Abstract
In our research study, we conducted 14 in-depth one-on-one interviews with volunteers to discuss LSD and its use. We asked open-ended questions to discuss their personal use and experiences of the illicit substance LSD. The reason we did this was to attempt to learn about the different effects of the drug, both while under the influence and to potentially gain insight into long-term effects of LSD. Also, we wanted to learn whether or not it would be beneficial to integrate LSD into society either medically or recreationally or both. We found that our volunteers enjoyed using LSD for a variety of reasons that encompassed recreational use, therapeutic use, and spiritual development. This data helps to gain an understanding of what LSD is and how it affects those who use it. This data can also be applied to future studies to look deeper into potential long-term effects of people who use LSD.
Introduction
The remarkable psychological properties of LSD were first discovered by Albert Hofmann in 1938 (Ayd, et. al, 1970) and thereafter, LSD was investigated as a tool to assist psychotherapy before regulatory restrictions in the mid-1960s that effectively suspended all of the relevant scientific research. In the early 1950s, cold war pressure motivated a search for new methods to enhance interrogation and behavioral control, and in this climate, a covert program of research code named ‘MK-ULTRA’ was commissioned by the US government to explore the potential of LSD to facilitate mind/behavioral control (Carhart-Harris, et. al, 2015).
Kay Parley was a psychiatric nurse at the Souris Valley Mental Health Hospital where LSD was being researched in the 1950’s. Parley’s experience is unique because, before she was a nurse, she was a patient at a mental home where she was diagnosed as manic depressive. Based on her experience, she thinks that psychiatrists need to do further research on LSD. She claimed that most nurses at that time felt positive about using the drug. The common treatment at the time was insulin therapy which doctors believed was the best treatment. She said it was gloomy and the treatments were outdated. Seven years after her discharge in 1949, Parley returned to the hospital as a nurse but said that it was almost unrecognizable. The atmosphere was filled with life and friendlier. Before the hospital used LSD, it was seen as more of a prison than a therapeutic space. That changed when the hospital started hiring people who were willing to do experiments that would lead to systemic changes (Malone, 2016).
The superintendent, Dr. Humphrey Osmond, was studying mescaline and wanted to see test the waters of LSD. The LSD research was initially tasked to find a cause and cure for schizophrenia. Rather than use it on the patients, the doctors and nurses took it themselves in order to feel what it was like to have hallucinations and subsequently have empathy towards their patients. That research did not last very long because of the government’s unethical experiment called Project MKULTRA (Malone, 2016).
At that time in the 1960’s, LSD was picked up by the counterculture movement which led to restrictions and an outright ban of any research in 1971. Dr. Dyck also explained that while LSD may not cure or reduce pain in the process of death, it will certainly help people come to terms with their demise. It could also play an important role in illnesses like anxiety, depression, and PTSD. New advancements in technology such as advanced medical imaging techniques can be very beneficial in studying the effects of the drug (Malone, 2016).
Much of the popularity of LSD use for recreational purposes had been aroused by a group of activists known as the Brotherhood who believed that the world would be a better place if everyone had ingested LSD, and LSD should be free to everyone, or at least distributed with no profit (Heilig, 2007). The Brotherhood made this belief their mission. "John Gale, a rising figure in the Brotherhood's distribution network, was spreading the word for the Brothers' new LSD in the best way he knew how: on Laguna Beach he handed out 100,000 doses in a day" (Heilig, 2007). These activists quickly became associated with big names like the Grateful Dead and subsequently started to earn money. Once LSD became illegal, the Brotherhood turned their philosophies into an official capitalist venture. Soon enough, authorities took notice and began to profile and bust those who looked associated with the Brotherhood. Even though the business of LSD continued, most members of the Brotherhood had backed out because of the risks involved. As these hippies were seen flashing more and more money, the situation became more suspicious. In an investigation, the IRS assessed around $70 million in back taxes and most members turned in one another to avoid jail time (Heilig, 2007). Ultimately, the faith that brought the Brotherhood together went from focusing on LSD and its potential to money, which became their demise.
