Expert: Jacqui - 9/22/2009

Question
My bosses son has gone off the rails with taking acid (we believe) he is out of control, mood swings, aggression, hatred, anger etc.  She is desperately worried about him but has no idea what to do.  She has contacted the police who cannot help her unless he is causing problems in public.  What can we do to help him, who can we turn to.  He has a car that he is driving and she is frightfully worried that he harms himself or worse, an innocent person.  We are desperate and have checked all over the net and there is plenty written on drugs but nothing telling us who we can turn to or what we can do.

Answer
HI Tracy,

This is intersting.  I had never heard of symptoms like this related to Acid/LSD use.  I did a bit of a quick lit search and found this info below:

LONG TERM LSD EFFECTS

There are no known physical dangers attributable to long term LSD use. In particular there is no reliable evidence that LSD causes brain damage or damage to future children. Adverse psychological effects are possible after one trip, but are more common in regular users. For some users, the experience of hallucinating can be acutely distressing with various symptoms including paranoia; phobia and ideation take time to subside.

Case studies of prolonged serious adverse psychological reactions are reported in the literature, but appear to be rare.

These reactions can be psychotic in nature and generally occur among those with existing or latent mental illness, most commonly after repeated LSD use, when LSD has perhaps acted as the final straw. Among drug users such individuals are marked out as acid casualties, those who have taken so much LSD over a period of time that they never quite come back to normal consciousness.

A number of LSD users report a short-lived vivid reliving of a past trip without use of the drug known as a flashback. Part of LSD's media portfolio as a horror drug were claims that users could have flashbacks lasting days or even weeks. In truth an LSD flashback (which can occur up to months after using the drug) only lasts a few minutes and is rarely dangerous although it can leave the person feeling anxious, disorientated or distressed. Flashbacks are most likely to happen in situations reminiscent of past LSD experiences or sometimes when a past user is smoking cannabis.

There is no physical dependence to LSD, but tolerance to the drug builds up rapidly. After 24 hours to achieve the same effect a much larger dose is necessary. After 3 or 4 days of increasing the dosage, a limit is reached whereby no dose would be effective. A break of around three days would be required for LSD sensitivity to return. Small minorities of those who have ever used LSD become psychologically dependent.

END

So, I guess that it is unlikely that the drug is actually causing this.  However, there are a lot of variable with drug use tha can affect how a person acts.  Firstly, the use of a drug like this is often looked down upon, so people get angry and distanced from their family due to real or perceived alienation and stigma.  Also, use of illicit drugs often begins in the late teens when teenagers are also most likely to start "going off the rails".  So while the drugs and the behaviour start at the same time, their relationship isn't causal.  Finally, sometimes people who are experiencing problems start using drugs to feel better - and these problems can range from early stage (prodrome) schizophrenia, to a general dislike for society and anger at their situation.  

If the young man in question is an adult, unfortunately there is nothing that can be forced upon him.  I am guessing that the mother and her son aren't at the point were they can talk to each other, but I am guessing that the relationship was potentially a bit problematic if she was prepared to call the police about him.  Sons don't turn out angry at their parents for absolutely no reason (usually, unless they are perhaps a psychopath ... but something like that is longstanding and doesn't just happen overnight).  

The only way that any intervention will be seen positively is if the young man in question is offered support.  This would need to be free of judgement and presented in a concerned manner (concern about his welfare, not concern about what the neighbours might think).  Statements like "I am noticing that you are getting really stressed out, and I am wondering if there is anythign I can do to support you".  I know this sounds kind of wishy washy, but saying "you have to stop doing what you are doing and I have already called the police" isn't going to work any better.

If the young man is exhibiting any psychotic symptoms (i.e.: halluncinations when not on LSD that last more than a few minutes, severe withdrawal from normal activity, paranoia) then it may be necessary for him to seek mental health treatment.  However, this can only be done without someone's consent if they are a danger to themselves or others and have generally lost touch with reality (someone who is driving under the influence of drugs is a danger to others, but they generally know what they are doing).

Tracey I hope this helps a bit.  The most difficult questions I get on this forum are when people are worried about their adult children.  It is very challenging that they can't do anything about behaviour that they see as problematic.  I hope I have been of some help.

Stay safe,

Jacqui