LSD-25: The Past and Present effects on the Psyche

LSD-25 or Lysergic Acid Diethylamide was first synthesized and used by pharmaceutical chemist Albert Hoffman. LSD-25 is an illegal drug belonging to the hallucinogen category. The physical effects are eye enlargement, pupil dilation and sweating. However the common psychological effects are euphoria, no recollection of time, visual distortions, and mentally visualizing geometric patterns and shapes, which lasts about 6-9 hours or sometimes longer. Though non-addictive LSD-25 can induce anxiety, paranoia, negative perceptions such as frightening visuals and sounds, feelings of insanity, and produce long-term effects such as flashbacks.
According to Albert Hoffman’s experience written in his journal, Albert Hoffman wrote: “…Beginning dizziness, feeling of anxiety, visual distortions, symptoms of paralysis, desire to laugh…. In spite of my delirious, bewildered condition, I had brief periods of clear and effective thinking… My surroundings had now transformed themselves in more terrifying ways. Everything in the room spun around, and the familiar objects and pieces of furniture assumed grotesque, threatening forms. They were in continuous motion, animated, as if driven by an inner restlessness….” (Hoffman, 1943)
In the brain LSD-25 bonds to two types of serotonin receptors (excitatory/ inhibitory) located in the synaptic cleft, which is between the sending and receiving neurons. LSD is unpredictable on whether it bonds to the excitatory receptors or the inhibitory receptors, these bonds always change and due to this every LSD “trip” isn’t the same. LSD affects the locus coeruleus which responds to mental stress, anxiety, and other types of mentally panicked states. Located in the pons, the locus coeruleus is class...

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