What You Need To Know About Acid: Is Acid The Same as LSD?

There are many different names for drugs; sometimes, it can be hard to remember the names, the type of drug a given substance is, and more.

Acid might not be as commonly used as drugs like alcohol or marijuana, but it’s still important to know what this drug is, how it works, and what kind of drug it’s considered, especially if you’re considering using or worried that someone in your life is using this drug.

Here’s what you need to know about Acid, the side effects of use, what kind of drug it is, and more.

What Kind Of Drug Is Acid – Is Acid LSD?

Acid is the street name for LSD, and  LSD is the chemical name for Acid, not a class of drugs. LSD stands for lysergic acid diethylamide, which is commonly shortened to just Acid both because that’s easier to say and less likely to be recognized as a drug than calling it LSD.

Acid, or LSD, is a hallucinogenic drug or a hallucinogen.

Hallucinogens are a relatively broad category of drugs that refer to anything that can cause hallucinations in users.

While there are some legal and medically useful hallucinogens, they are also commonly used as recreational drugs when used in proper medically-supervised situations. Many are illegal and have no known medical use.

There are some hallucinogens, including LSD, that is being studied for possible therapeutic use. However, in most cases, the amount being studied is far less than the dose people ingest for recreational use. The therapeutic dose either doesn’t have the same effects or has much milder and more limited effects than the doses people take recreationally.

Acid is also an upper, which means that people who take the drug get a burst of energy that can keep them up longer than normal and extend the euphoric feeling that comes from taking it. Since LSD is relatively long-lasting, easily lasting more than 12 hours in the doses people take recreationally, it can also contribute to sleep deficits and other problems.

Most people who use Acid use it as a party drug, either by itself or in combination with other drugs. Like most recreational drugs, Acid typically gets more dangerous when combined with other drugs, especially drugs with similar effects.

Acid, or LSD, is derived from naturally occurring hallucinogens, like ergot and psilocybin mushrooms, but isn’t a naturally occurring hallucinogen on its own. LSD is typically more potent than naturally occurring hallucinogens and is also typically lab-created.

Acid can be found in powder form, as a clear liquid, and in candies or on small pieces of paper, often with decorative designs. Most people eat Acid, but it can also be snorted or injected depending on the preparation of the drug.

No matter how you ingest Acid, it’s a relatively potent drug that has prolonged effects and can cause a wide range of side effects depending on your dose and metabolism.

The last thing you should know before we get into the side effects and risks of Acid use is that you can develop a tolerance to Acid. Regular use of Acid can mean that you need to take larger and larger doses of the drug to get the same effects, and larger doses can come with more side effects and greater risk compared with smaller doses.

You should also disclose this drug with your doctor, especially if you need anesthesia or are considering a new medication, because it can have side effects and drug interactions. Your doctor needs to know so that they can make recommendations and work with you to ensure all of your medications are safe for you.

Side Effects Of Acid Use

Because Acid is a hallucinogen and a long-lasting drug, it comes with a lot of potential side effects. Some of these side effects are part of why people choose to take this drug, but many of them happen to come with the desired effects.

Remember, while there are some campaigns to legalize or decriminalize hallucinogens, now, Acid is illegal to use everywhere in the United States.

But it’s equally important to know that if you take Acid and need medical care, your doctors should not report you, and you should not be charged for getting the care you need.

If something goes wrong while using Acid, or you get severe side effects and need medical attention, don’t hesitate. Many injuries and deaths from drug use would be avoided if people were more comfortable going to the doctor when needed. Doctor-patient confidentiality exists in part so that you can get the medical care you need without fear of legal repercussions.

Before we get into the list of possible side effects of Acid use, remember that everyone will respond differently. You may also get different side effects from different doses or preparations of Acid, and every dose has a risk of being slightly different from the last.

Suppose you’re on any long-term medications or have other underlying health issues. In that case, you may also have different side effects, and you may experience more extreme versions of the side effects from other medications while taking Acid.

If you take Acid and experience a side effect that isn’t on this list, that doesn’t mean that that side effect wasn’t because of Acid. If you wind up going to the doctor for help, make sure you bring a list of all your medications, disclose that you’ve taken Acid, and preferably have information like how much you took, when you took it, and how much you’ve had to eat or drink that day. All of that information can help your doctors help you.

Common side effects of using Acid include:

• Distorted senses
• Euphoria
• Insomnia or difficulty sleeping
• Hyperactivity
• Strange or otherwise unexplainable behavior
• Hot flashes
• Flushing
• Altered sense of self
• Altered sense of time
• Synesthesia
• Rapid emotional changes
• Intense emotions
• Panic
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Paranoia
• Fear
• Tremors
• Dry Mouth
• Nausea
• Seizures

Risks Of Using Acid

There is a wide range of risks while using Acid, and Acid is a drug where the risks associated with use don’t necessarily stop when the drug has worn off.

For instance, some people who have used Acid get a flashback. The side effects of acid use, like euphoria, altered senses, or hallucinations, come back later even though they haven’t taken Acid recently.

Unfortunately, there’s no good way to predict who will get flashbacks, and they can happen at any time, even years after you’ve taken the drug. It seems likely that people who take Acid more often might have a greater risk of flashbacks in the future, but we don’t know for sure.

