bad trip grzyby

The “Bad Trip” – Why it Happens and How to Avoid it

Key takeaways., what characterizes a bad magic mushroom trip.

A bad magic mushroom (psilocybin) trip is characterized by anxiety, fear, scary visuals, impending sense of doom, and the feeling that you're going to die.

What causes a bad mushroom trip?

Scientists have recently found that glutamate activities might predict whether a person has a good or bad mushroom trip. In the shamanic perspective, a negative psychedelic experience is a form of "purgatory" where a person is essentially cleansed from the very thing they were experiencing during the bad trip.

Can a bad mushroom trip be good for you?

Scientists have also found that for many, a bad trip is a transformational and therapeutic experience. Most seem to be able to transform their bad trips into positive outcomes. For example, in a survey of 1,993 people's worst bad trip , 84% endorsed the experience and magic mushroom use for healing, growth, and transformation. 

How do you avoid a bad magic mushroom trip?

You don't. You create space for a positive experience by being well prepared, being in a safe environment, being with people you trust, and taking an appropriate dose of magic mushrooms for your experience level.

What should I do if I'm having a bad mushroom trip?

1. Go to a safe environment (if you're not already in one) and play calming music. 2. Surrender to the experience (rather than trying to control it). 3. Try to meditate or relax.

What should I do if someone else is having a bad trip?

1. Take them to a calm, safe environment. 2. Reassure them that you're their friend and that in time the experience will pass. 3. Help them meditate or relax.

All mushroom users agree that there are no two mushroom journeys that are quite the same. Sometimes a mushroom journey is very physical; at other times it’s more emotional; other times it’s more visual than anything. And there are even times where it is everything. Sometimes these “everything” journeys are extremely joyful and other times, it’s the characteristic “bad trip”. 

Interestingly, the “bad trip” seems a lot easier to define than the wonderful, joyful trip. Crawling through forums like Reddit, Erowid, and Shroomery reveals just how much the mushroom-using community is in agreement over what the “bad trip” feels like. It’s characterized by anxiety , paranoia, and ugly/scary visions. These feelings and visions are among a barrage of “experiences” that mushroom users report when enduring a bad mushroom trip — more of which we’ll explore in this article.

Many mushroom users question why these experiences happen, as if there seems to be some underlying cause for a bad trip. And scientists have delved into this question, too. In fact, scientists seem to believe that the bad mushroom trip might actually have positive therapeutic benefits for the person who experiences them. Which makes us wonder whether we should be avoiding the bad trip or whether we should embrace it as a part of psychedelic healing.

In this article, we’re talking a little bit more about the “bad trip”. Why might it happen, and is there something that you can do to avoid it? And most importantly, is there a way that you can transform the bad trip into something that helps you heal and progress on your journey? Lastly, we give you 8 quick tips to help get you through a bad magic mushroom trip if you're having one.

Let’s jump in!

Characteristics of a bad magic mushroom trip.

The bad trip is, quite obviously, bad. It isn’t fun and most people find it very stressful. Mushroom users most often report feelings of:

• impending doom
• the overwhelming sensation that they are going to die

In one particular Shroomery member’s experience , there was nausea, sweating, and dizziness — all leading to the sensation that they thought they were going to die. For this particular person, this state of anxiety continued for days after the trip. 

In this Reddit thread , one mushroom user describes experiencing paranoia when a woman in the park questioned why they seemed so intoxicated. They also experienced dizziness, confusion, and a sort of loss of control. These are very common themes among mushroom users who have experienced a bad mushroom trip. Dizziness, nausea, confusion, and a racing heart seem to culminate into emotions of extreme fear and paranoia.

In this user’s experience , they report scary visuals where the world looks “flat”, “wrong”, and “ugly”, and this seems to be the fuel that fires the bad trip experience. This is also common. Sometimes people see things that they are usually afraid of such as spiders, insects, or clowns, appearing as impressions in things or as shadows to things. This can spark a fear reaction which, if it goes far enough, can result in a bad trip. 

But the more we crawled through the different ways different people experience a bad trip, the more we found something particularly interesting: A lot of users who experience a bad trip report some sort of transformational potential within that bad experience.