Since the research of LSD has been restricted and the drug itself made illegal in the US in 1967 (Foundation for a Drug Free World 2016), the use of LSD has continued among a counter culture. Simultaneously, much misinformation and undocumented stories about LSD and its use has been spread, leaving many people uneducated on the subject. Recently, however, more studies have been conducted with an attempt to further understand LSD and its effects. In 2014, a study done by R. L. Carhart-Harris and colleagues focused on how LSD effects the suggestibility of their volunteers. For the study, the researchers administered intravenous LSD into 10 healthy volunteers in a within-subject placebo-controlled design. Suggestibility and cued mental imagery were assessed using the Creative Imagination Scale (CIS) and a mental imagery test (MIT) (Carhart-Harris, et. al, 2015). The results of this study indicated that the influence of LSD enhanced suggestibility in its volunteers. In addition, it was found that individuals with a high trait of conscientiousness were especially sensitive to this effect (Carhart-Harris, et. al, 2015).
The results of this study are monumental. Because we can understand how LSD affects this specific component of the brain, we can possibly find a use for the drug. For instance, this piece of research focuses on LSD’s potential use in psychotherapy. Potentially, the data suggests that it would be beneficial for a patient who suffers from emotional or neurological disturbances to use LSD in a controlled environment with a trained psychotherapist who can exploit the patient’s enhanced sense of suggestibility to lead the patient’s thoughts or feelings in a positive direction. In addition, this data further backs the US government’s testing and use of LSD in the military. As an example, morality aside, the US military could quite possibly use LSD in dealing with potential terrorists, like in Guantanamo Bay, as a nonviolent interrogation method. The data found suggests that it is possible for terrorists or people with threatening information to be influenced to confess what is needed to the government with LSD. This would eliminate the need for dangerous and controversial tactics currently being used with little evidence of success. Conversely, the knowledge of this increase in suggestibility gives general awareness to those who continue to use LSD regardless of legality or cultural norms. By understanding that one will have enhanced suggestibility when under the influence of LSD, users know to be more precautious about the environment they choose to use the drug in and the people they choose to use the drug with. Thus, those who use LSD are better able to protect themselves from potential harm or danger with the knowledge of this data.
Furthermore, in a separate study done in Switzerland, researchers found that LSD-assisted psychotherapy sessions resulted in nonsignificant reductions in trait anxiety and significant reductions in state anxiety in patients with life-threating illnesses. Twelve participants total were enrolled in the study to receive treatment that involved drug-free psychotherapy sessions supplemented with two LSD-assisted sessions two to three weeks apart. The participants were randomly assigned to either the treatment group (receiving 200 μg LSD [n = 8]) or the active control group (20 μg LSD [n = 4], with an open-label crossover to 200 μg LSD after the initial blinding was unmasked) (Tupper, et. al, 2015). In addition, follow-up with nine participants one year after treatment showed a sustained therapeutic benefit with no acute or chronic drug-related severe adverse events, and there were no adverse effects lasting more than one day after an LSD-assisted session (Tupper, et. al, 2015).
This data collected further supports the idea of using LSD in a controlled environment to assist in psychotherapy. When dealing with terminal illness, it important for the individual to live out his or her remaining time enjoying life rather than being consumed with anxiety. This data suggests that LSD could be used to treat patients in hospice, for instance, or terminally ill patients in general. Though this research had only focused on patients with terminal illness, the findings of this study indicate that conducting further research on people without terminal illnesses may be worthwhile. Also notable is the lack of adverse effects lasting more than one day in these participants after using LSD two times. This lack of adverse effects provides some clarification about how using LSD may impact one’s future health for those uninformed. It also allows opens up future research in the sense that there no longer needs to be concern regarding long lasting effects of LSD use, if at least after two uses.
In addition, LSD has not only been experimented with in full amounts, but researchers and volunteers have also experimented using microscopic doses of LSD, referred to as “microdosing.” A 39-year-old man by the name of Baynard Woods did not think he would ever use LSD again after the age of 19 until he heard about microdosing. His friend heard about taking LSD in super small doses which do not cause the typical hallucinogenic effects. On a podcast, Woods heard that microdosing can improve focus, concentration, memory, and creativity. His friend was convinced it might change his life if he tried it (Woods, 2016).
Woods and his friend had experimented with plenty of drugs in their past, but it was a matter of course than transformation. To him, the idea of drugs making any king of change in one’s quality of life seemed antiquated. His intrigue grew the next few months as he read about reports on microdosing. Sources such as Rolling Stone, Huffpo, Vice, Forbes, and Tech Insider were praising the use of small doses of LSD (Woods, 2016).
