So You’re Gonna Take LSD...

Words by Anonymous | He/Him

Disclaimer for immigration: haha jk tho, please don’t deport me xxx

When I’m not busy pretending to write an essay, I enjoy exploring the world(s) of LSD. Hi, it’s me, another BA student wanting to talk about drugs.

I’m pretty sure most of us know what acid is. But, just so we’re all on the same page, LSD stands for lysergic acid diethylamide (hence the nickname “acid”), and is an illegal psychedelic drug. It was created in 1938 by Swiss scientist Albert Hofmann, while working with a chemical found in a fungus that commonly grows on grains (no, this does not mean you should eat your mouldy bread in an attempt to get high—the only experience you will get is the shits). Hofmann described the first ever acid trip as an experience of “extraordinary shapes with intense, kaleidoscopic play of colors”—I can vouch for this.

We live in an online world, and with that we can tap into many realms of information on how to partake in psychedelics. But these don’t come easy—you’ll mostly have to sift through the “drugs are bad, you need help” infosites. This is with the credible exception of the NZ Drug Foundation, I have to note. But for the most part, we have boomer discourse gatekeeping us from learning how to trip in a fun and safe way. This, among plenty of other things, has resulted in many myths being able to fester. Let’s dispel some, and explore how we can use acid to have fun and escape from reality every once and awhile. 

Before I do, this piece comes with a necessary disclaimer: bad trips are still possible to experience and there are reasons that this drug needs to be handled with caution. You could have your personal checklist all ticked off, and have a bad time still. We don’t know the contents of our brains, and we all react differently depending on this. The most important takeaway is: have your bases covered, have the right people and environment around you, and know your possible (good and bad) outcomes. 

As with any drug, understanding purity and dosage is very important. It’s best to use a test kit to make sure what you’re taking isn’t the much more dangerous (yet very similar in effect) drug NBOMe—you can buy test kits for just 10 bucks at Cosmic. Always check with your dealer about how strong your LSD is—a typical tab (usually between 100 and 150 micrograms) will provide you with more than enough visuals and giggles for around eight hours. There’s evidence to suggest that an excessively massive dose of LSD can cause some physical side effects, like seizures, but this is extremely rare. Unless you were drugged as part of the CIA’s Cold War shenanigans, you should be more than safe.

As a kid, I was told if you took LSD you’d have a terrifying hallucinogenic experience that keeps going forever. We can blame wonderful initiatives like, oh, the war on drugs, for stirring up such claims. Like any hallucinogenic drug, LSD wears off over time—a typical trip lasts between 8-12 hours, depending on the dosage. The idea that you’re completely out of control of what you experience is pretty misleading too. As long as you’ve taken the drug intentionally (*cough* CIA *cough*), you’ll be aware that you’re high. The most important thing to keep in mind is that LSD can often provide an extension of emotions you’re already feeling. So, if you’re excited for acid before you take it, then you’ll most likely have a good time. If you’re feeling apprehensive, anxious, or aren’t comfortable with those around you—it’s best to sit this one out. Trip sitters are a great idea too, so you’ve got someone sober keeping an eye on everyone—they’ll have a great time roasting your trip antics afterwards.

People high on LSD are easily distractible and influenceable. Sometimes, you can find yourself grasping for lost ideas, as you realise you accidentally started staring at your wardrobe instead of finishing a thought. This does mean, however, that if you’re having a bad time, it’s relatively easy to overcome. For example, if you get weird vibes staring at yourself in the mirror, you can just turn around and look at something else. Your environment matters too. Do: daylight walks in the garden, don’t: go to the beach and try to swim.

There is certainly more to be said about tripping on acid than just seeing shit. LSD doesn't just alter the way we see things, it also alters how we think. Without meaning to sound like a massive prick who went on a ~spiritual journey~ while high as shit, LSD has helped me come to terms with some of my deepest rooted anxieties.

The medicinal properties of acid have not been widely studied, again we can attribute this to boomer discourse. As Tahu-Potiki Te Maro-Doran points out in this year’s Te Ao Mārama, Western research has only recently been discovering what Indegenous people have known for centuries about the beneficial properties of psychedelic drugs. For example, acid and other psychedelics have been observed in various studies over the past couple of decades to help some terminally ill patients to come to terms with their diagnosis. 

Just like any drug, LSD is not a magic pill (or more aptly, tab). Rather, it can sometimes provide you with a new perspective on your life, and the good and the bad things within it, while simultaneously giving you the experience of laughing at the carpet for an hour. 

Unsurprisingly, I’m not the first student to write about LSD in Salient. In fact, there is an excellent advice article in a 1969 issue titled “So You’re Going to Take—LSD.” I personally disagree with some of the claims made in the piece, such as that you shouldn’t trip with your partner unless you’re married, or that you cannot “have a super sex experience on it” (to be fair, results may vary). However, there’s certainly a lot of great advice that has stood the test of time, like making sure you’re in a safe, private space, and to not take it alone when it’s your first time. 

Our culture and understanding about drugs has certainly evolved in the past fifty years. However, this cultural artifact highlights that students have always been curious about psychedelics, and want those around them to have safe, enjoyable experiences. So if you do choose to take LSD, whether you end up just staring at your carpet, or somehow manage to create a beautiful piece of art, I hope you have as much fun as I do.