Posted by Elizabeth on March 9, 1999, at 23:14:18
In reply to Re: Skeptic? Not anymore..., posted by Jim on March 9, 1999, at 17:59:48
Nobody knows how LSD works any more than any of the antidepressants. There is even some confusion, apparently, about its action at serotonin receptors (is it a 5-HT2 agonist or antagonsist? I've heard both from equally respectable sources).
It's an interesting drug. I would be very cautious about taking it if you are very emotional (anxious, agitated, tearful, etc.) as a feature of your depression, as it tends to intensify whatever you happen to be feeling already.
On the other hand I will say that I know of an individual who dropped acid as a last-ditch attempt to crawl out of "the hole" while feeling extremely suicidal. This person stayed in a safe environment with other people around who knew she was tripping, and managed to get through the experience and feel somewhat better for a while afterwards. It wasn't a permanent effect, and she said she would not do it again, but it did work (both in her subjective experience, and based on what others observed) for a little while (and it probably kept her out of the hospital).
I also knew of a guy who took LSD alone while depressed and jumped off a building.
Sadly, just as predicted, many people here are falling into the trap of judgementalness (is that a word?). Try to stick to the facts. LSD is a drug just like Prozac and Parnate and Remeron and imipramine are drugs. People do take it to get high, but that does not mean that getting high is its only use. People also take drugs like Xanax and Valium to get high.
Pej: I was particularly upset by your need to resort to name-calling. There is no need, nor any excuse, for that.
Seedwoman: I wouldn't call the state of a person on LSD a "psychosis," in that the person has *insight* - he or she is aware that a drug is causing the odd effects. A psychotic person does not have insight. He or she will believe, no matter what, in the reality of the perceptions (hallucinations) and beliefs (delusions) that he or she is experiencing.
Pat says:
>I feel that being depressed just naturally makes people want to get high.That's not my experience of being depressed, although I know that there are some people who become very impulsive and "thrill-seeking" when depressed. But anyway, I don't think that LSD psychotherapy uses LSD as a "high." I'm taking a drug for depression that works similarly to morphine (an opioid) - that doesn't mean I'm using it to get "high," and in fact, it doesn't make me high. I'm taking it as prescribed under the care of a physician. Although I don't know too much about LSD therapy, I believe it is the same way: that is, it is not something you do on your own, but rather it involves being guided through the "trip" by your therapist.
I hope people will try to take a rational look at this interesting issue. Amd David, I hope the behavior of one or two people here did not scare you off permanently.
-Elizabeth
poster:Elizabeth
thread:3400
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990301/msgs/3534.html