Canadian Psychiatric Association Journal
June 1, 1961
T. A. Ban, J. J. Lohrenz, H. E. Lehmann
63 citations
When Sernyl was given intravenously to 55 randomly selected mental hospital patients at 0.07 mg/kg over 7 minutes, it activated their specific psychopathology more strongly than known psychotomimetics such as LSD-25 and mescaline sulfate. The experience was intensely unpleasant and frightening, with prominent preoccupation with death and body image disturbances. Physiological, neurological, psychological, and behavioral observations were collected alongside subjective reports. The feeling of impending death was reviewed as a symptom, and the lower brain stem was suggested as a possible site of action. Sernyl did not appear to be a true psychotomimetic or schizophrenomimetic drug, though some responses resembled primary schizophrenia symptoms. It showed no particular therapeutic value at that time.
Canadian Psychiatric Association Journal
June 1, 1964
Philip O’reilly, Ann P. Funk
31 citations
Since 1959, 68 alcoholics were treated with LSD. Twenty-six patients reported sobriety during follow-up. The nature of the psychedelic experience itself appeared to be independently related to maintaining abstinence.
Canadian Psychiatric Association Journal
October 1, 1977
Elliott T. Barker, Michaela Buck
15 citations
Over five years, thirty patients in a maximum security mental hospital were treated with LSD. Three interviewing styles evolved: a medical model, a responsible street model, and a non-directive model. The interviewer's orientation significantly affected how patients perceived the LSD experience. Since no style had demonstrable merit over others, the non-directive model was deemed most reasonable. All patients reported great benefit, but no external changes were observed. Chromosomal studies showed increased breaks, but experts no longer see this as a contraindication. LSD in hospital was not seen as a factor leading to street drug use after release. Among psychopaths, one-third (6 of 18) acted out physically. With safeguards, the drug seemed safe and valuable for long-stay patients due to high morale.
Canadian Psychiatric Association Journal
August 1, 1973
Peter L. Hays, Jodie. Tilley
13 citations
Patients with LSD-induced psychoses resembling schizophrenia were compared to patients whose schizophrenia developed without drug use. Clinical features and family incidence of schizophrenia were examined. Observed differences appear to confirm the view that LSD psychoses and schizophrenic illnesses are distinct states, clinically distinguishable based on heredity, perceptual symptoms, and secondary hallucinations.
Canadian Psychiatric Association Journal
October 1, 1959
T. E. Weckowicz
3 citations
An experiment on size constancy with 18 volunteers who each took 35 micrograms of LSD found that the drug increased the variability of each individual's performance. Participants served as their own controls. The effect of LSD was an increase in the variability of performance for each person.
Canadian Psychiatric Association Journal
August 1, 1966
Robert Pos
2 citations
In 24 patients with long-standing psychiatric difficulties, LSD-25 was used as an adjunct to psychotherapy when other methods failed. Over 56 sessions totaling 119.25 hours, only 5 of 24 patients showed lasting benefit; 5 improved temporarily then relapsed, 12 showed no improvement, and 2 had insufficient follow-up. The extent of the psychedelic experience did not predict therapeutic benefit, and session outcomes could not be predicted beforehand or even in the weeks after. LSD-25 was sometimes helpful but usually unpredictable, with no increase in suicidal tendencies. Therapist insight always increased but rarely translated into patient benefit.