Facts on LSD: Origins, Effects and Addictiveness

LSD is one of the most potent mood-changing chemicals. Short for lysergic acid diethylamid, LSD is also known as acid and is classified as a hallucinogen of the psychedelic type. This drug comes from an acid found in ergot which is a fungus that grows on rye and other grains.

In its purest form, LSD is colorless, odorless and mildly bitter. It is sensitive to oxygen, ultraviolet light and chlorine and so is stored away from light and moisture at low temperatures.

LSD can be sold as either tablets, capsules and occasionally in liquid form. When delivered orally, it usually comes on an absorbent blotter paper and divided into small squares, a sugar cube or in gelatin. When taken as a liquid, the drug is administered by intramuscular or intravenous injections. At taking about 20 to 30 micrograms, the user will begin to feel effects.

As a psychedelic drug, LSD is taken for its psychological effects. Users usually experience visuals of colored and crawling geometric patterns and sense of time distortion. The effects vary depending on the amount of LSD taken, the user’s expectations and the surroundings in which the drug was used, and are usually felt 30 to 90 minutes after taken.

In the drug culture, these experiences on LSD are usually referred to as a “trip” or, when the user experiences adverse reactions, a “bad trip.” These “trips” can last up to 12 hours.

LSD is not considered an addictive drug because it doesn’t produce compulsive drug-seeking behavior. Users will typically decrease or completely stop taking LSD on their own accord. But while it is not considered addictive, it does produce a tolerance. When tolerance happens, the user must take a larger amount of LSD each time to achieve the wanted outcomes, which increases the risk factors of harmful long-term psychological effects. 

Do you or someone you know need help with LSD usage? The Canyon can help. Call 877.714.1319 today. Admissions counselors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to answer your questions about LSD and other drugs along with the treatment that can bring you out of addiction.

About Foundations Recovery Network

Foundations Recovery Network is a premier organization for treating persons with addiction and mental health disorders. The company oversees four dual diagnosis treatment centers: Michael’s House in Palm Springs, Calif.; La Paloma in Memphis, Tenn.; and The Canyon in Malibu, Calif.