Visual Phenomenology of the LSD Flashback
Archives of General Psychiatry August 1, 1983 DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.1983.01790070074009 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 123 |
| Population | Persons with a history of LSD use |
| Topics | LSD Philosophy of mind |
| Keywords | Flashback Phenomenology philosophy Population |
| Citations | 172 |
| Key findings | A syndrome of ten visual disturbances, lasting up to five years in half of the sample, was treatable with benzodiazepines, exacerbated by phenothiazines, and precipitated most commonly by emergence into darkness, with sensitivity to LSD flashbacks dividing the sample into three discrete subgroups. |
Abstract
One hundred twenty-three persons with a history of LSD use were studied for the presence of the LSD flashback phenomenon and compared with 40 control subjects. A syndrome emerged that included ten distance visual disturbances. It had lasted for five years in half of the population, was treatable with benzodiazepines, exacerbated by phenothiazines, and precipitated by 19 different stimuli, most commonly emergence into a dark environment. Sensitivity to LSD as determined by flashbacks appears to divide the study sample into three discrete subgroups. There may be a genetic basis to LSD sensitivity.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
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Identified a syndrome of ten visual disturbances in LSD flashbacks lasting up to five years in half the sample, treatable with benzodiazepines and exacerbated by phenothiazines, with sensitivity dividing the sample into three subgroups.
Synthesized
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on LSD, most cited first.
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|---|---|---|---|
| Increased Global Functional Connectivity Correlates with LSD-Induced Ego Dissolution. Human participants | 2016 | Observational cohort | |
| Increased spontaneous MEG signal diversity for psychoactive doses of ketamine, LSD and psilocybin Humans | 2017 | Observational study | |
| Classic psychedelic use is associated with reduced psychological distress and suicidality in the United States adult population. USA adult respondents from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2008-2012) | 2015 | Observational cohort | n = 190,000 |
| Psychedelics not linked to mental health problems or suicidal behavior: A population study Randomly selected United States adults | 2015 | Observational cohort | n = 135,095 |
| Whole-Brain Multimodal Neuroimaging Model Using Serotonin Receptor Maps Explains Non-linear Functional Effects of LSD. Healthy human participants | 2018 | Observational study with computational modeling |
Citations in the library
Cited by 59
- Acute, subacute and long-term subjective effects of psilocybin in healthy humans: a pooled analysis of experimental studies Journal of Psychopharmacology September 20, 2010
- Psychedelics and Mental Health: A Population Study PLoS One August 19, 2013
- A Single Dose of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide Influences Gene Expression Patterns within the Mammalian Brain Neuropsychopharmacology May 1, 2002
- The psychopharmacology of hallucinogens. Neuropsychopharmacology April 1, 1996
- Adverse consequences of lysergic acid diethylamide Addiction October 1, 1993
and 54 more in the library
Cites 11
- On the Use and Abuse of LSD Archives of General Psychiatry March 1, 1968
- Flashbacks: Recurrent Intrusive Images After the Use of LSD American Journal of Psychiatry October 1, 1969
- LSD Revisited Archives of General Psychiatry 1971
- Prolonged Adverse Reactions to Lysergic Acid Diethylamide Archives of General Psychiatry May 1, 1963
- Chronic Users of LSD: The "Acidheads" American Journal of Psychiatry September 1, 1968
and 6 more in the library