Microdosing can be traced back to James Fadiman’s studies on psychedelics in the early 1960’s. His earlier work looks at how users of small amounts of LSD reported that they were able to work harder and smarter than when they were not on under the influence of the drug. In testimonials, users reported getting work done easier, being calmer, and becoming a better person to be around (Woods, 2016).
When Woods called Fadiman on the phone, he learned that Fadiman was more optimistic than ever about LSD. He learned that it seems to be useful for such a wide range of conditions. People from musicians to athletes reported improvements in all areas of their craft. To test this, Woods tried it on his own. After taking the dose, he met with his friend at a coffee shop and reported that conversations were deeper and he was more engaged in what his friend was saying. Afterwards, he went to his office where he says that he really felt the ‘tune up’ effects of the drug. He noticed that an hour flew by and he was completely engrossed in his work with no awareness of anything else. He explained it as being in that zone where the doer and the deed dissolve together into the pleasure of pure work. The next morning, he woke up feeling alert and easily slipped back into what he was doing the day before. While he would usually wake up and spend an hour reading stories on Twitter and Facebook, he went straight to doing real work. At the bus stop, he did not feel the compulsion to distract himself with his cellphone. Instead, he felt an empathy towards other people and would end up in actual conversation. On the third day, the desire for electronics jolted back as well as feelings of anxiety. To counter this, he took another dose and, for three days, the symptoms disappeared (Woods, 2016).
To get more information on this, Woods and Fadiman had a conversation about how people use micro doses to do more yoga, eat healthier, and to quit smoking. When Garcia-Romeu, Fadiman’s former student, published his results, they showed that an impressive 80 percent of the participants remained off cigarettes (Woods, 2016).
After stopping his doses for four months, Woods noticed his internet addiction coming back. In the end, Woods believes that Fadiman’s claims for microdosing are a little overblown as it did not improve his athletic abilities. According to Woods, microdosing is a mixed bag since it has its benefits but it is not magic pill that can fix everything (Woods, 2016).
Moreover, in an article written in 1993, Stanislav Grof discusses a belief that LSD is a unique and powerful tool for the exploration of the human mind and human nature. He claims that psychedelic experiences allow the person under the influence of these drugs access to realms of the psyche that have not yet been discovered and acknowledged by mainstream psychology and psychiatry. They also work great for therapy and personality transformations. Grof also mentions that it is difficult to predict the future of LSD psychotherapy. He thinks that in thinking about its future use, it is important to differentiate between the future of LSD psychotherapy and its contribution to the theory and practice of psychiatry. Past studies have changed the way we see LSD and its use in psychotherapy because it has expanded what we know about the mind, new and effective therapeutic mechanisms, a new strategy of psychotherapy, and a synthesis of spirituality and science in the context of the transfers oral approach (Grof, 1994).
The author also acknowledges that there are dangers and pitfalls in LSD exploration, but venturing into the unknown always comes with risks. An example of this is when Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen, the discoverer of x-rays, lost his fingers as a results of his experiments with the now form of radiation. Although research into LSD can have many benefits for humanity, Grof thinks the future of research into the drug looks grim. The dramatic nature of the effects of LSD on participants can shun some people away, but it is becoming more of a norm. While our current antidepressants do help with the symptoms, they do not address the source of the problem which can be determined with LSD (Grof, 1994).
It is clear through all of this literature, further studies of LSD may reveal more information that gives us a better understanding of how it can be used, if at all. Though studies suggest that LSD is a great aid in psychotherapy, it is still difficult to determine what the effects of the drug are while under the influence and how long-term use may affect an individual. As more studies begin to surface that indicate that LSD has a positive influence on the brain, excessive use of LSD may become an issue in the future. It is important to understand the effects of long-term or excessive use on the brain and whether or not LSD would have a positive influence on society as a whole.
Methods
A group of 14 individuals were interviewed. Eleven of these participants were found through our team’s personal relationships and mutual friends. We met with the participants in person, either in a house or apartment of which the participant was most comfortable, or at a music festival near Miami where the interviews were conducted at campsites. The remaining 3 participants were found through social media groups and forums related to LSD, and as a result, these participants were interviewed over Facebook Video.
We felt that because LSD is considered a taboo and the questions are of a personal nature, one on one in-depth interviews would give us our most effective data. This is because in group interviews, participants can be easily influenced by those around them. We understand that LSD can be an incredibly personal experience, so it would be important for each participant to allow the qualitative questions to take them to their own personal understandings of LSD and how it effects them as an individual without the influence of others.
