Progression of Effects of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide [LSD]

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD-25) consistently produces physical symptoms such as tremor, nausea, dilated pupils, perspiration, and blood pressure changes, but its mental effects vary widely across studies. Some researchers report increased activity, emotional expression, and psychopathology with brief confusion and occasional visual hallucinations, while others emphasize the reliving of repressed personal experiences due to nonselective disturbance of the unconscious. One clinical psychological study found the mood to be one of aggrandizement.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Introduction Since the Swiss chemist Hoffman, on April 16, 1943, accidentally discovered the mental effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD-25), a great many experiments with the drug have been reported in various journals. Observations show most agreement in the area of physical subjective symptoms and unreality and least agreement in changes of mood and behavior. Tremor, nausea, dilation of pupils, perspiration, and changes in blood pressure have been consistently found. The observed mental effects have been more at variance. Busch and Johnson,1interested in LSD-25 as a possible therapeutic agent, have found it to cause increased activity, exhibition of emotion, and expression of psychopathology, with only short periods of confusion and occasional visual hallucinations. Similarly, Sandison, Spencer, and Whitelaw2emphasize reliving of repressed personal experiences resulting from nonselective disturbance of the unconscious. Savage,3in a clinical psychological study, has found the mood to be one of aggrandizement,