Human experiments in LSD

[Wasimmmagic]

Hi guys,


I want to start this post by being 100% honest. I think a lot of my reasoning here could be fatally flawed, but please remember that these are my inner-most ideas, so any criticism should try and relate directly to the idea and its applications.


LSD newby here. What I wanted to know was if LSD could be potentially used to conditioning your mind to a pre-ordained belief. Again, I'm just writing my rambling thoughts, but a lot of people on here mention LSD experiences as "just knowing" "realising the truth" etc etc Phrases that seem to indicate that inhibitions are completely removed, and the brain becomes its own wonderful uncaged beast. What I'm wanting to know is that these revelations come from thinking and meditating on things, but what if you deliberately exposed yourself to a certain nature of stimuli?
My personal initial application for this, was true inner confidence and removal of needing to conform. Sounds really 90's emo kid, but I think there's huge potential in being able to realise yourself and realising your self worth. I will ashamedly admit that I also wanted to use this for the purposes of being able to approach and pickup girls without fear. (I really hope this dosent detract from the actual idea)
So we have a goal, next is the stimulus. This is where is gets difficult. I thought maybe a video where I film myself pre and post approach, thrown in with some positive reinforcement mantras (maybe even some statements from friends and family) coupled with some vblogs of myself, reinforcing the ideas and values that I want to realise.
Video would be edited so that I would get a super positive energy from it, things like bright colours over layed, with positive vibing music. etc and after the trip is over, I don't know, I guess I just wait and hope it works?


Anyways so the example I used might seem like I'm cheapening the experience but the logic in it is


Goal/Idea/belief > Stimuli deconstructing old belief/Instilling new belief> enjoy new persona


I cant help but think of MK ultra as I write this. Anyway I hope some of the more experienced users can share their thoughts on this.


TL;DR Can you use LSD to potentially brainwash yourself?


Thanks heaps for Reading, I'm also really enjoying your posts

 

[bunnyhentman]

LSD has been used in combination with other forms of psychological manipulation to temporarily "control" people's minds; presumably LSD's self-dissolution was a catalyst in that respect. I think the general consensus is that you can drive people crazy for various lengths of time but you can't really control their minds. For instance, someone who was dosed with LSD might say anything, but there is no way to make them only tell the truth. What is truth when everything is possible?

From what I've read the CIA drove itself crazy with LSD even more than their unwitting subjects. However this was in the 50's and 60's, and the people involved had no knowledge of psychedelic drugs and often didn't know they had been administered, and the documented history itself is pretty suspect. (Did Frank Olsen off himself following a surreptitious dosing or was LSD a convenient scapegoat a CIA execution -- conspiracy theories ahoy.)

The other side of your question is that psychedelic drugs are noted as being powerful triggers of spiritual awakening. We've experienced this from the beginning. The way you accommodate an awareness of the numinous into your own reality is up to you. Some people get back in touch with their childhood religion, some people gain a level of respect and understanding for all living things, some people go full woo-woo, and some people remain steadfast atheists. I think that has a lot more to do with your personal brain and life experience. Psychedelics are powerful agents of change. A person's experience with and openness to change are definite factors in any psychedelic experience.

 

[psy997]

TLDR; no

 

[Efoj]

Your questions are by no means easy to answer, and I've often noticed that even if you start a trip with a specific goal and intention, the trip can surprise you in many different ways.

It doesn't mean you can't have a goal, but swimming against the tide can leave you mentally exhausted. As Timothy leary used to say in the 1960s, "Whenever in doubt, turn off your mind, relax, float downstream."

 

[StudebakerHawk]

Not only the CIA but many governments in the 1950s and 60s experimented with LSD and other psychedelics , presumably hoping to use these drugs for mind control and / or as non - lethal weapons . As far as the drugs that we tend to enjoy , they all to my knowledge gave up eventually as the drugs were just too unpredictable an ineffective for their evil ambitions . Nevertheless , afik some drugs were developed that are indeed effective as incapacitating agents against populations - e.g BZT , if my memory serves .

The 1950s and 60s were apparently a period of intensive research into psychedelics by many government agencies around the world . One report that I love is the Australian CSIRO had published in some scientific journal a synthesis for mescaline from eucalyptus lignin !!!
The CSIRO - bless them - even conducted much phyto-chemical research into Australian acacias , phalaris grasses and other toxic cattle fodders , again publishing their findings [ before it was realized that DMT is psychoactive ] and unwittingly started the DMT " revolution " of today .... just like as occurred with acid , the { DMT ] genie is out of the bottle , never to be able to be put back in !! .... gotta love that serendipity !