LSD Microdosing: The Risks Nobody Is Telling You

Steve Jobs was quoted saying that taking LSD was one of the two or three important things he did in his life. It is no surprise then that many Silicon Valley professionals are allegedly now following suit, probably with the hopes of launching the next big tech startup. LSD, also known as acid, is a psychedelic drug short for lysergic acid diethylamide. First synthesized in 1938, the drug is considered a hallucinogen because being under its influence can cause hallucinations where users experience an altered state – seeing, hearing, and feeling things that may seem very real but do not exist. Being in this state is often called an ‘acid trip’.

In the 1960s, many popular artists and musicians like Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, and the Rolling Stones were said to be using this psychedelic drug. Even the Beatles were allegedly taking it. The band’s songs ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’, ‘She Said She Said’, and ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ were said to have had explicit reference to the drug. Interestingly, all these songs which were released in 1966-1967 coincided with the year the drug was proclaimed as an illegal substance in mid-1966. But even though it was categorized as an illicit drug, LSD never lost its reputation for being the creativity drug bigshots like Lennon and Jobs were taking.

The (Micro) Rise of LSD

In the past two decades, drugs like marijuana, opioids, and benzos took center stage. LSD went under the radar, especially after the arrest and then 2003 conviction of William L. Pickard, a chemist who was responsible for running one of the country’s biggest LSD labs.  Acid was said to almost disappear in the streets after Pickard’s arrest and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency reported that supply dropped by 95%.

It was not until 2015 when reports about acid started resurfacing again in mainstream media, but this time it was not about getting that psychedelic trip. The term LSD was suddenly associated with the habit of ‘microdosing’, which refers to taking a really small dose of the drug (usually one to two-tenths of a regular dose) every 3 to 4 days. A microdose of acid is supposedly being used to increase creativity, productivity, energy, and positive moods. In 2019, multiple stories related to this substance have popped up again. There was this report about a man who laced his coworkers’ drinks with acid to expel their negative energy. A story in LA Magazine told of how Hollywood executives and Silicon Valley tech geeks are supposedly using acid to advance their careers. Then there’s actress Gwyneth Paltrow predicting that the use of psychedelics for mental health and anxiety will go into the mainstream.  If you don’t put much weight on what Gwyneth thinks about, then here’s one that’s backed by science – an initial study on LSD microdosing published in March 2019 suggested that spaced out but repeated microdoses of acid may actually have beneficial effects on mood, depression, energy, and productivity.

This scientific study might make people instantly think that taking a microdose of this drug is perfectly okay. What’s even scarier is that most articles written about LSD and how it may be the creativity elixir sound like they are glorifying the drug. After reading a few of these articles, it wouldn’t be surprising if you’d actually want to try one yourself. But what many of these articles skip out on are the dangerous risks associated with acid.

Know the Risks

A microdose of acid may seem harmless, however, since they are still capable of altering your logical thinking, it is possible that it may affect you differently and this can expose you to different risks. While many people claim that nobody really notices you are on acid with just a microdose, anecdotal reports say that this is not necessarily true. Especially if mixed with other drugs or substances, the drug can cause abnormal side effects. Another unknown fact is that the effect of a microdose is not instant nor is it supposed to be really felt. You are not supposed to get a high from a microdose as it is just sufficient enough to open you up a bit and give you a better disposition. Many people are not aware of this, however, so they tend to take more of the drug thinking that it is not taking effect. This can lead to a ‘trip’ rather than being a productive individual.

Instead of spacing out the doses, some people would take it every day and develop tolerance. When this happens, the effect of the drugs cannot be experienced. This could potentially lead people to seek stronger alternatives such as cocaine or meth to get that desired high.

If you want to feel happier, boost your dopamine levels, and increase your creativity, LSD is not the answer. There are many natural, drug-free ways like eating the right diet, exercise, and mindfulness meditation that can help you without exposing yourself to addiction risks.

If you feel that you are struggling with substance addiction, there are specialized treatment programs that can help you on your path to recovery.

Contact Anaheim Lighthouse, help is available today.