medical benefits of lsd : Risks, benefits, and more
- What are they?
- Types
- medical benefits of lsd
- Risks
- Summary
medical benefits of lsd , Psychedelics are a group of psychoactive drugs that can induce hallucinations and feelings of euphoria. Although some research suggests they can treat certain mental health conditions, they can cause dependence and be dangerous if misused.
Some cultures use psychedelics for religious and spiritual practices. People also use psychedelics for recreational purposes, although many psychedelic substances are controlled and illegal in the United States.
Emerging evidence suggests that certain psychedelics may have medicinal benefits for a range of health conditions, particularly common mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.
This article discusses the characteristics, potential medical benefits of lsd , and risks of psychedelics.
What are they? (medical benefits of lsd )
Psychedelics are also known as hallucinogens because taking them can result in hallucinations. Hallucinations are sensory experiences that cause a person to see, hear, smell, taste, or feel things that are not really there. Someone who takes psychedelics may experience changes in their awareness of their thoughts and surroundings.
Some psychedelics come from plants or mushrooms (often referred to as “magic mushrooms”), while others are synthetic and manufactured by humans.
Types of psychedelics and medical benefits of lsd
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), there are two main types of psychedelics: classic hallucinogens and dissociative drugs.
Classic hallucinogens
Classic hallucinogens include substances such as:
IS LSD (D-lysergic acid diethylamide)
LSD is a potent mind-altering chemical that is clear or white in color and has no smell. It is made from lysergic acid, which is found in a fungus that grows on grains.
Psilocybin (4-phosphoryloxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine)
Psilocybin is the main active ingredient in “magic mushrooms,” which include a wide range of mushrooms found in tropical and subtropical regions of UK
Peyote (mescaline)
Peyote is a small cactus native to Mexico and southern regions of the UK It can also be synthetic.
It is used in some Native UK religious ceremonies, but the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) restricts it as a Schedule I substance. It contains mescaline, which can cause hallucinations, altered body image, and euphoria.
DMT (N,N-dimethyltryptamine)
DMT is a powerful chemical present
in certain plant groups, including Phalaris, Delosperma, Acacia, Mimosa, and in the leaves of citrus plants. People can make a tea called ayahuasca, which is also known as hoasca, aya, or yagé, from the natural plant version.
There is also a synthetic version of DMT, which is a white powder that people can smoke.
251-NBOMe
251-NBOMe is a synthetic substance originally developed by neuroscience researchers. It has similar qualities to LSD and MDMA. MDMA stands for 3,4-Methyl enedioxy methamphetamine, and is a recreational psychoactive drug. However, 251-NBOMe is more powerful than LSD and MDMA. lsd for depression clinical trials
Dissociative drugs
Dissociative drugs include substances such as:
PCP (Phencyclidine)
Surgeons used PCP in the 1950s as a general anesthetic, but manufacturers stopped producing it due to its serious side effects, which included postoperative delirium and hallucinations. At high doses, PCP can cause seizures, severe muscle contractions, violent or aggressive behavior, and symptoms of psychosis.
At lower doses, PCP can cause feelings of detachment from a person’s surroundings and self, slurred speech, and loss of coordination. It is also a strong pain reliever.
The effects of PCP can develop within 2–5 minutes after smoking, and 30–60 minutes after swallowing. Some people experience these effects for 4–8 hours. lsd treatment for anxiety
It is an illegal, schedule II controlled drug. Its street names include:
- angel dust
- hog
- ozone
- rocket fuel
- wack
- crystal
- embalming fluid
A person can consume PCP by smoking, snorting, or swallowing the drug. It comes in powder, crystal, tablet, capsules, and liquid forms, with powder and liquid PCP being the most commonly sold forms. psychedelic drugs medicinal uses
Ketamine
Doctors and veterinarians use ketamine as an anesthetic for humans and animals undergoing surgery.
According to the DEA, most of the illegally-distributed ketamine is stolen from veterinary surgeries. It is often sold at parties, nightclubs, and raves. It is manufactured commercially as a liquid or powder. Liquid ketamine can be mixed into drinks. Powder ketamine can be smoked and snorted.
A person who takes ketamine may experience distortions to sights and sounds, feelings of dissociation, and a sense of calm. It also relieves pain.
It is also used to facilitate sexual assault and is also known as a date rape drug.
Its effects can last for 30–60 minutes.
