Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) in the Treatment of Alcoholism.
Archives of General Psychiatry – October 01, 1968
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
LSD's potential in medicine is underscored by its ability to induce profound mental changes at doses as low as 50 micrograms. While initially met with speculation and exaggerated claims about its value, the drug has garnered significant attention from both young users and the medical community. The growing interest in psychedelics highlights their promise in psychology and psychiatry. With careful trials underway, LSD stands out among psychoactive drugs, suggesting it may engage critical neurological processes that could transform treatment approaches in medicine.
Abstract
The history of the use of LSD in medicine follows the usual pattern for a new drug: first, speculation on its use and mechanisms following preliminary browsing research; second, exaggerated claims about its value; and third, carefully controlled trials. This book is the first in what will undoubtedly be a long list of reports on the latter category. It is important for its virtues as well as for its deficiencies. LSD would be just another in the list of psychoactive drugs which show promise of usefulness if it were not for two factors. The first is that it has been taken up by young drug users for its "psychedelic" effects and has received enormous popular publicity. The second is that one cannot help being convinced that a drug which can produce such profound mental changes in such tiny doses (<50μg) is probably touching the core of some vital neurological process