What are the negative psychological effects of LSD?

Answer 1

The primary concern with LSD is that those who take it lose touch with reality and may behave in ways that put them at risk of being harmed because they have distorted beliefs about the fundamentals of the world (e.g., may think they can fly, so jump off a building) I'm pretty sure LSD also kills a pretty good whack of brain cells... although most people can spare them.

Answer 2

Unless you injure yourself somehow, the health risks are very low. The mental health issues, however, can include triggering of psychotic episodes and traumatic flashbacks (even when "off" the drug).

These things don't happen very often, so LSD has gotten the rep for being a benign drug. The folks who have experienced the side effects, however, rarely seem to think so.

Answer 3

Users of LSD may experience some physiological effects, such as:

• Increased blood pressure and heart rate
• Dizziness
• Loss of appetite
• Dry mouth
• Sweating
• Nausea
• Numbness
• Tremors

However, the drug's major effects are emotional and sensory. The user's emotions may shift rapidly through a range from terror to euphoria, with transitions so rapid that the user may seem to experience several emotions simultaneously.

Answer 4

LSD causes problems relating to social status. It does not always involve the drug itself, but the culture behind it and your relationships with your friends. A substance does not have to be harmful itself to cause problems.

Answer 5

While some users gain psychological benefits from taking LSD and other psychedelics, there are some users who have persisting negative effects on their mental health. The likelihood of these effects increases when taken in a stressful/negative environment, when taken frequently and/or in high doses, and when used irresponsibly (i.e. just looking for a 'high' without understanding the effects of the drug).

The negative psychological effects resulting from LSD use can include anxiety, paranoia, depression/despair, apathy, mania, hypomania and changes in personality. More rarely, schizophrenia-type symptoms appear, including delusions, hallucinations, etc.

While the conclusion isn't unanimous, it appears that LSD causes these psychotic effects only in users with preexisting/latent psychotic disorders. It also seems that individuals with other mental health issues such as depression, Bipolar disorder, anxiety, etc. are more likely to experience psychological harm from LSD, and thus individuals with these conditions should be very careful when using this substance and other psychedelics.

As previously noted, LSD can have beneficial effects and has also been used therapeutically to treat addiction, depression and similar mental conditions. Thus, the results may vary from person to person. However, if used recklessly and without preparation, the risk of psychological harm is greatly increased.

Answer 6

LSD is a Schedule 1 drug according to the DEA. Because it is illegal, users risk prison-time for possession of LSD.