Its street names include:
- cat tranquilizer
- cat valium
- jet k
- kit kat
- purple
- special K
- special la coke
- super acid
- super K
- vitamin K
Dextromethorphan (DXM)
DXM is found in a wide range of over-the-counter cold and cough medicines, such as syrups, tablets, and gel capsules. It is a cough suppressor that does not tend to cause side effects. psychedelics for depression and anxiety
It is not an illegal or controlled substance because it is used to treat health conditions. When taken as a treatment for a cough, a typical dose for adults is between 15–30 milligrams (mg), three to four times a day.
However, some people misuse DXM to achieve the feelings of euphoria it creates when taken in doses of 250–1,500 mg — much higher than the therapeutic range.
When a person takes DXM at these higher doses, it can have hallucinatory effects. It can also cause confusion, inappropriate laughter, agitation, paranoia, and a feeling of floating.
Salvia (Salvia divinorum)
Salvia is a plant native to Mexico.
Its common street names are Maria Pastora, sally-D, and salvia.
People can smoke, chew, or vaporize Salvia, and its effects can come on quickly.
Some effects can include seeing bright lights and colors, shapes, and visual distortions of bodies or objects. It can also cause feelings of panic, fear, and paranoia, as well as hallucinations and uncontrollable laughter.
According to the DEA, Salvia is not a controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act, although some U.S. states do control it. lsd for depression and anxiety
medical benefits of lsd
have found a range of possible medical benefits of psychedelics, including:
- chronic pain
- cluster headache
- post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- mood disorders
- substance use disorders
- psychological distress linked to life threatening illness
Anxiety and depression (medical benefits of lsd )
An animal study published in Neuropsychopharmacology
in 2022 suggests that repeat doses of LSD over time can help to reduce stress-related anxiety and depression symptoms.
In terms of LSD’s effects on humans, a 2018 study in Psychopharmacology
found that people taking medical benefits of lsd in conjunction with having psychotherapy sessions reported increased feelings of happiness, trust, and empathy, resulting in positive social effects and altruism.
Furthermore, in 2019, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved a drug closely related to ketamine, called esketamine, for treating severe depression in people for whom other treatments don’t work.
Psilocybin may also be helpful in the treatment of depression and anxiety when these mental health conditions are specifically linked to life threatening diseases, according to a 2020 systematic review and meta-analyses of clinical trials in Biomedicines
.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
into the therapeutic effects of psilocybin stated that more research is needed to confirm whether this particular psychedelic can benefit OCD after a small, 2009 study
stated it decreased OCD symptoms in all of its study participants.
The 2017 study stated that participants experienced reductions in their symptoms regardless of the dose they took and questioned whether the results were influenced by a placebo effect.
Migraine and cluster headaches
, researchers explored how alternative treatments, including psychedelics, could help people with migraine and cluster headaches. People using these substances for this purpose reported that psilocybin, LSD, and related psychedelics worked to prevent and treat cluster headaches and migraine.
Substance use disorders
carried out early phase studies investigating the effectiveness of classic psychedelics, but then discontinued their work. However, the evidence available from that time suggests that classic hallucinogens can be effective therapies, especially in the case of treating alcoholism with LSD.medical benefits of lsd
Additionally, the authors of a 2020 systematic review found evidence to further support this therapeutic use.
This research presents encouraging evidence for the use of psychedelics in the treatment of a range of health conditions. However, researchers need to carry out more, and larger, well-designed clinical trials to help medical regulatory agencies decide whether to authorize psychedelics as medical benefits of lsd .
Risks and dangers
People who use psychedelics may experience one or several of a range of side effects, which range from moderate to severe. Along with the altered perception of reality that comes with hallucinations, which may be frightening to experience, short-term side effects of psychedelics can include paranoia and psychosis.
Psychedelic-induced psychosis can also persist in some people. These individuals can experience ongoing mental health issues, such as paranoia, altered mood, and visual disturbances.
Other people may experience a type of flashback known as Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD). The flashbacks can happen between a few days to over a year after the person took the psychedelics. People have sometimes mistaken the associated symptoms for a stroke or brain tumor.
In the most serious of cases, the long-term effects of using dissociative drugs, in particular, may include suicidal thoughts.
Summary of medical benefits of lsd
medical benefits of lsd come in two main categories: classic hallucinogens and dissociative drugs. Emerging research suggests a range of potential therapeutic uses for psychedelics, from treating anxiety and depression to reducing the symptoms of OCD.
However, scientists need to carry out more clinical studies to investigate how effective psychedelics are for health conditions and the safety and long-term effects of psychedelics. medical benefits of lsd