In addition, we felt that it would be beneficial to our research data to find willing participants on the internet because we would end up with a more diverse group of people. Those we interviewed personally were discovered through personal relationships and therefore similar interests. We believed that finding participants who were strangers to us were more likely to come from diverse backgrounds and cultures, therefore giving us opportunity to acquire a broader range of data. Though only three of our participants did not have any prior relationships with any of our team, we still felt the information was relevant and necessary to include, even if we could not get an even mix of participants in and outside of our personal social circles. These participants were interviewed over Facebook Video. We believed that even though it may be uncomfortable in the beginning talking to a complete stranger, it would help to take away possible barriers that may come with divulging personal information to someone through another medium. For instance, our other realistic option was Facebook Messenger, but with that, the participant cannot be 100% positive who exactly is on the other end of the conversation, which could ultimately affect the data. In addition, though the recording is likely saved in Facebook’s headquarters where it would likely remain buried within vast amounts of unnecessary data, it would reduce a risk of the data falling into the wrong hands. For instance, if I were to leave my Facebook page open and forgot to delete the messages, it could easily fall into the wrong hands.
All participants were between the ages of 18 and 26. We felt clarifying this age group was necessary because it limits any variables in data that may include major differences in where people are at mentally in their personal journey through life.
Of our participants, 10 were male and 4 were female. We did not seek out specific sexes; we simply sought out anyone willing to participate. We found that men were simply more open and excited to participate in the interviews, where women were more likely to hold back from participation and showed more signs of nervousness when prompted. In addition, females did not ask as many questions about our study, and therefore seemed much less curious in the study compared to the males who were asked. In general, those who chose not to participate chose not to do so because they had somewhere else to be or someone to meet up with.
Also, our participants were primarily white or Caucasian. Only 2 of our participants were of a race or ethnicity other than white. We did not seek out specific races or ethnicities, we only sought out anyone willing to participate, and the lack of diversity in our research participants reflects the lack of diversity in the communities that we have reached out to.
LSD is illegal in the United States, where our research was conducted. Before each interview, each interviewer reminded the participant of the legal and social implications and potential risks involved. We explained that any personal information regarding the participant would remain completely confidential. No names would be used when assessing data, only made up initials for each participant. Qualities of each participant would be recorded as relevant data, but all names and recordings will not be saved. We explained that if at any point the participant wishes to revoke any information they have provided, all they would have to do is let us know and it would be expunged.
In the interview process itself, each participant sat down with an interviewer to create a one-on-one experience. Questions that were asked in the beginning were the following: Describe to me the first time you used LSD. Under what circumstances do you use LSD?
Walk me through a typical day in your life, whether or not that may include LSD. Why or why wouldn't you recommend LSD to a friend? Describe to me your study habits. Describe to me how you feel when you don't take LSD. Describe to me a time when you have driven under the influence of LSD. Describe to me your worst experience under the influence of LSD. Why do you think LSD is used at Lynn/college campuses? What are some concerns you have about using LSD? Why do/did you use LSD? Why did you choose to try it? What do you understand about “microdosing?” Under what conditions would you consider microdosing? As we progressed through our interviews, we found ourselves adding more relevant questions that we believed would allow us to dig deeper into the subject. Those questions were the following: What do you believe could be potential benefits of someone using LSD? What do you believe could be potential negative effects of LSD? If there is anything at all that has not been discussed regarding LSD and its use that you feel is important or meaningful, please share.
Although we came up with a list of questions to use in our interviews, not all questions revealed relevant data, and some questions were asked on the spot to individual participants, but not all participants. Also, even though we had created a strategic list of open-ended questions, a few participants had managed to keep their answers restricted, though with follow up questions and extra effort, all participants were able to open up and discuss. Many times we found that the participant would be trying to explain something but was unable to find the words, which is when the interviewer would attempt to walk the participant through their thoughts thus creating a dialogue in addition to question and answer.
There were a few problems that were uncovered throughout the interview process. Especially in the beginning, participants had a difficult time opening up about their experiences. Furthermore, when participants were more open throughout the progression of the interview, many times they forgot certain instances or factors involved in their experience. Bits and pieces would be explained, but it participants would not be able to recall or explain relevant data for the study. When we asked questions that required them to remember specific information about their trip, some participants could not recall certain parts of their trip. Also, a common phrase we heard was “I can’t explain it.” This phrase came up anytime a participant would go on a tangent about their experiences and get lost in their thoughts.
