How Long Does an Acid Trip Last?

Acid or lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a synthetic drug that is considered hallucinogenic. It is man-made and is derived from ergot, which is a fungus. When you consume acid, you will experience visual and auditory hallucinations, changes in mood, and differences in sensory perception.

According to a study, over 5.5 million Americans use hallucinogenic drugs like LSD.[1]

When someone experiences the effects of acid, it is referred to as tripping. If you are considering tripping on LSD, you might be wondering how long the effects last. The effects of acid can last for up to 12 hours.

Unfortunately, not everyone has a good experience when they take acid. It can perpetuate mental health problems, cause scary hallucinations, and become a rather distressing experience.[2] Because of the risk of bad acid trips, it is best to avoid the substance altogether.

What is LSD?

LSD is the shortened name for lysergic acid diethylamide. It is also referred to as acid and lucy. Acid is a hallucinogenic or psychedelic drug that can cause side effects like hallucinations, changes in sensory perception, emotional changes, and increased heart rate or blood pressure.

The effects of LSD are caused by changes to the serotonin receptor in your brain.[3] Your brain has at least 14 serotonin receptors which are responsible for functions like mood and how you interpret what your senses are telling you. When you consume acid, your senses are altered, leading to changes in how you perceive sight, sound, and touch.

Acid is usually a liquid that is dropped onto small, square pieces of paper called “blotters.” These blotters are placed on the tongue and allow the liquid to absorb into your bloodstream.

The effects of LSD can vary widely from person to person. The dose also plays a role in what you experience. Small doses of LSD might cause slight changes in sensory perception, while larger doses lead to full-blown hallucinations.

How Long Does Acid Last?

You will begin to feel the effects of acid within 20 to 90 minutes of consuming it. The length of time that you experience effects can vary depending on the dose, your metabolism, and a variety of other factors. The effects can last between 6 to 15 hours, with the average being 12 hours.

The half-life of LSD is about 2.5 hours.[4] This means it can stay in your system for up to 12.5 hours. However, specialized drug tests might be able to detect it for a longer period.

Depending on the type of drug test being used, LSD is detectable for one to five days. Blood tests offer a shorter window of detection than urine tests because the metabolites of LSD stay in your blood for less time.

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What Will You Experience During an Acid Trip?

The LSD experience is characterized by psychedelic effects. The specific symptoms you experience when taking acid varies from person to person. That said, everyone will experience visual and auditory hallucinations as well as changes in mood and sensory perception.

During an acid trip, you might experience:[5]

• Brighter colors
• Changing shapes
• Trails of light behind objects
• Synesthesia
• Amplified mood
• Increased blood pressure and heart rate
• Dilated eyes
• Higher body temperature
• Dry mouth and nausea
• Tremors
• Insomnia

Small amounts of LSD will only cause slight changes to your sensory perception. In large doses, you might experience full-blown hallucinations.

Additionally, the mood you experienced before you consumed acid will be heightened. This means that if you were feeling anxious, you might become extremely frightened and distressed. On the other hand, if you were happy, you could experience euphoria.

Can You Get Addicted to LSD?

Most experts do not believe that LSD is addictive. You will not develop a physical dependence on the substance. That said, you could begin using it compulsively if you enjoy the experience.

Unfortunately, LSD does cause negative adverse effects, especially when abused long-term. The long-term effects of acid may include the development of a condition called hallucinogen-persisting perception disorder (HPPD). This condition causes you to continuously experience hallucinations even when you are not high on LSD.

Additionally, the effects of the drug can lead to worsened mental health. If you have a mental health condition that puts you at risk of psychosis, it could be triggered by the drug’s effects.[2]

Get Connected to an LSD Abuse Treatment Center

If you have been abusing acid long-term, a drug rehab center can help you recover. At The South Carolina Addiction Treatment Center, we can help you stop abusing LSD and overcome the mental health issues it has caused.

Contact us today for more information on how we can treat LSD abuse.

References:

1. Columbia University: New Study Estimates Over 5.5 Million U.S. Adults Use Hallucinogens
2. Sage Journals: Adverse effects of psychedelics: From anecdotes and misinformation to systematic science
3. Science Direct: Lysergic Acid Diethylamide
4. The National Library of Medicine (NLM): Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in Healthy Subjects
5. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA): LSD