☮ Social ☮ Perpetuated LSD Myths

[Mischief&Mayham]

Coming down from a good LSD trip with some MDMA, and me and my friends were talking about different myths that seem to follow LSD around throughout the years. I know there are ones for every drug, but it seems like there is just so much ignorance around psychedelic drugs in general. So, what are some of the ones you have heard, or what are your thoughts on the subject?

The one myth that seems to bother me the most is the one where people say they see things that aren't there. Like someone saying that a pink elephant was in their room talking to them while they were high! It just drives me batty, and I just tell them that they gave away their own lie that they likely haven't ever taken LSD before. I mean, yes, I do know that they could have spent hours talking to a pink elephant stuffed animal, and might even thought it was breathing since LSD is known to make that happen. Though, never for a second are they actually going to think it was a life sized real elephant, or that it talked back. If they do, it wasn't the LSD.

(Granted, I have had a little of this with PCP, or DMT, but it was more like dreaming. I wasn't talking to a pink elephant in my bedroom, I was more blasting off without a spaceship to space to talk to aliens).

The second one that seems to get under my skin is the one that "LSD stays in your spine for the rest of your life", but goes hand in hand with the "if you pop your back/knee/neck you end up with flash backs". I think this is because I took a LOT of LSD in my life, and have even taken it in crystal form (which was easily 100 hits), all while on court ordered sobriety. Well, lets just say, they eventually tested me for LSD (tested my blood) and came out negative barely over 24 hours after my trip was over. Plus, I've only experienced a flashback once, but it was set off from being at the same concert as my crystal trip, at the same venue. Though, it only lasted a few seconds, and felt more like deja vu with a psychedelic, wall breathing, light enhancing twist.

There were others we talked about too, and I was surprised by how many we were able to come up with. Were there any that you believed before taking LSD, or any you have personally experienced?

 

[Xorkoth]

What about "if you take LSD 7 times you're legally/clinically insane"? If that's true then I'm super extra insane.

For some reason the pink elephants are a common theme for what people suggest you might see... always elephants. I have no idea what that's about. When I went into my first trip I was half expecting the pink elephants. Or fairies.

Or how about "the guy who tripped too hard and now thinks he's a glass of orange juice"? Or "the guy at my friend's school who was carrying a vial and it broke in his pocket and it all absorbed through his skin and he's never been the same"? (these 2 have often been combined - the vial broke and now he thinks he's a glass of orange juice)

The good news is, with marijuana practically fully acceptable, and psychedelics back into legitimate research (psilocybin is in clinical trials, MDMA is almost ready to be used in therapeutic medicine, and ketamine is being used for depression in clinics), I think it won;t be long before the nonsense is behind us. The myths are a result of the demonization of psychedelics, remnants of "reefer madness"-style scare tactics.

 

[Anthem Acid]

A week ago I was hanging out with a genuine meth head, and as he was smoking some we started talking about LSD and he says "Dude, you don't want to fuck with that stuff, it'll fry your brain!"

The irony was rich.

 

[Mischief&Mayham]

What about "if you take LSD 7 times you're legally/clinically insane"? If that's true then I'm super extra insane.

For some reason the pink elephants are a common theme for what people suggest you might see... always elephants. I have no idea what that's about. When I went into my first trip I was half expecting the pink elephants. Or fairies.

Or how about "the guy who tripped too hard and now thinks he's a glass of orange juice"? Or "the guy at my friend's school who was carrying a vial and it broke in his pocket and it all absorbed through his skin and he's never been the same"? (these 2 have often been combined - the vial broke and now he thinks he's a glass of orange juice)

The good news is, with marijuana practically fully acceptable, and psychedelics back into legitimate research (psilocybin is in clinical trials, MDMA is almost ready to be used in therapeutic medicine, and ketamine is being used for depression in clinics), I think it won;t be long before the nonsense is behind us. The myths are a result of the demonization of psychedelics, remnants of "reefer madness"-style scare tactics.

HAHAHAHA RIGHT?! OMG exactly! And like the elephant, its always orange juice LOL! Never any other kinda of juice or drink lol. Plus the 7 lol! Like it's never 9 or 12 times hahahaha. I've also heard "you take more than 10 hits you are legally insane" kinda stuff too. LOL. If this was true than I would have to believe that I am actually so nuts that I don't realize I am screaming in a mirror "LSD, LSD, LSD"

Well, I guess I can't prove that, but then the other person would have to admit they are imaginary and/or in the same place LOL!