Results
Curiosity:
After conducting our interviews, our team noticed quite a few patterns that remained consistent amongst our participants. The first pattern that we realized was that our participants first decided to use LSD out of curiosity. Generally, people first use other more common illicit substances, like marijuana and alcohol, because of social expectations. However, with LSD, it seemed that participants chose to try it for the first time not necessarily because of social norms and to connect with their peers, but because of their individual curiosity. Consistently, our volunteers did not try LSD for the first time at a party or with a group of friends as a spur-of-the-moment ordeal. “I first decided to try it because I heard about the trippy hallucinations, and I had never experienced anything like that before,” one participant claimed. It seems that these participants had learned about LSD on their own and then from there went out of their way to find it and try it. Whether the knowledge of LSD came from a friend, an acquaintance, or some kind of media, these participants did not explain that any social pressure was involved that coaxed them to try it for the first time, but rather their own personal curiosity of the substance.
Fear of Using Alone:
Another pattern amongst our participants was that they primarily used LSD with one or more people, especially the first time that they used the drug. Though it has been explained that the desire of using LSD had come from personal curiosity, the first time any of our volunteers had used the drug, they did so with at least one other person. When asked why, our participants showed a consistent pattern of fear of negatives experiences on LSD. One participant explained that the reason they did not want to use LSD by themselves was because “we weren’t really sure what to expect, so we wanted to make sure we had each other’s backs in case something bad were to happen or if one of us had a bad trip.” Though our participants were individually curious, they were not willing to try it by themselves. They waited to use it when they met someone who was equally curious or found a friend who was curious as well to try it with.
This pattern of fear of using alone was consistent amongst all of our participants in reference to their first time ever using LSD. The primary reason why our participants were scared in the first place was because even though they had heard positive things, the negative experiences stood out. Many rumors, with unknown validity, of negative experiences of LSD have been spread around like any other piece of gossip. These stories often end up with users being hospitalized or dying, which can be enough to create a desire for first-time users to want to try it with a friend as a safety precaution.
Social Use:
Even though there were some more experienced participants who have used LSD alone without anyone else, the evidence overwhelmingly showed that most of these LSD users preferred to use the drug with close friends who are also using the drug. Only two of our participants used LSD alone, and even though they said they would do it again, they also said that they prefer to do it socially. “The experience was very therapeutic for me. It forced me to face myself, which most people can’t do,” explained one of the participants who has used LSD alone. “But yeah, I mean it’s not nearly as much fun as tripping with friends. I really just trip to have fun. The meditation thing was just something I wanted to try. I would probably do it alone once in a blue moon, when I feel like I need the time.”
As for our other volunteers, LSD has only been used socially. The consensus was that LSD is a fun drug to do with friends. “I’d just feel bored. Part of what I like about tripping is doing it with another person and having someone to relate to and laugh with. If I did it by myself, it just wouldn’t be the same,” one of our volunteers explained. It seemed that the less frequent LSD users were more careful about the timing and situation of their use. They did not have access to the drug often enough to justify using it in a situation that they felt would be mediocre. The two participants who had used it alone had access to LSD that was more readily available.
Repeated Use:
Of our 14 participants, 3 had used LSD only one time, and that one time was within the previous 6 months of the interview. The remaining 11 participants had tried LSD for the first time at least 1 year prior to the interview and has used LSD multiple times since.
All 3 participants who had used LSD one time had shown interest in using it again in the future. “I mean, if the opportunity came up I would probably do it again because I know what to expect now,” said one of these three participants.
Interestingly enough, one of the participants who had used it one time had a very unexpected experience. This participant was not able to handle the effects of the drug as they were happening and had to be picked up by a sober friend and driven home, where the participant then had a very intense psychedelic experience by himself. As this participant explained, the experience brought up a lot of suppressed negative emotions from the past and brought up many personal and emotional disturbances. Even after all of this, the participant went on to say that the experience, with all of its negativity, was somewhat therapeutic. One may predict that this participant would never want to try LSD again, but in fact this participant expressed a desire to try the drug again, “but maybe in a different different environment with different people,” the participant explained.
