The after effects of LSD.

After taking LSD for the third time about a week ago, I had a textbook bad trip.  Panicked, scared, restless, and generally uncomfortable; I paced around my basement and backyard for about 5 or 6 hours till I was calm enough to sleep.  The bad 'feeling' or 'vibe' from the LSD lasted through that day and the next, but eventually went away.  Well about two days ago (a week after the bad trip) I was drinking with some friends.  Got pretty drunk, and passed out on the couch.  I woke up the next morning with a hangover.  However the hangover developed into the exact same feeling that I had when I had the bad trip.  It wasn't as intense, but the same feelings of anxiety, a loss of my sense of reality, and general discomfort came with the feeling.  These feelings lasted through the day, but I tolerated them and made it to sleep.  I woke up the next morning... today, and the feelings were still there.  Today was better than yesterday, but still noticably 'not right.'  Is this depression?  Anxiety?  I am very confused and concerned for my mental health.  I'm not crazy but I fear I'm on the way.  I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow and I plan to see about prescription Xanax or Valium.  I have been warned to stay away from Wellbutrin and Thorazine, both of which have been known to worsen patients mental states in cases of drug related mental trama.  Has this happened to anyone else at all?  My main question is.. what happened?  the drug is out of my system.. and I was fine for a week.. so why should the effects come back.? something to do with drinking maybe??  Please help.. Thanks.. AdamTuminaro

[HockeyShark]

LSD has not had much research into its overall effects. Some effects can be very damaging.

I had a 'Bad Trip" back in '86 and every once in a while under the right physical circumstances, my body reacts to physical stimulii, setting off a panic like 'trip.'

[Tjalsma]

Don't do LSD.  

[lellann]

Okay, it's almost exactly what had happened to me. To me, your body is telling you you're done with LSD. Do not do it anymore. It messes with your serotonin levels, which is what affects anxiety. I'm not a doctor or anything, I've just been living with anxiety for 10 years since my 'bad trip'.  Slow down on the drinking. You don't have to get hammered to have a good time. Just take this with you. If anyone asks if LSD permanently screws you up, say yes. Some people could take a lot and be fine, others it only takes a few tabs before anxiety becomes a problem.  If I hadn't have done LSD, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be such a nervous person today. Just slow down with all of it. And absolutely no more LSD!!  And if you get anymore panic attacks don't try to fight them just think about what's really going on. Just realize that it's anxiety and nothing more. The doctors always recommend you get blood work done just to rule out all other possibilities. Which is good, it will put your mind a little more at ease. I wish you all the best. ~ lellie

[AdamTuminaro]

Yes I understand that LSD is absolutely not for me, and neither is drinking for a while lol.  But the doctor prescribed me a low dosage of Ativan. One tablet every 8 hours.  Works okay for the anxious feelings, but the feelings of a loss of reality are still there. Sort of like being high all day.  Doc says that the LSD may make me feel that way for a few more weeks.  The idea is to simply mask the symptoms until the LSD is out of me... which could take 2-3months at the very most, but could be as short as a few weeks.  Any ideas?

[weedle101]

I had to quit smoking pot and ddrinking because I started get get panic attacks when I was high(went years of doing drugs before this happend). And then I started to get them when I wasn't high. I took lsd and had a good time but then the next time I smoked pot I had a "lsd backflas" or whatever it's called and it broughton a panic attack now every time I feel a little tripped out even if it's something small like deja vu or getting dizzy I go into a panic or anxiety. I quit smoking pot at age 20 and was put on medication for anxiety. I have been off of meds for 3 years now at age 27 and started smoking pot again just the last 6 months and my anxiety is back horribly. I just take one hit and boom I'm throwing up and soooooo nervous that I feel like I'm going crazy...and pot is supposes to calm you down, right?! Wo I think there is a Definate connection with the drugs and having those panic episodes. The thing is now what the hell do we do.

[sam75]

i had someone put something in my drink 4 yrs ago and suffer anxiety attacks and panic attacks still!

[kimberley868]

Hi ya, how you doin now? I took LSD when 17 since then have suffered from acute anxiety, I am 33 now. Most important thing is to get help early on. I had a very unhelpful doctor when was 18 who disregarded everything and said that life was about getting married, children and dying. VERY HELPFUL! One thing I will say, fight for help you have a mental illness that has been brought out by taking LSD, no more, no less. The LSD is out or your system now, but your system has just gone into anxiety overide, you r still the person you have always been you r just suffering from anxiety which is why you feel so weird.

[kimberley868]

One more comment adam, the lsd trip scared you, (post tramatic stress kind of ting), thats why you got over it but when u drank brought back feelings of anxiety and your sences were heightened so it had that effect, nothing to worry about u ain't goin mad!!

[insafeuste]

I had the same thing, except mine was from combining morning glory seeds with a lot of marijuana.. thought I was dying and had my heart race for hours. Since then, panic attacks came on regularly whenever I did drugs. Bottom line is, you create thoughts based on your current perception and then react to them. If you create negative or anxious thoughts because, in your case, you drank too much the night before and have low dopamine levels it may be enough to trigger an attack. As you become anxious and release adrenaline you start thinking faster, and as a result start having even more anxiety, which continues as a cycle until you practically feel you are going to die or are going insane. It's possible to completely stop this though, and all you have to do is spend the time to work on your thoughts. When a negative thought comes in to your mind, instead of reacting to it and keeping the cycle going, CHANGE it. You aren't going insane, thats just a negative thought! Get rid of em. Don't let these take hold of you and eventually your mind will stop throwing them at you altogether. It takes time and practice, but if you try hard enough to change what's going on inside your head you will no longer have these problems.Worked for me... hope this helps

[Che_G]

im 16 and i took LSD at the age of 15. i don't know if it was since i took the LSD but i used to smoke alot of pot and have GREAT highs but now whenever i smoke weed i get self conciouse and go into deep thinking and i feel 2 feet tall to say the least.....whats wrong!!!!!

