How Long Does Acid Last? The Effects of LSD

LSD, often called acid, is a powerful drug that can create intense experiences for those who take it, but how long does LSD last for?

This page explores what acid is, how it affects your body and mind, how long do the effects of LSD last, as well as the potential risks involved with this potent Schedule I drug. You will also discover how to get effective addiction treatment that’s covered by health insurance.

What Is LSD (Acid)?

LSD (acid) is a psychedelic drug that changes how you see and feel the world around you. It was first made from a type of fungus that grows on grains like rye.

LSD is a man-made chemical known as lysergic acid diethylamide. Even a tiny amount can cause significant changes in how you think, feel, and sense things. People often take LSD by swallowing small squares of paper soaked in the drug, known as tabs. Taking LSD can cause someone to experience vivid sights, sounds, and thoughts that are far from reality.

How Acid Affects Your Body

When LSD enters your body, it can set off a chain reaction of physical changes that can be intense and long-lasting. The effects can vary depending on your body chemistry, the environment, and how much of the drug you take. Effects include:

• Increased heart rate: Your heart might start beating faster, making you feel more alert or anxious.

• Higher blood pressure: As your heart rate goes up, so does your blood pressure, which can cause a sense of physical tension.

• Dilated pupils: Your pupils often become larger, which can make your eyes more sensitive to light.

• Raised body temperature: You may feel warmer than usual, and sweating can occur as your body tries to cool down.

• Dry mouth: Many people experience a dry mouth, which can make them feel thirsty.

• Nausea: Some people feel sick to their stomach, especially at the beginning of the acid trip.

• Shakiness: Tremors or muscle twitches might happen as the central nervous system reacts to the drug.

• Trouble sleeping: Even after the trip ends, you might find it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep.

How Acid Affects Your Brain

LSD dramatically changes how the brain works, leading to altered thoughts, feelings, and perceptions of reality. The drug’s powerful effects on the brain are what make an acid trip intense and sometimes unpredictable. Here’s what happens in the brain when you take acid:

• Changes in perception: Colors might seem brighter, shapes can appear to move, and objects might leave trails as they move.

• Distorted sense of time: Time may feel like it’s speeding up or slowing down, making minutes feel like hours.

• Enhanced senses: Sounds, smells, and tastes can become more intense, often leading to overwhelming sensory experiences.

• Mood swings: LSD can amplify your current mood, making you feel extremely happy, anxious, or even frightened.

• Hallucinations: You might see things that aren’t really there, from patterns on surfaces to complete visual scenes.

• Altered thinking: Your thoughts can become more abstract or philosophical, sometimes leading to deep insights or confusion.

• Emotional sensitivity: Minor issues can trigger strong emotional reactions, whether joy, sadness, or fear.

Look, Taste, & Smell of Acid

LSD, or acid, doesn’t have a strong taste or smell, which can make it tricky to identify just by those senses alone. Here’s what you need to know about the appearance of LSD:

• Look: Acid usually comes in the form of small squares of paper called blotter paper. These squares often have colorful designs or images printed on them. Sometimes, LSD is also found in liquid form, tiny pills, or even on sugar cubes.

• Taste: LSD itself is almost tasteless. If you place a tab on your tongue, you might notice a slight bitter or metallic taste, but it’s usually very mild.

• Smell: Acid doesn’t have a noticeable smell. This can make it hard to detect, especially if it’s mixed with other substances.

How Long Does an Acid Trip Last? An LSD. Timeline

How long does LSD last, then? An acid trip is a journey that can last for the whole day, with different stages unfolding along the way. Here’s a timeline of what you might experience to give you an idea of how long is an LSD trip.

• First 30 minutes to 1 hour: After taking LSD, you might not feel anything at first. For those wondering how long does it take for LSD to hit, the effects start to kick in within about 30 to 60 minutes. You may notice slight changes in your senses, like colors becoming more vibrant or sounds seeming louder.

• 1 to 3 hours: This is when the trip begins to intensify. Visual hallucinations, changes in perception, and shifts in time awareness become more pronounced. You might feel waves of emotion, from happiness to anxiety, as the drug takes hold.

• 3 to 6 hours: The effects usually reach their peak during this time. This is the most intense part of the trip, where reality can feel very different. Hallucinations and altered thoughts are strongest here, and time may seem to stretch or contract.

• 6 to 9 hours: After peaking, the trip starts to wind down. The intensity of the effects gradually decreases, but you might still experience some lingering visual distortions and emotional shifts.

