What Does Acid Feel Like When You Take It? - Healthline

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How Does It Feel to Take Acid (LSD)

Medically reviewed by Alyssa Peckham, PharmD, BCPP — Written by Kimberly Holland — Updated on September 12, 2022

Acid trip stages
What happens when you take acid?
First use
Side effects
Good vs. bad trip
Coming down
Warning
FAQs
Summary

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), also known as acid, was accidentally discovered in the late 1930s by a pharmaceutical researcher. Not getting the results he wanted initially, Albert Hofmann dismissed the drug.

Later, a chance encounter led him to what was probably the first acid trip. He described it as “a remarkable restlessness, combined with a slight dizziness” in his book “LSD: My Problem Child.“

Acid is made from a fungus that grows on rye and other grains. It’s illegal in the United States, where it’s often produced in laboratories.

Absorbent paper is soaked in the solution. It dries, and the paper is cut into tiny squares called tabs or hits. It can also be taken as a liquid, injected, or inhaled.

A single dose is often enough for hours’ worth of effects. This is known as an acid trip, and has a range of possible experiences.

What does an acid trip typically feel like?

Each person’s experience with acid will be different. Indeed, each trip may be different. One might be very light, but others can take a frightening and overwhelming turn.

Symptoms may begin to show 20 to 90 minutes after taking a dose. The main episode can last several hours.

Acid is a long-acting drug. It stays in the body 6 to 15 hours. Most acid trips won’t last more than 9 hours.

The trip

During this period of “tripping” or active effects, you may begin to experience sensationalized perceptions of what’s happening around you. This can include “seeing” color or “tasting” sounds. Stationary items, like furniture, may begin to “move” or swell or shrink before your eyes.

Coming down

Coming down from the trip will feel like you’re gradually returning to Earth. Signs may begin to lessen in intensity. You may feel tired after getting through the hours-long trip and want to sleep.

Afterglow

An “afterglow” is possible for several hours after the end of the trip, too. This may feel like everything is “lighter” or “brighter” than before the trip. You may also have moments of flashbacks for several hours, even days, after the acid trip is over.

Microdosing

A microdose is a small dose of a psychedelic drug like LSD, often one-tenth of a normal dose. It’s sometimes used to help treat symptoms of anxiety and depression, but it’s not meant to completely encompass your day. However, little is known about the long-term effects of this practice.

What happens when you take acid?

Experts believe hallucinogens such as acid temporarily or partially disrupt communication between brain chemical systems in the brain and spinal cord.

They most likely affect the neural circuits in the brain that use serotonin, a neurotransmitter. This is what probably causes changes in perception.

They have a strong impact on a part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex, which plays a role in mood, thinking, and perception. They also affect parts of the brain involved in arousal and responses to stress, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

What does acid feel like the first time you take it?

Each trip is unpredictable. Some LSD users enjoy not knowing what will happen, but for others, the long period of variable or erratic symptoms may be disconcerting.

Your first trip may depend largely on your mindset going into it. Some LSD users say their attitudes or mood prior to taking a hit of acid greatly affects what they feel during it.

For example, people who have had a lot of stress or anxiety may have a negative experience. Paranoia and fear may creep in amid the sensationalized sights and sounds.

Others may have a very positive experience. This can include experiencing wildly exaggerated surroundings with bright colors, patterns, bursts, and halos. They may have spiritual breakthroughs or feel they’ve gained some greater understanding of life during the trip.

Side effects from using acid

Taking acid can have many effects on your senses and perceptions. Some of these may be positive and joyful. Others might not be.

