Bath mat turns red when wet. Makes me want to watch Dexter.
Update: Apparently it always has this design on it. It doesn’t change color. Dreams crushed. Life ruined.
My research paper from my freshman year of college (better than my research papers today)
Edward Khaymovich
102.28
Within Psychedelia: The Truth We Perceive
Research Paper
“Turn on, tune in, drop out.” This was the cry of the late 1960s, words invented by the icon Dr. Timothy Leary. Between his birth in 1920 and death in 1996, he had taken over one thousand doses of D-lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD as it is more commonly known. Once a professor of psychology atHarvardUniversity, he strongly advocated the use of LSD in psychiatry, believing that it was a very potent and miraculous drug. Through many tests, LSD has been proven to cure many psychological issues, ranging from schizophrenia to alcoholism. In the counter-culture years of the 1960s, recreational use of LSD was more common than medical use. However, one can argue that its recreational use was also positive; many people used this and other psychedelic substances to discover personal truths about themselves, religion, and the world they live in. Even in the past, psychedelics were used by many cultures in order to bring one closer to God and nature. All of these examples were performed with the proper “set and setting,” or with the right people and in the right place. Given a controlled situation and the right setting, certain psychedelic drugs are beneficial to society.
In order to answer any questions about the nature of psychedelic drugs, one must realize what a psychedelic experience is. The word psychedelic stems from the Greek words for “mind,” ψυχη (psyche), and “manifest,” δηλειν (delein). In essence, a psychedelic experience is one that reveals the mind, or shows parts of the mind, to an individual that were unknown to him before. This word was coined by a psychiatrist named Humphry Osmond as an alternative description for hallucinogenic drugs in psychotherapy. Popularized by Dr. Timothy Leary, the counter-culture of the 1960s used the word psychedelic to describe many things. It is now commonly used to describe any object with a bright or patterned color scheme. This is because a psychedelic experience is usually marked by bright colors and vivid, patterned images. This is often accompanied by transformations of an individual’s surroundings and occasionally a full understanding of oneself and one’s surroundings. Throughout history, certain psychedelic substances have had shamanic uses and have been used to bring an individual closer to God (Devereux 64-65). In the course of this essay, all uses of the word “psychedelic” will refer to such an experience.
Every psychedelic drug is different, even though many of them work the same way. Psilocybin mushrooms and LSD, while apparently similar in effect, are in fact quite different. LSD and psilocybin mushrooms both cause distortions of senses. However, it is commonly believed that LSD is stronger than mushrooms. LSD’s effects last for eight to twelve hours, while mushrooms usually last for five or six. While the intensity of the drugs cannot be measured because of the lack of controlled testing, a general understanding has been acquired through interviews. Even with the similarities of the effects of psychedelic drugs, most of them work differently. This will be discussed separately.
Through research based on a comparison of cases, it has been determined that LSD and psilocybin mushrooms are much safer than other psychedelic drugs, such as Ecstasy, PCP, Peyote, Mescaline, Salvia, DMT and any other natural psychedelic agent or any other drug of the tryptamine family, either physically or mentally. For example, depending on the “set and setting,” LSD has no negative effects. PCP, or Angel Dust, is known for how it makes people react violently or commit crimes. However, psychedelic drugs seem safer compared to other “hard” drugs, such as heroin and cocaine. Psychedelics, for example, are not addictive. While addictions do happen, it solely depends on the person, as opposed to the chemical qualities of many other drugs, including nicotine. It should be noted, however, that psychedelic drugs do indeed have side effects, although not dangerous ones. LSD users notice a dry mouth, an increase in heart rate and body temperature, nausea, pupil dilations and other mild symptoms. Uterine contractions might also occur. Psilocybin mushrooms users occasionally report nausea and a rare case of vomiting while waiting for a “trip”, or a psychedelics-induced experience, to start. Some mental side effects of psychedelic drugs in general include a permanent sense of awareness and an understanding of things around an individual. Occasionally, “flashbacks” occur. A flashback is when a property of the trip is experienced by an individual days or weeks after the drug is taken. It is not yet understood what causes flashbacks to occur and there are many contradictory observations. (Henderson/Glass 60-61).
The prominent reason for the use of psychedelic drugs is the effect they have on the mentality. Vivid colors, shapes, religious visions and detailed structures make up a typical psychedelic trip. Along with these effects, individuals often experience transformations of existing structures; one will often notice walls melting or the face of a friend transforming into something else. These transformations are believed by users to be insights into the mind of the user. In his psychedlics-inspired book L’infini Turbulent, Henri Michaux notes that time seems to stand still and focus is nearly impossible (Michaux 149-151). Many people also notice a newfound awareness of the power they hold within as human beings. This has been described as “breaking power within me” (Michaux 152). Positive trips need the proper “set and setting,” or the right mood and the right place. In a familiar environment and with familiar faces, a trip will be much more exciting and positive. Strange territory and sudden unfamiliar noises will often lead to a bad trip. In essence, bad trips occur when control is lost (Henderson/Glass 17).
