A Controlled Study of LSD Treatment in Alcoholism and Neurosis

Early reports suggested lysergide (LSD) helped various psychiatric conditions, but controlled studies failed to confirm a therapeutic effect. In this experiment, alcoholics and neurotics referred by Saskatoon psychiatrists for LSD treatment were randomly assigned to Treatment or Control groups. The Treatment group could receive up to five LSD sessions every two weeks, while the Control group was told therapy would be available after a twelve-month wait. Referring psychiatrists received accounts of the LSD experiences and continued standard treatment for both groups. The study aimed to test LSD's efficacy under controlled conditions.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Favourable results have been reported from the use of lysergide in a wide variety of psychiatric conditions, but controlled studies (2, 3, 4) have not confirmed the existence of a therapeutic effect. In this experiment, alcoholics and neurotics who had been referred by Saskatoon psychiatrists for LSD treatment were allocated at random to Treatment and Control groups after undergoing a series of psychological tests. The members of the Treatment group were offered up to five LSD experiences at intervals of two weeks, whereas those in the Control group were informed that this type of therapy would be made available to them after a twelve-month waiting period. Accounts of the LSD experiences were sent to the referring psychiatrists, who were expected to continue to provide standard treatment to the members of both groups.