Is it a bad idea to take lsd for me?

[potatos]

I have heard taking lsd could induce schizophrenic tendancies. Is this true? my uncle was a paranoid schizophrenic, so should i stay away from lsd? I would like to try it

 

[greenmeanies]

unfortunately this is one of those 'you don't really know until it's too late' kind of things

how is your current mental/emotional/social stability? do you have a network of close friends that you can honestly talk to about your inner thoughts and needs? if you had a really bad day would you have someone who truly understood you and could help you through it? if the answer is yes then you're probably fine. lsd only causes problems for people who are taking it to 'escape' the pain of reality, and then they realize that they cannot escape from themselves. if you truly love yourself and enjoy being you, then there is nothing to worry about.

 

[8ft-Sativa]

I would use it sparingly ... like only 2-3 high doses a year and be carefull with Cannabis use too.

I mean you should still use them but keep it for special occasions and dose good when you do so you learn something new.

The perceptual change LSD brings on is astounding ... I don't think anyone should be denied seeing such beauty.

 

[ford442]

i have schizophrenia and here is the deal - acid cannot make you crazy if you are not already - what it can do it bring it sharply to the surface if you are developing the disorder.. in that case you will act way more unusually than your friends on LSD and quite possibly have an uncomfortable nightmare of a time.. that is the risk - but, you stand to discover whether or not you have those tenancies and then get treated if you do.. if it weren't for some scary drug trips i may well have never been diagnosed and gotten help..

schizophrenia usually begins in men from around 16 - 24 when you start feeling the effects.. LSD in no way brings on the long term symptoms or root cause of the problem.. it is not advised for schizophrenics because it temporarily exacerbates the condition while you are high.. if it is starting then you will really feel different and start acting and thinking in a confused and obviously troubled way most of the time.. you feel uncomfortable paranoia and probably retreat completely from society.. it took me a long time to figure out that what i was feeling was not normal human existence..

 

[Mjäll]

There's no real way to know you have a latent mental condition. I am in the same situation as you, actually, with some so called disorders among my elder relatives. It's all down to the person anyway. I recommend psychedelics to anyone rational and interested in their own minds - but don't go overboard! Start easy and use sparingly. It will be much safer and much more fun.

 

[ford442]

ya.. i am just giving you a view of what could possibly happen - i am not saying that you should not try it.. didn't mean for it to sound that way - in my opinion having the experience in your lifetime as opposed to not at all is worth the risk for sure.. you will know once you try it once or twice if it is 'right' for you...

i say all of this because i have seen it firsthand with myself and some of my close friends from times gone by.. i have done some VERY irrational things on LSD - before i knew i had this condition i tripped dozens of times with ok results.. i never inflicted harm on myself or anyone else.. but, once my friend took acid for one of the first times and he grabbed a huge knife, crawled under my bed and started thrashing around with a flashlight and yelling.. i had to calm him down..

i haven't had any LSD for ten years.. i may try it again someday, but i know for sure that i cannot and will not use it frequently.. i know that healthy minds can dose every other day for years and come out in working condition.. i have a feeling that if i dropped every weekend i would be outside yelling at the sun to stop pooping on my lawn..

i see that you actually do have access to doses.. so have a great time! don't be concerned about any of these cautionary tales.. it is something that we all encounter though.. tripping is a glimpse of madness even to a same person - remember that - we all feel our mind doing very strange things on acid and that is not to be confused for actual mental problems..

i have seen sane people trip and i have seen insane people trip.. they don't mesh.. it becomes really clear if one person is 'freaking out' in one degree or another..

how old are you potatos? if you don't mind me asking?

 

[any major dude]

There isn't any evidence to suggest that LSD causes schizophrenia. It can exacerbate the symptoms or hasten the onset, but there are so many other environmental and genetic factors that play a role in mental illness that one LSD trip is likely of little concern unless you've got at least several other risk factors. Always best to err on the side of caution though.

Cannabis has a much stronger correlation with schizophrenia than LSD. However, no one knows which way the arrow of causality points in that correlation. Its entirely possible that people with schizophrenia are drawn to cannabis as some type of self medication (more and more recreational drug use is being seen in this light now) but its also possible that early use (early to mid teens) may cause some predisposition to schizophrenia. My money is on the former, but its just a guess.

 

[SpecialK_]

So basically you cannot find out without taking the risk?

Is there any signs of the early stages of schizophrenia to look for?

i say all of this because i have seen it firsthand with myself and some of my close friends from times gone by.. i have done some VERY irrational things on LSD - before i knew i had this condition i tripped dozens of times with ok results.. i never inflicted harm on myself or anyone else.. but, once my friend took acid for one of the first times and he grabbed a huge knife, crawled under my bed and started thrashing around with a flashlight and yelling.. i had to calm him down..

Are you saying if your schizophrenic and you take acid you'll go crazy? It's just I have had family members (not as direct as uncle, cousin of my dad) who suffers from mental illness and I smoke cannabis regularly, take other drugs and have tripped numerous times and was wondering if there are any tell-tale signs or how likely it is I could have it.

 

[Mjäll]

wondering if there are any tell-tale signs or how likely it is I could have it.

I'd think that's pretty hard to find unless you're the self-observant type, and even then you might be fooling yourself. You have to be open to other peoples input.

 

[Teotzlcoatl]

If I were you then I'd try the psychedelic plants which are known to be safer.

I suggest Peyote, Ayahuasca and/or Iboga.

 

[Bardeaux]

How exactly is peyote/ayahuasca/iboga safer than lsd? Afaik they carry the same risks as lsd.

 

[Xorkoth]

Actually all of those are physically more dangerous than LSD... LSD is physically the safest psychedelic. Iboga is far from safe... it's actually quite dangerous as psychedelics go. The iboga clinics, the responsible ones anyway, ask for a full physical exam and will refuse treatment to people who are not healthy enough, particularly in the heart.

Natural does not necessarily mean safer or better.

Mentally speaking, all psychedelics carry a risk of unlocking latent mental conditions such as schizophrenia, as do stimulants, especially amphetamines. If I were you, I'd stay away to be safe. But like others have said, there's no way to know for sure.

 

[greenmeanies]

really if you are concerned, you should consult a mental health professional and/or therapist to speak about your emotions. do you have a friend-based safety net?