LSD helps alcoholics give up drinking

Usually both are associated with bad things, particularly when class A drugs are involved, but recent research shows that alcoholics who receive a controlled dose of LSD reduce their alcohol intake.

This study was tested over 500 patients in 6 trials.

LSD


LSD is one of the most powerful hallucinogens known today, it works by stopping a serotonin, a chemical in the brain from controlling factors such as hunger, sleep, mood and behaviour and particularly perception.

Typically costing around a fiver a go, it remains one of the most powerful ways to experience an alternative perception.

The experiment


All the patients were in alcoholic treatment programs. Half were selected as control, the other half for experiment.

Those in the experiment group received a dose of LSD ranging from 210 to 800 mg. The control given a placebo.

The experimental group showed reduced alcohol abuse by 59%, the control shows 38%.

However


The effects wore off after about a year, so the experimental group were given another dose. And the alcohol abuse was reduced again.

Why?


Most scientists agree it's because LSD allows you to see yourself. People act on this and improve, resulting in less binge drinking and alcohol abuse.

This may lead to LSD inspired drugs being prescribed to alcoholics, however should be taken lightly; as LSD poses a risk to lives itself.