Addiction Stopping LSD Being Used for
Treating Depression?
By Dr.Fourkan Ali
LSD, or acid as it is
also known as, is a hallucinogenic drug that was hugely popular in the 1960s
until it was made illegal. During this time, it was enormously popular with
musicians and artists; as a result, it became the drug of choice for fun-loving
partygoers. However, worried about LSD addiction and the harmful effects the drug could have on
both physical and mental health, the UK government of the time had made moves
to ban the drug by 1966.
Obstacle to Research
Scientists had also been using LSD and were
conducting research into the effect of the drug on those with mental health
issues. Nevertheless, when the drug was banned, scientific studies and research
became much more difficult; difficult, but not impossible.
Some scientists have continued their research
into the possibility of using the main hallucinogenic ingredient in LSD,
psilocybin, to treat conditions such as chronic depression.
Depression
Chronic depression can be a debilitating
condition and is one that affects many people the world over. Around twenty per
cent of patients with depression do not respond to any types of treatment, and
there is a high relapse rate for those who do respond. Current antidepressants
work for some individuals, but they tend to come with some side effects,
ranging from weight gain to anxiety to sexual problems.
Those who treat depression in patients are
often critical of the fact that there have been no new treatments since the
1980s. Nonetheless, the news that there may be a treatment available that works
for a larger number of patients is more than welcome. As you may expect, there
is a slight catch; this effective treatment is actually illegal to possess in
the UK.
Reclassifying Psychedelics
Many researchers and scientists believe that
psychedelics should be reclassified, but this is unlikely to happen anytime
soon. The Government remains firm in its stance that psychedelic drugs should
remain illegal drugs due to the harm they can cause to health as well as of the
risk they pose to the development of LSD addiction in some people.
Studies into the effectiveness of LSD in
treating depression have been very small, and the results are therefore
unlikely to convince the Government to look at reclassification of the drug for
the moment. Studies began back in the 1950s and 1960s into the use of
psychedelics to treat a variety of conditions such as depression, anxiety, and
addiction. These studies have recently been picked back up again, and there are
positive signs that psilocybin could be used as a very effective
antidepressant.
New Research
The latest study was conducted on twelve
patients, who were each given a dose of psilocybin, followed by another a week
later. After another week, eight of the twelve patients did not have any
symptoms of depression. Three months later, five of those patients remained
depression-free.
Another study was published in February 2016
which described seventeen patients that were given a single dose of the
plant-based infusion ayahuasca. This hallucinogenic brew is used as a medicinal
remedy by the indigenous people of Peru and Columbia. Patients were assessed
before taking the dose and then every week for three weeks after that. They
completed questionnaires regarding their symptoms of depression and also
received brain scans when they took the brew. These patients recorded
significant improvements in their symptoms just eighty minutes after taking the
drug, and these lasted for the full three weeks at least. However, half of the
participants suffered vomiting after taking the drug.
LSD Addiction
Authorities in the UK believe that drugs that
can have a detrimental effect on those who take them should be illegal, and so
LSD is included in this list. Nevertheless, a number of experts believe that there
is no evidence that LSD addiction is a cause for concern. In fact, Professor
David Nutt, who was a former drugs advisor to the Government, believes that
psychedelics should be re-classified. He said, “Psychedelics, used responsibly
and with proper caution, would be for psychiatry what the microscope has been
for biology and medicine, or the telescope is for astronomy.”
Nonetheless, it is likely that until large
clinical trials produce evidence that psilocybin and ayahuasca are effective in
the treatment of conditions such as depression and addiction, the Government
will not consider any changes to current laws.
Recreational Use
In addition, even if LSD is reclassified, it
is unlikely that it will be made legal for recreational use. The drug can cause
pleasant hallucinations, but it can also leave people feeling scared and
agitated if they have a bad ‘trip’. Some users will enjoy the experience while
others may feel panicked and anxious with flashbacks that continue for some time
afterwards. Some individuals have even reported experiencing flashbacks years
later.
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