A Review of LSD Treatment in Alcoholism
International Pharmacopsychiatry – January 01, 1971
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
LSD's potential to treat alcoholism shows mixed results across 31 investigations involving 1,105 patients. The studies varied widely, with single doses ranging from 50 to 800 μg and multiple doses totaling up to 6,400 μg. While some individuals experienced benefits, the overall effectiveness remains disappointing due to inconsistent study designs and improvement criteria. Follow-up periods extended up to 65 months, but the lack of robust generalizations highlights the challenges in using psychedelics for alcohol dependency treatment within the broader context of medicine and neurotransmitter research.
Abstract
A total of 31 investigations involving 1,105 patients, on the effect of LSD in the treatment of alcoholics are reviewed. There were 13 single large-dose studies without controls, 5 such studies with controls, 4 studies of multiple low-dose LSD without controls, 3 multiple low-dose studies with controls, and 6 miscellaneous investigations that did not fit any of these categories. Single doses ranged between 50 and 800 μg, while multiple doses ranged (per single dose) from 25 to 800 μg, with a total maximum dose of 100-6,400 μg (maximum of 6 doses). Follow-up ranged from none to 65 months. The overall effectiveness of this controversial treatment of alcoholics remains disappointing. It was difficult to reach meaningful generalizations from the variety of published investigations with different designs and variant criteria for improvement.