Anxiety DisordersBipolar DisorderDepressive DisordersAdolescentsPTSDSubstance Use Disorders (SUD)Chronic PainSchizophreniaEquity and EthicsLSD

LSD Overdoses: Three Case Reports

This case series describes the medical consequences of accidental LSD overdoses in three individuals, including one case of massive intranasal ingestion (550 times the recreational dose). Results indicate no fatal or lasting negative outcomes, with reports of sustained improvements in mood, pain levels, and withdrawal symptoms following the events.

Authors

Haden, M.
Woods, B.

Published

January 1, 2020

Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs

individual Study

Links

Read Paper DOI Google Scholar

Abstract

Objective

In academic settings around the world, there is a resurgence of interest in using psychedelic substances for the treatment of addictions, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and other diagnoses. This case series describes the medical consequences of accidental overdoses in three individuals.

Method

Case series of information were gathered from interviews, health records, case notes, and collateral reports.

Results

The first case report documents significant improvements in mood symptoms, including reductions in mania with psychotic features, following an accidental lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) overdose, changes that have been sustained for almost 20 years. The second case documents how an accidental overdose of LSD early in the first trimester of pregnancy did not negatively affect the course of the pregnancy or have any obvious teratogenic or other negative developmental effects on the child. The third report indicates that intranasal ingestion of 550 times the normal recreational dosage of LSD was not fatal and had positive effects on pain levels and subsequent morphine withdrawal.

Conclusions

There appear to be unpredictable, positive sequelae that ranged from improvements in mental illness symptoms to reduction in physical pain and morphine withdrawal symptoms. Also, an LSD overdose while in early pregnancy did not appear to cause harm to the fetus.

Available with Blossom Pro

Research Summary of 'LSD Overdoses: Three Case Reports'

Introduction

Haden and colleagues frame this work within a renewed scientific and clinical interest in psychedelics for conditions such as addiction, PTSD, depression and anxiety. They note that contemporary clinical protocols use doses considered safe and that administering very large doses (for example, 300 mcg or more of LSD) would present greater ethical and safety obstacles in formal trials. Consequently, the authors argue that examination of accidental overdoses in naturalistic settings can provide information about effects and risks at extremely high dosages that cannot easily be obtained in regulated research. This paper presents a retrospective case series of three accidental LSD overdoses, with the aim of documenting acute medical consequences and any subsequent longer-term sequelae. The authors emphasise that these reports may shed light on unexpected outcomes—both harmful and potentially beneficial—associated with very large LSD exposures outside clinical trials.