Psychedelic Drugs: Risks & Effects of LSD, Mushrooms, etc.

[sean1234]

Are there any damaging side effects to these types of drugs, such as LSD, mushrooms etc? For example with LSD assuming you get a good batch, don't mix it with anything else, and go on your trip in safe place, is there any damaging side effects long and short term.

 

[sean1234]

I am looking through the internet and can't find anything other than addiction.

 

[Mk]

As long as you don't overdose, from my research it looks like you're ok. It used to be prescribed as medical drugs, until politicians got in the way and it was outlawed.

If you are using it for spiritual purposes though, its ok.

 

[sean1234]

Its interesting I have never so much as smoked a joint in my life. Today I talked with a guy who has done it over 50 times. It seems counter to everything I have learned in school and from the medical community, though I can remember the specifics from each, that basically drugs of this sort are bad. Though I can't find anything wrong with it on the internet. I am intriqued by the prospect of this and considering giving it a try.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Are there any damaging side effects to these types of drugs, such as LSD, mushrooms etc? For example with LSD assuming you get a good batch, don't mix it with anything else, and go on your trip in safe place, is there any damaging side effects long and short term.

"Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder
[Categories: Psychiatric disorders, Hallucinogens]
Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD) is a condition that develops in some people after taking certain (A substance that is used as a medicine or narcotic) drugs. People with this condition experience perceptual (usually visual) distortions even after the "trip" is over and the drug and its (Any substance involved in metabolism (either as a product of metabolism or as necessary for metabolism)) metabolites have left the body. Under some definitions it is a requirement for diagnosis that the distortions affect the person's ability to function normally.
HPPD is different from a drug-induced psychosis in that a person with HPPD is fully aware that the distortions are not real (ie does not reflect any external reality that can be experienced by other people). Still, the distortions experienced by a person with HPPD can be powerful and may provoke (A vague unpleasant emotion that is experienced in anticipation of some (usually ill-defined) misfortune) anxiety. Some patients with HPPD are troubled with feelings of (The state of having committed an offense) guilt and regret.
Cases of HPPD can be divided in two categories: The cases in which the perceptual distortions are present all the time (sometimes even when the person in question has his/her eyes closed, in the case of visual distortions) and the cases where the person experiences the distortions in the form of " (A transition (in literary or theatrical works or films) to an earlier event or scene that interrupts the normal chronological development of the story) flashbacks" of short duration once in a while.
Most case reports seem to involve (A powerful hallucinogenic drug manufactured from lysergic acid) LSD or (A state of being carried away by overwhelming emotion) Ecstasy, perhaps reflecting the relative popularity of those drugs. In some cases the person in question took the drug(s) several times without problems, with the HPPD suddenly occurring after a particular timespan. In other cases, the person reports the condition worsening with repeated use of a drug. Sometimes the drug user may initially dismiss the symptoms as "after-effects" of the trip until realizing their persistent nature. Finally, in some cases HPPD occur after taking the drug just once or a few times. HPPD may occur some time after the drug experience - in some reports, even after several months.
The mechanism underlying HPPD is not known. The disorder seems to occur only in a minority of drug users. It is not known exactly what types of drug may cause it, or if the disorder is related to the presence of contaminants in the drugs taken."

http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/encyclopedia/h/ha/hallucinogen_persisting_perception_disorder.htm

 

[zoobyshoe]

http://www.stormloader.com/hppd/

 

[matthyaouw]

Its interesting I have never so much as smoked a joint in my life. Today I talked with a guy who has done it over 50 times. It seems counter to everything I have learned in school and from the medical community, though I can remember the specifics from each, that basically drugs of this sort are bad. Though I can't find anything wrong with it on the internet. I am intriqued by the prospect of this and considering giving it a try.

50 times over how long? The long term effects of cannabis are not yet fully understood, but some links have been made with psychosis.
Over the medium-short term, I've seen people who are occasional users develop no side effects that I've noticed, but I've also seen a number of people really mess their lives up with it.

 

[MaxS]

Are there any damaging side effects to these types of drugs, such as LSD, mushrooms etc? For example with LSD assuming you get a good batch, don't mix it with anything else, and go on your trip in safe place, is there any damaging side effects long and short term.

The ONLY hallucinogenic PROVEN to cause brain damage is dextromethorphan, or DXM (the active ingredient in robitussin and coricedin).

If used OFTEN and in HIGH DOSES it can cause a medical condition called Olney's Lesions, which are basically microscopic holes in the brain.

