Complications Associated with LSD

Complications Associated with Lysergic Acid Diethylamide

• Source: The Journal of the American Medical Association (Vol 181 July 14 1962)
• Authors: Sidney Cohen and Keith S. Ditman ¹Veterans Administrative Hospital at UCLA Medical Center.

Summary

After first stating that LSD is both useful and relatively harmless as a tool of psychiatry (i.e, LSD was non-addicting, and did not promote suicidal thoughts/behaviors), the authors also note at least four “undesirable” effects black-market LSD can have on a person:

1. Prolonged Psychotic Reaction – which the authors felt was due to “unskilled therapeutic management.”
2. Acting Out Behavior – some people used the LSD space as an excuse to engage in antisocial behavior (for example, one patient was tried for grand larceny two months after the LSD session. His defense? LSD had “changed his personality” to the point where he could not control himself.
3. Abuse of Euphoriant Property – here the authors note the growing concern with LSD manufacturing – and this was still only in 1962!
4. Multihabituation – this refers to people adding LSD to a smorgasbord of other illicit substantia. The authors recall a young woman who, along with her “‘beat’ friends,” would regularly indulge in hearty helpings of LSD, cannabis, peyote, heroin, barbiturates, amphetamine, and others.