Lysergic acid diethylamide, more commonly known as LSD, is a powerful, illicit hallucinogenic drug. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classifies LSD as a Schedule I substance, which are defined as “drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” LSD is typically synthesized into a liquid and dripped onto a dissolvable tab that is then placed in a teenager’s mouth and absorbed. LSD can be dropped into any kind of ingestible product such as cookies, candies, sugar cube, etc. It can also come in the form of a pill or capsule. Drug paraphernalia associated with LSD include blotter papers, sugar cubes (the original delivery method for LSD) and eyedroppers (to place drops of LSD directly onto one’s tongue). LSD can cause unpredictable effects on a young person, and when abused can result in dangerous consequences.
There are many potential signs and symptoms that can manifest in a teenager abusing LSD. The American Family Physician (AAFP) provide the following examples of signs and symptoms that could be indicative of LSD intoxication:
The average half-life, meaning the length of time the substance will remain in one’s system until the concentration in one’s blood has been reduced by half, of LSD is approximately 3.6 hours.
Individuals of all ages use LSD. According to the National Drug Intelligence Center, “Data reported in the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse indicate that an estimated 20.2 million U.S. residents aged 12 and older used LSD at least once in their lifetime.” The findings go on to reveal 742,000 individuals aged 12 to 17 and 4.5 million individuals aged 18 to 25 used LSD at least once. LSD use among teenagers is of particular concern as the University of Michigan’s Monitoring the Future Survey found more than eight percent of high school seniors in America reported using LSD at least once in their live and nearly four percent used it in the past year. The term ‘common’ is relative, therefore there is no clear answer to the question: Is LSD use common in teens? It is, however, an illegal substance that is used and abused by teenagers in America.
Seeking help is never easy, but you are not alone! If you or someone you know needs mental health treatment, we strongly encourage you to reach out for help as quickly as possible. It is not uncommon for many mental health difficulties to impact a person for the long term. The earlier you seek support, the sooner you and your loved ones can return to happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives.
Our admissions team is available to answer any general questions regarding mental health issues, treatment, and/or specific questions about the program at Pacific Teen Treatment and how we might be able to help your family. We can be reached by phone 24/7 at 800-531-5769. You can also contact us via email at info@pacificrtc.com.
PTT provides treatment for the contemporary issues facing teenagers in today’s world utilizing a family focused and collaborative approach providing individualized care for teens and their families. Licensed by the State of California, Community Care Licensing Division #198209636
At a time when most residential programs are affiliated with large healthcare corporations or backed by private equity, Pacific Teen Treatment is proudly a private, family-owned operation.