[Sue357]

I am a 53 year old woman who took a lot of LSD in the early 70's.  I have suffered from clinical depression, off and on, since I was 9.  Now, I am dealing with horrible anxiety/ depresion and am on a lot of meds.  My pdoc thinks I have a mood disorder.  I often wonder if my problems now are a result of my drug use (  I used a lot of other drugs as well) back then.  I have asked my therapist and pdoc but they couldn't really give me any definate answers.  I am thinking there is a not of research out there about it.

[ihateanxiety15]

When I was 15 I took lsd and had a horrible trip. Then next day I smoked pot and got that same bad feeling..I know these are very old posts but felt the need to respond. I am now 40 and still suffer from anxiety. I thought I was going crazy so I was afraid to tell anyone. To answer a question does lsd cause anxiety? YES YES YES! I have found the only help to be valium. Other things only make it worse..The problem is you are producing too much Serotonin. I have figured out you have a panic attack on lsd and then you just have anxiety. This doesn't offer much hope but you can get through. Okay sometimes just knowing helps...You aren't going crazy..it cause a detached feeling and nervousness, rapid heart beat but these symptoms do get better. They never went away but at least I know why it happens so it's less scary..They have greatly decreased but aren't gone..Also I feel anxiety is a habit and the valium helped to stop the symptons while taking the medication so now I rarely need it..Bottom line knowing is 75% of the battle..You are NOT crazy or going crazy. You are just producing too much seratonin. Hand in there get on a good anxiety med not a seratonin inhibitor it just makes it worse

[Event_Horizon]

OP I can relate to the feelings you are having.
There are many cases out there like yours. My very first trip on LSD became so horrible that I ended up calling 911 on myself and finishing my trip in a hospital. While LSD cannot kill you in recreational doses and it may not cause any physical damage to the body there are DEFINITELY people who develop long term anxiety disorders from it. I was a little shaken after my trip for about a month before I began to experience panic attacks and anxiety whenever I smoked or did any drug other than alcohol. Even after years of smoking pot every day, it became something that made my anxiety worse.
I am still having anxiety issues to this day. I have very vivid but broken memories of my trip all the time. The panic attacks tend to set in whenever I have a change in my mindset such as drug use, trying to fall asleep, meditation, or even periods where I don't have anything on my mind.
Sometimes the panic attacks get so intense that I start shaking uncontrollably.
While the majority of people will probably be fine after hundreds of trips, LSD certainly can cause anxiety disorders in some people.
The thing is that no matter how safe a drug is reported to be, everyone reacts differently and you can never be certain that you are not going to have an adverse reaction to something. There is so much we still don't know about the brain.
LSD was the most profound experience of my life and I have been changed forever because of it.

[onlyy]

To read all of these comments makes me feel at ease. Ever since I started doing psychedelics my mind has opened up to other things but is trapped in a feeling of detachment. I have low self worth. Certain things will set me off and I will become stuck with fear and anxiety in social situations. I worry about fear and judgement. I shake from how bad the anxiety gets. I wasnt sure if there was something wrong with me or if it was from one to many drug experiments. I had a bad relationship while in the midst of all this and he made me feel like my emotions and feelings were false and not humble.  I am not saying psychedelics are bad. Infact it was nice the first several times I tried it but perhaps its just a good experience, not a habbit. It can change your life for better or worse but its up to you to know when it needs to stop. Other drugs will keep you stuck and dependant. Even anti-anxiety meds. One thing I will use from my LSD experience is this..
ALL THE ANSERS ARE INSIDE YOU. YOU CAN FIND A PEACEFUL STATE OF MIND. Its has to be done by you. Then you can be proud of your self happiness truely.
I continue to hang out with kids who trip and I wonder how they can do it without getting the same feelings I get but were all different and react to things differently. Just remain honest with yourself. Be proud to love others and dont let judgement cloud you.

[patient49]

Hey adam, life can be very complicated, Just stay away from drugs and take it easy, you'll be alright!

[blakeoz]

Hey mate, how are you felling now? I took LSD about 5 weeks ago. Had a good time but was very sick and anxious for the next 4-5 days. About two weeks ago anxiety came back for no reason. I feel anxious almost all the time and have stoped drinking, smoking and taking drugs etc. I have used LSD in the past and have never had a bad trip. Did it go away for you? Are you on any meds? Thanks and hope you are doing well!

[blakeoz]

Hey mate, how are you felling now? I took LSD about 5 weeks ago. Had a good time but was very sick and anxious for the next 4-5 days. About two weeks ago anxiety came back for no reason. I feel anxious almost all the time and have stoped drinking, smoking and taking drugs etc. I have used LSD in the past and have never had a bad trip. Did it go away for you? Are you on any meds? Thanks and hope you are doing well!

[guyinasuit]

Im 20 and took lsd abouty 3 months ago for the 5th time. Ever since ive had weird anxiety but i was dealing with it. Reciently ive been having really bad anxiety and panic attacks and i think very deeply into everything, almost "trip" into different situations and question reality like im going crazy. This is intensified by marijuana. I am quitting smoking and talking to a therapist tomorrow actually so i'll get back to this and let you all know how i progress

[blakeoz]

Hey all, Ive been trying some alternative stuff like acupuncture, raw chinese herbs and hynosis. Ill let you know if i have any luck. Its been 8 weeks now and i still am suffering from bad anxiety and depression.

I think i will have to go on some medication however but im hopefull something else will work. Let me know if anyone else has any luck!

Peace

[FunkusMunkus]

I'm 36 and took a lot of LSD and E's during my late teens and early 20's, I loved taking both but started suffering from panic attacks, anxiety and sleep paralysis. I still suffer from anxiety to this day and spent 8 years as an alcoholic as it was the only thing that stopped the panic attacks and the doctor I had was useless.

