Known About The Effects Of Lsd example essay topic
437 words
Lysergic Acid Diethlamide (LSD) LSD or acid is a commonly used drug of teens. LSD is a hallucinogenic drug which effects the nervous system. The drug is ingested in many different ways, absorbed through the skin, taken orally or absorbed through the eye or ear. This drug was originally developed by the government of the United States as a treatment for psychological conditions such as alcoholism and drug addiction. In Canada, where experimentation is not heavily restricted, LSD has been used to reduce the suffering of terminally ill cancer patients. The drug was tested for the effects it would have on autistic children. This drug induces a physiological response that is consistent with that of a central nervous system stimulant. Little is known about the effects of LSD, but what is known shows that it is harmful to the nervous system. Physically, there is an increase in heart rate, an increase in blood pressure, dilation of the pupils, and some facilitation of the spinal reflexes.
Once ingested, LSD takes approximately 30 to 60 minutes to fully onset and the effects last anywhere from six hours to four days, depending on the dosage. If taken in large enough amounts, one can die of an overdose of LSD. Psychologically, LSD has a tremendous effect on a person. LSD is an unpredictable drug in which the effects are different each time it is ingested. A person under the influence of LSD ifs flooded with visual experience, as much when the eyes are closed as when open. Light is greatly intensified; colors are vivid and seem to glow; images are numerous and persistent, yielding a wide range of illusions and hallucinations; details are sharp; perception of spaced is enhanced; music may evoke visual expressions, and light may give the impressions of sound.
Quite often, mood swings occur with unpredictable actions of the person under the influence of the drug. A feeling of awareness of one " self is greatly enhanced. The lapse of time may slow down or time may pass faster than it literally is. A rare occurrence is a feeling of immortality. This has been documented in cases where individuals have jumped out of buildings or jump in front of cars, perhaps to test the feeling of invincibility. Recent studies have begun to show that LSD may cause chromosomal damage which could, in future generations, cause deformation or genetic illnesses.
The studies, done on animals, do not conclude that LSD could cause deformations, but the possibility is present.
