Is There a Link Between LSD Use and Psychotic Episodes?
Many people take the drug to experience some of its side effects, including a sense of euphoria and hallucinations. However, sometimes LSD users may encounter more negative effects, such as delusions, paranoia, and a warped sense of time. This is known as LSD psychosis. While these adverse reactions are usually temporary, in some cases, they can last for much longer, especially in people who may have an underlying mental health condition.
Table of contents
» How Common Are Psychotic Reactions to LSD?
» Who Is Most Vulnerable to LSD-Induced Psychosis?
» What’s the Difference Between a “Bad Trip” and Psychosis?
» Can LSD Use Cause Long-Term Mental Health Issues?
» Key Takeaways on LSD Psychosis
» Resources
How Common Are Psychotic Reactions to LSD?
Psychotic effects, such as hallucinations and feeling disconnected from reality, are commonly experienced LSD side effects.
What is LSD?
LSD (Lysergic acid diethylamide) is a synthetic drug that was first developed in a laboratory in Switzerland by Albert Hofmann, who, according to an article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, first experienced its psychedelic effects in 1943.
LSD can be found in powder, liquid, tablet, or gelatin square forms. It is odorless and colorless, with a slightly bitter taste. It is typically administered orally or intravenously. Street names for LSD include:
- Acid
- Blotter Cheer
- Big D
- Blue Acid
- Boomers
- Bull’s E
- Dots
- Electric Kool-Aid
- Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds
- Mellow Yellow
- Microdots
- Purple Haze
- Sugar Cubes
- Tabs
- Window Pane
- Yellow Sunshine
According to the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), LSD is considered a Schedule 1 substance under the Controlled Substances Act, with a high potential for abuse. Other Schedule 1 substances include heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamines.
LSD is considered a hallucinogenic drug, also known as a psychedelic. This class of drugs is known for causing alterations to a person’s ability to think and understand what’s real and what’s not in the world around them.
Other types of hallucinogenic drugs include:
- 2C-B
- Ayahuasca
- DMT
- Ketamine
- MDMA (known as Molly or Ecstasy)
- Mescaline
- Peyote
- Phencyclidine
- Psilocybin or “shrooms”
According to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in 2023, about 8.8 million people ages 12 and older used a hallucinogenic drug, with the highest usage found in young adults between the ages of 18 and 25.
How Does LSD Work?
LSD affects the central nervous system, which includes the brain. When you take LSD, it connects to the serotonin receptors in certain cells of the brain.
Serotonin is a hormone that also acts as a neurotransmitter for nerve cells. Serotonin helps to regulate a variety of body functions, including:
- Appetite
- Blood clotting
- Bone health
- Digestion
- Memory
- Mood
- Sexual behavior
- Sleep
When LSD connects to the serotonin receptors in your brain, it triggers LSD’s associated hallucinations and other side effects.
What Are the Side Effects of LSD?
LSD can cause a range of both psychosis-related and physical side effects.
Psychosis-related side effects of LSD include:
- Euphoria
- Delusions
- Hallucinations, including those involving sight, vision, and touch
- Impaired judgment
- Panic
- Paranoia
- Severe anxiety
- Twisted sense of time and reality
Physical side effects of taking LSD are:
- Confusion
- Dilated pupils
- Dizziness
- Dry mouth
- Fast heart rate
- Headache
- Increased blood pressure
- Insomnia
- Nausea or vomiting
- No appetite
- Problems sleeping
- Shaking
- Sweating
Who Is Most Vulnerable to LSD-Induced Psychosis?
For most people, the hallucinations and mood changes caused by LSD are temporary. However, these effects can last much longer — and potentially become permanent — when used by people with a pre-existing mental health concern, causing LSD psychosis.
LSD-caused psychosis can also be triggered by taking the drug too frequently or at a high dosage, causing an overdose that impacts the brain.
Psychosis mental health conditions cause similar hallucinations and altered perceptions to those of LSD. Psychosis can be caused by:
- Alcohol or drug substance abuse
- Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia
- Bipolar disorder
- Brain tumors
- Epilepsy
- Hashimoto’s encephalopathy
- HIV/AIDS
- Huntington’s disease
- Lupus
- Major depressive disorder
- Malaria
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson’s disease
- Schizophrenia
- Severe stress
- Steroid and stimulant medications
- Stroke
- Syphilis
- Trauma
Other situations that may increase a person’s risk of developing LSD-caused psychosis include:
- Chronic LSD use
- Combining LSD with another substance
- Family history of a psychosis mental health condition
- Specific personality traits
- Stressful or traumatic life situations
- Using LSD at high dosages
People who meet any of these criteria are more susceptible to developing long-term LSD-caused psychosis, such as:
- Constant anxiety or depression
- Flashbacks
- Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD)
- Persistent psychosis
- Triggering of an underlying psychosis mental condition
What’s the Difference Between a “Bad Trip” and Psychosis?