[snowboarder12248]

i did LSD heavily over my senior high school year and actually had a great time but bad trips in between, then tried mushrooms ironically everyone had said they were the best and your more likely to have a good time on them, so i took an eighth on a nice sunny summer day and had the most terribly trip of my life :( i didn't get sick and i didn't freak out on the people i was with i didn't even budge (previously takin pyschedelics i knew it was just a bad trip) but being in that situation still ***** i was so depressed all my thoughts were moving WAY too fast and i pretty much was begging myself to just stop thinking. that whole day i felt scared and afraid of my thoughts tried making myself do things like talking and playing games to get rid of it, the only thought i remember repeating in my head to make it stop was "just keep doing what your doing and everything will be fine" (a very general statement) finally later that day the trip faded and after the final 2 hours of sitting in the shower then laying in my bed quietly freaking out to myself it dissappeard, for 2 weeks after i was the happiesst person alive, pretty much to not feel insane anymore but then all of a sudden the third week i freaked out and broke down with some sort of panic attack then for 6 months i thoughti was permanently changed by the drug losing all sense of what i knw to be my REAL reality, or my COMFORTABLE reality it was the most depressing time of my life, but because i'm very against drugs and think they are largely overprescribed i didn't go to the doctor (also cuz i knew before hand i was completely fine without them) so i came to the conclusion to continue with what i had told myself "just keep doing what your doing and everyhitng will be fine" so i continued with everyday life working a job trying to make people happy living like i lived before and quit weed and drugs altogether, i can happily say i still remember how i USED to feel but it no longer affects me at all not even 1 percent everything phased into normal reality after i got "back in the grove" of real life so all i have to say for advice to ANYONE that had a bad experience with hard psychedelics is to just quit the drugs and continue with like and force yourself to continue with what makes your happy and what you originally wanted to do and after i while the feelings and panics will eventually fade until your back to how you used to be only now your mentally stronger and you are just THAT much smarter about how your own brain and thought process works :) hope this helps everyone, thanks for reading!

[LG12345]

To anyone who is dealing with a anxiety or panic disorder from psychedelics, I feel like I am just finishing the most difficult two months of my life. Here's my story, and I think people can learn from it.

I took LSD in early December. On the trip I smoked weed (after a two week break from smoking multiple times daily), got WAY too high, and had a full on panic attack  (my first) after feeling a complete removal from reality. The first half of my trip involved going back and forth between 15 minutes of tweaking to 15 minutes of enjoyment (but the day felt like anywhere from a week to a year so think about relativity). The second half of the trip was awesome and I felt amazing for overcoming the bad stuff.

My first flashback was a month later. I didn't know flashbacks were real, and I completely lost touch with reality. This led to another panic attack. The following week was filled with terrible anxiety. It began to fade after a few days and after a week I was back to normal. I saw a psychologist about halfway through the week and he said I had substance induced anxiety disorder. I was simply off biochemically. My mindset was that "my body just thinks its on acid and will take the same path as the trip," which for the most part, is exactly what happened.

My second flashback was about a week after. Once again, I had about a week's worth of anxiety. On about day 5, I took some xanax, and it just made me trip out (but I didn't care because I was on xanax). This was because my body was not prepared to handle that change, and when it received a drug, it overreacted and interpreted it as acid.

I had two normal days before my third flashback. This was followed by a week's worth of anxiety, but other factors, specifically worry about flashing back again, prolonged my anxiety to last a few weeks.

Now, at this point I had been going through about a month and a half of anxiety. My body was conditioned to worry. I had forgotten what it felt like to be normal. About two weeks later (today), I now feel just about past this thing. Here's how I beat it:

-It's all about mindset. Think Positively! If you truly know that this anxiety/alternative reality is not the life you’re supposed to live, then you will beat it. Stay patient, but continue to believe deep down that you will beat this thing.

-Don't fight it. Let yourself feel feelings. Your mood will go up and down, don't be afraid to be borderline suicidal (as long as you know deep down your not actually suicidal) for a few moments if your mood takes you there. When you come out of it, you'll feel better. And don't get too excited over a good mood, as a manic state doesn’t feel very “real” either.

-Stay patient. It's two steps forward, one step back. The steps back really suck because you say to yourself "I thought I was passed this, what's going on?" However, asking yourself those questions only spiral anxiety worse. You can monitor progress by noticing how the current step back is ahead of the previous step back.

-Two mindsets really brought me out of this.:
1) Today, my mindset is that I'm rehabbing my mind back to full strength. Its as if I broke my brain, it was in a cast for about a month and a half (where I couldn't do anything and was completely restricted and living in fear). But now that I know how to control my anxiety, I am facing it, and for the last two weeks I try and do one thing every day that will make me nervous. In a way I’m working on motion, durability, and strength. As I have more success, I get less nervous for the next new thing as my mind gets stronger. Remember, the mind is a muscle.

2) Retrain your subconscious (which you can feel as your body's reaction) to trust your conscious again. The other night I felt a dialogue within me that had my conscious say to my subconscious "Hey, you can trust me. We don't have anything to worry about." My subconscious responded, "No, you were an idiot, and you took these drugs, and worried for so long, and now its MY job to make sure you don't do that to us again." My conscious responded, "I know, I made a mistake, but it won't happen again. I promise. It's MY job to worry. Trust me." And THAT has REALLY helped.

-TALK TO A PSYCHOLOGIST. They know a lot about managing anxiety. And even though you feel like it might be anxiety plus something else hard to define because it involves dealing with other realities, it is actually just anxiety.

-You can fight off flashbacks, and you don't need to worry about them. Flashbacks, from my experience, only occur when you admit to yourself that you're having one. You find yourself in an extenuating circumstance where you feel like you might be on acid again, and your mind goes "Hey, this kinda reminds me of acid. Whoa, this really reminds me of acid. Am I flashing back? I think so. Yes, I am." And that is when the flashback occurs. If you disrupt this long thought process, it won't happen (I'm two for two in fighting off flashbacks already). Avoid caffeine because it speeds you up and LSD is often laced with amphetamines. It was largely responsible for my first flashback, and wholly responsible for my second. There’s caffeine in chocolate by the way so don’t have too much.