Information on other hallucinogens is purely speculative, and for that matter DXM can still be safe (that is, not cause brain damage) if used responsibly.

Why would people use DXM, you ask, when its known to do this? Because it is also known for regularly producing amazing other worldly experiences at high doses, an effect that acid is hyped for, evne though it occurs very rarely with acid.

 

[MaxS]

Its interesting I have never so much as smoked a joint in my life. Today I talked with a guy who has done it over 50 times. It seems counter to everything I have learned in school and from the medical community, though I can remember the specifics from each, that basically drugs of this sort are bad. Though I can't find anything wrong with it on the internet. I am intriqued by the prospect of this and considering giving it a try.

As a general rule, ANY TIME you try a new substance, start with a VERY SMALL dose, one well below that expected to produce effects. This is to make sure you don't have any allergies or other adverse effects; since I was talking about DXM earlier here is an example:

Some people lack a specific enzyme to properly metabolize DXM; DXM when not metabolized produces schizophrenic breaks and general psychosis (while it is still in the system) - needless to say this produces rather hellish effects for the unfortunate few lacking this enzyme. Taking a "test dose" first would alert you to this sort of problem without having to learn it the hard way.

 

[Mk]

How bad can addiction to marijuana be?

 

[zoobyshoe]

Every individual is different and has a different sensitivity to any drug, including prescription medications. LSD can, and will, devestate a person with any tendency to mental illness. There is no way to test for such a tendency.
(The only known risk factor is if you have mental illness in your family.)

I know three different people who will spend the rest of their lives hearing strange and sometimes abusive disembodied voices talking to them all the time because of a period of LSD use. It is an exceptionally cruel and severe way to find out you can't handle this drug. I don't advise anyone to take it.

 

[MaxS]

How bad can addiction to marijuana be?

Depends on what kind of person you are; ask yourself this question: Are you or have you ever been addicted to coffee?

Marijuana is mentally addicting, not physically. That means you're not going to go through some sort of withdrawl process if you stop using MJ. Furthermore, you're not going to physically crave the drug as you would with something like Heroin.

Instead, its more like a food craving, but even that example might be too strong.

Its like rushing through your homework because you want to hurry up and go out with your friends, follow?

Mentally addicting, not physically addicting. Just like coffee.

 

[El Hombre Invisible]

The "say no to drugs" philosophy lacks the necessary crowbar separation between the kinds of drugs referred to by Zooby (LSD, opiates, ecstasy) and the (as far as I can tell) harmless recreational drugs like cannabis and mushrooms. While you'll have no trouble finding articles relating cannabis use to mental disorders, there are unresolved issues of causality in those arguments.

LSD has many horror stories, such as suffering flashbacks years after a one-off trip to completely altering your personality. E similarly has many horror stories, from people dehydrating to death to pills containing myriad substances the user was unaware of, such as cocaine and ketamine. Without wanting to be a hypocrite, I'd advise you stay clear of any such manufactured inorganic drug, or anything easily metabolised (any morphine-based drug) since the chances of addiction are high. Having said that, I know of no long-term dangerous side-effects of occassional speed usage, which is surely one of the funniest of drugs.

But cannabis and mushrooms... I say fill your boots. 50 spliffs in one lifetime is nothing, seriously (I have a friend who smokes more than that a month). However, to echo an above poster, if you do try cannabis, take it easy the first few times. When you're high - stop! Whiteying is a painful, horrible experience - you basically puke until your entire stomach aches and your head feels like it will explode. It only happens once, as far as I can tell, but it's enough to put you off for good. Also don't drink and smoke until you're used to it. I know of no similar side-effects of mushrooms, but why people put them in tea is a mystery - it's utterly disgusting. Eat them dry on a sandwich - less flavour, more potency.

 

[Smurf]

My two cents:

Anything synthetic like LSD is still synthetic and thus, not good for you, but that's relatively negligible compared to the chemicals in your average dish soap.

Personally I would stick to natural hallucinagenics. Which is easy for me to say, being in BC and all. They'll be popping up in my backyard come spring.

 

[El Hombre Invisible]

How bad can addiction to marijuana be?

I know of no withdrawal symptoms after any period of marijuana usage. You have to make a distinction between metabolically addictive drugs, such as heroin and nicotine, and habitual usage. You can get addicted to sex, food, adrenaline, whatever, but that's using the word 'addiction' in a very different way. If you smoked a joint five times a day for a year then stopped, you will suffer nicotine withdrawal from the tobacco used in the joints. You will NOT suffer cannabis withdrawal - this is a myth perpetuated by people who've probably never even smoked it. You may REALLY, REALLY WANT a spliff, in the same way you might really, really want a chocolate bar, but that's as far as it goes. Honestly.

