LSD Addiction Help

Behavioral therapy for LSD addiction can help the drug abuser stop.  LSD, or Lysergic acid diethylamide, is a hallucinogenic drug that is not physically addictive but it may very difficult for some to stop using this drug. Keep reading to see how behavioral therapy helps LSD users.

One of the most difficult addictions to break is one for LSD. LSD stands for lysergic acid diethylamide. The drug is actually derived from a certain fungus. The effects can be quite potent. It is a hallucinogenic drug, causing an altered state of consciousness. Users see, hear and experience things that are not actually happening. LSD use distorts the way the world is perceived. While many users enjoy the experience, there are such things as “bad trips”, in which the user experiences scary hallucinations. Flashbacks to these trips can occur years later, and cause terror and anxiety in some cases.

It is important to note, though, that LSD is not considered physically addicting. It doesn’t cause drug-seeking behaviors. However, LSD is psychologically addicting. It takes more and more of the drug to get the same desired effects, since the user builds up a tolerance for LSD. As a result of the psychological nature of LSD use, it can be very difficult to break an addiction to LSD. Behavioral therapy for LSD addiction can sometimes help.

Another important point is that, even though LSD is not considered physically addicting, it still alters a user’s mood and perception. Some of the symptoms of LSD use include tremors, paranoia, moodiness, hallucinations, sleep problems, reduced appetite and impaired judgment. As you can tell, many of the most prominent signs of LSD use are based around the brain. While someone is using LSD, there are some physical signs as well, including dilated pupils, increased heart rate and blood pressure, dry mouth, increased temperature and sweating. In some cases these rapid changes can result in injury or even death.

The impacts of LSD on short-term and long-term health can be serious, and so it is vital that someone with an LSD addiction be properly treated. There are a number of different ways to treat LSD addiction, but one of the most effective ways is behavioral therapy for LSD addiction.

Behavioral therapy for LSD addiction

Because so much of the LSD addiction is related to one’s accustomed behaviors, and what goes on inside the mind, behavioral therapy can be helpful. Behavioral therapy for LSD addiction endeavors to help the person addicted to LSD develop new habits and interests to replace those associated with using the drug. This technique often includes cognitive behavior therapy as well, teaching the addicted person different strategies for taking his or her mind off the drug, and the desire for the drug. Behavioral therapy for LSD addiction works by repeatedly offering new routines that can become the norm, rather than keeping LSD use as the regular behavior. Some of these changes include avoiding situations where LSD use is likely to arise, and staying away form people who encourage drug use. Support groups and other types of counseling can also help. Therapists may also suggest exercise, hobbies and animal therapy to help LSD users get beyond their psychological need for the drug.

However, it is important to note that in some cases behavioral therapy for LSD addiction is not enough on its own. Many therapists will also include the use of drugs as a way to help someone overcome an addiction to LSD. These drugs include SSRIs meant to help stave off the depression that can come when the brain is no longer receiving stimulation from the hallucinatory effects of the LSD, as well as some other types of drugs meant to help manage withdrawal symptoms. Over time, the dosages of these drugs are stepped down as the behavioral therapy becomes more prominent, and as the user eases away from the need for LSD.

Many therapists agree that it is often a good idea to combine pharmacological therapies with behavioral therapy when it comes to treating LSD addiction. It is a good idea to carefully consider the needs of the drug user, and remember to be supportive and helpful as he or she works to make the necessary changes to get beyond the need for LSD.