-Anxiety sets it when your body doesn't understand what its going through (much like it did when you tripped).  It’s almost as if you’re doing things for the first time again. If you can identify the change, whatever it may be, whether its being in a new place, being in a humid room, being dehydrated, being tired, then you can separate the feeling completely from the trip, the anxiety will subside a little.

-Take LSD out of the equation! You are not on LSD anymore. You have always felt feelings. You have always thought thoughts. They are not related to LSD. Feeling depressed and off? You're just depressed and off, the acid trip doesn't have to reinforce those feelings. Overanalyzing by saying "What am I feeling? Is it LSD related? Why do I feel this way?" are not only unanswerable questions but are clearly something to give someone anxiety over.

-No more LSD, shrooms, I’m guessing no E, Weed, or heavy drinking. The elimination of weed can be a paradox because no longer smoking can cause more anxiety. But as you get used to not having THC in your system, that will go away, too. And it feels good to be clean! To get back in touch with reality you can’t be distorting it again! It will also give your subconscious less reason to trust you!

-I often felt stuck and that the anxiety might last forever. It’s okay to think that for a little bit!

-ACCEPT REALITY. This is normal life! Don’t doubt your feelings or perceptions and attribute your questioning to LSD. A good motto is, “everything is normal, everything is fine.” The only thing to fear is fear itself. Worrying about worry makes it multiply and you lose control. You will beat this thing!

And that's all I got! If anyone has any questions or anything please post, I’ll be revisiting the forum.

Life is Good.

[freebird724]

i am just now going through serious anxiety attacks and feelings of depression. I literally thought i was losing my mind and going completely insane. i was convinced i had some kind of brain tumor or brain cancer because i didnt know why i was feeling like this. im in school and just trying to get through this semester and i feel like its impossible, like a piece of my brain is missing. i now know that the reason i feel like this is because i took acid a couple weeks ago and had a really bad trip and ever since then i havent been the same. i miss the person i used to be. now i feel like im paranoid and scared all the time. its impossible for me to make decisions. i was at subway and had a panic attack cuz i couldnt make a decision on what to order. i feel like im crazy but i know its just becasue of the acid i took. ive been taking xanex for anxiety but it doesnt help that much. reading all these posts makes me feel like no one can help me but myself. i know all these crazy thoughts are just in my head and they arent real. but i still feel depressed and scared all the time. any ideas of how i can be normal again??

[Humphrey_Bogart_22]

I've been going through the exact same thing.

I took lsd 5 weeks ago and have not been the same since. I feel like I have ruined my life.

I wish I knew what to do.

[LG12345]

hey guys-

You can still beat this thing! one of the things I noticed is that you are both saying you have changed and miss the people you used to be. You guys have been through a lot, and your world has changed significantly. The key thing you guys have to admit to yourselves is that you ARE different now. You can't forget what happened, you can't ever live in the world that used to be yours. Things have changed. It's been a difficult transition, but you can understand this new world that you're living in and no longer fear it. And, you can learn how to get used to this new world, and how to not fear everything.

Are you smoking pot? One of the key things I've learned in the last month is that the biggest change I felt was because there was no THC in my system after four years of being a full blown stoner. That's a lot to get used to again. You guys CAN beat this! it may take months, but you need to accept reality and teach yourself that you have nothing to fear but fear itself. Please post again if you have more questions!

I would also avoid xanax because it's a drug, and your body just wants to find stability. The best way to do that is by being COMPLETELY clean. Just my opinion.

Hope you both are talking to professionals about this. And make sure you express that you feel like you're in a different world and its not necessarily just "anxiety" that you're dealing with, but a complete change in interpretation of reality that leads to anxiety.

Remember, "everything is normal, everything is fine"

[colleendawn813]

back when i was 16 and did drugs, drinking(either a week or a month later) always brought back the trippy feelings. it went away after a while, but eventually i had to quit everything cuz pot would make me freak out, whereas i used to smoke it a lot and it made me calm. who knows how those recreational drugs work, its pretty scary when i consider all the stuff i took and how lucky i am to be even semi-normal!

[jamess620]

i've been using wellbutrin for over 2-3 months now. i think its one of best medications given to patients with depression, or overcoming self esteem issues. Though this drug is different for everyone, i dont think its something to stay away from. it works very lightly on the liver (depending on your dose), and is relatively safe, and does not have any addictive properties. Though many people take this everyday, it does not make them feel buzzed or anything, it just makes your life a little more bearable. Taking cognitive therapy as well as drug therapy can vastly improve your well being, i strongly reccomend this for people with mental issues to try it out.

Your symptoms seem normal for coming off lsd. Lsd is a very potent drug, so you will feel those symptoms you described. you just have to be ready for it, and really, really know what your taking, and what effects and after effects it has a on a healthy human being. Books are very interesting when it comes to researching the science and history behind it. i find taking lsd, psilocybin, and the occasional roll really helped me appreciate my brain, and the use of language.

You just have to really think about whats going on and around you, like what you life consists of, the friends you have, your family, anything, and really appreciate them , because life is really unexpected.

As for drugs they are very unexpected because they can effect people very differently. like people said above you can either take lsd a bunch of times and still be fine, or take lsd a few times and develop anxiety. Alot of drugs do that i find, especially something like mdma or an upper. you really have to know how these things effect the body, the brain has a huge part to do with everything including your thought process. drinking can bring those symptoms you descsribe. thats why you see really delusional alcoholics that live at home and drink all day yelling at their family, this is only one case of alcholism (alcoholism) but i think you should only do lsd in moderation, ie. every 4 months or less.

i feel the same way about my brain, i do feel off and all those symptoms at times, but we all have our ups and downs, accept who you are and use substances in moderation. peace

[jamess620]

i've been using wellbutrin for over 2-3 months now. i think its one of best medications given to patients with depression, or overcoming self esteem issues. Though this drug is different for everyone, i dont think its something to stay away from. it works very lightly on the liver (depending on your dose), and is relatively safe, and does not have any addictive properties. Though many people take this everyday, it does not make them feel buzzed or anything, it just makes your life a little more bearable. Taking cognitive therapy as well as drug therapy can vastly improve your well being, i strongly reccomend this for people with mental issues to try it out.

