LSD Misuse: Potential Risks of Acid & Treatment

According to the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 0.8% of adults ages 12 and older used LSD in the previous year.¹ The rate was highest among people ages 18-25, with 2.6% of this age group reporting past year LSD use.¹

If you or someone you know use LSD, you should be aware of the potential health effects and dangers of LSD. Keep reading to learn more about LSD, effects of LSD, health risks, overdose potential, and how to find LSD treatment near you.

What is LSD (Acid)?

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a highly potent hallucinogenic drug that can produce mind and mood-altering effects.^2,3 LSD is in a category of drugs often referred to as classic hallucinogens, or psychedelics. Drugs in this class, including LSD, interact with a subset of serotonin receptors in the brain. It is thought that through this interaction, LSD alters serotonin signaling in the brain in a way that brings about its psychedelic properties, which may include vivid visions and altered sense of self.³

Derived from lysergic acid, a fungus that grows on rye and other grains, LSD may be found in different forms, including small squares of absorbent paper (known as “blotters”), tablets, capsules, and in liquid form, all of which are typically ingested orally.⁴ LSD is commonly referred to as acid and, historically, has been given various other street names such as Stamp, Lucy, and Microdot.²

Currently, LSD is categorized as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act, which means that it possesses a high potential for misuse and has no accepted medical use.⁵  

Effects of LSD

As with other hallucinogenic drugs, people often use LSD to experience distorted visions and sensations, intense feelings of connectedness, altered perceptions and thoughts of themselves, others, and reality, and to have an out-of-body or spiritual experience.³

However, LSD can produce unpredictable effects on the body that can be influenced by several factors, such as the amount of LSD used, as well as a person’s age, mood, mindset, and environmental setting they take it in.³ Some of these effects on your body of using LSD can include:^3,4

• Dilated pupils.
• Dizziness.
• Headache.
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Loss of appetite.
• Rapid heart rate.
• Elevated blood pressure.

Health Risks & Dangers of LSD

Severe health risks associated with LSD misuse are typically rare, unlike with many other more conventionally addictive substances.³ However, it is possible for people who chronically use LSD to experience health risks such as:^3,4

• Rapid emotional swings.
• Frightening thoughts (i.e., a “bad trip”).
• Panic.
• Fear of losing control.
• Behaviors that may increase the chances of bodily injury.
• Flashbacks.

LSD and HPPD

Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder, or HPPD, is a rare diagnosis that is given to people who re-experience the perceptual disturbances (flashbacks) that they had when they were on LSD or other hallucinogens when they are sober.^3,6 According to the DSM-5, people with HPPD can experience:⁶

• Geometric hallucinations.
• False perceptions of movement in the peripheral visual fields.
• Flashes of color.
• Intensified colors.
• Trails of images of moving objects.
• Positive afterimages.
• Halos around objects.
• Macropsia (objects appear larger than they are in reality) and micropsia (objects appear smaller than they are in reality).

In order to receive an HPPD diagnosis, the symptoms need to cause clinically significant distress and impair a person’s functioning.⁶ These symptoms can continue to recur even years after a person has used LSD.³

Can You Overdose on LSD?

When used on its own, fatal overdoses on LSD are is extremely unlikely; according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a lethal dose of LSD is about 1000 times larger than a person would normally take for recreational purposes.³ An LSD “overdose” typically only occurs when very high doses are being used or when one or more substances (especially alcohol) are being used at the same time.³

At this time, more research is needed to establish further specifics related to LSD overdose and its risk of fatality.³  

Rehab and Treatment for LSD Misuse

At American Addiction Centers, we are pleased to provide high-quality care at each of our nationwide facilities, where evidence-based treatment is available for people struggling with the use of substances like LSD. Depending on their clinical needs at the time of entry, individuals may be admitted to one of the following levels of addiction treatment at one of our AAC facilities:

• Medical detox
• Inpatient drug and alcohol rehab
• Partial hospitalization rehab programs
• Intensive outpatient drug and alcohol rehab programs
• Outpatient addiction treatment programs

Start Your Journey to Recovery

If you or a loved one are struggling, you can get help by reaching out to us right now. Please call our free helpline at to speak to an admissions navigator about your rehab options and ask any questions you may have, or learn more about using health insurance to pay for rehab and rehab admissions. There is always hope, and we are here to support you throughout your recovery journey.

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