5 ms·

> And the interesting thing about LSD is that I didn't have to do it every night. I did it one time and it changed how I viewed the world. It wasn't a crutch, i

> And the interesting thing about LSD is that I didn't have to do it every night. I did it one time and it changed how I viewed the world. It wasn't a crutch, it just re-arranged how I saw things. This is one of the most scary things I have read. What if you got lucky in that it was beneficial for you? For all we know it could have easily gone the other way where just that single dose on that single night could have permanently ruined your life. Persistent effects of drugs after a single use are a terrifying phenomenon.

aluren 8y ago
Everything you experience is bound to be mind-altering in one way or another. We change constantly, and our past selves from 10 years ago are hardly the same person as our current selves. (In fact, the very notion that there is a 'self' is more artificial and murky than anything.) Why experience anything then, if the thought of changing is so terrifying? Of course, that does not mean you should experience everything. I would stay away from acid if I had known schizophrenic antecedents in my family. But that's like with anything: be aware of risk factors, act accordingly. Don't eat too much sugar if you are diabetic, don't explore caves if you are claustrophobic, and so on.
- lists 8y ago
  >I would stay away from acid if I had known schizophrenic antecedents in my family. But that's like with anything: be aware of risk factors, act accordingly. Don't eat too much sugar if you are diabetic, don't explore caves if you are claustrophobic, and so on. You're assuming everyone has the _ability_ to know that prior to discovering this
globe1337 8y ago
Well it's a good thing tons of research on the matter was once done in the past, before the reactionary US Government stuck it on schedule 1. Maybe you should educate yourself before you spread more fear-mongering nonsense. LSD doesn't ruin anyone's life.
philwelch 8y ago
If I put my cynic's hat on, they're especially terrifying to drug companies. If you take SSRI's and they work, you'll take SSRI's every day for the rest of your life. If you take LSD or MDMA or ketamine and it works, you're done after one dose. Anecdotally, people who regularly took LSD seemed to get increasingly weird compared to those who only took it once or a small number of times (c.f. http://slatestarcodex.com/2016/04/28/why-were-early-psychedelicists-so-weird/ http://slatestarcodex.com/2016/04/28/why-were-early-psychede...), so if anything, a persistent effect might turn into a compounding effect if you don't restrict yourself to a single use. Also, there are cases (cf http://slatestarcodex.com/2018/06/06/hppd-and-the-specter-of-permanent-side-effects/ http://slatestarcodex.com/2018/06/06/hppd-and-the-specter-of...) of psychedelic drug users suffering persistent bad effects. The interrelation between physiological and psychological mechanisms is still largely unknown, but what is known is that even normal human experience can sometimes have a persistent one-time psychological effect. The possibility of harnessing such an effect for therapeutic purposes is concerning, perhaps, but no more than any of the other mysterious mucking about we tend to do.
- Sohakes 8y ago
  The first article is really anecdotal and there are a lot of other explanations, which the commenters talk about. Also, the illegality of LSD makes it so regularly people use something else thinking it's LSD. Part of the bad problems (such as HPPD) related to LSD usage could be caused by something else. Could also explain why it seems mushrooms are safer. But it could also be that hallucinogen usage make people weird, yeah. As you said, we don't really know yet. I'm curious and really hopeful.
- atomical 8y ago
  > If you take LSD or MDMA or ketamine and it works, you're done after one dose. Where is the proof for this outrageous statement? It certainly isn't true for ketamine's use in depression.

aluren 8y ago

Everything you experience is bound to be mind-altering in one way or another. We change constantly, and our past selves from 10 years ago are hardly the same person as our current selves. (In fact, the very notion that there is a 'self' is more artificial and murky than anything.) Why experience anything then, if the thought of changing is so terrifying? Of course, that does not mean you should experience everything. I would stay away from acid if I had known schizophrenic antecedents in my family. But that's like with anything: be aware of risk factors, act accordingly. Don't eat too much sugar if you are diabetic, don't explore caves if you are claustrophobic, and so on.

lists 8y ago
>I would stay away from acid if I had known schizophrenic antecedents in my family. But that's like with anything: be aware of risk factors, act accordingly. Don't eat too much sugar if you are diabetic, don't explore caves if you are claustrophobic, and so on. You're assuming everyone has the _ability_ to know that prior to discovering this

globe1337 8y ago

Well it's a good thing tons of research on the matter was once done in the past, before the reactionary US Government stuck it on schedule 1. Maybe you should educate yourself before you spread more fear-mongering nonsense. LSD doesn't ruin anyone's life.

philwelch 8y ago

If I put my cynic's hat on, they're especially terrifying to drug companies. If you take SSRI's and they work, you'll take SSRI's every day for the rest of your life. If you take LSD or MDMA or ketamine and it works, you're done after one dose. Anecdotally, people who regularly took LSD seemed to get increasingly weird compared to those who only took it once or a small number of times (c.f. http://slatestarcodex.com/2016/04/28/why-were-early-psychedelicists-so-weird/ http://slatestarcodex.com/2016/04/28/why-were-early-psychede...), so if anything, a persistent effect might turn into a compounding effect if you don't restrict yourself to a single use. Also, there are cases (cf http://slatestarcodex.com/2018/06/06/hppd-and-the-specter-of-permanent-side-effects/ http://slatestarcodex.com/2018/06/06/hppd-and-the-specter-of...) of psychedelic drug users suffering persistent bad effects. The interrelation between physiological and psychological mechanisms is still largely unknown, but what is known is that even normal human experience can sometimes have a persistent one-time psychological effect. The possibility of harnessing such an effect for therapeutic purposes is concerning, perhaps, but no more than any of the other mysterious mucking about we tend to do.

Sohakes 8y ago
The first article is really anecdotal and there are a lot of other explanations, which the commenters talk about. Also, the illegality of LSD makes it so regularly people use something else thinking it's LSD. Part of the bad problems (such as HPPD) related to LSD usage could be caused by something else. Could also explain why it seems mushrooms are safer. But it could also be that hallucinogen usage make people weird, yeah. As you said, we don't really know yet. I'm curious and really hopeful.
atomical 8y ago
> If you take LSD or MDMA or ketamine and it works, you're done after one dose. Where is the proof for this outrageous statement? It certainly isn't true for ketamine's use in depression.