Your symptoms seem normal for coming off lsd. Lsd is a very potent drug, so you will feel those symptoms you described. you just have to be ready for it, and really, really know what your taking, and what effects and after effects it has a on a healthy human being. Books are very interesting when it comes to researching the science and history behind it. i find taking lsd, psilocybin, and the occasional roll really helped me appreciate my brain, and the use of language.

You just have to really think about whats going on and around you, like what you life consists of, the friends you have, your family, anything, and really appreciate them , because life is really unexpected.

As for drugs they are very unexpected because they can effect people very differently. like people said above you can either take lsd a bunch of times and still be fine, or take lsd a few times and develop anxiety. Alot of drugs do that i find, especially something like mdma or an upper. you really have to know how these things effect the body, the brain has a huge part to do with everything including your thought process. drinking can bring those symptoms you descsribe. thats why you see really delusional alcoholics that live at home and drink all day yelling at their family, this is only one case of alcholism (alcoholism) but i think you should only do lsd in moderation, ie. every 4 months or less.

i feel the same way about my brain, i do feel off and all those symptoms at times, but we all have our ups and downs, accept who you are and use substances in moderation. peace

[Bernipurr]

Hello my boyfriend and I are 19 and we took LSD 5 or 6 months back. It was quite a heavy dose but we were not aware of it before we took it and he had a bigger dose than I did(My boyfriend has taken LSD twice before ). I recovered afterwards but my boyfriend never seemed to get out of it. He is very confused , has problems defining things and is very anxious. He used to be such a relaxed,balanced and amazing person. He was never sad or unhappy with himself and he actually hepled me get out of depression purely just by listening to his outlook on life. I MISS HIM ! :( Last night he actually had some form of panic attack which just scared me all over again. He is supremely clever and is currently studying Chemical engineering at uni and doing really well but psychologically/emotionally he is messed up. He also started crying last night because he doesnt want me to hurt like this anymore. PLZ help xxx

[bj7461]

You are a life saver mate! Life is great.
The sun will rise again

[davestewart]

VERY helpful post. You and I experienced extremely similar situations. I am seeing a psychologist a week from today. There have been days that I have felt much more normal, but also days that have left me anxiety ridden, depressed and sleep deprived (today being one of them). I pray to get better soon!
Best,
David Stewart

[ekalrag]

I took my first LSD trip on Sept 18, 1984, and it changed my mindset forever, I was a different person, in that it felt like my mind was imprisoned and not free, however, it did not stop me doing it again, and again, expecting a different result each time. The definition of insanity? Doing the same thing again and again, and expecting different results. There are some things about acid that used to fascinate me, but at the end of the day, I truly wish I had never took that first trip, my life would be different if I had said no, but hindsight is an easy thing. It's the most powerful drug there is, as far as I'm concerned, maybe it's ok for some, but it fried me to pieces. I don't mean to write this to scare people, just, maybe , we should be careful. LSD is, literally, mind blowing.

[prettylight]

Pretty much the same thing happened to me about 9 months ago. I will say that things do get better. But i will also say that your brain has a new experience that it wont forget so you will always carry that with you as more than just a memory. I had several seizures during my trip. that Sh*t was SCARY! ha. I was a huge pothead years back and now i cant smoke it at all or else i am in that world. what can ya do? not a whole lot buddy, wish ya luck

[purplevelvetsunshine]

change your process of thought, get behind your words with meditation to the essence of what you really are and stop trying to define and explain your feelings let them go with surrender and acceptance and tell your self what reasons you have to enjoy each moment and be happy just about the gift of existence!!! Keep your mind here, now in this moment and take a look around each moment to se how beautiful it is, you cant have a bad trip with a good process of thought, its any easy answer to say it was something out side who you are that’s causing these feelings but the answer is that all you need for complete enjoyment of each moment is inside you, it just takes total acceptance, total surrender in every moment and enjoying each moment for what that moment has to offer and not expecting more!!!  

[Claire_MHModerator]

Hi, folks,

The original poster asked for suggestions for dealing with the after-effects of drugs.  If you have suggestions that have worked for you, please feel free to share them, but this isn't the place to compare notes on your experiences while using.  While it's not your intent, graphic stories (even if they're negative experiences) aren't helpful, and may actually trigger some readers to use.  

Claire

[KNH123]

After reading these articles this has helped a lot. I used to smoke all the time and then I tried LSD and MDMA and now smoking pot has increased my anxiety so much it is causing depression. It wasn't till about a month ago where I ate 3 hits for the first time where i really freaked out and now I have this nervousness everyday. I am definitely done messing with LSD and I try not to smoke as much due to the slight panic attacks I get and conscious battle with myself, but it's hard when almost all of my friends smoke on a regular basis.  I am going to set up something with my doctor so hopefully i can be put on some sort of anxiety medication.  After reading all of your comments though it has helped a lot. It is nice to know I am not the only one who is dealing with this or has before!

[jorgeperez]

Hi, its good to know that there are others like me. I took too much lsd when I was 16 and had a bad trip. Ever since that day my life changed for the worst.
Its like im not the same anymore, I want to but I cant because I feel constantly anxious when im with people and that generates depression in me. Im 23 now and im in the same condition.

I see some persons here who have been dealing with this for even more years. My question is, is this curable? I think it isnt buy maybe someone have recovered from this. Otherwise I dont think its worth living anymore, my life is pure suffering now.

I regret taking that **** everyday of my life, what for? I was perfectly happy before that. If theres someone reading this who havent took acid or any other drugs, please DONT DO IT.

