It is not a secret to anyone that the use of drugs causes significant harm to the human body. But, nevertheless, many of them, unfortunately, accept. Now we will talk about a very common and well-known substance. Namely, about LSD, the harm that it brings, the mechanism of action and the consequences.
Briefly about the drug
First of all, it is worth telling what this substance is. LSD is a semi-synthetic drug of the Lysergamide family.
This is perhaps the most famous psychedelic - a substance that changes a person’s perception and affects his emotional state.
LSD was opened in 1938, on November 16th. It was brought out by the Swiss chemist Albert Hoffman, synthesizing a substance from lysergic acid. The psychotropic properties of LSD were discovered by chance, and only after 5 years.
This substance was supposed to help understand the nature of schizophrenia. But then, from the 1950s, it began to be used in medicine. The substance helped with depression, amnesia, neurosis, and also contributed to the treatment of alcoholism and dependence (heroin and cocaine).
The medical use of Loff created by Hoffman was successful, but then its use went out of control. Everyone began to use it, and just like that. This led to a complete ban on the substance.
About the title
Many people are interested in knowing why LSD? The decryption is, in fact, elementary. Literally, this abbreviation is translated as "lysergic synthetic diethylamide." That is, the name was formulated taking into account the components on the basis of which this substance arose.
There are also other codes and names. Delysid, Lysergide, LSD-25 - all this can also mean LSD. Decryption in the first two cases is understandable, but what does the number mean in the last, third version? This is the amount of hydrogen that is part of the drug. The chemical formula, by the way, looks like this: C 20 H 25 N 3 O.
First phase of intoxication
Within 5-10 minutes after using LSD, a person feels changes in his body. They usually include:
- Cardiopalmus.
- Expanded pupils.
- High blood pressure.
- Increased body temperature.
- Dizziness.
- Lack of coordination.
- Tremor.
- Nausea.
- Weakness.
Many may also experience feelings of anxiety and tension. All due to the fact that the somatic symptoms listed above appear very quickly.
As a result, many people who use the LSD drug are confronted with emotional affects. As a rule, this is uncontrollable laughter or crying.
Second phase of intoxication
It occurs approximately 15-20 minutes after the use of LSD tablets or this substance in another form. The second phase is characterized by the appearance of proper psychotropic effects. They are all different, and sometimes even contradictory.
As a rule, people are faced with such effects:
- Strong mood swings.
- Behavioral Disorders.
- Distortion of the thinking process.
- Rave.
- The feeling of "falling out" of the real world.
- The feeling of invulnerability.
- Euphoria.
Interestingly, many do not compare the experienced feelings with pleasure. And physical activity does not correspond to strong affects. He perceives the delight and bliss felt by man slowly, with hardening, ecstatically.
That is why many people who are under the influence of LSD freeze, and their gaze, fixed on one point, remains motionless.
Due to paranoid mood and emotional lability, panic attacks often develop. The pace of thinking is accelerating, which leads to an uncontrolled influx of thoughts. This often leads to emotional discomfort, which is accompanied by deep melancholy.
Sometimes taking LSD causes such reactions when immediate psychiatric care is needed. Typically, these are:
- Suicidal thoughts.
- Psychomotor agitation.
- The appearance of erroneous dangerous judgments. For example, the emergence of the idea that people can fly, and the subsequent desire to test this assumption.
- Aggressiveness.
The third phase of intoxication
At this stage, the greatest effect of the drug is observed . The third phase occurs 2-3 hours after its use. And it manifests itself in visual illusions.
Perception is impaired. The brightness of lighting, the shades of surrounding objects, the shape of visible objects - all this is greatly distorted.
The person also begins to worry about the experiences of mystical, religious and cosmic subjects. Clouding of consciousness may come in him, often a stupor occurs. Also often, people seem to observe what is happening from the side.
Pseudo-hallucinations still occur. Images appear in front of a person as soon as he closes his eyes. Strange noises, voices, music sound inside the head.
Often there are synesthesia. This is strange: a person “feels” sounds and “hears” colors. Dry seems wet, rough seems smooth, hot seems cold, etc.
Perception is also impaired. A person can begin to feel their organs in the place where they are not. His perception of himself, his size, as well as space, time and the ratio of other objects is changing.
Consciousness change
It is also most pronounced in the third stage. Here is what happens:
- The distinction between reality and painful ideas is lost.
- A person feels the meaninglessness of life, vital longing, experiences horror.
- There are attacks of uncontrolled aggression.
- Often at the time of intoxication, people make attempted murder or suicide.
- Some people have a feeling of inexplicable delight, indescribable happiness and closeness to God.
