According to many drug users interviewed in NJ detox centers, the slip into the world of illicit drugs began with marijuana. Marijuana has long been considered a gateway drug by every rehab in NJ because it is a drug that, of itself, does not produce fatal toxicity. However, as tolerance builds up to the THC in marijuana, users can become listless and susceptible to dealers who want to hook them on harder drugs.
Marijuana is also easy to lace with everything from formaldehyde to heroin. Drugs like PCP, in particular, are often combined with marijuana to enhance the experience. In fact, many heavy drug users consider marijuana a staple that can be combined to lessen the side-effects and enhance the experience of any other substance. As people get lazy and burnt out with marijuana, stimulants like LSD and cocaine seem like a bare necessity to revive them from the haze.
The Long-Term Dependency on Marijuana after LSD Use
Once users take LSD, they can feel an ongoing sense of anxiety and intensity from the residual effect of the potent drug. This is because LSD is usually not processed and cleaned into a pure state. The residual components and water-soluble crystals of LSD can accumulate in spinal fluid and emit small amounts of the drug. When you consider that a 12-hour dose of LSD can fit on the head of a pin, it is not surprising that this potent hallucinogenic drug can have lasting effects if retained residually in the body. It can also develop synaptic paths that trigger states of hyperconsciousness that other people don’t normally develop. Being hyperconscious is not always a good thing because it can make people afraid of little things in an intense manner by triggering the fight or flight mechanism.
The fight or flight mechanism is also known as the amygdala hijack because it stimulates this part of the brain and causes people to experience irrational fears. This can lead to paranoia and social anxiety even if experienced in a finite degree. For this reason, people who have taken LSD can find it hard to cope without marijuana. It is only when other difficulties with the socio-economic or degenerating health of the drug lifestyle become overwhelming that they can quit. Nevertheless, they may have problems concentrating and social anxiety that is hard to control. The CBD in marijuana helps to calm the nerves because it stimulates the natural CBD receptors that your brain uses to quiet down such hyperactive thought processes.
The popularity of LSD over the last few decades in the USA (from the ’60s generation and classic rock music) introduced this drug to millions of people. It is not surprising that marijuana has been legalized for medical purposes and decriminalized in many states. Nevertheless, for former heavy drug users, it is best to avoid even legal marijuana because they may eventually become tired of it and crave another, harder, substance. The best alternative to marijuana is for former users to find other relaxation methods that will help them escape the long-term anxiety that LSD use can generate. Those who are currently facing substance abuse issues should contact Discovery right away to learn more about fighting the addiction the right way.
Dr. Joseph Ranieri D.O. earned his BS in Pharmacy at Temple University School of Pharmacy in 1981 and His Doctorate Degree in Osteopathic Medicine at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1991. He is Board Certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and a Diplomate of the American Board of Preventive Medicine Addiction Certification. Dr. Ranieri has lectured extensively to physicians, nurses, counselors and laypeople about the Disease of Addiction throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania since 2012.
