LSD can cause strong changes in the perception of time and space as well as in the perception of oneself. The changes in perception caused can be so intense that users can no longer cope with the flood of impressions and fail to process what they have experienced.

Feelings of confusion, insecurity and disorientation can then continue for several hours and days after the high ("getting stuck on the trip"). The hallucinations that occur can also trigger severe anxiety, panic and paranoia - conditions that are also known as a "horror trip" or "bad trip".

Rarely, days or even weeks after taking LSD, there may be a brief, renewed occurrence of sensory illusions or unexpected emotional fluctuations - so-called "flashbacks". LSD can also trigger latent ("dormant") psychiatric illnesses such as depression, schizophrenia, etc.

LSD influences the brain's filter function, which protects people from too many and too intense impressions and perceptions - i.e. sensory overload.
Situations can therefore no longer be recognised and assessed "naturally": There is an intensification and change in perceptions, moods and thoughts. The boundary between reality and fantasy becomes blurred.

Long-term use of LSD does not lead to physical dependence, but to the development of physical tolerance. This means that the dose must be increased in order to experience similarly intense sensations again. However, the risks of consumption primarily affect the psyche: the intense effects of LSD can lead to permanent changes in self-perception and personality (even after a single use). Difficulties in everyday life and a loss of reality can be the result.

• Mental health problems or pre-existing mental illnesses: existing problems can be exacerbated, mental illnesses triggered and the risk of "bad trips" increased.
• For cardiovascular problems, seizures & epilepsy
• During pregnancy: LSD constricts the blood vessels and can trigger strong contractions of the uterus. During pregnancy, LSD consumption can therefore cause premature labour and thus induce birth.

• LSD & psychoactive mushrooms
  With frequent consumption of LSD and mixed consumption with psychoactive mushrooms, the organism reacts with tolerance for a few days: the dose must be increased in order to feel the effects with the usual intensity. Especially in the first few hours, the hallucinations are stronger with mixed consumption with mushrooms and may therefore be particularly frightening. Mixed consumption also increases the strain on the cardiovascular system.
• LSD & Ecstasy
  Mixed consumption of LSD and ecstasy leads to a very high concentration of serotonin in the human brain. The probability of negative changes in this transmitter system and thus the likelihood of suffering from depressive moods and short-term memory disorders is increased. It can also lead to an alarming increase in body temperature and thus to collapse or heat stroke. Breathing difficulties as well as changes in blood pressure and pulse often occur with this combination.
• LSD & Cannabis
  Smoking LSD "down" can lead to the LSD effect kicking in again, to frightening hallucinations, anxiety and insecurity. This further intensifies the hangover.

If you use LSD despite the health and criminal law risks, you should be aware of the following points in addition to the general guidelines on risk reduction (www.checkyourdrugs.at/infos/gesundheitstipps/risikoreduzierung/):

Only use LSD when you are mentally and physically well (set) and in an environment in which you feel comfortable (setting).

If you are exposed to psychological stress, you should refrain from consuming LSD.

Avoid using if you are afraid of tripping or are not sure if you want to use. Hallucinogens can exacerbate your anxiety and concerns and make them difficult to control.

Since the active ingredient content of LSD is difficult to estimate, dose low and wait at least 1-2 hours for the effect before you consider "topping up".

The effects of LSD can last up to 12 hours. It is therefore important that you make sure you have everything you will need for the next 12 hours (food, drink, etc.) before taking it.

Do not consume LSD on a full stomach. However, eat a light meal before taking it or during the high.

During LSD intoxication, you may experience deep, incisive, confusing or unsettling impressions. You may need longer to process these experiences. You should therefore take plenty of time and rest, at least the day after, and make sure that there are long intervals of several weeks between highs.

LSD affects your sense of direction and your willingness to take risks. As a result, you may not be able to correctly assess dangerous situations. Therefore, avoid risky situations (road traffic, roadworks, etc.). LSD is not a party drug.

If possible, don't use LSD alone (especially if you have no/little experience with the substance), but with friends you can rely on.

If you are using LSD for the first time, ask a friend to stay sober and keep you company or look after you during the trip.

In the event of a "bad trip", seek support from someone you trust. If the condition does not change, try to get help from experts - such as the checkit! team - or from paramedics.

Avoid mixed consumption with other psychoactive substances - as this can lead to unpredictable interactions.

Nicotine and cannabis, as well as alcoholic drinks, can put additional strain on the circulation and cause severe dizziness or fainting. Dextrose can help against circulatory problems.

Lysergic acid diethylamide is a crystalline, colourless, tasteless and odourless substance that was first discovered in 1938 by the Swiss Albert Hoffmann. LSD is obtained from the ergot fungus and is therefore a semi-synthetic substance. It is primarily marketed in the form of paper strips (blotting paper, "felt" or "blotter") or microtablets ("micros"). The process of dripping the substance onto blotting paper or tablets can result in strong dose fluctuations, which is why it is never possible to estimate how much active ingredient a trip/micro contains.

LSD-25 was first synthesised in the mid-1930s by the chemist Albert Hofmann as part of a large experimental study on ergot alkaloids. However, the psychoactive effect of LSD-25 only became apparent to Hofmann in April 1943 in the course of resynthesising the substance. At the instigation of the chemical company Sandoz, for whom Hofmann worked, LSD-25 was used in psychotherapy and psychiatry for several years. In the 1960s, Timothy Leary, then still a professor at the renowned American Standford University, made LSD famous and it played an important role in the hippie and 1968 movements. After a number of incidents - some of them fatal - for which LSD use was blamed, the United States and European countries included LSD in their respective narcotics regulations.

LSD is covered by the Narcotic Substances Act. The acquisition, possession, import and export, transfer to and procurement for others (transfer and sale) are punishable by law. Consumers who violate the SMG must expect a mandatory visit to the public health officer (in Vienna: the Institute for Addiction Diagnostics). The doctor can then order health-related measures. If you adhere to these requirements, there will be no court proceedings.