Can You Die From LSD?: What Can Happen If You Take Too Much LSD

On the one hand, that worry is a good thing. It helps people have a more realistic understanding of what taking drugs is like and the real-life risks, especially when it comes to opioids and other drugs that can be easily adulterated with stronger, more dangerous drugs like fentanyl. 

Unfortunately, the other side of that coin is that people selling drugs, or encouraging their friends to take drugs with them, can use the fear of specific drugs to make other alternatives seem safer and less dangerous than they are. 

One of the drugs getting caught up in that misinformation is LSD, which often gets presented as a low-risk drug in part because it doesn’t do the same things or work the same way as other drugs, and in part because of some actual truths about LSD being magnified while playing down the risks. 

So, what are the actual risks of taking LSD? Can you die from taking LSD? 

This article will talk about the real risks of taking LSD, including the risk of death, so you’re better prepared if someone ever does try to pressure you into taking this drug. 

What Is LSD – A Brief Primer

We’re going to assume that most people reading this article have at least a general idea of what LSD is. But, just in case, here’s a quick primer on the drug, so you know what we’re talking about and some of the key facts. 

First, LSD, sometimes called Acid, Blotter, or Windowpane, stands for lysergic acid diethylamide. LSD is a hallucinogen, which means that one of the side effects of taking LSD is hallucinations, though not everyone who uses the drug will have any hallucinations. The nature of the hallucination can vary from person to person. 

LSD can cause a wide range of symptoms, and it’s also a relatively long-lasting high. Additionally, unlike opioid drugs, there isn’t a good way to stop an LSD ‘trip’ once you’ve taken the drug. Rescue medications like Narcan are specific to certain kinds of drugs, which means they won’t typically work on LSD, and some studies in animals may even indicate that these drugs may increase the side effects of LSD. 

Once you take LSD, you’re stuck with the effects of the drug for the next 6-15 hours. 

Some common side effects of LSD include: 

• Dilated pupils
• Increased body temperature
• Altered sense of time
• Altered sense of self
• Intense sensory perception
• Synesthesia, or crossover senses like tasting color or seeing sound 
• Rapid emotional cycling
• Feeling several emotions at the same time
• Intense emotions
• Euphoria
• Flushed skin
• Hallucinations
• Poor appetite
• Disorientation or confusions
• Anxiety or paranoia
• Panic attacks

Again, this is a primer in LSD, so we can’t list all of the possible side effects of LSD here. However, it is important to pay attention to any odd symptoms or feelings you have if you do ever take LSD because those feelings can sometimes be indications of more serious side effects or problems. 

If, while taking LSD, you wonder if you need medical attention, you need to go to a doctor rather than try and wait it out. 

Can You Die From Taking LSD? LSD Overdose And More

Okay, now that you have at least a little information about what LSD is and what it does, time to talk about the dangers of LSD and answer the big question: can you die from taking LSD? 

Generally, when it comes to drugs, the answer to that question is yes. You can die from taking most things, and illegal drugs are generally illegal because they aren’t safe or don’t offer sufficient benefits to justify the potential risks that come with taking the drug. 

LSD mostly falls into that second category, but it’s also a gray area. If you’re wondering if you can die from LSD, the how and whys are a little more complicated than most drugs. So let’s talk about it. 

Can You Overdose On LSD? 

One of the most common myths people use to convince others to use LSD is that you can’t overdose on LSD. 

The truth is that overdosing on LSD is incredibly rare, and we don’t know how much of the drug you would need to take to have a true overdose, which is a toxic reaction to the amount of a drug in your body or having a side effect that has life-threatening consequences. 

To explain what we mean, let’s use another example. Alcohol is a drug you can overdose on. It’s called alcohol poisoning. With enough of the drug in your system, it will kill you unless something is done to lower the concentration of alcohol. But alcohol can also cause death in other ways. For example, if you pass out, throw up unconscious, and choke on vomit. 

