LSD each patient was alone with the contents of their subconscious.
By closely monitoring the experiences of the LSD patients both during their experience and in analysis afterwards Sandison was able to help them direct their visual and mental images. Imposing this structure on the potentially chaotic nature of the LSD experience enabled patients to work through their problems, going deep into their subconscious, often back to their childhood and to traumas that had been suppressed and which were the root cause of the present symptoms. Artistic representation played a part in helping patients to externalise and resolve these issues. One patient’s painting done under LSD was originally a crossroads. A later session added a lighthouse to the scene. Another was of a spider which was later resolved into a flower, and so on. All of these images had meaning for the individuals concerned and Sandison found the images recalled and painted by his patients to contain a lot of archetypal material. This led him to believe: “... LSD opens up a high road to some of the deeper and collective aspects of the unconscious.” 19
Following suggestions made in 1958 by visiting American psychologist Betty Eisner, Sandison noted that his LSD patients liked music. But rather than the swirling washes of electronicsound which would later characterise the music of the counter culture, Sandison’s patients preferred folk music over classical or pop. Patients were asked what their favourite type of music or artiste was and the LSD Unit’s staff would endeavour to provide it from their large collection.
LSD treatments could be frequent, often once a week and sometimes twice. Some therapists went so far as to administer LSD to their patients every day. However, Sandison believed that up to a week was needed between sessions to allow the patient to absorb and reflect on the experience. Sometimes a gap of several weeks was needed. Most of Sandison’s patients received some follow up psychotherapeutic sessions after they’d finished their LSD treatment to allow some form of closure to the experiences.
As the afternoon drew to a close and the effects of LSD were tapering off the patients would re-group to discuss their day’s experience prior to being driven home again. In retrospect this way of dealing with people under the influence of LSD might seem irresponsible. The doses of LSD that were administered, even the low doses, were enough to cause significant effects long after the patients had returned home. Sandison was very much aware of this and encouraged the volunteer drivers to talk to the patients as they drove them home. For some patients the transition from the colourful mental kaleidoscope of the LSD experience to the relative drabness of home life must have been quite disorientating. Barbiturates were available if needed to help patients “come down” from their LSD experience, but generally speaking most returned to normal consciousness without any problems. Patients were also told they could phone the unit at any hour of day or night if the effects of the LSD were causing problems.
Despite the potential for serious psychic trauma Sandison claims that few patients were distressed by their LSD experiences. He did, however, recognise that during a course of LSD treatment the patient “... may be tempted to make major alterations in his environment and way of life”. Sandison wrote that the patient should be allowed to make some minor changes but “... any major alterations, particularly where these involve the questionof marriage, marital separation or divorce, should be decided on only after the LSD phase of treatment has concluded.” One of the many perceptions reported by LSD users is that it enables them to see people as they really are. The potential for devastation in a relationship in which discord has been suppressed or not properly resolved when one partner has used LSD and “sees through” the other is immense. Later,
By closely monitoring the experiences of the LSD patients both during their experience and in analysis afterwards Sandison was able to help them direct their visual and mental images. Imposing this structure on the potentially chaotic nature of the LSD experience enabled patients to work through their problems, going deep into their subconscious, often back to their childhood and to traumas that had been suppressed and which were the root cause of the present symptoms. Artistic representation played a part in helping patients to externalise and resolve these issues. One patient’s painting done under LSD was originally a crossroads. A later session added a lighthouse to the scene. Another was of a spider which was later resolved into a flower, and so on. All of these images had meaning for the individuals concerned and Sandison found the images recalled and painted by his patients to contain a lot of archetypal material. This led him to believe: “... LSD opens up a high road to some of the deeper and collective aspects of the unconscious.” 19
Following suggestions made in 1958 by visiting American psychologist Betty Eisner, Sandison noted that his LSD patients liked music. But rather than the swirling washes of electronicsound which would later characterise the music of the counter culture, Sandison’s patients preferred folk music over classical or pop. Patients were asked what their favourite type of music or artiste was and the LSD Unit’s staff would endeavour to provide it from their large collection.
LSD treatments could be frequent, often once a week and sometimes twice. Some therapists went so far as to administer LSD to their patients every day. However, Sandison believed that up to a week was needed between sessions to allow the patient to absorb and reflect on the experience. Sometimes a gap of several weeks was needed. Most of Sandison’s patients received some follow up psychotherapeutic sessions after they’d finished their LSD treatment to allow some form of closure to the experiences.
As the afternoon drew to a close and the effects of LSD were tapering off the patients would re-group to discuss their day’s experience prior to being driven home again. In retrospect this way of dealing with people under the influence of LSD might seem irresponsible. The doses of LSD that were administered, even the low doses, were enough to cause significant effects long after the patients had returned home. Sandison was very much aware of this and encouraged the volunteer drivers to talk to the patients as they drove them home. For some patients the transition from the colourful mental kaleidoscope of the LSD experience to the relative drabness of home life must have been quite disorientating. Barbiturates were available if needed to help patients “come down” from their LSD experience, but generally speaking most returned to normal consciousness without any problems. Patients were also told they could phone the unit at any hour of day or night if the effects of the LSD were causing problems.
Despite the potential for serious psychic trauma Sandison claims that few patients were distressed by their LSD experiences. He did, however, recognise that during a course of LSD treatment the patient “... may be tempted to make major alterations in his environment and way of life”. Sandison wrote that the patient should be allowed to make some minor changes but “... any major alterations, particularly where these involve the questionof marriage, marital separation or divorce, should be decided on only after the LSD phase of treatment has concluded.” One of the many perceptions reported by LSD users is that it enables them to see people as they really are. The potential for devastation in a relationship in which discord has been suppressed or not properly resolved when one partner has used LSD and “sees through” the other is immense. Later,
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