For example, in this thread , a user says that their bad trip showed them how dissatisfied they were with their life, giving them the energy to turn it around. Incredibly, there are more reports of people experiencing some form of healing after their bad trip than those who experience ongoing anxiety after a bad trip.

Why does a bad trip happen?

Several things can  increase the probability of a bad trip , but some of the things that can increase the risk of having one include:

• Taking higher doses of magic mushrooms or other psychedelics. 2 to 3 grams of dried mushrooms is considered a full psychedelic dose. Anything higher than this, and you are courting trouble—especially if you are inexperienced with psychedelics. Here’s  how much magic mushrooms you should take your desired effects .
• Being in a negative emotional state before or while using psychedelics
• Being in settings with excessive stimulation
• Using alcohol at the same time as using a psychedelic drug
• Not having an experienced friend, therapist, or guide stay with you while using psychedelic drugs

Why bad trips happen according to shamanic practice.

For lots of regular mushroom users, they simply notice that when they aren’t in the right “head space,” they’re more likely to experience a bad trip. That’s to say — the more stressed you are in that particular moment, the more these stressors can be aggravated.

This ties in closely with the shamanic perspective about why a bad trip happens.

In the traditional use of psychedelics, negative experiences are associated with purgatory. The negative experience is a cleansing of exactly those things we are experiencing. For example, fully experiencing a distressing memory might give a person a chance to experience it from a different perspective, thereby giving an opportunity to heal from the negative feelings associated with that memory. 

Why bad trips happen according to science.

Scientists, too, have wondered why some mushroom trips are simply bad. In an experiment that was published in Neuropsychopharmacology , researchers found that glutamate activity might be the biological explanation for why the bad trip occurs. Increased glutamate activity in the prefrontal cortex predicted a bad trip experience according to this study. Decreased glutamate in the hippocampus, on the other hand, predicted a positive mushroom experience.

However, the researchers also clued into the fact that increase in glutamate activity might also be why people get long-term benefits from magic mushrooms. Glutamate is an important neurotransmitter for neurogenesis — it is essentially used by the brain to create new neural pathways. Theoretically speaking, this process might allow someone to forge out a new perspective on a memory or experience. This could be the basis of why magic mushrooms are showing promise for PTSD and depression .

Can a bad trip be good for you?

In another study that was published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology , researchers followed the acute and enduring positive and negative experiences of magic mushroom users. The respondents were asked to report on their worst “bad trip” magic mushroom experience and in total, 1993 people participated in the survey. Researchers found that up to 7.3% sought ongoing psychological care for their bad experience, but despite difficulties in the trip, 84% endorsed the experience and magic mushroom use. 

There are a lot of people who seem to be able to turn a bad trip around so that it feels worth it. That doesn’t mean that the experience somehow seems less challenging in retrospect. Rather, people look back on these experiences as the hardest but most rewarding of their lives. 

For example, it may be difficult to confront memories of a traumatic experience. But for some people, the ability to experience this with a new perspective allows them to move past the trauma itself. In another example, it might be uncomfortable and hard to confront our own shortcomings. But confronting ourselves gives us a chance to grow and move forward.

Psychedelics are unlike therapy in the sense that they don’t allow you to lie. You can lie to your therapist about something to avoid talking about it, but psychedelics simply don’t let you do that. And sometimes, the truth is a hard pill to swallow. But ultimately, it’s therapeutic if you swallow it and don’t just spit it back up!

Take it from these redditors:

From u/Badassgypsy in r/science

"I took magic mushrooms a few months ago for the second time ever doing anything psychedelic, I took double the recommended amount of the ones we had. I lost my mind and loved every minute of it! for about half an hour to an hour I forgot I had a body, when I finally came to and realised that I do in fact have a body I was disappointed by how out of shape I was. How my excess weight was holding me back. after that night I began taking care of my body and have since dropped from 118kg to 101kg. Mushrooms changed my life for the better, I still have further to go before Im happy with how I look but its a heck of a start!"