When a person uses a hallucinogenic drug like LSD vs. mushrooms, they may hear them talk about having a “bad trip” when they feel an increased amount of some of the drug’s psychotic side effects, and none of the more pleasant effects. While this experience is similar to LSD psychosis, there are a few differences between them.
First, the adverse effects and feelings associated with a “bad trip” are usually temporary. With LSD-induced psychosis, these feelings can last for a long time, and even permanently.
A “bad trip” is triggered by the use of a psychedelic drug, while the drug or an underlying mental health condition causes LSD-caused psychosis. Those with LSD-induced psychosis have issues understanding what is real around them and what is not. Those on a “bad trip” usually have temporary negative feelings.
And while having a “bad trip” can be frightening, it has a very low risk of impacting a person’s daily life or leading to self-harm. Psychosis, on the other hand, can have a profound impact on a person’s life and can lead to a greater chance of self-harm. According to a study in the journal Schizophrenia Research, suicide is the leading cause of premature death in people with psychosis.
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Can LSD Use Cause Long-Term Mental Health Issues?
Yes, using LSD can lead to lifelong mental health conditions or can worsen mental health issues a person may already have.
Long-term mental health issues that LSD can cause include:
- Cognitive impairment
- Delusions
- Hallucinogen Persistent Perception Disorder (HPPD) or constant flashbacks
- Inability to understand what is real and what is not
- Memory problems
- Mood disorders
- Panic disorder
- Paranoia
- Persistent LSD psychosis
- Serotonin syndrome
- Vision issues
- Worsening of symptoms of current mental health issues
How is LSD Addiction Treated?
If a person becomes addicted to LSD, they require a combination of medical detox to remove the drug from their body and rehabilitation to learn and understand what drove them to take the drug in the first place.
Unlike other substance addictions like opioids and alcohol, LSD withdrawal symptoms are less about physical issues, such as nausea or headaches, and more about psychosis-related symptoms. This is because normal or heavy LSD use can throw off the brain’s serotonin balance, which can take some time to recover.
Common LSD withdrawal symptoms:
- Anxiety
- Body tremors
- Depression
- Flashbacks
- Irritability or anger
- Loss of appetite
- Mood swings
- Muscle pain
- Nausea
- Sleep issues
- Sweating
- Tiredness
Although LSD withdrawal can have a heavy impact on the body and brain, dying from drug withdrawal is rare.
Key Takeaways on LSD Psychosis
- LSD is a synthetic hallucinogenic drug with a high potential for abuse.
- LSD affects your brain and central nervous system, causing both psychosis-related and physical side effects.
- While most LSD side effects are temporary, certain people or situations may develop LSD psychosis, where the effects last for much longer.
- There are several differences between having an LSD “bad trip” and LSD-induced psychosis.
- LSD can cause long-term mental health issues or exacerbate symptoms of a current mental health issue.
The psychological addiction associated with LSD use can be tough to overcome. At WhiteSands Treatment, our professional staff have a great deal of experience working with people who want to overcome their LSD addiction. Our medical detox program, along with our inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, can help LSD users get on the road to recovery. And WhiteSands Treatment also provides dual diagnosis treatment for any underlying mental health conditions that may have caused the LSD use or were triggered by it.
To learn more about how WhiteSands Treatment can help you or a loved one break free from LSD addiction, call us today at 877-855-3470.
Resources
- Canadian Medical Association Journal — LSD: a new treatment emerging from the past
- U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) — LSD Drug Fact
- U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) — Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health
- Schizophrenia Research — A systematic review of suicide and suicide attempts in adolescents with psychotic disorders
If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.
About the Author
Jackie has been involved in the substance abuse and addiction treatment sector for over five years and this is something that she is truly eager about. She has a passion for writing and continuously works to create informative pieces that not only educate and inform the public about the disease of addiction but also provide solutions for those who struggle with drug and alcohol abuse.