I heard about the marijuana/MDMA/Ketamine, but I didn't even realize about the psilocybin! SWEET!! I will have something to look into tonight!

 

[Xorkoth]

I might be insane but I've tripped hundreds of times so it doesn't give us a very reliable data point.

 

[Mischief&Mayham]

A week ago I was hanging out with a genuine meth head, and as he was smoking some we started talking about LSD and he says "Dude, you don't want to fuck with that stuff, it'll fry your brain!"

The irony was rich.

HAHAHAHA! RIGHT?! LOL.

I mean don't get me wrong, I don't judge meth. I was on Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta, Evekeo, and Vyvanse since I was a young kid (all different amphetamines), so I know meth isn't as dangerous as the drug wars want us to believe. Yet, LSD is completely non-toxic to the body. You can not say that about meth, even non-backyard lab kind.

 

[Mischief&Mayham]

LOL, right same here but hell; if it's true I guess I can stay! Could be worse LOL!

 

[Xorkoth]

If I'm insane, then I like it here.

 

[Toltec]

In 1980 I had to go to the calif state department of rehab for a work placement program.
Well during the psych exam, I told the person during some testings, I took lsd almost 100 times. He told me never to mention that again, we are supposed to view folks who took that much LSD as insane ..He told me he does not share that belief. I got a very good job/military USPS, i retired 20 years later.
So is or was that true back in the 70's & 80's, who really knows

 

[Foreigner]

That it'll blind you to your own actions... like that guy who tried to fly by jumping off the roof of a building on LSD.

People who do unsafe things on LSD are just stupid people in general. LSD didn't make them that way.

 

[Anthem Acid]

HAHAHAHA! RIGHT?! LOL.

I mean don't get me wrong, I don't judge meth. I was on Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta, Evekeo, and Vyvanse since I was a young kid (all different amphetamines), so I know meth isn't as dangerous as the drug wars want us to believe. Yet, LSD is completely non-toxic to the body. You can not say that about meth, even non-backyard lab kind.

Oh, I've got no problem with meth, either. We just know there's irrefutable evidence that if ANY drug actually "frys" your brain from extended use, it's meth.

 

[Mischief&Mayham]

In 1980 I had to go to the calif state department of rehab for a work placement program.
Well during the psych exam, I told the person during some testings, I took lsd almost 100 times. He told me never to mention that again, we are supposed to view folks who took that much LSD as insane ..He told me he does not share that belief. I got a very good job/military USPS, i retired 20 years later.
So is or was that true back in the 70's & 80's, who really knows

That is very interesting story! I did figure that most medical professionals were taught that at some point, during the craze of it all, and before they had a lot of research on it. So that does make sense! I am sure that they don't teach that anymore, but I bet there are even some that still think that. I know when I was in a mental hospital (for PTSD from childhood), one of the nurses asked me a lot about my drug use, and when we got to the LSD she said something about how that "probably made it worse". Except, really, tripping LSD helps me during a triggered PTSD attack. I totally black out to reality when they happen typically, and relive the event very vividly, but on LSD it is like I can determine that its fake and shift myself out of it.

 

[Mischief&Mayham]

hat guy who tried to fly by jumping off the roof of a building on LSD.

People who do unsafe things on LSD are just stupid people in general. LSD didn't make them that way

OMG YES!!! This one too! LOL!!!

 

[Mischief&Mayham]

Oh, I've got no problem with meth, either. We just know there's irrefutable evidence that if ANY drug actually "frys" your brain from extended use, it's meth.

Right, that is totally true! I mean, most drugs at least do a little damage to the brain/body after extended use, and meth (especially street versions) is one of the most dangerous, but what I have looked up they can't even find any damage from LSD.

 

[Xorkoth]

Except, really, tripping LSD helps me during a triggered PTSD attack. I totally black out to reality when they happen typically, and relive the event very vividly, but on LSD it is like I can determine that its fake and shift myself out of it.

That's awesome! There certainly are still people who believe LSD makes you insane, but I think we're seeing the beginning of a shift in public and professional perception, with psilocybin in clinical trials, and research being done with psychedelics again with favorable results coming in. Plus there's the whole thing where silicon valley tech people are openly talking about microdosing to help with work/creativity... ketamine clinics for depression... and MDMA is almost through clinical trials and will be available to aid in therapy soon. I don't think it'll be too long before the population in general stops seeing them as scary insanity-producing street drugs and starts seeing them as medicine.

