Eva Zaremba
Ms. Hadi
Psychology
18 February 2012
LSD: A Mind Altering Substance
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, dubbed “LSD,” “acid,” “tabs,” or “sugar cubes,” is a common hallucinogen, particularly in the 1960’s, and is the most potent mood-changing chemicals.[1] LSD is a clear liquid that is taken orally either on small pieces of colored papers called “tabs” or in gelatin squares.[2] LSD, in liquid or gelatin form, can also be dropped into one’s eyes.[3] Usage of LSD causes unpredictable forms of altered awareness, or consciousness.[4] Consciousness is our awareness of our senses, our thoughts, and our self. It can be divided into the Preconscious level - things we are not always aware of but we are able to recall them, the Unconscious level - feelings or thoughts we suppress because they are painful or socially unacceptable, and the Nonconscious level – our biological functions such as breathing and blinking. LSD produces both short-term and long-term effects on one’s consciousness and it is not an addictive substance such as nicotine or heroin.[5]
LSD is best described as altering one’s sense of self, existence, senses, and perceptions of reality – the user of LSD is entering an alternate world beyond anything anyone can imagine.[6] While using LSD, or experiencing a “trip,” one might first experience an altered sense of self, or bodily functions.[7] The user may experience tingling sensations or a pulsing sort of energetic feeling.[8] LSD use can also cause one to experience increased heart rate, dilated pupils, dry mouth, tremors, sweatiness, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, increased blood pressure, and increased body temperature.[9] According to Peter Hannes, a man who has used LSD, one can also feel the blood moving through their veins, or feel so light that there is a sensation of floating through the air.[10] All of these signs and symptoms are an altered sense of self; the user feels different, and their bodily functions are changed. Along with the altered sense of self, LSD is known to cause an altered state of one’s senses. While using LSD, one may experience sounds, colors, and odors very differently than what would be experienced without the usage of LSD.[11] There may be hallucinations or distorted vision and people have reported “seeing sounds” and “hearing colors” and odors may produce certain sights or sounds as well.[12] These severe distortions of the senses is a clear example of the altered state of consciousness of one’s senses.
LSD, a hallucinogen, affects one’s sensory perceptions and one’s sense of their self or existence, but LSD also affects one’s thought processes, or their consciousness as an inner awareness.[13] LSD use causes reduced control over one’s own thought processes, flashbacks from the “trip” or of long-forgotten memories, or deep thought or meaning placed on unimportant objects/ideas.[14] Another common affect of LSD use are delusions, or the belief that something is real, such as the belief that one can fly while using or other ideas that are clearly not true.[15] Psychedelic drugs such as LSD have been used to attempt to change the thought processes of dangerous criminals. In Dr. Timothy Leary’s Concord Prison Experiment, Dr. Leary used psychedelic, or hallucinogenic, drugs (including LSD) and guided “trips” to attempt to change the prisoner’s ways by giving them this “spiritual” experience combined with psychotherapy.[16] This technique was reported to have dropped the crimes in Leary’s subjects by twenty-percent.[17] His subjects have reported that these guided “trips” paired with psychotherapy have changed their lives in a positive manner, and proved to be the most “spiritual/mystical” and “educational” experiences of their lives.[18] The use of these psychedelic drugs and LSD reportedly changed these subjects’ thought processes or inner awareness toward crimes, similarly to the side effect of regular usage of LSD mentioned above.
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide is a psychedelic (hallucinogenic) drug that changes the appearance of the universe as we know it for the users. LSD changes how sights, sounds, and odors are observed and perceived. With its physical side effects, one’s awareness of their body is altered, and even one’s thoughts are left under control of this drug. LSD alters not only one’s mind, but their being as well. The human consciousness is altered overall, and may even be altered for a length of time after usage with flashbacks of the “trip” for years to come.[19]
Bibliography
LSD. Accessed on 18 February, 2012 http://www.durgfree.org/drug-guide/lsd
LSD Effects. Accessed on 18 February, 2012 http://www.thegooddrugsguide.com/lsd/effects.htm
Signs of LSD Addiction and Abuse. Accessed on 18 February, 2012 http://www.clearhavencenter.com/substance-abse-treatment-resources/signs-of-LSD-use.php
Hannes, Peter. LSD: Revelation of the Mind. Accessed on 18 February, 2012 http://www.lsdexperience.com/frameset_chapter01.htm
Soloman, David. LSD: The Consciousness Expanding Drug, (Putnam Books, 1964)
Timothy Leary. Accessed on 20 February, 2012 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Leary
[1] “LSD”, Retrieved from http://www.drugfree.org/drug-guide/lsd on February 18, 2012.
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid
[4] Ibid
[5] Ibid
[6] Peter, Hannes, LSD: Revelation of the Mind – Pt. 1, obtained from http://www.lsdexperience.com/frameset_chapter01.htm on February 18, 2012, Page 5
[7] Ibid
[8] Ibid
[9] “Signs of LSD Addiction and Abuse”, obtained from http://www.clearhavencenter.com/substance-abuse-treatment-resources/signs-of-LSD-use.php on February 18, 2012.
[10] Peter, Hannes, LSD: Revelation of the Mind – Pt. 1, obtained from http://www.lsdexperience.com/frameset_chapter01.htm on February 18, 2012, Page 5
[11] David, Solomon, LSD: The Consciousness-Expanding Drug (Putnam Books, 1964), 171
[12] Ibid, 178
[13] “Signs of LSD Addiction and Abuse”, obtained from http://www.clearhavencetner.com/substance-abuse-treatment-resources/signs-og-LSD-use.php on February 18, 2012
[14] Ibid
[15] “LSD Effects”, obtained from http://www.thegooddrugsguide.com/lsd/effects.htm on February 20, 2012
[16] “Timothy Leary”, obtained from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Leary On February 20, 2012
[17] Ibid
[18] Ibid
[19] “LSD Effects”, obtained from http://www.thegooddrugsguide.com/lsd/effects.htm on February 20, 2012