Lysergic Acid Diethlyamide Essays

The article discusses research on the use of hallucinogens for medical therapies applicable to cancer, drug addiction, and psychological problems. Studies being undertaken at Johns Hopkins University are discussed. Johns Hopkins' research on hallucinogens includes assessment of the drug's psychospiritual effects among volunteers and its use in easing psychiatric and behavioral disorders in those so affected.

In his article “Psychedelic Psychotherapy: The Ethics of Medicine for the Soul,” Brian Anderson supports the use of psychedelics in transpersonal psychotherapy, a new field of mental illness treatment using psychology instead of medicine. More specifically, he recalls from scientific studies that psychedelics are capable of altering a person’s states of consciousness. According to Anderson,

“Psychoactive substances exert their their effects by modifying biochemical or physiological processes in the brain.” Psychedelics are taken out of context to be for recreational use only, when they can be taken to enhance spiritual journeys.

Jyllian Kemsley Ph.D. is a chemical research scientist, and scientific research contributor to the CENtral Science’s Safety Zone blog that seeks to “cover science and technology, business and industry, government and policy, education, and employment aspects of the chemistry field”. Her article entitled “Psychedelic Compounds like Ecstasy May Be Good for More than Just a High", reports on the revolutionary research theory within the field of medicine that seeks to examine the prospective benefits of using psychoactive compounds in treating a number of mental conditions. The piece is well written, and presents a number of background studies that have evaluated the efficiency of these

The researchers conducted their study at the alcoholic unit of the New Jersey Neuro-Psychiatric Institute at Princeton, New Jersey. Participants were recruited by offering patients admitted to the institute the opportunity to take part in the experimental LSD program. A total of 28 alcoholics were admitted to the program, and their results were compared to that of a group of 34 alcoholics who took part in a standard comparison program provided by the Alcoholic Unit. Details about the patients were recorded such as their ethnic background, age, and marital status. Subjects were placed into groups of four. The first week was structured as an orientation week, and at the end of the week, two of the members were randomly chosen to be administered

Psychedelics have become so common in America that 8% of high school seniors report having used LSD [Nation 1]. LSD is also known as “acid,” is a chemical compound lysergic acid diethylamide. The effects range from an altered state of reality to strong visual hallucinations. LSD first became popular in the 1960’s, seemingly overnight. Because it was such a new drug, it remained legal until 1966 [Riser]. Many thought of acid as a spiritual aid, and used it to meditate. It was often compared to the drugs peyote and mescaline that were used in Native American religious ceremonies [Riser]. During this time period there were social reforms taking place all over the country.

Throughout history a multitude of human populations have been using and abusing a number of psychoactive drugs. These drugs can include very common substances such as caffeine to the more deadly but arguably just as addictive heroine. Further on the list of psychoactive drugs include those of the psychedelic variety. These would include the chemicals such as d-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), peyote and psilocybin among others. All of which have hallucinogenic properties that tend to blur the line between fantasy and reality. How dangerous are these chemicals, and what are the consequences of sustained long term use? Due to the controversial nature of the use of psychedelic drugs in a medical setting, the study of short and long term effects

According to Scott A. McGreal, there was a strong relationship between the participants who enjoyed the LSD experience to their psychological growth (Pyschologytoday.com). In his article he labels the groups, the peakers who had intensely positive experiences by describing their perceptions as beauty, understanding, and self-transcendence and non-peakers who were disappointed and or frightened. Carhart-Harris and the colleagues determined how much psychological growth was improved by using a measure of self-actualization, a concept developed by Abraham Maslow. The test subjects were given LSD for nine months, after the nine months the group labeled as peakers scored significantly higher on a measure of self-actualization compared to non-peakers (Psychologytoday.com). Their self-actualization scale used a broad range of things relating to psychological health, such as: appreciating relationships, greater happiness, less anxiety, nature appreciation and so

This learner believes that hallucinogens are intriguing to learn about. One thing that was interesting was the fact that hallucinogens show some of the same symptoms as someone with schizophrenia. Many schizophrenia patients are at greater risk of hallucinogen abuse. Mueser, Yarnold, Levinson, Singh, Bellack, Kee, Kimmy, Morrison, and Yadalam (1990) stated, “In general, the evidence suggests that the prevalence of substance abuse in schizophrenia is comparable to that in the general population, with the possible exceptions of stimulant and hallucinogen abuse, which may be greater in patients with schizophrenia” (p. 32). Hallucinogens can cause psychiatric disorders. According to Haraway, Schweitzer, Suzuki (2016), “Hallucinogen use may result in psychiatric disorders that may occur at time of use or afterward and may cause secondary psychotic, mood, or anxiety disorders” (p. 489).

The study was based on the suggestion that psychedelics such as psilocybin and LSD, changes the semantic processing in the brain. The study used 10 participants under the influence of LSD and a placebo. By using picture-naming tasks, the researchers test the participants' accuracy and error correction. The results concluded that LSD had an effect on the accuracy and error correction on the participants. (Family et al.)

On April 16, 1943, Dr. Hoffman decided to do further research with the LSD compound (Dye, 1992 p. 5). While handling the drug,

"LSD was introduced into the United States in 1948 as a psychiatric wonder drug . . . curing everything from schizophrenia, criminal behavior, sexual perversions, and alcoholism," (Henderson, p.3). Sandoz recommended that psychiatrists take LSD in order to gain insight to the ideas and sensations of their mental patients. LSD was expected to create fundamental changes in attitude and personality, and shorten the time consuming, expensive process of psychotherapy by enabling patients to uncover unconscious material more quickly than conventional methods, (Henderson, 47). It was reported that "subjects would become less depressed, anxious, guilty, or angry, and more self tolerant, religious, and sensually aware.

Could illicit psychedelic drugs be used in modern medicine to treat individuals who suffer from mental health issues and life stress? Even farther, could LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide) be used to help those struggling in their marriages? Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, commonly known as LSD or even more informally by its street name “acid” has long been a topic of controversy both in public policy and in the medical field. Despite its controversy and its illegal status, it has been used both recreationally and for research concerning its potential healing machinimas. LSD owes its fame to the counterculture in the late 1960’s, Hippies

Bob presented many of his self-visualized problems in our first session, and became somewhat sad while doing so. Bob indicated that he thought that he could reasonably complete his time in counseling after between 10 and 15 sessions, so it was agreed upon that we would function under the assumption that we would complete 12. In our first session, Bob described his experience with LSD in great detail, and indicated that this is the only cause of his anxiety that he could think of. He had trouble beginning to speak about his family life, however after a little encouragement, he was able to speak

This essay will be focused on two different approaches to cognitive psychology: Cognitive Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neuroscience. Cognitive Neuropsychology is concerned with the patterns of cognitive performance and emphasis on the cognitive effects of brain-damaged patients who suffered lesions, injuries or diseases, providing vest information on normal human cognition. (Eysenck and Keane 2015, p.5) Whereas cognitive neuroscience involves in-depth study of our brain and behaviours. As the brain contains numerous neurones and is so complicated, the cognitive neuroscience emphasis on the biological side of the brain and focuses on the lobes that are divided from the cerebral cortex.