Physical side effects

LSD is a hallucinogen, but it can cause physical side effects, too. These can include:

sweating
dehydration
increased heart rate
increased body temperature
hyperthermia (sustained high body temp) that can lead to kidney damage

Psychological side effects

These psychological side effects may be most commonly associated with an LSD trip:

synesthesia or sensory distortion
hallucinations or distortions to the way you see things around you
paranoia
euphoria

Overuse side effects

Overuse of LSD may produce the following side effects:

Tolerance. You may develop a tolerance to LSD quickly. In that case, the same amount of acid won’t generate the same effects. You’ll need to take more to generate a response, which could increase the possibility of negative effects.
Psychological addiction. Many people easily give up LSD, especially if they have a bad trip. Some individuals, however, may develop an addiction to it and the sensations it produces.
Flashbacks. People who take acid may experience recurring “trips” for many days, months, or even years after a trip. These brief relapses can be disorienting.
Hallucinogen persistent perception disorder (HPPD). HPPD is a condition in which flashbacks happen frequently.
Depression. Bad trips can leave you with negative feelings or thoughts about yourself. This may develop into anxiety or depression.

The differences between a good trip and a bad trip

One person’s acid trip can produce very different results from another person’s trip. Good trips may seem dream-like and euphoric. Bad trips, on the other hand, can be overwhelmingly negative and cause unnecessary fears and anxiety.

You may still experience the same effects of the drug — mixed up senses, hallucinations, and distortions. But bad trips can have an element of paranoia, fear, or even depression.

Some people may experience overwhelming feelings. They may accuse people around them of negative behaviors toward them. Rarely, these feelings may be so unbearable a person may consider or even attempt suicide.

It’s not always possible to know what your acid trip will be like. You can go into an experience with acid with good hopes, but ultimately, it’s unpredictable. For some people, a bad trip is enough to make them swear off the drug for good. But for others, it’s just one aspect of use.

What does it feel like to come down from an acid trip?

Many people on an acid trip are highly engaged throughout the whole experience. For 6 to 15 hours, you might be busy taking in the new views and sights and trying to process what’s happening. You might feel mental clarity that helps you think about life anew. That can be very exhausting.

As the effects of an acid trip begin to wane, fatigue may set in. Many people will sleep off the last portion of their acid trip because they’re so tired, and the effects have finally subsided enough that they’re able to rest.

Stimulation during the last hours of an acid trip may be overwhelming. Some people may seek a quiet room with little to excite the senses so they can ride out the final hours more easily. Soothing music may also be welcome.

It’s also important that you begin to try to hydrate in the last stages of an acid trip. That’s because increased body temperature is a common side effect of acid use, and you may not think to drink while you’re experiencing an acid trip.

But to keep from getting sick later on, it’s good to drink water — or to encourage someone you’re with to hydrate if they’re coming down from an acid trip.

Dangers and precautions

LSD trips have possible side effects and complications. People who take acid may experience flashbacks for days, weeks, or even months after a trip.

If these become frequent, you may have a condition known as hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD). During an episode, you may experience moments of a trip, such as distorted objects, unusual sounds, or strong odors.

You can also experience flashbacks from a bad trip. These flashbacks may become upsetting and can even begin to interfere with your day-to-day life.

Some research suggests LSD use may trigger schizophrenia in people who are predisposed to the condition. However, this connection remains unclear.

Keep in mind that LSD is also illegal in the United States. If you are caught with tabs, you can be arrested and face legal repercussions, including jail time.

Frequently asked questions

What does it feel like to take an acid trip?

At first, you may experience unusual perceptions, such as “seeing” color or “tasting” sounds. Objects such as chairs may seem to move or change shape as you watch. Gradually, these perceptions will become less intense and you may feel tired. Later, you may experience a pleasant afterglow or flashbacks, which may not be pleasant.

How long does acid last?

It can take 20–90 minutes to start feeling the effects, which can then last up to 12 hours. However, the impact can vary, depending on the individual, their mood, surroundings, and other factors.

What is a bad acid trip?

Some people have a pleasant experience after taking acid, but others may have a bad trip. They may feel as if they are in a nightmare, with frightening thoughts and feelings of fear, anxiety, loss of control, death, and insanity.

Takeaway

Acid trips can be long, wild experiences. Sometimes they’re positive and inspiring, and sometimes they’re negative and overwhelming. Each trip can be different, and it’s difficult to know what you’ll get with each hit.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

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Medically reviewed by Alyssa Peckham, PharmD, BCPP — Written by Kimberly Holland — Updated on September 12, 2022

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