Warning Signs of LSD

LSD effects can be unpredictable. How each person reacts to the drug is very different. It can depend on the persons personality, the location where the drug was taken, the persons weight and how much of the drug was taken in. In most cases however, the drug takes effect in 30 to 90 minutes.

With LSD drug use there are not as many physical indicators as there are sensory indicators. The emotions of the user may change suddenly and be very drastic. They may feel more than one emotion at once so strongly that they are overwhelmed with emotions. Because of how LSD effects the brain users have claimed to "hear colors" or "see sounds". This can cause extreme panic or anxiousness in the user because these are not senses that normally occur.

With the sensory indicators there can be physical indicators such as numbness, shaking, weakness, quick reflexes, increased heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and impaired motor skills as well as dilated pupils. In some cases there will be vomiting, nausea, and possibly seizures. The most common outward physical sign is laughter, sometimes uncontrollable.

Users of LSD experience hallucinations and lose track of time, space and reason. The effects of these things can last for up to 12 hours. Most users will say that it is not all positive which may be why many LSD users stop using the drug on their own. They come to the realization that the negative effects of how the drug makes them feel are not worth going for. LSD is one drug that while there can be an addiction to the sensations, there is not a chemical dependency. Regardless, any drug abuse has long term effects that warrant getting the user help immediately. Drug rehabilitation centers are the right place for anyone trying to overcome drug use.

LSD Treatment

LSD is one of the most mood altering substances today. It creates hallucinations which lead to LSD addiction. Just like all drug addictions it is important to see the signs of drug use and get drug treatment as soon as possible.

It is important to understand that no one is a lost cause. No matter how deep into addiction someone may seem you still need to help them by getting them to a drug rehabilitation center as fast as possible. There is always hope for addicts and they need to know that someone cares. They also need proper treatment physically, emotionally and mentally.

Some LSD users will quit voluntarily after a period of time. The flashbacks and other negative side effects make it so that users get turned off to the drug. LSD is not known to create the chemical dependency that other drugs such as cocaine can produce. The problem is that users build a tolerance to LSD and need higher and higher dosages to produce the same feeling. This is scary because while the mind may be having a similar response to the drug, the body is feeling the full effect of the larger dose. A user may be addicted to the feelings that the drug gives them but there is no chemical dependency.

LSD treatment is like other drug abuse treatments. Some may opt for shorter term treatment whether it is residential or out patient. The goal is the same for all addicts, to remain abstinent in their every day life. Some treatment programs may use psychotherapy as well as medication therapy. The needs of the patient are assessed and a treatment team usually puts a plan in place to best meet the needs of the individual patient.

LSD Names

LSD has many names. For parents it is vital to know all the different names that a drug may have. This will help you to pick up on any talk that you may hear from your child. If you keep up on the "street" talk aspect of things you may pick up on the fact that your child is using drugs. Early intervention is key so anything a parent can do to stay in touch with what is going on with kids in the world today will just better able you to help your children.

Here are the names commonly used for LSD:

* acid
* boomers
* yellow sunshine

Street names for LSD include but are not limited to:

* back breaker
* battery acid
* doses
* dots
* Elvis
* looney toons
* Lucy in the sky with diamonds
* pane
* Superman
* window pane
* Zen
* big d
* blue acid
* lime acid
* L

Parents will be glad that they know the names of these should there child become a user. If you hear these key terms you may be able to decode the drug language and know what the teen or child is talking about. It is important to have an understanding of drug abuse and addiction. Most importantly is that once you know there is a problem to not wait any amount of time before getting the necessary help. There are many good drug treatment programs available for children, teens and adults. Shop around but be quick and decisive so that you can get your loved one the help they need to start on the road to recovery.

LSD History

In this post we will discuss the history of LSD and why it is so important for users of this drug to get the drug treatment that they need.

