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Being in the throws of a rather intense hallucinogenic event can create significant stress and disorientation. A contemporary user can certainly combat these fe

Being in the throws of a rather intense hallucinogenic event can create significant stress and disorientation. A contemporary user can certainly combat these feelings by the comforting information that LSD is a widely used, and well studied chemical, and the effects are non-lethal and presenting in their proper manifestations. For Hofman, this was not the case. It must have been extremely concerning to be without this information. The complete alteration of the perception of all of his senses, no information about the duration or magnitude of the event, and unsure if he had been fatally poisoned. Given his initial experience, it is amazing that he persisted the way he did.

colordrops 12y ago
LSD amplifies beliefs and makes the user highly receptive to external ideas. Before the concept of a "bad trip" and the idea that LSD is "dangerous" became common, very negative experiences on LSD were anecdotally not frequent. In fact, most people do not have a bad first trip for similar reasons, as they don't know what to expect and aren't familiar with the sensations, and thus do not try to control them, getting into a pilot induced oscillation, further amplified by the fear of going into the dreaded bad trip that they've heard so much about. I suspect that Hofmann's experience was not so bad.
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
- robotresearcher 12y ago
  The fine article makes clear that this was a terrifying experience. "I was seized by the dreadful fear of going insane." "Was I dying? Was this the transition?"
- honksillet 12y ago
  Well as he describes it it doesn't sound at all pleasant (except for the day after).
- vonklaus 12y ago
  Hofman describes his furniture as contorting into "grotesque" and terrifying shapes. He mourns his family and the loss of his research lab as he believes he is dying. He himself explains at length the curious and terrifying situation. Further, there was nothing to prepare him for this. Heroin, largely demonized by society and a quite potent drug has a "standard" dose of about .1g or 100mg. Obviously, a dose differs based on habit and potency, however this is certainly enough to feel the effects. Hofman consumed 1/4 of a mg. A dose 400x smaller than that which was just described. With little known about hallucinogens (certainly native Americans and Amazonians had discovered psychoactive plants) at least to Hofman, this feelig was wholly original. It would be entirely possible, probably plausible given his disposition, that he was lethally poisoned. Hofman, did say that as he descended down the bell curve after the peak that it was an enjoyable experience. He even remarked that psychologists would line to study it. However, given how intense and terrifying he deacribed the initial onset, I would not fault him, not call him cowardly, for not wanting to resume self-experimentation. This likely would have lead to LSD-25 not being put into widespread circulation, possibly forever. To your point of the self-perpetuating bad trip. I concede that it is entirely possible that the meme of a bad trip and the medias portrayal of the drug could certainly induce one to have a bad trip. However, the knowledge of how the drug interacts with the body and the now well-known pharmacology can be leveraged for confort when one is under the influence. The knowledge that one is safe and it is only a temporary state brought about by a drug. Hofman did not have this. He could not take comfort in knowing approcimately when the effects would subside, or even of they ever would. i don't think comparing a trip where a person jas knowledge of the drug academically, but never practically (a contemporary persons first trip) can be legitimately compared to the first ever trip. It goes to show how amazing and extraordinary the feelings and perception must have been when Hofman became comfortable. After the fear and heavy effects wore off, he must have truly marveled at the changed perspective, and been willing to try amd acheive it again for its benefits accross a host of disciplines and use cases
virtualwhys 12y ago
> combat these feelings by the comforting information that LSD is a widely used, and well studied chemical When you are in the thick of it you are most certainly not taking comfort in the fact that the LSD (you mostly likely purchased on the street) is a widely used and well studied chemical ;-) In the past I went into the woods with nothing; later I brought a wrist watch. Being able to know roughly how long until the peak helped to ground me more than anything else. Of course, if you can't even read your watch, then all bets are off, as was the case with Hofmann when he took, completely out of any context (as you point out) for his first trip, a dose @ equivalent to 4 tabs of blotter, and lab pure to boot, yikes o_O OT, but drinking 2 liters of milk to fend off the demons, hah, that made me chuckle.
- justatdotin 12y ago
  > Of course, if you can't even read your watch, then all bets are off watch? what's a watch?
  - tyho 12y ago
    Phones can be a real struggle to use during those times. A simple watch with a clear display/face is very useful.
- jospoortvliet 12y ago
  I recognized the feeling/fear of going insane. One of my mushroom trips I had the same thing - not exactly fun. I'm not really interested in trying LSD due to the trip lasting longer - 4 hours (mushrooms) of pure fear is enough. Yes, I've had good trips too, but about half of them went bad at some point and that ain't fun. In general, only take hallucinogenics if you're in a good, stable place... Not when you're worried or afraid of something.

