Lsd Essay Research Paper LSD for Chemistry

Lsd Essay, Research Paper

LSD (for Chemistry Class) Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) LSD), a potent hallucinogenic drug, also called a psychedelic,first synthesized from lysergic acid in Switzerland in l038. Lysergic acidis a white odorless drug, a component of the mold of ERGOT. Ergot is aproduct of the fungus Claviceps purpurea. Th e bio-active ingredients ofergot are all derivatives of lysergic acid. LSD is a semi-syntheticderivative of lysergic acid. Thus LSD is an ergot – like substance. Thedrug evokes dreamlike changes in mood and thought and alters theperception of time and space. It can also create a feeling of lack of self-control andextreme terror. Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) also goes by names like:acid, sugar, Blotter, Sugar Cubes, Blue Unicorn, Acid, Cid, Sid, BartSimpsons, Barrels, Tabs, Blotter, Heaven ly blue, L , liquid liquid,Microdots, Mind detergent, Orange cubes, Orange micro, Owsley, WeddingBells, windowpane, etc. LSD is very potent: the effective dose is measured in micrograms(ug) — however, the lethal dose is literally thousands of times that,making the drug essentially non-toxic. LSD is non-addictive, and therehave been only a few cases of possible overdose where people ingested extremely large amounts of the drug (Alan et al.,1978; Griggs et al,. 1977). LSD can be administered a number of ways, themost common : orally though paper, sugar cubes, on a piece of gelatin, orby pill ; intravenously or intramu scularly. A standard dose withnoticeable hallucinogenic effects is about 100-200 ug. The intensity ofthe trip is proportional to the size of the dose– it is interesting tonote, though, that the duration of the trip seems to stay the same athigher dos es (Freedman, 1984). Physical effects include drowsiness,dizziness, dilated pupils, numbness and tingling, weakness, tremors, andnausea. Transient abnormal thinking induced by LSD, such as a sense ofomnipotence or a state of acute paranoia, can result in dangerousbehavior. Long-term adverse reactions such as persistent psychosis,prolonged depression, or faulty judgment have also been reported followingLSD ingestion but whether these are a direct result of ingestion isdifficult to establish. Althoug h LSD is not physiologically addicting,the drug s potent mind-altering effects can lead to chronic use. In the1960 s LSD use was widespread among people who sought to alter andintensify their physical senses; to achieve supposed insights into theunive rse, nature, and themselves; and to intensify emotional connectionswith others. The drug has been tried as a treatment for infantile autism,for alcoholism, and to accelerate psychotherapy, but no medical use hasbeen established. Non-medical use is ille gal in the U.S. The LSD experience is usually described as a trip because it islike a journey to another place. This experience may be broken up intofour different phases . THE ONSET- Thirty minutes to an hour after being taken, colors appearsharper, moving objects leave traces behind them. Repeated patterns may beseen with eyes closed. THE PLATEAU-Over the second hour, the effects become more intense.Patterns are now visible with eyes open. Fantastic visions appear fromnowhere-from shapes in smoke, to lines on the palms of the hand. THE PEAK- Time is slowed to a standstill. Trippers may feel they are in adifferent world. For some this may be profound and mystical, for others itcan be very frightening. The sense of reality is altered-people may feelfeelings of flight, or feel they can breathe underwater like a fish. THE COMEDOWN- Five or six hours after taking the drug the sensations beginto subside. After eight hours the trip is usually over, however someresidual effects may remain until sleep. The psychedelic effects of d-Lysergic Acid Diethylamide-25 (LSD)were discovered by Dr Albert Hoffman by accident in 1938 when a smallamount of the drug soaked through his fingers during a routine synthesis.He experienced an imaginative dream-like stat e for a duration of 2-3hours (Hoffman,1983). Since then a great deal of work has been doneattempting to document the health effects of LSD. In the 1950 s and1960 s, LSD was used by psychiatrists for analytic psychotherapy(controversial analysis). It w as thought that the administration of LSDcould aid the patient in releasing repressed material. It was alsosuggested that psychiatrists themselves might develop more insight intothe pathology (the study of essential nature of disease) of a diseased mind through self experimentation. During the late sixties LSD became popularas a recreational drug. While it has been suggested that recreational useof the drug has dropped, a recent report on CNN claiming that 4.4 percentof 8th graders have tried it. LSD is considered to be one of, if not the, most potent

hallucinogenic drug known. Small doses of LSD (1/2-2ug/kg body weight)result in a number of system wide effects that could be classified intosomatic, psychological, cognitive, and perceptual categ ories. Theseeffects can last between five and fourteen hours. Table 1: Effects of LSD LSD can trigger underlying mental problems and produce delusions,paranoia, and schizophrenia-like states. It can also produce extremeanxiety states or panic attacks, not only while under the influence of thedrug, but for some time after. LSD may also result in changes in thepersonality of the user. These are known as Bad Trips Bad trips are notcause of the LSD (proven through scientific testing) that