believing they could fly), run into traffic, attacked others, or harmed themselves trying to escape the hallucinations.

Flashbacks and HPPD: When the Trip Never Ends

LSD Flashbacks

Flashbacks are spontaneous recurrences of LSD trip experiences—visual distortions, hallucinations, or altered perceptions—that occur days, weeks, months, or even years after the last use.

Flashbacks can be triggered by:

• Stress or anxiety
• Fatigue
• Marijuana use
• Dark environments
• Exercise
• No identifiable trigger (spontaneous)

While flashbacks are usually brief (seconds to minutes), they can be disturbing and disorienting, especially when they occur during important activities like driving, working, or taking exams.

HPPD: Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder

HPPD is a chronic condition where visual distortions and hallucinations persist continuously or recur frequently long after LSD use has stopped. It's essentially a flashback that never fully goes away.

Symptoms of HPPD:

• Visual snow - Static or grainy overlay on vision (like TV static)
• Trails - Moving objects leave trails behind them
• Halos - Glowing auras around lights or objects
• Geometric patterns - Seeing patterns on blank surfaces
• After-images - Images persist after looking away
• Objects appear to breathe or morph
• Enhanced colors - Colors appear unnaturally vivid
• Macropsia/micropsia - Objects appear larger or smaller than they are

How common is HPPD? Estimates vary, but approximately 4-5% of hallucinogen users develop HPPD. However, the true rate may be higher as many people don't report it.

Does HPPD go away? Sometimes. For some people, HPPD fades over months or years. For others, it's permanent. There's no reliable treatment—some psychiatric medications help some people, but many make it worse.

The psychological toll: HPPD causes significant anxiety, depression, and difficulty functioning. Imagine trying to work, drive, or have a conversation while your vision is constantly distorted. Many HPPD sufferers report feeling like they're "stuck in a trip" permanently.

LSD and Mental Illness: Triggering Permanent Psychosis

One of the most serious risks of LSD is its ability to trigger latent mental illness—particularly schizophrenia and bipolar disorder—in genetically predisposed individuals.

How LSD Triggers Psychosis

If you have a genetic vulnerability to schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (even if you've never shown symptoms), LSD can permanently activate these conditions. This is called "drug-induced psychosis" that doesn't resolve when the drug wears off.

Symptoms of LSD-triggered psychosis:

• Persistent hallucinations (visual and auditory)
• Delusions (false beliefs, paranoia)
• Disorganized thinking and speech
• Emotional flatness or inappropriate emotions
• Social withdrawal
• Inability to distinguish reality from hallucinations

The tragedy: Many people who develop LSD-induced psychosis never fully recover. They require lifelong psychiatric medication and may never return to their pre-LSD level of functioning.

Who is at risk? Anyone with a family history of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or other psychotic disorders. But here's the problem: many people don't know their family psychiatric history, and some people with no known family history still develop psychosis.

The "Psychedelic Renaissance" and Microdosing Myths

Recent years have seen renewed interest in psychedelic drugs for treating depression, PTSD, and anxiety. Clinical trials are underway, and some results are promising. However, this has created dangerous misconceptions:

Other Hallucinogens

While this page focuses on LSD, other hallucinogens carry similar risks:

All of these substances carry risks of bad trips, HPPD, triggering psychosis, and dangerous behavior.

Drug-Free Hallucinogen Addiction Treatment

The Narconon Approach

Narconon Africa, located in the Magaliesberg Mountains of North-West Province, offers a completely drug-free program based on L. Ron Hubbard's proven technology:

Why South Africa for Hallucinogen Treatment?

Cost Advantage: Narconon Africa\'s comprehensive 3-6 month program costs approximately R200,000 ($11,000 USD)—significantly less than equivalent programs in the US ($30,000-$80,000), UK (£25,000-£50,000), or Australia (AUD $30,000-$60,000).

Drug-Free Philosophy: While many Western programs push antipsychotics and antidepressants for hallucinogen users (especially those with HPPD or psychosis), Narconon focuses on natural healing and detoxification.

Beautiful Healing Environment: The Magaliesberg Mountains provide a peaceful, natural setting conducive to mental and spiritual healing—without drugs.

Proven Results: Narconon's program has helped thousands worldwide achieve lasting recovery and mental stability without substitute drugs or psychiatric medications.

For Families: What You Need to Know

Warning Signs of LSD Use

• Extremely dilated pupils (even in bright light)
• Unusual behavior or speech patterns
• Staring at objects for long periods
• Talking about profound insights or spiritual experiences
• Possession of small paper squares with designs or patterns
• Possession of small vials or dropper bottles
• Unexplained mood changes
• Reporting visual distortions or "seeing things"

What to Do If Someone Is Having a Bad Trip

• Stay calm - Your anxiety will worsen theirs
• Reassure them - Remind them they took a drug and it will wear off
• Create a safe environment - Remove dangerous objects, turn off intense music or lights
• Don't leave them alone - They may harm themselves
• Call emergency services if they're suicidal, violent, or in medical distress
• Don't try to "talk them down" with logic—their brain isn't processing reality normally

Long-Term Recovery

If your loved one is struggling with hallucinogen use, HPPD, or LSD-triggered mental health issues, comprehensive treatment is essential. Don't accept psychiatric medication as the only solution—the brain can heal naturally with proper support.

Take Action Today

If you or someone you love is struggling with hallucinogen use or experiencing HPPD, don't wait for permanent psychological damage. Recovery is possible.

Don't gamble with your mind. The profound experiences LSD promises aren't worth permanent visual distortions, psychosis, or mental illness. Drug-free recovery is possible. Complete healing is achievable.

Call +27 (0)800 014 559 today. Your recovery begins with a phone call.