lysergic acid & ritalin neurosis

185 Pages·2013·2.87 MB·English

LYSERGIC ACID

(LSD 25)

& RITALIN

THE TREATMENT OF

It~
NEUROSIS

,
M.
THOrviAS LING, M.A., A1.D., M.R.C.P.,
Consultant Psychiatrist,

Marlborough Day Hospital, London

JOHN BUCKMAN, l\{.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., D.P.M.,

Elmgrant Trust Research Fellow,

Marlborough Day Hospital, London

LAMBARDE

PRESS
Hallucinogens and similar drugs have been used
for centuries for the purposc of producing trans­
cendental experiences. relieving anxiety and CD­
hancing self-understanding. Spanish historians of
the Aztec conquest described such drugs and their
symptoms in detail during the 16th Century. al­
though this infonnation was later suppressed. In the
1890's. the active principle of the Aztec's Peyotl
was isolated by Heffter and named Mescaline.
Amongst others. Havelock Ellis and Aldous Huxley
have described their experiences under the influence
of this remarkable substance.
Of the modem hallucinogens. Lysergic Acid
(LSD 25) is the one most extensively used in recent
years for psychotherapeutic purposes. First synthe­
sized by Sandoz of Basle in 1942. it aroused little
interest until about 1951. when research began almost
simultaneously in Europe and the United States.
Over one thousand references to the drug have since
IlPpearcd in the world's scientific literature. and it
is significant that the second post-war International
Conference of the Royal Medico-Psychological
Society. held at London in 1961. was devoted t?
this and allied hallucinogens.
As with all new developments in medicine. there
have been divergences of opinion with regard to the
usc of LSD 25. and matters have not been helped
by sensational and inaccurate reports in certain
sections of the lay Press which have tended to attrib­
ute panacea-like qualities to the drug which In
fact it does not possess. The authors have therefore
considered it timely to present to their professional
colleagues an account of some cases treated with
LSD 25. with the results obtained. They also
describe the pharmacology of the drug. and the
JDaDy safeguards and contra-indications involved in
its clinical usc. They stress that very many patients
arc quite unsuited to receive this type of treatment,
but at the same time they claim that the results
achieved in carefully selected cases are sufficient to
justify continued research into the employment of
hallucinogens for psychotherapeutic purposes.
The cases described in this book comprise many
di1fcrent types. such a8 miaraine. writer's block,
frilidity, sexual perversion, pathological gambliD&.
immaturity, character disorder and psoriasis. All
were treated by the authors under National Health
Service arrangements at the Marlborough Day
Hospital, SL John's Wood, London. N.W.
LYSERGIC ACID (LSD 25) & RITALIN

IN THE TREATMENT OF NEUROSIS
LYSERGIC ACID

(LSD 25)
& RITALIN

IN THE TREATMENT OF
NEUROSIS

THOMAS M. LING, M.A., M.D., M.R.C.P.,

Consultant Psychiatrist,

Marlborough Day Hospital, London

JOHN BUCKMAN, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., D.P.M.,

Elmgrant Trust Research Fellow,

Marlborough Day Hospital, London

LAMBARDE
PRESS
© 1963, The Lambarde Press
First Published 1963

Printed by Sparta Press (Blackfen) Ltd.

Bound by W. & J. Mackay & Co. Ltd.
Dedicated

in

gratitude

to

The Elmgrant Trust
CONTENTS
Introduction 1
I Some Problems of Anxiety
and Its Treatment 7
II Practical Methods of Treatment 16
III Use of the Rorschach Test
in LSD Treatment 27
(By the late Elaine R. Gladstone,
B.Sc., Ph.D., Dip.Psych.
IV Some Cases of Migraine 38
V A Case of Writer's Block 52
VI A Case of Frigidity 64
VII A Case of Sexual Perversion 74
VIII A Case of Pathological Gambling 88

IX A Case of Immaturity 103

X A Case of Character Disorder 115

XI A Case of Anxiety 134

XII A Case of Psoriasis 146

XIII The Psychopharmacology of

Lysergic Acid and Ritalin 161

Index 171
ILLUSTRATIONS
The photographs between pages 156-7

illustrate the case of psoriasis described

in Chapter XII, before and after treat­

ment, and were supplied by the Photo­

graphic Unit of the Royal Society of

Medicine.
INTRODUCTION

Lysergic Acid was first synthesized by Sandoz in Basle in 1942 and
aroused little interest until about 1951 when research work was started
almost simultaneously in Europe and in the United States. Since then
there have been over 900 publications in the world's scientific literature,
with particular emphasis on its biochemical aspects. Within the last few
years there has been increasing interest in its therapeutic properties and
it is significant that the second International Conference organised by
the Royal Medico-Psychological Society since World War II and held
in London in 1961, was devoted to this and allied hallucinogenic drugs.
There were approximately 300 members and representatives of nine
European countries present, with guests from the United States. As
with all new developments in medicine, there has been a wide diver­
gence of interest and viewpoint and it therefore appears timely that
a book should be compiled indicating the potentialities, safeguards and
contra-indications for the clinical use of this drug.
It is regrettable that it has attracted considerable notoriety in cer­
tain popular papers and it is contended that it should never be used
indiscriminately or without skilled medical supervision and associated
psychotherapy.
This book is concerned with the emotional and not the intellectual
side of human beings, and is therefore certain to arouse strong emo­
tional reactions in renders according to their own personal problems.
Some will see this combination of drugs as a panacea, while others
will dispute the presentation, on the grollilds that the accollilt of our
findings is not scientific. To many this word "scientific" is equated
with veracity, but it is submitted that the release of deep-seated human
hates, loves and feelings about God, parents, religion and sex cannot be
conveyed to other people in tables of statistics.
1