 

[El Hombre Invisible]

Mentally addicting, not physically addicting. Just like coffee.

No, coffee is "physically" addictive. A caffeine addict will suffer a range of withdrawal symptoms including headaches, mood swings, nausea and stress, and very little regular intake of caffeine is required to form an addiction (a cup or two a day may suffice).

 

[Evo]

No, coffee is "physically" addictive. A caffeine addict will suffer a range of withdrawal symptoms including headaches, mood swings, nausea and stress, and very little regular intake of caffeine is required to form an addiction (a cup or two a day may suffice).

Not everyone has physical side affects from coffee/caffeine. I'm one of those people not affected.

 

[Anttech]

How bad can addiction to marijuana be?

Better than Alchohol. You don't get physically dependent on Marajuana, the same as you don't with LSD.

Every individual is different and has a different sensitivity to any drug, including prescription medications. LSD can, and will, devestate a person with any tendency to mental illness. There is no way to test for such a tendency.
(The only known risk factor is if you have mental illness in your family.)

I know three different people who will spend the rest of their lives hearing strange and sometimes abusive disembodied voices talking to them all the time because of a period of LSD use. It is an exceptionally cruel and severe way to find out you can't handle this drug. I don't advise anyone to take it.

Have to aggree with zoobyshoe, who by the sounds of things knows what he is talking about.. LSD is a wild drug not to be toyed with, but who am I to say, everyone is effected differently, and I wouldn't recommend or not recommend anyone to take it...

Freedom of choice, you pays your money and takes your chance

 

[El Hombre Invisible]

Not everyone has physical side affects from coffee/caffeine. I'm one of those people not affected.

I think you misunderstood. If you are a caffeine addict, you will almost certainly suffer withdrawal symptoms once deprived. However, drinking coffee does not necessarily make you a caffeine addict. Lots of factors determine how easily caffeine is metabolised, size and weight being the obvious. Also, women who are or have been pregnant or who are taking contraceptive pills have more difficulty metabolising caffeine.

I think the reason why people don't consider coffee a metabolically addictive drug is because: a) the withdrawal symptoms are comparatively minor (migraine-level headaches at worst in most cases); and b) the worst side-effects are not automatically associated with caffeine - most people would not drink coffee to cure a headache, and yet many brands of paracetamol contain caffeine now (usually named paracetamol plus, or some such). Nonetheless, it is addictive and, if addicted, you will cold turkey!

EDIT: further to this, the most common withdrawal symptoms are headaches and (duh) tiredness. Most people probably wouldn't know they were suffering from caffeine withdrawal.

 

[El Hombre Invisible]

Have to aggree with zoobyshoe, who by the sounds of things knows what he is talking about.. LSD is a wild drug not to be toyed with, but who am I to say, everyone is effected differently, and I wouldn't recommend or not recommend anyone to take it...

Freedom of choice, you pays your money and takes your chance

Name your poison? I for one have taken LSD a number of times and it has had no effect on- AAAARRRGGGHHHH! A MONSTER, A MONSTER!

 

[russ_watters]

...assuming you get a good batch...

You do understand that that is an enormous assumption, though, right?

 

[Anttech]

Name your poison? I for one have taken LSD a number of times and it has had no effect on- AAAARRRGGGHHHH! A MONSTER, A MONSTER!

hehe... some rolling stones ;-) cause they gather no mose

 

[El Hombre Invisible]

No its not, just don't buy off the street. By it from someone you know, when you know where its coming from.

Obviously with something like coke or x that would be pretty much impossible though, but when you're talking about natural plant substances, its not so hard to do.

True. There's a huge difference between scoring pills at a festival or off some random peddler on the street and scoring them off a regular dealer, even if it isn't someone you know otherwise. Not only are you not ripped off as much, but you're more likely to know what you're getting - dealers aren't keen on depleting their client base by flogging dodgy pills.

 

[Evo]

Ok, this thread is NOT to discuss how to do drugs.

 

[hypnagogue]

erowid.org is an excellent source of information about various drugs, their psychological and health effects, things to take into account before trying a given substance, etc. Of course, most psychoactive drugs are illegal in most parts of the world, but if you choose to try one out anyway, please refer to erowid first in the interest of your own physical and mental health.