[KNH123]

Jorge you are not alone but don't think like that.  I agree I regret doing drugs too because I was happy and when I first started doing those drugs they were fun.  Then it came a point where I kept doing them even though it wasn't fun anymore.  This just happened to me about 1 month ago and it has been rather difficult to deal with for sure, but you just need to stay positive.  If you have been dealing with this for so long have you have you made changes that help control your anxiety.  Are you still doing drugs?

[jorgeperez]

No, I dont do drugs since that day, I just cant. My brain goes insane just with some weed, im weak.

I really dont see how I could get out of this state of mind. Im a different person now... Everyone thinks im weird and awkward.

There are two sides to psychedelic drugs; the **** up side, wich is the one Im at right now, and the spiritual side, wich I experienced when I took mushrooms. It was the complete opposite to what I feel now.

[smitty85877]

Please don't dispair Jorge. I know that sounds absolutely ridiculous but there is help out there for you. I had a bad experience with LSD when I was 20 and am now 32 with a wife and two children. I truly believe that the drug brought on a strong panic attack which resulted in generalized anxiety for me. At the time I didn't know what anxiety was and actually believed that I was broken for good. I suffered for a year and a half before I got help by seeing a counselor and getting on some anti-anxiety meds (SSRI Lexapro). Life is still worth living and you can get through this. I would also recommend a book "Hope and Help for your nerves" by Dr. Claire Weekes. I believe that it will describe many of the symptoms that you are having to a tee and help you to see a path out of it. I have just recently discovered this book and wish I had it the day after my bad experience.

Many of the scary symptoms for me (world seeming strange, de-personalization, etc.) are common to those who suffer from anxiety and panic attacks. It is just the body's reaction to a severely stressful situation (much like post traumatic stress disorder).

[jan517]

It's been helpful reading the comments here, as I am a Mom whose son is experiencing the after effects of a bad LSD trip.

He is a 24 year old, who has been on and off drugs since 13.  Until last April, though, he was basically 5 years sober when he decided to start smoking cannabis again.  He initially said it was going to be an infrequent recreational type of thing.  But, it branched out into daily use, along with other drugs, including mushrooms and at least several LSD trips.

The last experimentation with LSD, though, seemed to turn his world inside out.  He was crying, became so paranoid about others being narcs, there was a time and location warp, and his conversations jumped around without any real context.  

That was about a month ago, and although the intensity has eased some, he still continues to be living in an alternate reality -- even admitting this.  He is at the same time giddy happy as well as reactive and tense.  You have to watch what you say to him, as he takes offense, feeling like your're dissing him if you even question his reality or tie his behavior into taking drugs.  

He stil smokes weed, probably daily.  But, from I've read here, even weed can be detrimental in reactivating the effects of the bad trip.  At this moment, after talking to him on the phone, he is driving around "looking for Free Masons" to talk to, in the hopes of getting some understanding from them.  He hung up on me when our conversation turned to drugs..  

Anyway, would be open to any suggestions in how to help a loved one going through this.  I don't want to alienate my son. However, Sitting by and listening to him, is like listening to a person who has invaded his brain.  He is not the same, and it's breaking my heart.

[cootiewootie333]

i triped a bunch of times with my boyfriend and i had an absolute blast over the past year. i went through a depression stage and i got prescibed prozack .. i took it for like six months and one day me and my bf wanted to "reconnect" we used  acid to intesify our feelings for each other witch made our trips so amazing to begin with. i didnt consider the affects of being on prozack and taking the tab . my trip started off great and then went horribly wrong i filled with fear i thought i was being posessed by a demon and something wanted m to die.. i spent the rest of my trip trying to stay alive i seriously thought i was going to die. since that trip i havent been the same since. i have hard times breathing.. i get panic attacks daily.. alot of things set me off i cant smoke marajuana .. i smoked everyday o f my life.i even used weed to put myself to bed during my bad trip.. i have constant vision issues .. the light freaks me out different bright lights set me off. crowds of people scare me. and i have constant problems when i swallow. one time i got hung over and i too.. started to trip just like i did on that bad night.. a couple of things that freak me out beyond belief cause me to return to my bad trip. im only 18 years old and my life feels ******

[SeeWithYourI]

I know your feelings all too well. I recently have experimented with LSD for the first time. (Please note that I am very experienced with mushrooms and marijuana) My first trip consisted of 2-5 hits of very strong acid (this was confirmed by a friend of mine who has been a long time LSD user. He noted this was some of the most powerful lucy he has encountered and it left him tripping for close to 24 hours). The onset occurred in a semi-familiar environment though I was not well acquainted with a few people there (one of them looking like a crack/meth head). During this period, my friends and I smoked a very fair amount of weed (about an eighth or more altogether).

While I know it shouldn't have tripped me out, I believe the aforementioned sketchy character perpetuated the worst experience of my life thus far. Two hours after ingesting the LSD, I proceeded to vomit vehemently. My friends with me at the time who were also tripping commented on the sound of my purging being very extreme, as if I were about to kick the bucket (they did not tell me this at the time of tripping). After throwing up, I'll admit I did feel a lot better, but I was still in for the ride of my life. The rest of the trip consisted of me lying on the floor in my boxers trying to satisfy what I refer to as "the never ending comfort." Furthermore, I was having palpitations and my sense of temperature was extremely erratic (going from extremely cold to profusely warm). All the while, my tripping state of mind revolved around thoughts of death and questioning the basis of reality. At one point I found myself mumbling incoherent phrases of which I had no control over. I am fairly convinced I experienced a sort of "ego death" in a sense that I did see myself dying in my mind and there was a point where my eyes closed and I felt as if I had slipped completely out of this world (not in a trippy sense, but in an overwhelmingly end-of-the-road type).

