New research on the benefits of LSD show it can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and can potentially help people trying to overcome a drug dependence.¹

What is LSD?

LSd (lysergic acid diethylamide) is a chemical derived from a fungi that infects rye grain.²

It’s a psychedelic drug that can cause changes in perception, mood and thought, as well as hallucinations in higher doses.²

It is also considered an  – a drug that enhances a person’s feelings of empathy and connectedness.^2,3

LSD as a treatment for mental health and drug dependence

Research on the use of LSD as a treatment for mental health conditions began in the 1950s.

But, by the late 1970s, clinical research on LSD and other psychedelics largely came to a halt. This was due to many factors, including the USA’s criminalisation of LSD in 1966 and the introduction of stricter regulations for medical trials.⁴

Research increased again in the mid-2000s.⁴

Currently, research studies are exploring how LSD can help develop new ways of thinking and ‘reset’ the brain’s usual thought patterns.^1,5

LSD seems to affect chemicals in the brain like serotonin and dopamine (which help to regulate mood), although we don’t fully understand how it works.^1,5,6

The renewed interest in LSD builds on studies from 40 years ago that looked at treating:

• depression
• post-traumatic stress disorder
• drug dependence
• reducing anxiety in patients with a life-threatening disease.¹

Research on how LSD can treat mental health conditions is ongoing, but early results have been promising.⁷