The characteristics of a bad trip usually include anxiety, fear of surroundings and imagery that scares the individual. If a user has a history of mental illness, this illness may surface, as most psychedelic drugs bring the subconscious to focus. Bad trips are rare and can be prevented with a trusted friend watching the user. This friend is usually referred to as a “sitter.” If a user is reassured that his bad trip is merely caused from psychedelic drugs by the sitter, symptoms of a bad trip will most likely disappear. A change in music or lighting might also help the individual. It is generally recommended that first time users will trip with a sitter.
LSD was first synthesized by a chemist named Albert Hofmann at the Sandoz pharmaceutical laboratories inSwitzerland. Initially, Hofmann was working to use ergot to develop new medicine. At first, nothing of interest was found in this new drug, and it was abandoned for five years, when Hofmann synthesized more of this drug and experienced vivid images and bright colors (Henderson/Glass 39). Intrigued, Hofmann later took 250 micrograms of LSD and experienced psychedelic images and a distortion of reality, marked by transformations and unrest (Henderson/Glass 39). It was later determined that the dose he took was actually a large dose, which is very intriguing compared to the milligram dosage of other drugs. After Hofmann’s discovery, LSD was sold to psychiatrists as a miracle drug. Many experiments were conducted, and shall be discussed later in this essay.
LSD also made a tremendous impact on the culture of the 1960s. Many people were experimenting with LSD as a means to expand their minds and discover truths about the world and themselves. LSD is usually taken in tabs of absorbent paper, called Blotter Paper. This Blotter Paper is divided into tabs with illustrations of pop-culture phenomena, such as cartoon characters or signs. Tabs of Blotter Acid are usually colorful. As recreational use increased, the government included LSD testing in its mind control project MK-ULTRA. Shortly after, LSD was made illegal for few specified reasons. Although illegal, recreational use still exists today. An interesting note is how the dosage decreased from an average of 250 micrograms to an average of 50 micrograms today. This is believed to be the case because of users taking LSD for a feeling of euphoria rather than to feel enlightened. LSD is also easy to quit. Many users quit after just one bad trip, without any negative effects (Henderson/Glass 21).
Another common psychedelic drug is the psilocybin mushroom. Dry psilocybin mushrooms are normally ingested, but can be drunk in a tea or smoked. This method is not recommended, as heat destroys the psilocybin. Used by Native Americans in rituals for healing and interaction with spirits, mushrooms are still used today. Mushrooms have been used for many years to cure diseases. “A schizophrenic patient who had lost the power of speech regained it after treatment with the drug,” (Knox 56) claimed a man to the New York Times. While psilocybin mushrooms are similar to other psychedelic drugs, they are slightly different. They are usually grown naturally and without chemicals, and they have a common side effect of nausea and occasionally vomiting. This happens when the body tries to push the poison out. Usually, nausea lasts for approximately thirty minutes after ingestion. Psilocybin mushrooms are considered very safe; the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Heath (NIOSH) considers psilocybin to be less toxic than aspirin and nicotine. The most prominent danger is picking mushrooms that are potentially deadly. Psilocybin was also sold from Sandoz but received less attention than LSD. It is still used by many teenagers today. However, there are other mushrooms that produce the same effect as psilocybin mushrooms. These mushrooms are very similar in nature.
Many other psychedelic drugs exist that are not as popular as LSD and psilocybin mushrooms. Among these is DMT, which can actually be called a hallucinogen because of its hallucinogenic properties. DMT, a tryptamine, is a naturally occurring chemical. It differs from other psychedelic drugs in the sense that it produces hallucinations of the truest kind. Many users claim to see entities from other planets, and popular writer Terrence McKenna believes that entities he calls “Machine Elves” communicated with him. He also describes a different dimension, a mental space in the human mind to which DMT is a gateway. Other tryptamines, such as DET and DPT are milder and do not have such vivid effects. Not much is known about them. Other drugs, such as Peyote, are described to be somewhat similar to LSD. One man describes his experience as a “saturnalia of the specific senses, and, above all, an orgy of vision” (Masters/Houston 153). A feeling of being one with all things has also been felt. One man felt that “all things are animate” (Masters/Houston 154). Peyote is a native cactus plant ofMexicoand was used by Native Americans. Salvia is another natural plant, and is legal to own in theUnited States. However, not too much is known about Salvia and the experience has been described by an unknown source as the wildest experience ever. To the majority of the American public, LSD and psilocybin mushrooms are more appealing. This may be due to the fact that these drugs are readily available, not too expensive and are lighter in nature than some other psychedelic drugs. However, other harmful and available drugs do exist.
