Trials into the validity of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) as a therapeutic treatment for mental health conditions have been carried out for over half a century. While concerns still remain around the management of the substance's side effects, including hallucinations and dissociation, most studies conclude that LSD shows potential for easing the symptoms of various mental health disorders.
- LSD was used between the 1950s and 1970s to affect behavioral and personality changes in people with various mental disorders.
- Currently, the optimal method of administering LSD during psychedelic therapy is still being evaluated. As LSD is illegal under the Controlled Substance Act, only clinical trials are currently being carried out using LSD in psychedelic therapy.
- There are numerous complications associated with LSD therapy. LSD is an illegal substance capable of provoking psychic symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and intense euphoria and treatment must be managed carefully.
LSD psychedelic therapy
LSD therapy refers to the use of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), a potent psychedelic drug, to treat mental health conditions.
LSD was used between the 1950s and 1970s to affect behavioral and personality changes in people with various mental disorders.[1]
Results pointed to its therapeutic potential for treating depression, anxiety, and addiction before then president, Richard Nixon, outlawed LSD under the controlled substances act.[1]
Recently, renewed interest in psychedelic therapy has led to increased investment and research on the subject, with tests taking place across the country.
That said, LSD, remains illegal in every state across the country and additional research is needed before its status is changed by the FDA.
How does LSD therapy work?
Currently, the optimal method of administering LSD during psychedelic therapy is still being evaluated. As LSD is illegal under the Controlled Substance Act, only clinical trials are currently being carried out using LSD in psychedelic therapy.
Dosage, frequency of treatment, and assessment of results will vary depending on the professional in charge of the trial.
However, there are a few common components:
- An initial consultation to establish a subject’s health background, and any queries they may have regarding the treatment and to minimize the chance of any side effects.
- Ingestion of a low to high dose of LSD, either orally or intravenously, under the supervision of a professional.
- Observation carried out by the professional during the psychedelic experience.
- Discussion of psychedelic experience in subsequent follow-up sessions between the subject and professional.[1] This is known as the integration stage
- Repeating the psychedelic dose at a regular, preset frequency.
All approaches to psychedelic therapy include the proper preparation of the subject and the provision of a secure, comfortable environment during the psychedelic experience.[1]
Who is LSD therapy for?
Whilst developments have been made in recent years, research into the therapeutic benefits of LSD has some way to go before we can say who LSD therapy would definitively help.
Recent studies have reinforced the findings from studies conducted in the 1950s to 1970s regarding the potential benefits of LSD therapy for people with depression and anxiety.[2]
A 2012 study showed that LSD therapy had a positive impact on people with alcoholism, with subjects showing increased levels of positivity and a renewed vigor to tackle their problems head-on.[3]
Trials conducted between 1964 and 1980 suggested that LSD therapy may improve the lives of cancer patients. LSD was found to alleviate the subject’s fear of death, cancer-related depression, and general anxiety.[4]
Psychedelic therapy shows a lot of potential for the treatment of an array of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety disorders, and addiction. Further research is needed, and a variety of clinical trials are being carried out across the globe to determine how effective psychedelic drugs, including LSD, can be in treating different conditions.
Where can you receive LSD therapy?
LSD therapy can currently only be accessed by participating in a clinical trial. To find one near you, ask your doctor, therapist, or other medical professionals about any they may be aware of.
Clinicaltrials.gov could be a useful starting point to find a clinical trial; using their ‘find a study’ tool, you can filter your search on mental health conditions, type of psychotherapy (LSD therapy), and location.
It may also be worth reaching out to accredited colleges and medical centers that have dedicated psychedelic research facilities. These include but are not limited to:
- U.C. Berkley Center for the Science of Psychedelics
- NYU Center for Psychedelic Medicine
- John Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research
- The University of Texas at Austin Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy
- The University of Texas at Austin Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy
However, being accepted into a clinical trial isn’t as simple as just signing up. They tend to have a small enrolment and a strict criteria.