LSD (otherwise known as acid, blue acid, acid cube, and other names) was first synthesized by swiss scientist Dr. Albert Hofmann at a lab in Switzerland. This discovery was made in 1938. Hofmann was experimenting with ergot alkaloid derivatives (for medicinal use)when the discovery was made. After much mixing of different chemicals what we know as LSD was founded and in 1947 it started being marketed. The drug name at that time was Delysid. A year later it presented in the United States.

The lab (Sandoz Laboratories) where LSD was found marketed the drug as a basic cure all for psychiatric problems. Around 1950 many studies came into play and over 1,000 scientific papers were written about LSD. For quite a while everyone thought this was a wonder drug and then as further data presented itself the scientific community became alarmed and it was not prescribed to patients.

In the 1960's and 1970's LSD was the preferred psychedelic drug. The use was wide spread. When users started having effects of LSD like "flashbacks" the drug lost a lot of it's luster. In the 1980's funding came to a halt for scientific research on the drug.

LSD Statistics

As with all drugs it is important to be informed about the drug being used, drug statistics, and effects as well as warning signs of use so that should you have a loved one that needs help you can get the resources you need.

According to LSD history, LSD was actually developed in 1938 for legitimate use. It was made as a Schedule 1 drug. Schedule 1 drugs are highly addictive and have no medical use. These are not sold in pharmacies. The use of the drug was intended for very rare use, possibly as infrequently as once or twice per year.

LSD is known for it's effect on the mind. Even for people that have only used the drug once there can be "flashback" episodes in some but not all users. These flashbacks are more common in people under stress.

LSD has a wide variety of forms: tablets, capsules, gelatin shapes, liquid, on sugar cubes, or absorbent paper. It is widely abused in arenas such as nightclubs, raves and concerts. Street names for LSD include names such as acid, big D, blue acid, Cid, L, lime acid and LSD.

A 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health and the Monitoring the Future Survey from 2005 let us know that the widest use of the drug is among the 18-25 age group. Although use is on the rise in 8th and 10th grade. According to LSD statistics, LSD usage trends seem to have upward and downward trends from year to year.

LSD can be found in specialized urine drug tests for 24 to 36 hours after a dose of 200 to 400 mg. A typical dose is much less than this making it much harder to detect.

Your Brain and Cocaine

In follow up with the last post on Signs of a Cocaine Overdose, I felt we should also cover some of the effects that can come with cocaine overdose. If a cocaine overdose occurs, the user may need immediate medical attention. Call for immediate help if these signs are apparent:

• Intense pain in the chest area.
• Profuse amount of sweating.
• Rapid breathing, or difficulty breathing.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Extremely rapid pulse.
• Signs of hallucination.

If you experience any of these symptoms, or witness someone else experiencing any of these symptoms, do not take any chances, and get them medical attention right away.

Now I would like to switch gears, just a bit, and discuss how cocaine affects the brain.
Scientists have done many studies on the effects of cocaine use on the brain, most of them in hopes of discovering why cocaine is so addictive and so difficult to stop using once you start.

There is a section of the brain that allows people to feel pleasure and euphoria. When the body experiences something that produces pleasure a chemical, known as dopamine, is released into this section of the brain. Normally the dopamine will remain in small gaps between neurons in the brain for a short period of time allowing you to feel euphoria and pleasure. When using cocaine this process is disrupted and the dopamine is allowed to stay longer in the gaps providing a greater sense of pleasure for a longer period of time.

Even though this is the effect sought out when someone begins to use cocaine, eventually there will be a price to pay to achieve the same feeling. Each time cocaine is used the body starts building up a greater level of tolerance requiring the cocaine user to more and more each time to be able to achieve the same feeling as previously felt. The brain also remembers the great feelings accompanied with being high, and that the use of cocaine is what provided this feeling and will send signals, in the form of cravings, in an attempt to have this feeling again. These cravings are what can lead someone who has been able to stop the abuse of cocaine, and other forms of drug abuse, to have a relapse.

In our next post we will talk about some of the short term and long term effects of cocaine abuse, and also what types of cocaine treatment is available.