Analysis of the Lsd Flashback

In a recent Good Housekeeping article (9), a vivid account was given of Diane Linkletter's suicide which was blamed on the spontaneous recurrence of a bad LSD experience which she had 6 months prior to her death. This widely publicized case has helped set-up the national media's publicity campaign against LSD by utilizing quick and easy slogans such as "LSD Can Turn On You" and "After Only One Trip, It Can Recur at Any Time." Along with controversial "chromosome damage," the "flashback," or recurrence of the LSD experience without further ingestion of the drug, is the most widely publicized reason not to take LSD. But does the flashback exist? It has never been demonstrated in the laboratory and was seldom reported in the early days of controlled LSD research. We feel the flashback does exist, and this paper is designed to describe the clinical syndrome of LSD flashbacks in relationship to the other types of adverse reactions occurring with this powerful drug. The flashback or "spontaneous recurrence" (16) is but one type of adverse reaction to the psychedelic drugs such as LSD. Others include neurological adverse reactions (3) (convulsions), prolonged psychotic or nonpsychotic reactions, and acute anxiety or panic states, better known as "bad trips." The flashback must particularly be distinguished from the prolonged psychotic or non-psychotic reaction.