Many people seek to elevate one’s consciousness to greater heights and experience a distorted reality, but the unfortunate fact is that most try to reach cloud nine using psychedelic drugs. Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) takes the cake in the hallucinogen drugs category for being the most potent substance that can alter the mind in more ways than one.
How Long Do Acid Trips Last?
LSD is a kind of hallucinogen that binds to the receptors in the brain, that’s why users often find themselves strapped in for a long burn. Think of it as LSD molecules hijacking the brain’s receptors, that’s why the effects can last anywhere from six to twelve hours.
The intensity of the high, on the other hand, varies depending on the individual’s tolerance, genetic make-up, weight, age, stomach pH, and dosage. LSD can lead the mind to a slow rise, reaching a euphoric peak within twenty minutes to two hours. Beyond that mark, users may experience several “out of body” sensations with accompanying delusions and distortions.
Keep in mind that even when the disturbing and disorienting effects fade within 12 hours, your body’s system may need 24 hours before it can fully return to its normal state. In a drug test, LSD can be detected in the urine between two to four days since the last use, 6-12 hours in a blood test, and a whopping 90 days in a hair test.
What Is LSD?
Also known as acid as a catch-all term, LSD is a psychotropic hallucinogen that warps the mind process whether the high takes on the turn for the worse or better. It works similarly to magic mushrooms, though it lasts longer and is partly derived from a fungus that typically grows on either rye or other grains.
Wherever the drug takes your consciousness, it reels in a series of auditory and visual distortions where one’s sense of time, space, and awareness are on haywire. LSD can procure these mind-bending effects by binding serotonin receptors and burrowing into the “receptor pockets.”
This action then triggers the receptor to release amino acids, trapping the LSD molecules in place and resulting in a long-lasting high. While the molecules interact with the brain, the substance itself is absorbed in the digestive tract. Since stomach acids break down food better, taking citrus drinks like lemon juice with LSD can speed up the absorption rate and bring forth a more powerful high.
What Are the Different Forms of Acid?
LSD is generally a colorless, odorless liquid that is typically dropped into absorbent, quirky-looking paper squares known as a blotter. The dosages are divided equally into several tabs, wherein dropping one tab is enough to push the mind into a pervasive state for hours.
LSD can be consumed in doses ranging from one to three micrograms for every kilogram of body weight. Aside from blotter papers cut into small units, LSD can also come in the form of thin squares of gelatin, tablet forms, capsules, sugar cubes, or even in its pure, liquid form.
What Are the Side Effects of Taking Acid?
When describing acid trips, people often compare it to riding a roller coaster filled with twists, turns, and a kaleidoscopic experience that leaves the person in a rush. Breaking through the bubbling panic tends to result in a spiritual experience that strips people’s self-importance, leading to what acid users would call an “ego death.”
It brings the mind into a cerebral flight to cloud nine before plummeting to the ground, but the state in between can influence whether the high will take on a good or bad trip. A positive trip will put the user in a disorienting dreamscape, while a bad trip feels like a waking nightmare. Either way, taking LSD will result in the following side effects:
Exploring the Physical Side Effects of LSD
- Dilated pupils
- Higher or lower body temperature
- Sweating, chills, or goosebumps
- Loss of appetite
- Sleeplessness
- Dry mouth
- Tremors
Exploring the Mental Side Effects of LSD
- Sensory enhancement
- Delusions
- Alienation
- Visual hallucinations
- Dissociation
- Anxiety
- Impaired depth perception, including time, size, shape, movement, color, sounds, touch, and even an individual’s understanding of their body image
- Panic attacks
- Flashbacks
- Depression
- Euphoria
- Sensory distortion
- Dizziness
Whether it’s a good or a bad trip, it’s important to note that LSD will always disconnect users from reality, which is what makes the drug dangerous in its own right. Physically speaking, users may experience clammy hands, excessive sweating, nausea, and feeling cold or hot simultaneously throughout different stages of the high. This can be an uncomfortable experience for many and can push one to spiral into a bad trip.
The Bottom Line: Understanding the Risks and Dangers of Taking Acid
LSD is rising in popularity as more people recognize its ability to unlock challenging concepts, which secures its place in the healthcare industry for showing potential as a therapeutic aid. While it’s true that LSD is generally safe when taken at standard doses and is non-toxic, keep in mind that many people cannot handle psychedelic episodes.
There are little-to-no fatal effects when consuming LSD, but the hallucinogenic experience is often enough to leave the mind reeling in distress. With an impaired state of mind and an inability to make sound judgments, users are more vulnerable to physical injury, anxiety, or depression.
The unpredictability of the effects makes it even riskier to take, plus it can be easy to grow an addiction since LSD can build tolerance as quickly as a day. When tapering off the growing dependence on acid, it’s best to seek therapy to help you let go of your unhealthy habits surrounded by supportive people.
