Woman explained how she felt after accidentally taking 550 doses of LSD in one go
There's taking it too far, and then there's taking it 550 times too far.
And that's exactly what this woman did while partying with one of her pals, as she accidentally consumed a copious amount of LSD.
As you may have suspected, she hasn't been the same since - but incredibly, the impact it had on her life was for the better, rather than the worse.
Back in September 2015, a woman known only as CB snorted 55 milligrams of what she believed was cocaine.
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However, the substance was actually 'pure LSD in powder form', according to a report published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs in 2020.
A typical recreational dose of the powerful hallucinogenic drug is considered to be 100 micrograms - which is equal to 0.1 milligrams - so she had drastically overdone it.
What is LSD and what does it do?
LSD, or lysergic acid diethylamide, is a strong hallucinogenic drug which typically comes in the form of 'tiny amounts on blotter paper, as a liquid, or a pellet/micro-dot'.
According to Talk to Frank, the world appears distorted to most people who consume it - which ranges from the way you experience sounds, colours, objects, to your sense of space, distance and time.
It can make you feel euphoric, but on the other hand, LSD can also make you hallucinate, become paranoid, panicked, frightened and confused.
Those who consume large doses can also 'act unpredictably', as Talk to Frank notes: "LSD feeds off your imagination so every person’s experience is unique."
LSD can take anywhere between 20 minutes to two hours to take effect, but the amount taken also impacts this.
What did the woman who consumed 550 times the average dose of LSD experience?
The woman, who was in her 40s, ended up going on quite the trip for the next 24 hours after taking such a mammoth amount of LSD.
She spent the first 12 hours blacking out and vomiting intermittently, but said she felt 'pleasantly high' for the following 12 hours.
Although she was still spewing up during this period, it was less often.
CB's roommate later described how she mostly sat still in a chair throughout this wild LSD ride, either with her eyes open or rolled back.
She uttered nonsensical words occasionally too, but after about ten hours, she was able to hold a conversation and 'seemed coherent'.
According to Talk to Frank, LSD trips 'can last several hours' and 'can be very intense', with the intensity of it depending on how much you take, your surroundings and your mood, among other environmental factors.
Luckily for this woman, despite taking 550 times the average amount of LSD, she managed to ride it out.
Arguably, the most interesting aspect of this case is the extraordinary effect this dosage had on her health elsewhere.
What happened to the woman?
CB had contracted Lyme disease in her early 20s, which is a bacterial infection which can be transmitted to humans when they are bitten by infected ticks.
Sufferers are usually prescribed a course of antibiotics, or those with severe symptoms may be treated in hospital, but the NHS says most people 'get better after antibiotic treatment'.
However, others may continue to experience symptoms such as tiredness, aches and loss of energy for 'a long time after treatment', or perhaps even years.
Unfortunately for CB, she had endured 'significant pain' in her feet and ankles ever since she got Lyme disease, seeing her rely on morphine to cope with the agony.
But after she accidentally consumed an excessive amount of LSD, by the following day, her pain had apparently disappeared.
CB even managed to get through the next five days without any morphine, although this didn't last forever.
Still, when the pain eventually returned, she was able to manage it with a lower dose of the strong painkiller - as well as a micro-dose of LSD every three days.
And by January 2018, the woman had weaned herself off these two crutches altogether, while she reported that she didn't experience any withdrawal symptoms.
However, she did deal with depression, social withdrawal and an increase in anxiety after giving up both morphine and the small amount of LSD.
The dangers of taking LSD
The case study was compiled by Mark Haden, executive director of Canada’s Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies and an adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia School of Population and Public Health, and Vancouver psychiatrist Birgitta Woods.
The authors noted that CB's 'ingestion of 550 times the normal recreational dosage of LSD was not fatal and had positive effects on pain levels and subsequent morphine withdrawal'.
Although scientists have suggested that 14,000 mcg of LSD could prove fatal to humans, the experts also pointed out that no overdoses on the drug have ever been recorded.
Talk to Frank explains that there is no evidence to suggest consuming the drug does any long-term physical damage, however, it can have lasting psychological effects.
People have been known to harm themselves during a bad trip, so if you're in a bad mood, feeling depressed or worried, it's best to steer clear.
Taking LSD also puts you at risk of worsening any mental health problems, while Talk to Frank also warns: "It may also be responsible for setting off a mental health problem that had previously gone unnoticed."
"Flashbacks, or ongoing visual distortions, can occasionally happen, often causing great distress," it continues. "Sometimes these experiences are called Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD), although very little is known about why some people are vulnerable or how to help them."
You're also running the risk of your 'worst nightmare coming to life' if you have a bad trip on LSD, but make sure you let someone know if you encounter this - or failing that, head to a nice, quiet spot where you feel safe and can relax.
In the UK, LSD is a Class A drug and possession can land you behind bars for up to seven years, forking out for an unlimited fine, or both.
It goes without saying, but don't try to recreate CB's experience for yourself at home, either.
If you want friendly, confidential advice about drugs, you can talk to FRANK. You can call 0300 123 6600, text 82111 or contact through their website 24/7, or livechat from 2pm-6pm any day of the week.
Olivia Burke