• 9 to 12 hours: By this point, most of the effects have faded, but you might still feel an afterglow of heightened mood or mild changes in perception. It can take a full 24 hours for your body and mind to return to their normal state after using LSD.

How Long Does It Take for LSD to Kick In?

LSD does not act immediately. After taking acid, you’ll likely start to feel the first effects within 20 to 60 minutes. The first signs that the drug is kicking in might be subtle. Colors might appear brighter, and sounds might seem sharper. You could also notice a shift in your mood or a feeling of anticipation. Within an hour or so, the effects become more noticeable, leading into the main part of the trip. This is when the hallucinations and intense changes in perception begin.

LSD Duration

How long do acid trips last is one of the most common questions asked by people thinking about using LSD. The total duration of an LSD experience can be protracted, with the entire trip lasting up to 12 hours or more.

Effects of an Acid Trip

An acid trip can cause a wide range of effects, both physical and mental. Here’s what you might experience:

• Visual changes: You may see patterns, shapes, or colors that aren’t really there. Objects might seem to move, shift, or melt. These visual distortions are one of the most common effects of LSD.

• Emotional swings: LSD can intensify your emotions, making you feel extremely happy, sad, or anxious. Your mood before taking the drug can influence how the trip feels.

• Distorted time perception: Time might seem to speed up, slow down, or even stand still. Minutes can feel like hours, and vice versa.

• Heightened senses: Sounds, smells, and tastes can become more intense and vivid. This can make ordinary experiences feel extraordinary, but it can also be overwhelming.

• Spiritual or philosophical thoughts: Many people report having deep or profound thoughts during an acid trip, sometimes feeling a strong connection to the world or the universe. These thoughts can be enlightening, confusing, or both.

When Does Acid Peak?

The peak of an acid trip is the most intense part of the experience. The peak usually occurs about 2 to 4 hours after taking LSD. This is when the effects are at their strongest and most overwhelming. 

Visual and auditory hallucinations are most vivid during the peak. You might see things that aren’t there or hear sounds that seem to come from nowhere. Your emotions can be at their most intense during the peak. You might feel a strong sense of euphoria, fear, or confusion. During the peak, it can be hard to tell what’s real and what’s not. Your sense of self, time, and space might feel completely different, which can be both exciting and scary.

After the peak, the effects will gradually start to decrease, but it can still take several hours before you feel completely back to normal.

LSD Comedown

After the intense experience of an acid trip, the comedown is when your body and mind start to return to normal. Here’s what happens during this phase:

• Feeling tired: As the effects of LSD wear off, you might feel physically and mentally exhausted. The high energy of the trip can leave you drained.

• Mood shifts: During the comedown, your mood might fluctuate. Some people feel a lingering sense of happiness or peace, while others might feel anxious, sad, or even confused.

• Sensory changes: Visual distortions and heightened senses will gradually fade, but you might still notice some subtle changes for a few hours.

• Difficulty sleeping: Even though you’re tired, falling asleep can be tough. Your mind might still be racing, making it hard to relax.

Why Does LSD Last So Long?

LSD is known for its long-lasting effects, which can be explained by how the drug interacts with your brain:

• Serotonin receptors: LSD binds to serotonin receptors in your brain, especially the ones that control mood, perception, and thought. Once attached, the LSD molecules stay locked in place, which is why the effects last for hours.

• Slow metabolism: Your body metabolizes LSD slowly. This means it takes time for the drug to break down and leave your system, prolonging the experience.

• Deep brain impact: LSD affects parts of the brain that deal with complex processes like thinking and perception. This deep impact is why the trip can last for such a long time and why it takes so long to feel normal again afterward.

Does LSD Expire?

Like most drugs, LSD can lose its potency over time, but it doesn’t expire in the way food does. LSD is sensitive to light, heat, and air. If it’s stored in a cool, dark, and dry place, it can last for years without losing much potency. If LSD is exposed to light or moisture, it can degrade faster. Taking old LSD might still cause a trip, but it could be less intense or shorter than expected. The drug doesn’t become dangerous, but it might not be as strong as fresh LSD.

LSD Risks & Dangers

While LSD may be viewed as a way to explore the mind, it comes with serious risks and dangers:

• Bad trips: Not every acid trip is pleasant. A bad trip can lead to frightening hallucinations, extreme anxiety, and a sense of losing control. These experiences can be terrifying and hard to shake off.