PCP, or Angel Dust, is a drug that is known for its violent properties. Many users tend to commit crimes under its influence. One of the most famous examples of this is Brenda Ann Spencer, who committed a massacre under the influence of PCP. In 1979, she wounded eight elementary school students and a police officer and killed two adults with a shotgun in San Diego, California. Another example of a harmful psychedelic drug is Belladonna or Deadly Nightshade. Belladonna is legally available to own and consume. However, a very small consumption may lead to overdose and/or death. A typical hallucination lasts up to three days and is marked by being unable to tell the difference between the real world and hallucinations. On a website called Erowid, individuals can share their experiences with drugs. One undisclosed individual describes his experience with Belladonna as “A trip to hell.” Another undisclosed individual claims that “turning your head or sneezing will change where you are and what you are doing totally to where you dont[sic] know what reality is.” Both of these dangerous drugs have been used in medicine; PCP was used as an anesthetic and was discontinued because of its psychedelic side effects. Belladonna is the source of atropine, used to cure effects of poisoning by certain nerve agents.
Medical uses for psychedelic drugs still exist, especially for LSD, which has been used in medicine to cure childhood schizophrenia, cases of alcoholism, and even to delve into a patient’s mind in a few sessions as opposed to years of visits to psychiatrists. It has been noted in many cases that “the patient thus gains rational approach to unconscious material, especially if he learns to decipher the symbolic language of the intoxication” (Abramson 179). Many cases prove that if an LSD experience is initiated by a doctor and the patient is talked through the trip, positive results occur. An interesting case is that of Patty, a child who was prone to withdrawal from life and violent behavior to children younger than her. Over three sessions of guided LSD and psilocybin trips, she “had progressed so remarkably that she was able to attend public school during the day and return to the hospital in the evenings” (Fisher 18-25). Many other children have been cured of their disorders, such as Jenny, a nine year old girl whose behavior was “impulsive, erratic and unpredictable. She was often very aggressive to other children, especially smaller ones, and attacked them viciously without provocation” (Fisher 18-25). After guided LSD trips, she saw herself as more grown up and was fit enough to go to school.
It is even interesting that the religious community has taken an interest in LSD, as well as the scientific community. TheTempleof the True Inner Light, a church inNew York City, believes that psychedelics are the “embodiment of God” and that psychedelics help people to discover a higher being. Another example of this is a claim by a Minister inBrooklynthat LSD contributes to “creation and the glory of God” (Dugan 13). It is believed by some that LSD creates a religious rebirth. Many curious teenagers looking to find answers to questions about life take psychedelic drugs and usually get a positive answer.
Much evidence offers the belief that LSD and certain psychedelic drugs offer no harm; harm is used to describe something that offers physical or emotional pain, either directly or indirectly. However, if certain psychedelic drugs, such as LSD and psilocybin mushrooms, are taken under guided circumstances in the right “set and setting” they can be very beneficial to members of society, inducing no harm at all. If a negative effect does occur, it will most likely not leave permanent damage. While it is somewhat risky, the same risk is involved in drinking and smoking; the real difference is that LSD and psilocybin can be potentially helpful to psychiatric patients. Supervised trips are very promising to psychiatry because of advances that can be made in a patient’s mind, while unsupervised trips can be educational to an individual as one resolves issues and answers questions.
Certain psychedelic experiences can be very positive and are not harmful when compared to other legal drugs. Drugs such as LSD and psilocybin mushrooms can be beneficial to society by curing psychiatric patients and giving spiritual answers to an individual. LSD is a powerful drug that has been used to cure many cases of migraine headaches, schizophrenia, alcoholism and personality disorders. This drug is also advocated by churches and is very potent. Unsupervised, certain dangers may occur: dangers such as bad trips, caused by loss of control and sudden changes in perception and personality. However, these dangers are rare and may be easily avoided. This essay fundamentally stands by the words of Timothy Leary: “I am 100 percent in favor of the intelligent use of drugs, and 1,000 percent against the thoughtless use of them, whether caffeine or LSD.”
Works Cited
Abramson, Harold A. The Use of LSD in Psychotherapy and Alcoholism.New York: Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1967.
Devereux, Paul. The Long Trip, A Prehistory of Psychedelia.New York: Penguin Group, 1997.
Dugan, George. “Minister Extols Benefits of LSD.” The New York Times, July 4, 1966, 13.
Fisher, Gary. “Treatment of Childhood Schizophrenia Utilizing LSD and Psilocybin.” Newsletter of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies 7, no. 3 (Summer 1997), 18-25.
Henderson, Leigh A., Glass, William J. LSD Still With Us After All These Years.New York:Lexington, 1994.
Knox, Sanka. “Mushroom Ritual Recreated Here.” The New York Times, January 30, 1959, 56.
Masters, R.E.L., Houston, Jane. The Varieties of Psychedelic Experience.Canada: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1966.
Michaux, Henri. L’infini Turbulent.London: Calder and Boyars, 1975.
Stafford, Peter. Psychedelics Encyclopedia.California: Ronin Publishing, 1992.
