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Using LSD for Pain Management

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No one should have to live in pain, yet many people do. When a person has severe or chronic pain symptoms, he or she will look for relief wherever it can be found. This may involve turning to psychedelic drugs like lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) or combining LSD with other pain relief efforts. While early studies suggest psychedelics may have a role to play in pain management in the future, right now the risks are greater than any relief provided. The benefits are little understood but the potential for complications and addiction is well known.

Potential Consequences of Using LSD for Pain Management

LSD can lead to some serious side effects. When mixed with opioid painkillers or other drugs, LSD becomes even more unpredictable. LSD is also illegal which makes fines, legal trouble and jail time possible risks of possession and use.

LSD is not a physically addictive drug. However it can be emotionally and mentally addictive. Often LSD dependence occurs alongside other substance use disorders or addictive behaviors.

In one study, Substance Use & Misuse found that nearly 92% of club drug users had used more than one substance at a time.1

This increases the likelihood of accidents, injury, overdose and addiction.

Does LSD Treat Pain?

LSD doesn’t treat pain, but, like some opiates, it may alter perception of pain. “While under the influence of LSD, the patients showed unusual detachment from concern with their physical condition. Many, when asked whether they still had pain, answered that they did, but that it was unimportant.”2
So LSD doesn’t treat pain.

It doesn’t address it’s underlying causes, and it doesn’t provide real, lasting or long-term relief. And because LSD tolerance develops quickly, individuals will need more and more of the drug to maintain even a false sense of detachment from pain. LSD does show more promise in treating depression and anxiety associated with pain and illness, but since hallucinogens can also worsen or complicate these mental health issues, it’s not recommended for this purpose. Anxiety, depression and other mental health issues also increase the likelihood of addiction, so mixing mental health and LSD is more likely to create problems than solve them.

How Do You Treat LSD and Pain?

There are multiple treatment methods available for those who struggle with LSD use. Many of these can integrate physical health care and pain management techniques into a larger addiction treatment plan. If you want to stop the cycle of LSD use and pain, look for a treatment center with quality staff and credentials. Look for treatment that offers a detox program followed by a comprehensive treatment regimen.

Quality addiction treatment should focus on each client and take note of an individual’s addiction history and the reasons why he or she began using LSD. If chronic pain has been part of the problem, then finding pain management solutions should be part of the solution. A quality treatment program that offers medical supervision and a licensed medical staff can help with pain management issues and co-occurring substance use concerns.

Alternatives to Pain Management with LSD

Living with chronic pain is a daily struggle.

You have every right to seek a pain-free life, and there are safe ways to reach that goal. Even if pain management was difficult in the past, new treatments and approaches to healing are being discovered every day. If your pain management medication isn’t helping you find relief for ongoing pain issues, you can pursue options other than LSD, opiates and other addictive substances. Be willing to ask questions and advocate for all your recovery needs. Don’t hesitate to travel or seek a specialist who concentrates on your area of need. Integrated addiction recovery treatment programs offer assistance in pain management or have an extensive referral base to help you find a medically-based treatment method that works for you.

Managing Pain After LSD Addiction Treatment

After substance use and pain management treatment, be sure to find continued treatment options in your area so that you safeguard against relapse. Providers like The Canyon will help connect you to local resources and keep you involved in aftercare and alumni programs. Continued involvement in treatment programs helps individuals maintain long-term sobriety.

How to Quit LSD

If you are ready to quit using LSD, reach out to Skywood. Our toll-free helpline is available 24 hours a day. We’re here to offer resources, support, and information. We will talk to you about our programs and connect you to other providers if they are a better fit. We can even help you find a treatment program that is covered under your insurance provider. You can find the right, effective addiction recovery treatment center. There are paths to pain management without the risks of substance dependence. There has never been a better time to quit LSD than now. Let us help.

By Alanna Hilbink

Sources:
1 Grov, Christian, et al. “Polydrug Use Among Club-Going Young Adults Recruited Through Time-Space Sampling.” Substance Use & Misuse. 1 Jan. 2010.
2 “LSD Used an an Analgesic.” Journal of the American Medical Association. Accessed 8 Nov. 2018.