Dangers

LSD is non-toxic, has no known adverse physical after-effects other than fatigue and a lingering sensation of mind-expansion.

However, LSD is a powerful mental amplifier. If you are feeling depressed, anxious, sick at the world, at the quality of modern television, at rampant consumerism, at life in general, do not take LSD.

LSD's effects and your reaction to them are strongly determined by set and setting. Set is your mindset when taking the drug; setting is where you are.

The LSD effect makes you enormously sensitive to your environment. You should always be in a safe, comfortable environment, preferably with a friend you trust. The higher you fly, the safer must be the landing arrangements. Many users recommend being outside, in a beautiful setting in nature.

We cannot reinforce this enough: this is not a drug to be taken arbitrarily. We, as a matter of fact, recommend that you do not use LSD. Visit our LSD effects page to learn why. But if you are in the company of individuals using LSD or are actually planning to use yourself, be aware of these safety precautions so that your risk of becoming a statistic is lessened. Again, the best choice is not using and avoidance of those who do.

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bad trips

The most notorious peril from taking LSD is the 'bad trip' when the experience turns frightening and traumatic. You can find out more about bad trips and how to avoid them on our page here.

Of all psychedelic drugs, LSD probably has the highest potential for creating bad trips, thanks to its sheer power and the impossibility of judging the dose of street LSD. Also, LSD can bring buried and repressed unconscious material into conscious awareness. This can be traumatic and frightening if unexpected.

Most people who have experienced a bad trip do not touch the drug again. Experienced users and 'hard heads' accept bad trips as part of the territory.

dosage

Street LSD varies massively in quality. Heat, air and light all degrade LSD and there is no way of telling how much you're getting on a single blotter.

On average, today's tabs carry between 40 (low dose) and 150 micrograms of LSD (medium dose).

IMPORTANT: Always wait at least two hours before deciding the LSD is not working. The come-up period can take this long. Do not take another tab. You may well end up in a dimension not of your choosing.

don't do it alone

Tripping alone for the first time is not recommended. An experienced and trusted friend should either be your tripping partner, or should abstain and act as a sober sitter or guide to be around and help you if you get into troubled waters.

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be in a nice place

If you're going to trip, please do it in a pleasant and serene environment. No phone calls. No visitors. Be near to nature or surround yourself with attractive plants, pictures, fruit, and other such décor. Have a selection of beautiful music within reach to enhance the mood and help you relax.

If you are dosing with friends, ensure you all take the same amount, at the same time, in full view of everyone else. This will decrease any chance of paranoia and ensure you are all on the same level.

flashbacks

Flashbacks or the random reliving of an aspect of a psychedelic drug experience are often cited as a common side-effect of hallucinogenic drugs, especially LSD. Physicians now refer to this as a condition known as Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD). HPPD only appears to manifest in a small percentage of (perhaps heavy) users.

The main symptoms are persistent 'visuals': trails, geometric shapes, flashes in the peripheral vision, after-images and halos around objects. It can last for weeks, even years after taking the drug.

For more detailed information, please visit this support site.

LSD Photos

See more: Drug Photos » Hallucinogens » LSD Photos

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