• Unpredictable effects: The effects of LSD can vary greatly from one person to another, and even from one trip to the next. This unpredictability makes it hard to know what you’re getting into each time.

• Physical risks: During a trip, you might do things that are risky or dangerous because your perception of reality is altered. This can include accidents, injuries, or putting yourself in unsafe situations.

• Mental health issues: For some people, LSD can cause or inflame mental health problems, especially if they have a history of conditions like anxiety, depression, or schizophrenia.

Long-Term Effects of Acid

Using LSD doesn’t just affect you during the trip. The experience can be so powerful and enduring that it can lead to an array of long-term consequences, too. These might include:

• Flashbacks: Some people experience flashbacks, where they suddenly relive parts of a previous trip. These flashbacks can happen days, weeks, or even years after using LSD.

• Persistent changes in perception: Long-term use of LSD can lead to lasting changes in how you perceive the world around you. This can include seeing things differently, even when you’re not on the drug.

• HPPD: HPPD (hallucinogen persisting perception disorder) is a rare but serious condition where a person continues to have visual disturbances long after the drug has worn off.

• Impact on mental health: Repeated use of LSD can lead to long-term mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and even psychosis in some cases.

Adverse Effects & Psychosis

LSD can have severe adverse effects, especially for those with underlying mental health conditions. While not everyone with existing mental health issues will experience these complications when using LSD, the following risks exist:

• Triggering psychosis: For some people, especially those with a family history of psychosis or schizophrenia, LSD can trigger a psychotic episode. This can lead to a loss of connection with reality, intense paranoia, and hallucinations that don’t go away.

• Severe anxiety: The intense effects of LSD can sometimes lead to overwhelming anxiety or panic attacks, even in people who have never experienced these issues before.

• Loss of control: During a trip, you might feel like you’re losing control of your mind or body, which can be a very distressing experience. This can lead to dangerous behavior or lasting psychological trauma.

Addiction

Although LSD is not physically addictive, it can still lead to problematic use. Some people become psychologically dependent on the experiences and sensations LSD provides. They might use it repeatedly to escape reality or seek out new experiences. Over time, they often need to take more LSD to achieve the same effects – tolerance to LSD builds rapidly. This can lead to more frequent use and increase the risk of negative consequences.

Because each trip is different, some people keep taking LSD in search of a specific experience or feeling they once had. This can lead to a cycle of repeated use that’s challenging to break. Like all forms of substance abuse, LSD misuse responds favorably to treatment – more on this below.

Legal Ramifications

Using LSD doesn’t just carry health risks – it also has serious legal consequences. In most countries, including the United States, LSD is classified as a Schedule I drug. This means it’s illegal to possess, sell, or manufacture LSD under any circumstances. Getting caught with LSD can lead to criminal charges, including fines, probation, or even prison time. A drug conviction can have lasting effects on your life, including difficulty finding a job, securing housing, or traveling to certain countries.

Treatment for Acid Use & Addiction

If you or someone you know is struggling with acid use, don’t hesitate to get help. Even though LSD isn’t physically addictive, the mental and emotional effects can be powerful and difficult to manage.

Treatment often starts with therapy, where medical professionals help you understand why you use the drug and how it affects your life. CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is a common approach that helps change negative thought patterns and behaviors. Treatment can be delivered at an inpatient or outpatient rehab center.

Support groups can also provide a sense of community and understanding, making it easier for people to stay on track.

In some cases, medications are indicated to help manage anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues related to LSD use. If you’re struggling with LSD use, reaching out to a treatment center or a healthcare professional can help you recalibrate your life.

Receive Science-Based Addiction Care Covered by Insurance at Gratitude Lodge

If you have been using acid and you feel you need help getting back on track, reach out to Gratitude Lodge. We have inclusive luxury rehabs in Newport Beach and Long Beach where we treat addictions and mental health issues.

When you choose inpatient drug rehab at Gratitude Lodge, you can access medications and 24-hour care during supervised detox. After a week or so, you’ll be ready to move into ongoing treatment at one of our beachside facilities.

Every addiction is different, so all treatment plans at our pet-friendly rehabs reflect this with personalized therapies, such as:

• Counseling
• Talk therapies
• Group therapy
• Motivational therapy
• Family therapy
• Holistic therapies
• MAT (medication-assisted treatment)
• Aftercare

Begin your recovery from substance abuse by calling 800-994-2184.