In addition, the remaining 11 participants had used LSD repeatedly since their first time. Some had been able to count the number of times they had used the drug, while others made claims of using LSD at least 300 times in their lifetime with no plans of stopping. No participant declared any indication of addiction, whether it be physical or mental. Unlike most drugs, the LSD users interviewed claimed to not feel like they need to use it in order to feel happy or content or to cover up any unwanted emotions.
Similar to the more inexperienced participant, one of our more experienced participants also had a negative experience with the drug. This user explained that they have used LSD at least 60 times a year for the past 5 years. In their most recent experience, this user had a very bad time. In the words of the participant, “something snapped.” They went on to explain that they were walking with friends at a music festival in northern Florida getting something to eat while waiting for the next act. In the middle of their walk, something inexplicable happened. All of a sudden, this person’s world shut down and they did not know where they were or who they were with. All this person understood at the time was that they were controlling everything around them and the speed that the world was moving. Though this participant had a difficult time explaining what was going on in their experience, they made it clear that it was the scariest moment of their lifetime. Though they woke up eventually, the experience seemed to never end. The cause of this “snap” remains unknown, and the participant explained serious fear in using the drug in the future, but nevertheless, the participant did say they planned on using LSD again. “I don’t know what happened, I only took a couple tabs, I had taken much more before and nothing like that had ever happened. I’ll do it again, but I’ll have to be super cautious about my surroundings, because I have no idea how that even happened.”
It is understandable that those with positive experiences on LSD would choose to use it again in the future, but it is profound to understand that even after the most terrifying experiences, LSD users would choose to continue to use the drug. There is more that this may indicate, but for now, it is important to not this repeated use as a pattern amongst the volunteers used in the study.
Enjoyment and Feeling “Weird”:
Almost all of our participants to some degree tried LSD for the first time to experience the psychedelic aspect of a trip. Some, however, went into it for that reason alone. As one of our participants put it, “I’ve tried other drugs to let loose, but I only use LSD for to have a good time with my friends.” Another took LSD because they also have tried other drugs and simply wanted to experience being high. That participant went on to say that “LSD’s different than anything I had ever taken. I don’t see how people can possibly use it all the time since it’s such an intense drug. I would do it again but not anywhere near the same consistency as weed.”
Four other participants tried LSD their first times because their friends were doing it and they thought it would be fun. One of the four said that they took a small dose and went to the beach with their friends who had also taken LSD. Most of their senses felt enhanced and they found it easier to socialize with their friends.
Another participant described their experience of taking LSD for the first time at an EDM festival in South Florida. They were offered a dose by a mutual friend of theirs and decided to take it with one other friend. Although they usually go to concerts and festivals sober, they wanted to try this out of curiosity.
New Perspectives:
Of all the trends that we had noticed from our interviews, gaining new perspectives seemed to be one of the most prominent. Most of our participants were very aware of the personality changing capabilities of LSD. One of our participants wanted to get over their smoking problem and went into the experience with the intention to get inspired to quit. They claimed that their experience had helped them to change their perception of their life and ultimately quit smoking forever. Another wanted to use LSD to improve their spirituality. When asked what their most eye-opening moment was, they responded with, “I felt like I was at complete peace with death. All my fears surrounding death were actually just my fears of living my life fully. I felt like LSD showed me what I already knew but wasn’t really applying to my life. Things like exercise, diet, my relationship, and values were things I needed to work on. LSD gave me the dose of reality I needed in order to improve my life.” This participant was so inspired by their experience that they considered it to be one of the most important things that they had ever done.
Although the volunteers who had participated in our interviews will remain unknown, many well-known and important figures in the world today have expressed similar patterns in relation to their person LSD use. "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma—which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.…Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle." This is a quote by none other than the late CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs. Jobs grew up in an era where hallucinogenic experimentation was happening all over the United States. A lot of intrigue had built up after it caught on with the counterculture and it spread like wildfire. Jobs and his friend, Daniel Kotte, both were inspired to do LSD after reading a book on psychedelics and spirituality called “Be Here Now.” He has used it multiple times and has attributed his experiences to a majority of his success (Armstrong, 2011).