colordrops 12y ago

LSD amplifies beliefs and makes the user highly receptive to external ideas. Before the concept of a "bad trip" and the idea that LSD is "dangerous" became common, very negative experiences on LSD were anecdotally not frequent. In fact, most people do not have a bad first trip for similar reasons, as they don't know what to expect and aren't familiar with the sensations, and thus do not try to control them, getting into a pilot induced oscillation, further amplified by the fear of going into the dreaded bad trip that they've heard so much about. I suspect that Hofmann's experience was not so bad.

deleted 12y ago
[deleted]
robotresearcher 12y ago
The fine article makes clear that this was a terrifying experience. "I was seized by the dreadful fear of going insane." "Was I dying? Was this the transition?"
honksillet 12y ago
Well as he describes it it doesn't sound at all pleasant (except for the day after).
vonklaus 12y ago
Hofman describes his furniture as contorting into "grotesque" and terrifying shapes. He mourns his family and the loss of his research lab as he believes he is dying. He himself explains at length the curious and terrifying situation. Further, there was nothing to prepare him for this. Heroin, largely demonized by society and a quite potent drug has a "standard" dose of about .1g or 100mg. Obviously, a dose differs based on habit and potency, however this is certainly enough to feel the effects. Hofman consumed 1/4 of a mg. A dose 400x smaller than that which was just described. With little known about hallucinogens (certainly native Americans and Amazonians had discovered psychoactive plants) at least to Hofman, this feelig was wholly original. It would be entirely possible, probably plausible given his disposition, that he was lethally poisoned. Hofman, did say that as he descended down the bell curve after the peak that it was an enjoyable experience. He even remarked that psychologists would line to study it. However, given how intense and terrifying he deacribed the initial onset, I would not fault him, not call him cowardly, for not wanting to resume self-experimentation. This likely would have lead to LSD-25 not being put into widespread circulation, possibly forever. To your point of the self-perpetuating bad trip. I concede that it is entirely possible that the meme of a bad trip and the medias portrayal of the drug could certainly induce one to have a bad trip. However, the knowledge of how the drug interacts with the body and the now well-known pharmacology can be leveraged for confort when one is under the influence. The knowledge that one is safe and it is only a temporary state brought about by a drug. Hofman did not have this. He could not take comfort in knowing approcimately when the effects would subside, or even of they ever would. i don't think comparing a trip where a person jas knowledge of the drug academically, but never practically (a contemporary persons first trip) can be legitimately compared to the first ever trip. It goes to show how amazing and extraordinary the feelings and perception must have been when Hofman became comfortable. After the fear and heavy effects wore off, he must have truly marveled at the changed perspective, and been willing to try amd acheive it again for its benefits accross a host of disciplines and use cases

virtualwhys 12y ago

> combat these feelings by the comforting information that LSD is a widely used, and well studied chemical When you are in the thick of it you are most certainly not taking comfort in the fact that the LSD (you mostly likely purchased on the street) is a widely used and well studied chemical ;-) In the past I went into the woods with nothing; later I brought a wrist watch. Being able to know roughly how long until the peak helped to ground me more than anything else. Of course, if you can't even read your watch, then all bets are off, as was the case with Hofmann when he took, completely out of any context (as you point out) for his first trip, a dose @ equivalent to 4 tabs of blotter, and lab pure to boot, yikes o_O OT, but drinking 2 liters of milk to fend off the demons, hah, that made me chuckle.

justatdotin 12y ago
> Of course, if you can't even read your watch, then all bets are off watch? what's a watch?
- tyho 12y ago
  Phones can be a real struggle to use during those times. A simple watch with a clear display/face is very useful.
jospoortvliet 12y ago
I recognized the feeling/fear of going insane. One of my mushroom trips I had the same thing - not exactly fun. I'm not really interested in trying LSD due to the trip lasting longer - 4 hours (mushrooms) of pure fear is enough. Yes, I've had good trips too, but about half of them went bad at some point and that ain't fun. In general, only take hallucinogenics if you're in a good, stable place... Not when you're worried or afraid of something.