Commonly Abused Drugs
Review this page which describes the acute effects and the health risks of both legal and illegal drugs.
Commonly Abused Drugs
LSD
A hallucinogen manufactured from lysergic acid, which is found in
ergot, a fungus that grows on rye and other grains. LSD is an
abbreviation of the scientific name, lysergic acid diethylamide.
| Street Names | Commercial Names | Common Forms | Common Ways Taken | DEA Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acid, Blotter, Blue Heaven, Cubes, Microdot, Yellow Sunshine | No commercial uses | Tablet; capsule; clear liquid; small, decorated squares of absorbent paper that liquid has been added to | Swallowed, absorbed through mouth tissues (paper squares) | I |
| Possible Health Effects | |
|---|---|
| Short-term | Rapid emotional swings; distortion of a person's ability to recognize reality, think rationally, or communicate with others; raised blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature; dizziness and insomnia; loss of appetite; dry mouth; sweating; numbness; weakness; tremors; enlarged pupils. |
| Long-term | Frightening flashbacks (called Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder ([HPPD]); ongoing visual disturbances, disorganized thinking, paranoia, and mood swings. |
| Other Health-related Issues | Unknown. |
| In Combination with Alcohol | May decrease the perceived effects of alcohol. |
| Withdrawal Symptoms | Unknown. |
| Treatment options | |
| Medications | There are no FDA-approved medications to treat addiction to LSD or other hallucinogens. |
| Behavioral Therapies | More research is needed to find out if behavioral therapies can be used to treat addiction to hallucinogens. |