In an interview with John Markoff in 2005, Jobs said, “Doing LSD was one of the two or three most important things I have done in my life.” This is all coming from a man who went from rags to riches, working in his garage to owning a multi-billion-dollar business and changing the way we use technology forever (Armstrong, 2011). When one of the most influential people of the 21st century lists LSD as one of the most influential things that he has done, we have to take that into consideration. There might be a chance that thinking outside the box and escaping the limitations of the human mind might be possible with the proper use of LSD. But unless more research is done to uncover this mystery, we will not know for sure whether Jobs was simply a genius or if LSD did in fact allow him to use a part of his brain that would have been inaccessible otherwise.
Spirituality:
Ten out of our fourteen participants reported having spiritual experiences and consider LSD a great spiritual teacher. As far as ancient times, humans have used psychedelic substances to achieve other-worldly experiences which, some say, is the basis for all modern religions. One major theme we got from these interviews was ego-death. This is not the death of any physical part of the user but rather a mental and spiritual cleanse. Ego-death implies stripping away useless patterns of thought, changes in identity, and seeing themselves as part of an intelligence greater than themselves. This is a common occurrence, especially when spirituality is already someone’s forte.
One of our participants has been a practicing Buddhism for eight years. They have been to several meditation retreats and consider spirituality an integral part of their everyday lives. “At the age of fifteen, I began doubting the religion I was brought up in and started searching for meaning in other beliefs and philosophies.” They eventually stumbled into Buddhism after they researched the religion and went to a local monastery. While Buddhism does not encourage the use mind-altering substances, our Buddhist-minded participant disagrees with dogmatic approaches to religion, and instead prefers open-mindedness. “I had heard about LSD in a recording of an Alan Watts lecture. He was speaking about the possibility of coming closer to enlightenment with the aid of LSD. I thought, since I trust Alan with almost everything else, I might as well trust his opinion on this.” Alan Watts was a 20th century philosopher who had studied Eastern religions and philosophies extensively and made it his life provide these teachings to a Western audience. According to this participant, Watts mentioned his personal use with LSD and how it can be used as a spiritual tool. This inspired our volunteer to try it for himself. “I saved up what money I had left and bought two tabs of LSD. I went out at night into the woods by my house, took the tabs, and meditated. After about forty-five minutes, I felt a funny cold feeling run down my entire body. Then I opened my eyes and the trees looked like they were bending over me like an umbrella. I noticed every sound around me and it sounded like music. I then closed my eyes again and could see beings made of lights that were morphing into crazy patterns. It was like they were trying to get my attention. After like two hours, I found myself stuck on a loop of negative thoughts and couldn’t get myself out. I tried to meditate and count my breaths but nothing worked. Then I remembered that acceptance is a major practice in Buddhism, so I just accepted it. It was hard but I after a while, the lights came back and were even more powerful. I felt myself completely dissolve from my body and become the trees, the ground and everything around me. Although I read a lot about this, experiencing it was so strange.” This participant went on to say that they felt like their spiritual understanding expanded and they were completely at peace with themselves, and this likely would not have happened without LSD as a catalyst.
Conclusion
Throughout this paper, we have looked closely at the uses of LSD from people of all walks of life. Ranging from scientists to college students, LSD exploration continues to occur, but not many are willing to talk about it. Being the Schedule 1 drug that it is, LSD use can have social and legal consequences. This is why my team respected our participant’s privacy and have continued to keep their identities private. Our research has provided multiple examples of how the uses of LSD can vary from use in therapy to simply having a good time.
Despite the demonization LSD has received in the past by government entities and cultural expectations, we believe that the evidence suggests that taking an unbiased approach and closer look to the drug’s possible uses is the best option. As one of our participants expressed, “I think people are completely misinformed on the effects of acid. It’s nothing like alcohol or prescription drugs, which are legal. And no, you can’t die from LSD. There have been zero documented cases of anyone ever dying from LSD.” While our participant is correct, negative experiences were reported in participants. Some of whom reported it being one of the most frightening experiences of their lives.
After taking a look at all the reoccurring patterns that were reported about LSD use, it seems that none of these patterns hold any negative connotations. When it comes to LSD use amongst our participants, patterns of curiosity, enlightenment, and enjoyment were seen. The fear of using alone could be viewed as a negative pattern, though it is important to note that this pattern was brought up primarily due to inexperience and unreliable information. This negative pattern also diminished as our participants used the drug. In addition, even though some participants reported unfavorable experiences on LSD, it was not bad enough to stop them from being willing to use the drug again. With enough knowledge and the right intentions, it is clear that the volunteers in this study display no disproval of LSD.
