LSD or “acid” is made in the laboratory and comes from a fungus that grows on rye grains and is called ergot. It comes in different forms such as white powder, liquid solution, tablet form and sometimes the LSD solution is injected into blotting paper with cartoon characters printed on them.
It is an Hallucinogen that makes the individual experience auditory and visual hallucinations.
Also known as Lysergic Acid Diethylamide
Street names: Acid, Candy, Caps, Sunshine, Microdots, Strawberries, Smarties
What happens to you once you take LSD?
The changes that your mind and body experience once you have ‘popped a cap of acid’ are known as ‘tripping’.
Physical changes?
These changes happen within 30-40 minutes of taking acid. This may change according to how much you take.
How it affects the body:
- Heart beats faster
- Blood pressure rises
- Flushing of the skin
- Trembling
- Red eyes
- Vomiting (sometimes)
- Walking unsteadily (sometimes)
How it changes the way you feel:
- A sense of great euphoria (extreme happiness)
- You may feel anxious, desperate or angry
How it changes the way you experience the outside world:
- You may feel as if you are outside your body
- You may experience sensory changes, for example you may smell colours and see sounds
- You will hallucinate (seeing and hearing things that are not true/real) e.g. Fixed objects like trees or walls may move or take on bizarre colours, shapes and patterns
- Some people feel they can do anything as if they have supernatural powers (e.g. That they can fly or walk on water)
What is a ‘Bad Trip’?
Sometimes when people take acid, things go wrong. This is called a ‘bad trip’.
What does a bad trip feel like?
- There is an overwhelming feeling of anxiety or panic. This may last up to 24 hours.
- It is said that the bad trips depend on the mental state of the user before taking acid and also the environment in which s/he takes it.
Bad trips cannot be predicted or prevented. There is no way of knowing who will have a bad trip or when it will happen, even if you have had “good” trips in the past
What are flashbacks?
- Sometimes after you take acid you can re-experience the same feelings and sensations again, months later without taking LSD again.
- These “flashbacks” come on suddenly and may be brought on by the use of other drugs like dagga.
- “Flashbacks” can also occur even if you are not doing drugs. They may, for example, come on suddenly while driving.
What happens when you STOP using?
- Nausea
- Depression
- Aggression
- Fatigue
- Anxiety
- Cravings for the drug
- Stomach cramps
- Back pain
- Drowsiness
- Increased appetite
- Dizziness
- Dry mouth
- Memory loss
- Shortness of breath
- Panic attacks
- Sweating
- Insomnia