We often treat both situations as overdoses, even though you can technically die from the second set of symptoms, passing out and then vomiting, without actually drinking a toxic amount of alcohol. 

So, when we say we don’t know how much LSD you need to take to have a toxic reaction, we’re talking about the first kind of overdose, where you take too much of the drug for your body to survive. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t have many negative reactions to LSD or a ‘bad trip.’ 

Some people have reported having a ‘bad trip,’ causing suicidal thoughts, self-harm, seizures, and other potentially life-threatening problems. Those symptoms don’t necessarily meet the technical definition of an overdose, but they can still have serious and long-lasting consequences for the people who experience them. 

Can You Die From Taking LSD?

Again, this is a complicated question to tackle. Is LSD likely to directly cause death like other drugs can? No. 

Can you die from the side effects of taking LSD? Yes. 

There are a few things LSD does that can lead to fatal consequences, and it’s impossible to predict if you will have these reactions when you take the drug. 

The two most common potentially fatal risks while taking LSD are that some people can feel suicidal or want to hurt themselves while on LSD and that people who are on LSD are generally bad at judging risk and may not be in tune with what their bodies need. 

For instance, people on LSD often have a slightly elevated body temperature and may want to go outside if it’s cold out to cool off. But if they aren’t paying attention, they might not notice getting too cold and give themselves hypothermia. 

Or you might go for a walk, think that headlights are pretty, and not realize you need to get out of the crosswalk. 

These dangers are rare, but that doesn’t mean you’re safe. 

And the risk of suicide or self-harm on LSD is real and can happen even if you’ve taken LSD before and felt good. So every time you take LSD can be different, and the risks of taking LSD can be different too. 

Lastly, while LSD hasn’t been extensively studied for interactions with other common medications, you may have abnormal or unanticipated interactions if you take LSD while on other drugs or medications. 

There are also two other risks associated with LSD that are worth talking about when you’re considering the risk of fatal consequences when you take LSD. Let’s talk about those:

What Is An LSD Flashback?

An LSD flashback is a somewhat unpredictable risk that comes with taking LSD. At some point in the future, after taking LSD, you may have the side effects and feelings of LSD come back without having taken it. 

The duration and intensity of LSD flashback can vary, but there’s no way to predict when one will happen or how intense it will be. The big problem with a potential LSD flashback is that it can happen anytime, including during an important presentation at work or while you’re behind the wheel in heavy traffic. 

What Is An LSD Comedown? 

The other big risk of using LSD is that some people have an LSD comedown in the days or weeks after using the drug. This comedown is a period of low mood or depression, and it can vary from relatively mild feelings to very intense or seemingly uncontrollable depression. 

Like flashbacks and LSD side effects, comedowns aren’t entirely predictable and can happen even to people who haven’t had an LSD  comedown in the past. 

Like being high on LSD, there is a risk that an LSD comedown could contribute to suicidal thoughts and actions, especially in people who already struggle with those thoughts and feelings. 

Want Help Overcoming LSD Use? 

If you want to stop using LSD, and want some support and guidance while working on overcoming drug use, any drug, not just LSD, Epiphany Wellness can help. Contact us to learn more about our treatment protocols, how we can help, and what addiction programs are available. 

We’re excited to see what you can do once drugs are out of your life. So let us help you get there. 

Sources: 

1. Hwang KAJ, Saadabadi A. National Library of Medicine. (2022, July 11). Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD). Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482407/ on 2023, January 26
2. NIDA. (2019, April 22). Hallucinogens DrugFacts. Retrieved from https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/hallucinogens on 2023, January 26
3. Hadorn DC, Anistranski JA, Connor JD. Influence of naloxone on the effects of lsd in monkeys. Neuropharmacology. 1984;23(11):1297-1300. doi:10.1016/0028-3908(84)90048-0
4. T B. Verywell Mind. (2022, March 5). What to know about LSD use. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/the-effects-of-lsd-on-the-brain-67496 on 2023, January 26