The Trip Down Lucy Lane: LSD, the Only Teacher that Ever Taught Me Anything

LSD, or Lysergic acid diethylamide as men and women in white lab coats call it, is a psychedelic drug that has known to give people spiritual life-alternating experiences. Of course it has also known to give people harsh, scary experiences, or bad trips as one might call them. How can this square-shaped cardboard-looking thing alter someone's mind, values, beliefs, and life? This question was first asked by Albert Hofmann, the Swiss scientist that synthesized LSD and accidentally dosed himself with it only to have himself ride home from work on his bike tripping balls.

The first time I tried LSD was genuinely probably the only day I went outside without a resting bitch face. I remember getting these tabs laced with exactly 110ug each and how excited I was as I held them in my hands. So many stories rushed through my mind as I held them there. I couldn't believe I finally got the opportunity to try what the 60's were all about!

As I placed the tab on my tongue, I felt my brain zap like I just got hit with static. Now, of course this wasn't from the drug. This was my brain readjusting to this new thing I just experienced in life called "excitement". I sat down at the dinner table as I stared out our balcony window. I was so excited that I literally sat there for 50 minutes. Still. Me. The one with severe ADHD that can only enjoy drawing anymore if it's on walls and under bridges.

50 minutes passed and I started getting angry that I was not feeling or seeing anything. I expected so much. As I got up to stand on the balcony for a smoke, I noticed my reflection on the window. It was no longer a window with my reflection. This is was a damn carnival mirror. I looked myself up and down and ran out my door.

As I got outside and took a breath I noticed that the air had no smell but green. I felt as if I had smelt a color. The trees looked crooked. They weren't, but for some reason, I described them as "crooked". As I walked down my block's sidewalk, I couldn't help but notice the bright, green leaves on the trees swaying back and forth. The headlights of the cars as they pass by, gleaming as if they were halos. Light from afar looked so much larger and closer. As I walked down a pathway that led to a nearby neighborhood, I noticed that on the pathway, there was a pattern done with blocks that ran into a circle. As I stood in the middle looking down upon it, I couldn't help it but notice how different everything felt. For once in my life, going through a rough time with finances, my family and my parent's divorce, I felt as if everything will be okay.

My left hand grabbed my coat open as my right hand reached inside my coat pocket to grab my smokes. I took one out, lit it, and took a drag. My throat closed up. My throat literally refused to have smoke get through. In my throat I tasted the tobacco. It was horrendous. I took my pack and tossed them. Them and my lighter. I was done.

This was exactly a year ago and I never touched a cigarette ever since. I have a full time job, I'm young, living on my own, and paying my own bills. I have attained an interest in investments and financing and plan on getting my CSI license to handle mutual funds as an Investment sales representative. What does this have anything to do with LSD?

I'm 19. In one year, I went from an 18 year told that lived with his mom, always had to listen to her yelling and complaining and getting kicked out for "resembling my father". Never having money because I was unable to find a job with no experience and riddled with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety, and major depression. It wasn't easy growing up moving a lot, losing friends, and going through a lot of hardships with my family. One year after and I got a job and escaped that reality. I made friends. Made interests. Made hobbies, which might I just add, Golf? EXTREMELY relaxing. I also found love. Of course I'm only 19, so we'll see where that goes.

I have rekindled my relationship with my mother and sister. I am now able to distant myself whenever one of them starts to get hostile, which eases my own peace of mind. Although, they are family. They both have been hurt by my dad and I plan on being there for them and to lead them to getting the help they need with their finances and health.

A bad trip is exactly that. A bad trip. Obviously I haven't done acid just once. Of course I have been through bad trips. Those are the ones I love the most. Those are the ones that bring out and intensify the bad things going around you and through your head. They come out all at once to help you focus on resolving them. LSD is not for relaxing. You've got weed for that. LSD is a teacher. A therapist if you must. It brings out your utmost fears and forces you to cry, think, and play with them for the next 8 to 12 hours to figure out what your next move with them will be. Your trip is mostly influenced by setting. If you go for a walk by Niagara Falls on acid, you're gonna have a great trip. You're more likely to have a bad trip if you're in a situation that would genuinely make you think more than distract you. Like sitting at home alone or going for a nightly walk.

Now let me first start off by saying, if your life right now is as happy as can be. Congratulations! The last thing you need right now is drugs. In fact, I'm not promoting the use of illegal substances at all. I'm promoting the need of a kick in the ass that a lot of people can use in this time and day. The laws around LSD are very skewed and misaligned and it truly sucks that the government think that a piece of cardboard, that has never killed anyone nor hurt anyone physically nor mentally, is more dangerous than the use of tobacco and alcohol, the two major causes of cancer and liver diseases.

I owe a huge part of my life right now to Albert Hofmann. I'm sure many people will hate this column, and many may already agree and know where I am coming from. Nevertheless, the trees will keep on swaying for me, and sky will always be a turquoise color. Trip safe everybody.