 

[Mischief&Mayham]

That's awesome! There certainly are still people who believe LSD makes you insane, but I think we're seeing the beginning of a shift in public and professional perception, with psilocybin in clinical trials, and research being done with psychedelics again with favorable results coming in. Plus there's the whole thing where silicon valley tech people are openly talking about microdosing to help with work/creativity... ketamine clinics for depression... and MDMA is almost through clinical trials and will be available to aid in therapy soon. I don't think it'll be too long before the population in general stops seeing them as scary insanity-producing street drugs and starts seeing them as medicine.

Right! I totally agree! After my stint in the mental ward, I started working with a woman psychiatrist, and we had talked about LSD and MDMA. She told me I wasn't the first person to say that to her, and in her research she says it does seem to work in a similar way as hypnotherapy. We even talked about how either become legal for her to use during treatment she would likely try working with it in some cases.

I am sure it wouldn't work for everyone the same, as everyone is different, but I think it would give them a great new option for people like me; where traditional known treatments aren't working well enough if at all. Granted, I still have PTSD, and so taking it didn't "cure" it because on occasion I am still triggered. Though, I do have a lot less, and I did notice the ones I don't have anymore are the ones that were triggered during an LSD trip. Which makes me think of what hypnotherapy has been supposed to do for me.

 

[EntheoDjinn]

I had a relationship with a 'drug naive' Greek teacher who was fascinated by my LSD tales. She told me that when she was getting "drugs education" in secondary school back in the 70's they were shown the photograph below and told that this is what happens when you take LSD. She said they all believed it at the time because they didn't know any better and trusted teachers to tell them the truth.

 

[Mischief&Mayham]

She said they all believed it at the time because they didn't know any better and trusted teachers to tell them the truth.

Yeah, I have noticed that with drug "naive" people. They hear something, often from people like teachers or police, and they assume they are telling the truth. I guess it can happen with anything too, but a lot of the lies I first heard about it were during the D.A.R.E programs. Like the "you will think you can fly" and the "you will get flashbacks all your life". Which when I was young and naive too, I had believed them.

 

[Xorkoth]

I believed DARE too. Actually I won an award for writing the best poem about how bad drug users are. I wasn't really exposed to drugs at all until I was 16 so I had no reason to not believe them. The program made me aware of a lot of drugs but it also made me think about drug users almost like a different breed, criminals!! I was like, why would anyone ever do drugs?? Then when I was 16 I worked at a grocery store with some people who became my friends and I realized they smoked weed and drank and it made me curious. Then on my 17th birthday I smoked weed and drank for the first time and I was like, okay, that was awesome, DARE is full of shit, obviously everything they ever told me about drugs must be a lie. So I pretty much tried them all. But I was also too cavalier. It would be better by far if kids were taught realistic information about drugs.

Which is why Bluelight exists.

 

[Mischief&Mayham]

I believed DARE too. Actually I won an award for writing the best poem about how bad drug users are. I wasn't really exposed to drugs at all until I was 16 so I had no reason to not believe them. The program made me aware of a lot of drugs but it also made me think about drug users almost like a different breed, criminals!! I was like, why would anyone ever do drugs?? Then when I was 16 I worked at a grocery store with some people who became my friends and I realized they smoked weed and drank and it made me curious. Then on my 17th birthday I smoked weed and drank for the first time and I was like, okay, that was awesome, DARE is full of shit, obviously everything they ever told me about drugs must be a lie. So I pretty much tried them all. But I was also too cavalier. It would be better by far if kids were taught realistic information about drugs.

Which is why Bluelight exists.

HAHAHA right? I seriously thought drug addicts were normal people, who tried drugs once, and then just couldn't stop themselves from then doing crimes. LOL! Though, I was 12 when I learned that my brother was smoking weed, and doing drugs, which honestly I was soooo scared at first he would just become a shitty person who stole or murderer. HAHAHAHA.... Which he never did ... go figure! I was then 13 when I started to smoke weed with him and his friends, and then moved onto other things the same year. Not because weed is a gateway, but because I saw people on them and it looked fun! And they WERE! LOL!

Luckily though it didn't take me long to find Bluelight. Mostly because i am an inquisitive person, so early on I went to search the internet for things written by actual people and users, and found it on a lot of different topics. This lead me to stalking it for close to 2 decades LOL.