With these findings, LSD’s negative associations can be diminished if not in our legal system, or societal norms. Though LSD is not to be taken lightly, it has potential to provide a positive impact on those who use it. It is important to learn about LSD and its use because on one end of the spectrum, it can help aid in someone’s personal journey through life, and on the other end of the spectrum, it is crucial to find out how it may affect one’s life after use or after excessive use. It may be worth taking one time, but long term effects of regular use remain unclear.
Discussion
Much of the information gathered in the interviews did pose similarities in reference to the literature previously discussed. Our first study of Kay Parley could be related to our participants who reported having healing experiences with their trips. One of our participants is studying to become a nurse in the future. Their use of LSD was what they considered “a healing experience” that changed the way they perceive their health and the health of others. They found it easier to relate to others which is especially important for their field as a nurse.
In Tupper’s study, terminally ill patients reported lower anxiety levels after LSD use, while the participants in our interviews reported feeling much more relaxed and at ease after LSD use. Because of LSD’s therapeutic qualities, this effect may be more prominent in those in need of therapeutic assistance.
While none of our participants reported trying microdosing LSD, one way in which experiences of our participants relate with that of Baynard Woods is in the aftermath of the experience. Woods reported being more empathetic with people and quitting his internet addiction. Most of our fourteen participants reported feelings of empathy towards other people as a byproduct of their trip. One reported that Instagram was one of their obsessions and that they would find themselves constantly checking to see if people liked their photos. They said that the day after, they did not feel the compulsion to check any social media at all. In fact, after their LSD experience, they took a week-long break from social media to see how it would affect them.
Our study of Dr. Humphrey Osmond had a correlation with one of our participants. In Dr. Osmond’s study, he studied LSD’s effects on those who were dying and found that their fear of death was greatly reduced after tripping. This relates to our participant who had a major spiritual awakening while taking LSD. They were always spiritual but their fear of death was something that they felt compelled to overcome which they did.
On the other hand, unlike Carhart-Harris’s study, our participants did not mention or recall experiencing an enhanced level of suggestibility. This does not necessarily indicate that there was no enhanced level of suggestibility, but that suggestibility did not stand out as a prominent part of the participants’ LSD experience(s). Our participants did mention that at times they would be easily distracted or that all of their attention would be consumed by a very minor instance, whether it be a picture or a thought, but they did not bring up any instances of feeling swayed to do or believe things that they would not otherwise do or believe. This may indicate that suggestibility is enhanced under the influence of LSD in such a way that the user is not aware even after the effects of LSD have worn off. This makes the data in Carhart-Harris’s study much more important because it indicates that the enhanced suggestibility could possibly remain as a long-term side effect of LSD use either in recalling that memory of being on LSD or possible enhanced suggestibility even after the effect of LSD have worn off.
If we had three years and one million dollars to compile a study on the effects of LSD, we would first get a larger number of participants in our study. This would give us a wider range of experiences from people of as many different demographics as we can get. We would take into consideration factors such as race, gender, physical disabilities, religion, age, etc. This would also give us more time to collect and analyze data in order to study the short and long term effects of LSD. Since we only interviewed our participants at one point in time, we could have conducted it in a way that we could check on them incrementally. For example, we could set up our study in a way that interviewed participants before, directly after and perhaps a year or two after their experience.
In addition, it would be important to collect data from participants in other parts of the world, preferably if we can find a place where LSD is widely accepted. This way, we could gather and compare information to not only better understand the drug, but to also understand how cultural norms and government regulations effect the way that people view and use LSD. With this information, we could compare data to find out exactly how legalization effects the use LSD and the experiences it provides and whether or not those effects are positive.
In future studies, it would be important to ask more questions and to dig deeper into the everyday life of the LSD user, rather than the experiences the user has and how they feel while under the influence of LSD. This information would provide a much broader range of data, providing more insight into the long term effects of LSD use and how it may affect one’s lifestyle. Scientific research suggests that LSD has a lot of positive uses, but it would be equally important to understand how it may affect the brain and/or body over time. Without this information, it would be impossible to integrate LSD into our society in a positive way. It is understood that in a scientific study, using LSD one or two times has minimal long term effects, if any at all. When it comes to recreational use, users tend to use LSD more than once if given the opportunity. If a patient finds that LSD helps, they would likely use it more than once, and it is crucial to understand what LSD’s limits are to prevent negative effects and experiences.
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