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Authors: Andy Roberts
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recreational LSD users would also note that often after taking a dose of LSD they changed their entire way of living. Sandison reported in his 1964 paper that: “We have found that about one half of our cases required extensive rehabilitation involving the establishment of a new set of conditioned social responses.” Another way of saying they had their minds blown and needed to take a long hard look at their beliefs and relationships. 20
Decades later some patients would challenge Sandison’s opinion that long lasting deleterious effects from LSD therapy were rare. Driven by their personal demons and fuelled by the prevailing compensation culture a number of those who had been treated with LSD would eventually seek redress through the courts.
At the heart of Sandison’s LSD psychotherapy was the relationship between two people, the patient and the therapist. To ensure that relationship was as effective as possible Sandison, intensely curious about the effects of LSD, decided that he should take the drug. That way he would have an inkling of what his patients were going through, the better to engage in the psychoanalytic relationship. “I think it is important that the therapist should have taken LSD himself, but it is essential he or she has a proper training in psychodynamics and have themselves had a training analysis.” 21
Sandison took LSD just once: “... I learnt something about myself and about what the patients were experiencing. What I did learn was firstly you should never take LSD alone; you could get into all sorts of difficulties if you do. You need to have a trusted person with you; I had Sister Hopkin with me. We did it one Sunday, we were both off duty and she was just there, it was very helpful. It was part of the work of getting to know LSD. A number of the registrars took it as well.” 22
Ronnie Sandison’s work at Powick is well documented, but by the mid-Fifties many other doctors in Britain were also treating their patients with LSD. Sandison believes there might have been more than ten centres where LSD psychotherapy was practised. Hospitals that offered LSD therapy included Roffey Park in Surrey, the Marlborough Day Hospital and Guy’s Hospital in London, Netley Hospital in Southampton, Bromley Psychiatric clinic and several other locations. Many psychiatrists also offered LSD treatment at their clinics or in private practice. The majority of the LSD therapy practised at hospitals and clinics around Britain during the Fifties and Sixties was similar if not identical to that carried out at Powick. Sandison, by dint of his chance visit to Switzerland, had set the ball rolling and others followed in his wake.
Among the thousands of people who underwent LSD therapy in the Fifties and Sixties were several well-known show business personalities. Comedian Frankie Howerd was one of them. As can often be the case with successful comedians Howerd’s humour masked a depressive personality and his life was a constant search for meaning. In his search for inner peace he tried a wide range of therapies including psychiatry and psychoanalysis.
Following the death of his mother, Howerd believed LSD therapy might be a solution for his problems and contacted Thomas Ling at the Marlborough Day Hospital. Ling was one of the first doctors other than Sandison to use LSD therapy, both in the hospital and in private practice. Ling’s belief that LSD “... helps the patient see himself as he really is”, was just what Howerd wanted. After an initial meeting Ling undertook to treat Howerd and they began regular fortnightly LSD psychotherapy sessions.
Howerd’s manager and lover, Dennis Heymer recalls one of his jobs was to drive Howerd to see his LSD psychotherapist at the Marlborough Day Hospital. According to Heymer the sessions followed a set pattern. At 6.00 pm, Howerd was taken to a darkened room where he was injected with 80–120 μg of LSD. As the drug began to take effect Howerd was injected with
Decades later some patients would challenge Sandison’s opinion that long lasting deleterious effects from LSD therapy were rare. Driven by their personal demons and fuelled by the prevailing compensation culture a number of those who had been treated with LSD would eventually seek redress through the courts.
At the heart of Sandison’s LSD psychotherapy was the relationship between two people, the patient and the therapist. To ensure that relationship was as effective as possible Sandison, intensely curious about the effects of LSD, decided that he should take the drug. That way he would have an inkling of what his patients were going through, the better to engage in the psychoanalytic relationship. “I think it is important that the therapist should have taken LSD himself, but it is essential he or she has a proper training in psychodynamics and have themselves had a training analysis.” 21
Sandison took LSD just once: “... I learnt something about myself and about what the patients were experiencing. What I did learn was firstly you should never take LSD alone; you could get into all sorts of difficulties if you do. You need to have a trusted person with you; I had Sister Hopkin with me. We did it one Sunday, we were both off duty and she was just there, it was very helpful. It was part of the work of getting to know LSD. A number of the registrars took it as well.” 22
Ronnie Sandison’s work at Powick is well documented, but by the mid-Fifties many other doctors in Britain were also treating their patients with LSD. Sandison believes there might have been more than ten centres where LSD psychotherapy was practised. Hospitals that offered LSD therapy included Roffey Park in Surrey, the Marlborough Day Hospital and Guy’s Hospital in London, Netley Hospital in Southampton, Bromley Psychiatric clinic and several other locations. Many psychiatrists also offered LSD treatment at their clinics or in private practice. The majority of the LSD therapy practised at hospitals and clinics around Britain during the Fifties and Sixties was similar if not identical to that carried out at Powick. Sandison, by dint of his chance visit to Switzerland, had set the ball rolling and others followed in his wake.
Among the thousands of people who underwent LSD therapy in the Fifties and Sixties were several well-known show business personalities. Comedian Frankie Howerd was one of them. As can often be the case with successful comedians Howerd’s humour masked a depressive personality and his life was a constant search for meaning. In his search for inner peace he tried a wide range of therapies including psychiatry and psychoanalysis.
Following the death of his mother, Howerd believed LSD therapy might be a solution for his problems and contacted Thomas Ling at the Marlborough Day Hospital. Ling was one of the first doctors other than Sandison to use LSD therapy, both in the hospital and in private practice. Ling’s belief that LSD “... helps the patient see himself as he really is”, was just what Howerd wanted. After an initial meeting Ling undertook to treat Howerd and they began regular fortnightly LSD psychotherapy sessions.
Howerd’s manager and lover, Dennis Heymer recalls one of his jobs was to drive Howerd to see his LSD psychotherapist at the Marlborough Day Hospital. According to Heymer the sessions followed a set pattern. At 6.00 pm, Howerd was taken to a darkened room where he was injected with 80–120 μg of LSD. As the drug began to take effect Howerd was injected with
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