Fast forward approximately eight hours of the same processes and I finally achieved about an hour of sleep (this trip lasted from about 8 P.M. to 1 A.M. the next day with the trip subsiding while I was in class). That day I felt like the utmost piece of rubbish; I was hypersensitive to everything around me and felt absolutely terrible (as expected after any sort of serious trip. I'd relate the feeling to the after effects of ecstasy). I did not sleep until about 10 P.M. that night and woke up the next day feeling very refreshed and back to "normal."

A week after this occurrence, we found ourselves back at the house (although we visited this house many a time before then because it is the house of a now very dear friend of ours) smoking weed. An hour into the session I was reminded of the night a week before and began to have overwhelming thoughts of fear and death. We left soon after and I made it back to my room where I decided to try to fall asleep (very uncharacteristic of me as I tend to like to stay up through the duration of my high). These thoughts spiraled into God knows what and I began to develop palpitations once again. My throat then felt as if it was swollen shut inducing a period of about five minutes where I literally could not breathe unless I was doubled over. I had my roommate call the paramedics as more of a safety measure than anything. I admitted to my drug use and eventually calmed down (this is a very powerful tool for these situations. Just reassuring oneself that you have used but a drug can really ease the anxiety). Further symptoms felt during this episode include chills, full body tremors, loss of reality and being very spaced out from those in the room, not being able to think clearly, and loss of almost all coordination.

Since then, I have returned to regular marijuana use and do sometimes feel the onset of one of these episodes again. Just telling myself that I have smoked a little weed (okay maybe not a little...but hey I have to tell myself something) is usually enough to pass the feelings on by. I would also like to note that since that trip I have used LSD, one hit from another very reputable chemist, again resulting in a much happier/cleaner feeling trip with almost no bad thoughts excluding when my friend, who to his respect had no idea that I was tripping we just randomly ran into each other, broke the news to me that another friend of mine's dad had committed suicide. Besides having strange thoughts about life and death (which I might add were very controllable and did not affect my mindset whatsoever), I had a very good time and was able to spend several hours in my bed reorganizing and collecting my thoughts. I feel as if I had become at peace with my subconscious the next day. My marijuana use has not subsided but since that trip I have had minimal cases where I feel the onset of another anxiety episode.

Please recognize that I am not suggesting LSD use to counteract the effects of a bad trip. I am just posting my personal experience with the subject matter. I know that I am to respect the drugs I choose to use and probably should not be using them altogether but hey, this is my life not yours, okay? I feel as if one may be able to develop their own tactics to control their anxiety. It is not hopeless, there should never be a time when you should feel hopeless on this subject. This disorder is all about how you are able to manipulate your mind and steer it back on the right path rather than going astray (i.e; panic/anxiety attacks).

[jorgeperez]

When i first had my bad trip I thought the only way to fix this state of mind would be to trip again, but I havent done it because im too scared...

I feel that if I have a bad trip again I will go insane

[SeeWithYourI]

That is very understandable and if that is what your mind is telling you then for your own sake DO NOT USE LSD AGAIN. Unless you find that you will be able to delve into your own thoughts and reorganize what you feel is "off," I would steer clear of any sort of psychedelic. Have you tried meditation or any other sort of conscious altering techniques that don't involve drugs? I know those may not seem to be the best tools at first, but trust me just facing your own inner demons and confronting them headlong may help what's going on in your mind. Please understand that these techniques (including using psychedelics again to reverse any ill states of mind) are for those who are confident in their own abilities and consider themselves headstrong. I am not here to tell you that you are not a strong person, but the mind is a powerful thing and must be treated with the utmost respect. If you have ANY hint of doubt in your mind that you will not be able to resolve these issues yourself, please consult a psychiatrist or professional for help. Further consider trying to speak to family and friends who you trust with your life for they may also be able to help you.

[hrns123]

very insightful and helpful, thank you

[gonzo0013]

I have suffered from various forms of anxiety for much of my life.  Taking psychedelics has both improved and worsened these symptoms drastically, yet I am now convinced it is really all in your head.  But, the funny thing is, I can only say that because of the Tulsi I drank earlier; which helps immensely for dealing with stress and anxiety.  It also improves focus and has a huge list of health benefits, probably why they drink it three times a day in India -- where it is known as the escort of Shiva, the elixir of life, Holy Basil and many other names of reverence.  It is now also commonly mixed with Yerba Mate, to make Holy Mate; which is a great alternative to coffee that I have now been consuming almost daily for a couple of months.  Thanks to this and an improved diet of mainly raw foods and plant proteins (notably hemp milk), I am feeling both mentally and physically better than even when I was eighteen!  (Tulsi is also an antidepressant with a neuroprotective effect that helps ease the pain of sore muscles, plus it improves memory and has long been used to help clear the "mental fog" from extensive cannabis use!)

[gonviegas]

Hi! I've been smoking cannabis for 10 years straight, done mushrooms 3 or 4 times and some acid. I've had some traumatizing events in my life the last years and I was kind of depressed and anxious. From may 2011 to june 2011 i've been doing 1/4 of lsd like once per week. I had very good trips, they were 1/4 but damn, they were strong. My last trip I took 2/4 and i had a bad trip. I came home hoping to better cope with it, but it gotten worse, I was panicking, with nothing in particular but i got all the sensations, from like 4 am to 11 am, non-stop. I felt very fragile the days after, then i got better... 3-4 weeks later, i smoked, as usual, a joint and I had the most terrifying panic, a flashback I assumed... I kept saying to myself "what have I done to me??!"... I've always been a pot head, I've always been fearless about psychedelics, about my own thoughts, so i didn't saw it coming...  I was helped by a doctor and i ended up taking xanax and cipralex... I stood in a panic-like state with recurrent panic attacks for like 3 months. I resolved the panic attacks by jumping from a plane with a parachute, giving my body reasons to have a real panic attack. Now I have high anxiety levels, nothing new to me, since i've always been anxious by nature, except that when I think about the bad trip and the panic attacks I get more anxious. I tried to smoke weed one more time and I felt the bad trip once again, but i managed to control it without any emergency drugs. Im only on cipralex now, with the lowest therapeutic dosage (cipralex treatment MUST be done in at least 6 months) because the psychiatrist thinks i was depressed  when i first got there, and he was right... i was depressed, i felt depressed before the bad trip. Everytime i think about this or talk, i feel this intense fear, and physical sensations that i felt during the bad trip, like now... All in all, I've looked forward and tried to focus on the future, on my life, on work, on my family and close friends, on culturing my mind and I've made some great evolution, the psychiatrist even said that he never witnessed no one evolving so fast with a panic disorder. What do you think? Will I be completely "cured" from this bad trip, to a point that I can think about it and laugh at it? Will I ever be able to smoke weed again without having recurrent "bad trip" memories and sensations? Tell me what you think about my case.

