MIND‘‘ W ere LSD made legal tomorrow,
I’d certainly maintain a supply”
FEELGOOD HIT
OF THE YEAR
When it comes to
potential harm to the user
(purple bar) and those
around them (pink), LSD
ranks lower than most
weekend indulgences, as
studies from research
body DrugScience
demonstrateDOORS OF PERCEPTION
Despite my experiences, for many, getting
slightly ahead at work may be insufficient
recompense to mitigate the risks of obtaining
and self-administering an illegal drug.
According to political lobbyist Liebling,
herein lies the problem. What recent evidence
there is on LSD may be optimistic, but given
the drug’s illegal status, research – when it is
permitted to take place at all – can be tied up
in years’ worth of red tape. The auspicious
use of psychedelic agents in relation to
problem solving, for instance, was first
studied as early as 1966. Some 50 years later,
researchers are only marginally closer to
understanding its postulated potential.
But cognitive enhancement is just the
corner of the tab. LSD is thought to have
other, substantial implications in the
clinical sphere. Carhart-Harris believes
that by “disrupting stereotyped patterns
of thought” it could be used to combat
conditions that adhere to rigid mental
patterns, from addiction to obsessive-
compulsive-disorder. Feilding believes that
by encouraging communication between
different areas of the brain, LSD could
prove “extremely valuable” in combating
age-related neurodegenerative disorders
such as Alzheimer’s. And a 1988-1993 study
carried out by the Swiss Medical Society for
Psycholytic Therapy found cancer patients
combining LSD with talk therapy felt anxiety
about their illness decrease by 20 per cent.
Where LSD treatments are likely to have
the most impact, though, is in the treatment
of depression, as Ayelet Waldman – an Israeli-
American author and journalist – explores
in her new book A Really Good Day: How
Microdosing Made A Mega Difference In My
Mood, My Marriage And My Life. Following
Fadiman’s 10mg principle, Waldman explains
how microdosing saved her life at a time
when she was regularly Googling “the effects
of maternal suicide on children”.
In her book, Walman quotes research
in the Journal of Psychopharmacology,
which found that among a cross-section of
Americans, psychedelic use is correlated with
a 36 per cent reduction in suicide attempts
over the course of a year. Speaking to MH via
email, Waldman enthuses about the potential
of LSD: “Its effects were immediate. It
enhances neuroplasticity – the ability of your
brain to grow and change. And it increases
one’s ability to focus without the side effects
of stimulants like Ritalin or Adderall.”
Such was my experience of the drug.
Throughout the course of my experiment Iremained stimulated but without the need to
constantly refill my coffee mug, or the manic
mental tremors that overloading on caffeine
can entail. Nor, as the drug wore off, did I
experience an unpleasant comedown. The
tide receded gently over a few days without
any sudden decline in my abilities. Friends
have previously self-administered Ritalin
to help them work, but LSD, to me, equals a
calmer and more natural stimulus.
Were it made legal tomorrow, I would
certainly maintain a supply to be used in the
face of deadlines. It would save me money
on coffee, too. For his part, Liebling believes
that with a growing acceptance of the medical
applications of marijuana, the argument
against using illegal drugs as medicine will
soon crumble, leaving the door open for LSD
to be thoroughly analysed.
And if routine microdosing seems fanciful,
it’s worth remembering the practice isn’t new:
“Before LSD became illegal I discovered that
taking small amounts regularly can enhance
cognitive abilities without interrupting your
perception,” says Feilding. “It seems to shake
you at a deeper level; your thoughts become
more exciting and the network of associations
becomes wider, increasing enjoyment and
wellbeing.” And doesn’t that sound preferable
to just another day in the office?YOUR BRAIN ON DRUGS
Think that LSD’s psycholytic effects
are all in the mind? As a brain-
imaging study from the Beckley
Foundation proves, you’d be
absolutely right. By stimulating the
visual cortex, microdosing LSD
allows for integrated communication
between neural networks. Just
BEFORE AFTER show your boss this picture, OK?Alcohol Cocaine Tobacco
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