This can include a sizeable time commitment, a diagnosis of one or more mental health conditions, and agreeing to abide by a long list of rules and regulations. For example, a study carried out in 2012 required all participants to meet the DSM-IV criteria for anxiety disorder, not responded to all medication or psychotherapy thus far, and have an advanced-stage life-threatening illness.[7]
R.D. Laing and the history of LSD therapy
R.D. Laing was a Scottish psychiatrist who gained notoriety in the 1960s and 70s for challenging traditional psychiatric techniques of the time.
A key figure in the anti-psychiatry movement of the 1970s, Laing denounced techniques such as lobotomy, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and the administration of chemical suppressants to treat schizophrenia [6].
A keen user of LSD himself, Laing was known to administer LSD to treat psychosis among other mental disorders, claiming to incorporate it into his whole work.[7]
Laing may have been inspired by the LSD therapy boom that peaked in the late 1950s and early 1960s in the USA. It became incredibly popular, with Hollywood actor Cary Grant a recipient, and people hoped that LSD therapy could replace ECT and psychosurgery going forward.[8]
Between 1950 and 1965, roughly 40,000 patients in the USA were prescribed LSD therapy for neurosis, schizophrenia, or psychopathy.[8] Numerous studies had been conducted into the therapeutic effects of LSD and other hallucinogens, however the quality of this research can be called into question.[8]
This research stalled due to political upheaval, and President Nixon’s outlawing of LSD, and only since the 1990s onwards has society begun considering the therapeutic potential of LSD therapy again.[8]
Complications in LSD therapy
There are numerous complications associated with LSD therapy. LSD is an illegal substance capable of provoking psychic symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and intense euphoria and treatment must be managed carefully.
A risk of LSD therapy is the so-called ‘bad trip’, whereby someone who has taken LSD experiences intense anxiety, dysphoria, or confusion which can prove unsafe if carried out in an uncontrolled environment.[1]
Additionally, there are drug combinations and other health concerns to consider when considering the validity of psychedelic therapy. Dr. Luke Allen had this to say:
Medical advisor
PhD
Patients with cardiovascular disease ought to be excluded from LSD therapy, as LSD increases your blood pressure and heart rate.[1]
Another complication for prospective participants is the age limit. You must be over 18 to participate in a clinical trial focused on psychedelic therapy.[5]
The duration of LSD’s effects render can make it cumbersome for clinical use, with ‘trips’ lasting up to 12 hours.[1]
Related: The Potential Development of Safer Psychedelics for Mental Health Treatment
Other types of psychedelic therapy
The resurgence of interest in psychedelic therapy has fueled research into numerous other psychedelic substances, after decades of stigmatization and criminalized status.
Psilocybin
Psilocybin therapy is the use of the psilocybin compound for medical rather than recreational purposes. Psilocybin is being investigated as a treatment for chronic pain and migraine and cluster headaches but most interest has surrounded its use in conjunction with psychotherapy for mental health conditions, as well as to achieve ego death.
Ketamine
A dissociative anesthetic with some hallucinogenic effects, ketamine is a ‘schedule III’ non-narcotic approved by the FDA. It can be legally prescribed by doctors for “off-label” uses.
Ketamine infusions are prescribed to treat depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, substance use disorders, suicidal thoughts, chronic pain, bipolar disorder, and numerous other conditions.[9]
While ketamine can be used under controlled, medically supervised conditions, it is dangerous when used recreationally.
MDMA
Positive steps have been taken during the testing of MDMA, a stimulant with psychedelic properties, for therapeutic use. It is poised for full FDA approval within the next 2 years.
DMT
DMT is renowned for its short half-life, with effects beginning within 60 minutes and disappearing in roughly 4 hours. Early trials are investigating the effectiveness of DMTG-assisted therapy in the treatment of depression, though we are far away from its Schedule I status being revoked.
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