Different drugs carry unique myths and legends designed to entice people to try them out and highlight the dangers of taking them in the first place. These myths can range from getting a serious case of the munchies after smoking weed, thinking only the hard drugs are addictive, and acid staying in your spinal cord long after taking it. However, some of these myths have a basis in reality, and we’re going to look into the long-held LSD myth today.

Fact or Fiction — LSD

Among the predominant drug-related myths out there, the one about LSD staying in your spinal cord for the rest of your life remains one of the most well-known. Part of the long-held assumption revolves around that chemical buildup in your spine can trigger anytime you suffer a significant enough back injury and start a bad trip while you’re trying to get the medical assistance you need.

While this myth has helped scare off plenty of potential LSD users in the past, the question remains — how much is based on scientific fact? For the most part, it appears this doesn’t seem to be the case.

Why LSD Doesn’t Stay in Your Systems for Months — Let Alone Years

Different chemicals have unique properties that influence how long they stay active in your body and how long they can be picked up in trace amounts. For a drug such as marijuana, the cannabinoids found within it are fat soluble. These chemicals are absorbed through our body’s fat cells and can get picked up in hair follicles for months afterward.

LSD, on the other hand, is water-soluble. This means that the substance passes through our systems fairly quickly and does not have the chemical makeup to become stored within your spinal cord after use. So if the science doesn’t back up the myth, how did it start, and why did it become so popular?

The Beginnings of a Myth

During LSD’s heyday in the 1960s as one of the most popular recreational drugs available, more people were exposed to the substance and the trips it would cause. In many cases, users would feel what became classified as a “flashback,” hallucinations, sensations, and more that became reminiscent of their experience years after the fact. As more stories about this phenomenon began to circulate, people began to assume that it was because of the drugs laying dormant in their system.

How Long Does Acid Stay in Your System?

Like with most water-soluble drugs, how long they stay within your blood system is based on a variety of factors that can vary from person to person. Some people’s bodies can process the drug quicker, while others may take longer to process it. Generally speaking, LSD has a half-life of three to four hours, normally running its course faster than other hard narcotics.

As a general rule, traces of LSD can remain in your urine for up to eight hours, your bloodstream for six to twelve, and for three months in your hair.

Get the Substance Abuse Treatments You Need With Steps to Recovery!

While LSD doesn’t stay in your spinal column for years like a ticking time bomb waiting for one chiropractic adjustment to send you on a bad trip, that doesn’t mean you can get the help you need today. With substance abuse disorders still and their effect on your mental health still a real consideration, finding a trusted group therapy session in Levittown, PA, to help with your recovery remains important. Steps to Recovery can help!

Our addiction treatment center provides our patients with a wide range of services focusing on advice, diagnosis, and treatment of your conditions while providing the support you need to take your recovery seriously. We have helped countless people find the support they need to make better decisions and regain control of their lives. If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, contact us to learn more about our programs and how we can help.

 

 

Sources:

https://hightimes.com/health/science/does-lsd-stay-in-your-spinal-cord-forever/

https://www.drugrehab.com/addiction/drugs/lsd/lsd-in-your-system/