Best regards to all

[CassandraRose]

Are you serious?! I took acid in 2008, first and only time. I was working overnights in a gas station. So, I got off work and stayed up the whole next day tripping with my close friends. I didnt have a bad trip but it also wasnt the best it couldve been. I was a little paranoid but not so much that I was freaking out. Then afterwards I had lots of problems looking people straight in the eyes and had anxiety anytime I had to socialize. I could barely keep my eyes open while driving when a car would pass me. Anxiety I assume. Now its much better since I dont work and am a stay at home mother with my 2 year old. I still have some trouble and I cannot stare into someones eyes for long periods and its hard to keep my eyes open when a bright light is present, like the sun while im driving.

[CassandraRose]

You're right because that's how I helped my anxiety of looking directly at someones eyes. It still gets me after 4 years but not like it did at first. I used to hide in my apartment because I didn't want anyone to see my reactions. I started getting into the positive thinking/meditation/deep breathing/deep relaxation and now I realize why it went away so much. So thank you!

[CassandraRose]

I smoked weed for like a year straight when I was 14, then I did it less and less and eventually I quit because I had bad paranoia. My friend didn't understand why I didn't want to smoke anymore, I think she thought I was being religious but it just freaked me out and made me hurt and ache. I have smoked it in the comfort of my home recently with my husband and I just layed in my bed and felt my whole body vibrate which was pretty nice. I wont do it around people that Im not comfortable with or if I have to leave my house. Some people's highs just change. What ***** is that others that never had this happen dont understand

[CassandraRose]

Yes! It is curable. I didn't have it as bad as you seem to have it but I had a mildly paranoid acid trip and have had social anxiety ever since. I thought maybe the acid trip caused my anxiety but I never heard of that before so I ignored it. Then in 2009 I started getting into meditation, positive thinking and just going on a truth quest. I have come a long way and still don't care for social situations but that's just my personality. I can talk to people like I did before I just have to remind myself its okay when I start to get nervous because that does start anxiety. I dont meditate anymore but I still do deep breathing and some deep muscle relaxation here and there, they really help to center your nerves and awareness. This biggest thing to remember is that EVERYTHING IS FINE!

[CassandraRose]

It's good to hear you have made it through. I used to have depression in my teen years and I always knew no matter how many suicidal thoughts and putting myself down thinking I got, I couldnt do it because I knew live was meant to be lived and it was a blessing. Thankfully I have made it to the other side of the path and am a truth seeker. Much of my family must think Im crazy but its just that the path Ive taken I have experienced much of reality. Everyday gets better. The truth can be known. www.truthcontest.com

[CassandraRose]

Seek truth. It has helped me in so many ways. I'm a better person and I feel better about myself like I never have before. I rarely have doubts anymore and when I do, I dont get anxious, instead I find strength in my doubts because I use it to find out the truth even more. You don't have to go to church or become religious to be spiritual and seek truth. I went from Pentecostal christian all my life and believing what i was told to seeking reality and being reassured with truth in every situation. I am still growing and learning but everyday I get closer to winning the battle in my mind. I can't express how much peace the truth gives me. Every moment up or down was worth experiencing now that I found truth. Once you do find it, your mind starts evolving and you go with the flow of life instead of fighting it. Visit www.truthcontest.com if you seek truth.

[CassandraRose]

Sorry. One more thing. When you are having an anxiety or panic attack you really should find something that soothes you. For me it's singing. I can sing all day and it just puts me into a peaceful place. Maybe for some its cooking, painting, drawing, exercising, dancing, meditation, deep breathing, deep relaxation, etc..Whatever soothes your nerves, practice it daily or several times a week to remind yourself of that peaceful state you can conjure up at any moment! When you forget to practice it, dont worry just start it up again and continue to build it into a habit. Doing this will encourage your mind to find peace in moments of stress. Good luck

[gonviegas]

hi! i guess I'm at where you're at - read my older post. You just have to keep going, don't give a **** about the nasty sensations and feelings you have. Sayin it's easy, I know but if you concentrate on what is really important, in creating, building your life, your present, your future, you will "forget" about your condition and all of a sudden you will be stress free, fear free and paranoia free. Whenever you go down, let yourself feel wherever you feel, but don't stop doing what you have to do because of that and if you don't have anything to do, do something no matter how you are feeling. You were 16 when that happened so you still didn't knew much of yourself and these last years the memories you built of yourself were of fear, stress and those kind of bad sensations. Don't fight them in your mind, let them flow but keep doing things like you never had those feelings. We live how we know how to live - once you know how to live without those feelings you will no longer have them. Trust me. I've had severe panic attacks after lsd and now, after months i'm much much better and I know I will even get better. Confidence pal, have confidence, have faith in you, in the great life you have and will have.

[jorgeperez]

I came to realize that im a depersonalized person. Nothing seems real to me, I live in a dream, plus I have obsesive thoughts and hardcore anxiety,

[gonviegas]

the depersonalization, feeling that everything is a dream is caused by anxiety. I feel that way sometimes, i've been obsessive as well, but i managed to work it through. Have you heard about "The Linden Method"? Contact me through my mail - ***@****