- The concentration of attention is completely lost.
The consciousness of one's own personality is also disturbed. This may be a split, alienation or even its loss. Many feel like people of the opposite sex, inanimate objects, or simply scattered.
In this state, mental processes become like dreams - uncontrollable and automatic. And in the subconscious mind, feelings that seemed long forgotten surfaced at all.
Neutral circumstances begin to seem significant. And that to which a person was really not indifferent is depreciated. And indeed, many meanings take on a different meaning.
Hallucination features
Visual disturbances after taking LSD can be very different. Some people say that they saw only minor flashes of light. Others describe complex images. And some even say that after using the substance, they ended up in another world, and even communicated with representatives of extraterrestrial civilization.
It is interesting that many not only see, but also feel the illusions that have appeared. A person can see how his hands seem to be reduced in size, and feel the ongoing "transformation".
Sexual signs
It is important to make a reservation that taking this substance is often accompanied by some kind of sexual inhibition. Moreover, regardless of the emotional and physical condition of a person.
How do these symptoms appear? Some people completely lose interest in sex and everything connected with it. Even those who consider this an essential component of life. Strange, but some even refuse to talk about this subject under the influence of LSD.
But others have obsessive sexual fantasies. Many admit that they are very strange, and are associated with various perversions and even mysticism. And for some people, concentration on intrusive images of an intimate nature is the only consequence of drug use.
Fourth phase
This stage is characterized by the reverse development of psychotic symptoms. All of these symptoms begin to "fade" after 8-12 hours after taking LSD tablets.
The world slowly takes its usual shape. Orientation on the ground begins to recover, an adequate perception of time and self returns. As a rule, during this period a person’s mood is bad, sometimes even alarming or dysphoric.
Many people who have taken a sufficient dose of LSD assure that their memories of the effect that has arisen are very plentiful, vivid and diverse. And this means that consciousness after taking the drug changes not twilight, but delirious and oneiric.
LSD harm
Many sources say that this drug, allegedly, does not harm the body. But this, of course, is not so. This substance has a destructive effect both on the psyche and on the human body.
The likelihood of developing addiction is high. A person who has used LSD no longer wants to return to everyday routine. And he takes the drug again. Of course, this applies mainly to weak people who quickly acquire habits.
The harm to LSD is obvious. After about 5-8 receptions, a strong dependence develops mentally. As a rule, people “addict” to a drug in whose life some of the following played a role:
- Family woes.
- Liberal education.
- The lack of vivid sensations and diversity in reality.
For such people, cocaine, LSD, amphetamine, and other drugs become a way to compensate for their dissatisfaction with their personal lives. And, since illicit substances give them what is most lacking, they quickly become addicted.
Overdose
This is perhaps the worst consequence of LSD. If a person has an overdose of a drug, then he needs to provide medical help as soon as possible.
How to understand that he took too much substance? First, a person begins to resemble a driven beast. His hands are shaking violently, and his pupils dilate so that the iris becomes invisible. Secondly, the following symptoms are observed:
- Animal fear appears.
- The heart hurts greatly, discomfort in the chest area is felt.
- The temperature rises.
- Spasms of smooth muscles occur.
- A strong thirst appears.
- Pulse, palpitations, breathing and blood pressure are increasing.
- The head starts to hurt unbearably.
In severe cases, vomiting and foam from the mouth appear . But the most serious consequence of LSD is death. The lethal dose of LSD is approximately 0.0002 g per 1 kg of body weight. That is, if a person weighs 70 kilograms, then he will have enough of the drug in an amount of 0.014 g.
Addiction treatment
It is extremely difficult and painful to break the habit of taking drugs. But addiction must be treated, regardless of what the person is attracted to - LSD, spice, cocaine, amphetamine, heroin or any other substance.
The patient must go to the hospital. There he will go through 5 stages of rehabilitation:
- Motivation. Doctors work with the patient, helping him not only to realize the need for treatment, but, as it may sound, become interested in it.
- Detoxification. Treatment is impossible without purification of the patient’s blood, which is carried out by intravenous infusion and the course of taking vitamins and drugs.
- Rehabilitation. As part of this stage, a person attends group and individual trainings that are aimed at normalizing the mental state.
- Recovery. A person gradually begins to return to a normal lifestyle. He restores the regime of rest and sleep, goes in for sports, eats healthy food, goes to physiotherapy.
- Resocialization At this stage, the main role is played by the acceptance and understanding of native people. It is important that they gently encourage and support the former addict, and also protect him from any negative.
Do not underestimate the harm done to LSD. Even though many people attribute it to light drugs, we must remember that this is a prohibited substance, the use of which often leads to sad consequences.