Acid can also make users react unpredictably or engage in behavior they normally wouldn’t consider. Many people who use Acid have at least one sober person around to help manage this because otherwise, they might be more likely to try driving under the influence, wander around an unfamiliar area, get lost, or otherwise engage in risky behavior.

Beyond just the side effects of the drug themselves, there are some other risks. If you take other medications while you take Acid, you could have unintended drug interactions between those medications and the drug.

The acid may also be harder for people with certain metabolic disorders to process. It can cause more severe symptoms in people with underlying health conditions or who are dehydrated or haven’t had enough to eat.

A small percentage of people who take Acid may also experience seizures, which can be dangerous on their own and always require medical attention to ensure you’re okay. There isn’t an underlying problem contributing to or caused by the seizure.

Signs Of Addiction To Acid And Other Party Drugs

Addiction to drugs like Acid is rarer, mostly because these aren’t drugs you typically take multiple days in a row or even just for a quick pick-me-up.

Since Acid is a long-lasting drug, most people who use plan on using it in advance and use it on the weekends or during time off when they can count on being able to use it without interruptions or having responsibilities they might not be able to handle while under the influence.

That said, addiction isn’t impossible, and it’s relatively common for people who use Acid regularly to develop addictions to that and other drugs or to have an addiction to other drugs while also using Acid.

Hallucinogens are also popular party drugs and are common in some music subcultures, where Acid and other party drugs are common and may be consumed together.

The other important thing to understand is that addiction doesn’t necessarily have to have a physical component. Addiction happens when people lose control over their behavior and don’t feel like they can control what they are doing or don’t feel like they can keep going on normally without a release.

Acid can be addicting in this way, even without a physical dependence, if the person taking Acid feels like they need to take it to get away from life, reset, or deal with life’s normal pressures. It’s similar to how some people can get addicted to gambling or other high-risk/high-reward behaviors.

Here are some common signs of addiction to Acid and other party drugs:

• You feel like you need to use it more and more often
• You get distracted thinking about the next time you can use it, even when you should be concentrating on other things
• Your use of Acid or other drugs is getting in the way of your personal life
• You or your colleagues have noticed a decline in your performance at work/school
• You have to take larger and larger doses to feel the same release
• You don’t like how Acid feels, or have had a bad trip, and don’t stop taking Acid, or immediately take more to counteract the bad trip
• You feel consistently sleep-deprived when you aren’t taking Acid
• You have or have considered taking Acid instead of sleeping
• You or someone you know have had a negative reaction to Acid, but you didn’t stop using and didn’t try to make your use safer afterward
• You have or have been tempted to use Acid in unsafe or potentially inappropriate settings, like at work, or family gatherings
• You don’t feel in control of yourself when you’re getting ready to use
• You have considered using other drugs when you couldn’t get Acid or couldn’t get enough
• Friends or family members have expressed concern with your use of Acid.

This list isn’t comprehensive, and you don’t need to identify with all the items to have an addiction. Many people dealing with a substance use disorder only identify with a few of the feelings or behaviors on this list.

The more severe your addiction, or the more control your addiction has over you, the more of this list is likely to sound familiar.

And remember, many of the feelings on this list aren’t just applicable to Acid. Many of these feelings are shared across multiple addictions and kinds of addiction, so if you’re reading this and it sounds more like your experience of a different drug than Acid, that may be a sign that you’re addicted to that other substance.

The good news is that no matter what you’re addicted to, there is help.

How To Get The Help You Deserve

Getting help with addiction can feel daunting, but it’s important to know that you aren’t alone and that thousands of people just like you have overcome their addictions and lived on their terms.

If you think you’re dealing with an addiction, a good first step is to talk with your primary care doctor about your concerns and ask if they know of any local resources that can help. Knowing what resources are available in your area can make a big difference, even if you aren’t ready to get help immediately.

With addiction, it’s often a good idea to find and work with a specialized addiction treatment center, sometimes called a rehab center, that can help you get through any detox or withdrawal you might experience and then help you figure out coping skills and ways to avoid addiction in the future.

Treatment centers come with a few big advantages. For one thing, many treatment center programs are in-patient, which means that food, housing, and basic chores are all taken care of for you. That’s less stress on you.

Treatment centers also offer qualified professional counselors and programs to help you learn why you developed an addiction in the first place and how to deal with the feelings or triggers that contributed to your addiction more healthily and helpfully.

If going to a treatment center sounds like the right solution for you, contact Epiphany Wellness. We’re here to answer any questions about our programs, discuss the intake process, and discuss any concerns or questions you have.

Feel free to call even if you want to learn more about the programs and your options. We’re happy to help however we can.

Sources:

1. Substance use – LSD: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Accessed December 1, 2022. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000795.htm
2. National Institute on Drug Abuse. Hallucinogens DrugFacts. National Institute on Drug Abuse. Published November 2021. Accessed December 1, 2022. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/hallucinogens
3. T B. LSD: Effects, Risks, and How to Get Help. Published March 5, 2022. Accessed December 1, 2022. https://www.verywellmind.com/the-effects-of-lsd-on-the-brain-67496#toc-common-side-effects-of-lsd