From: rcain@netcom.com (Robert Cain)
Subject: Re: [anonymous] Bad Trips and their affect on normal
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 00:18:30 GMT

ap.6372@cupid.sai.com (Anonymous) writes:
: 
: In May of 1991, and again in June, 1991, I had bad trips.  These were my
: last and second to last experiments with LSD.  Since then, I've noticed
: that occasionally I see little visual disturbances (dark items leave
: "light" remnants for a few seconds), and that late at night I see little
: pink dots sometimes on walls, etc.
: 

LSD is *not* compatabile with everyone's psyche.  The visuals you describe
are as you correctly perceived, there but not noticed by everyone.  Once
you have seen your floaters (I was told that they are left over pieces of
the veinous system that supplied your lense during formation as an embryo
but that may be nonsense) you will be able to see them any time you look
and sometimes when you aren't.  They made it through my sensory noise
filter one day in class staring at a wall in college.  I went to a doctor.
He told me the above story and I've seen them ever since.  The same is
true of the other phenomena you describe.  We have sensory filters that
only allows relevant information through usually but once an actual
noise source makes it through the filter, it can be percieved any time.

: I am near-sighted, and attribute a general (fades in and out throughout the
: day) feeling of "being out of touch sometimes and unable to concentrate" to
: both this (I tend to ignore rather than squint (hurts my head)), and maybe
: the fact that I did acid.  I'd say I've done it about 15 times (don't
: remember).

I would say that LSD is a very unlikely cause of this after this much time
and suggest you see a doctor.  Other things can cause this.

: 
: I have heard that doing acid can bring on hidden symptoms of schizophrenia.
:  While I have really weird thoughts at night (like conversations I have
: (simulated) with myself, but not really -- nothing I actually "hear," but
: it's weird), and sometimes I see little visual disturbances for an instant
: (I notice the little floaters in my eyes more and see a tiny dot of blue
: every once in a while), I don't think I'm going crazy or anything.

It can induce schizophrenic episodes.  For people that are not actually
schizophrenic, it is temporary, seldom lasting for more than a few weeks.
What you describe does not sound like schizophrenia but if troublesome,
again see a doctor.

: 
: I'm level-headed, and all.  Guess I'm just a little worried.

You sound level-headed and worried.

: 
: My first bad trip was pretty terrible.
: 
: My second, terribly unreal, and something that haunts me to this day.
: 
: 
: I can't handle even smoking pot really, anymore. :(

Then by all means don't.  A dysphoric experience can easily be recalled
by alterants.

: 
: 
: It's really too bad.  All I'm asking is -- out of all of you who have had
: "bad trips," does it get better?  I mean, will I stop (not having
: flashbacks) remembering some of the images and being scared by them?  I'm
: really sorry I ever tried acid now -- though at the time, I thought I was
: learning a lot about myself and perceptions of things.

Yes it definitely does but it has been over a year and a half for you and
I suggest you see a psychiatrist.  Anxiety loops such as it sounds like
you are in can be broken with simple medications.  I've been there.

: To those out there who have had bad trips, am I just being paranoid, or
: does it really affect your life?  I guess I "unlearned" some visual things
: that I used to ignore...?  Whatever it is, I hope it goes away...

The floaters and the like won't go away.  Don't sweat it though, they
are normal and as you say your ignorance of them was lost.  Yes it
really affects your life and it obviously has with you.  Again I think
that your primary problem at the moment is anxiety and anxiety feeds
on itself.  There are excellent medicines to help with this.  After
you are past the anxiety I think you will be able to see those perceptions
you had about yourself differently and perhaps beneficially.  I would
suggest you stay away from LSD but I hardly think you need that suggestion.

Peace,

Bob

-- 
Bob Cain    rcain@netcom.com   408-358-2007

"There are some strings.  They're just not attached."
                                                    Victoria Roberts


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