In 1938 lysergic acid diethylamide, better known as LSD, was first developed by Dr. Albert Hofmann in Basel, Switzerland. Dr. Hofmann first discovered its effects on humans in 1943 when accidently coming in contact with the drug in the lab. LSD is known to have the ability to make humans have spiritual or mystical experiences, along with feelings of interconnection while on the drug. For this reason doctors and researchers are interested in possible potential in LSD for treating people with a variety of conditions, but primarily conditions like anxiety associated with a life threatening or terminal illness.
From the 1950’s through the early 1970’s, psychiatrists, researchers and therapists administered LSD to thousands of people to treat alcoholism as well as for depression and anxiety in people who had advanced stage cancer. In March of 2014, after a long break in LSD medical research the first LSD study was approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration. For the study, 12 patients with terminal illnesses were split into 2 groups. 1 group was given 200 micrograms of LSD and the other group only 20 micrograms which is a barely noticeable dose. Each person had 2 dosing sessions, the second being a few weeks after the first. During the dosing sessions, patients were assisted by a therapist to help them with their experience with the psychedelic’s effects.
LSD molecule
No prolonged negative effects of the drug were reported. The low-dosage group reported having worse anxiety but the group that took the higher dose reported that the drug-therapy sessions had a profound positive effect on their anxiety. This is an indication that psychedelic therapy may have potential as a medical treatment. Even in follow up sessions, it was reported that low anxiety levels were maintained. “While it is unknown from a medical standpoint what exactly happens to the brain under the effects of LSD, Doblin said the psychoactive ingredients interact with the brain’s filtering system and allow for suppressed thoughts and feelings to reveal themselves, making way for confrontation and potentially for healing” (huffingtonpost.com)
As the FDA begins to loosen restrictions on researching the therapeutic capabilities of psychedelics more and more studies will emerge. With more studies the world will be able to better understand how these substances may be able to be used for therapeutic benefits.
Sources
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/06/lsd-anxiety-study-psychotherapy-_n_4906596.html
Click to access Gasser-2014-JMND-4March14.pdf
Interesting post! I never knew much about LSD, all I can think about when I hear the name of it is when they use it in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story! However, I never knew that it could be beneficial in the field of medicine. It’s interesting that it can help with anxiety, I wonder if it helps with various others disorders, maybe like schizophrenia. It amazes me how we still find new things day and day that can be beneficial in our health, it makes me have hope that one day we will cure cancer. I did a presentation on a herbal brew made in the jungles of Amazonia Peru called ayahuasca, and it has many of the same effects on the user as LSD does. Therefore, because these Peruvian people can make this LSD-like drug naturally in the wild, it makes me wonder if it is safe to use than LSD which is made in a laboratory! It would be interesting to compare the two and their short term and long term effects on people and as well as their curing ailments!