From u/JaredBaca206 in r/TrueOffMyChest

"A couple of months ago I was in the worst place of my life. I was drinking every day and night and digging myself a deeper and deeper hole into addiction. I dabbled in magic mushrooms a little bit before in my life and one night I figured I’d try doing some alone. Boyyyy, I ended up having a bad trip ( and at the time I thought) the worst night of my life. I went on this weird psychedelic journey through my own head and I told myself things like “I wasn’t worth anything “ or I “don’t deserve happiness”. I thought I saw God and angels and demons… and I’m not religious. This lasted for seven hours and I thought that it was just a bad trip, but afterwards I felt extremely different. It was like my whole mindset on life changed overnight. I began slowing down my drinking, and I stopped smoking as much weed. I started applying myself more at work. I began looking deep into myself and I was actually able to commit for the very first time in my life to my general well-being and happiness. I can dream again, and I have a clear head now. I can actually take a look at myself and see what I am.

Now I’m not saying “Everybody should go out and eat too many mushrooms!”, but I do feel like it opened a whole new door in my life. I’m happy again. I don’t drink. I don’t smoke marijuana. I stopped worrying so much about my recent breakup. I’m currently in the best place in my life. I don’t attribute it all to that one night, but I swear that my mindset changed for the better, and that’s what is important. Thanks for letting me share Reddit. I could be wrong, but I just wanted to get this off my chest."

Can you avoid a bad trip?

There’s no real way to avoid a “bad trip”. Even if you’re in the best possible mood when you take the magic mushrooms, you can still have a challenging experience. It is naive to think that you can control your magic mushroom experience in any way—you are better off rolling with it.

Instead, you can minimize the chances of having a bad trip by creating the right set and setting from the start:

• Try to be positive and relaxed rather than anxious about the psychedelic experience
• Make sure your surroundings are familiar and comfortable
• Take a dosage of shrooms that your body can handle. A good way to go is to start with small doses and work your way up to a level that feels right for you.
• Don’t drink alcohol because this may create panic or make you violent.
• Stay hydrated and have some snacks at hand in case you get hungry. You don’t want to have a dry mouth or get hungry while tripping because this will only make you grumpy.

Don't avoid. Create space.

Rather than thinking about it as control, you can create space for a wonderful journey. For example, prepare your mind and body by taking a couple of days to relax before having a journey. We outline some preparation techniques in this article .

Another way you can create space for a good mushroom journey is to take them in a place that you feel safe and comfortable in. This doesn’t include festivals and crowded locations. It might include natural spots, at home, or at a friend’s place. Surround yourself with people you trust and are close with. Avoid mixing magic mushrooms with alcohol or other intoxicants so that you don’t become confused or overwhelmed.

Finally, dose is really important . Don’t take more than you feel comfortable with and if you want to push the boundaries, do so in small increments. Overwhelming yourself might make you more susceptible to a bad trip.

As you can see, these methods are less about “avoiding” a bad trip and more about creating the kind of environment that a good trip happens in. There’s no magic thing you can do to prevent a bad trip from happening. If you’re in a safe place, you’re more likely to be able to settle in to whatever it is that you’re experiencing.

But what do you do if you find yourself in the middle of a bad trip?

We have you covered. Below are 8 quick things you can do during a bad mushroom trip that can help bring you back and get you through.

8 quick tips to get you through a bad psychedelic trip.

Bad psychedelic trips are overwhelming as hell. And even if you have had plenty of positive psychedelic experiences in your life, bad magic mushroom trips can sometimes be inevitable. But once you recognize what is happening, you can learn to ground yourself and make it through.

Here are eight tips to keep in your back pocket that will help you through.

1. Tell Someone

If you do not have a trip sitter or someone nearby that you can trust, call a close friend or family member. WhatsApp, FaceTime, or call them and tell them what is going on and how you are feeling. Their sober spirit will be able to help calm you down.

If you are really struggling, ask someone to come over and help comfort you. When I realized I was having a bad trip, I immediately called my girlfriend and she helped comfort me through it.

2. Get Safe and Comfy

Weighted blankets, jackets, pillows, and furry pets are your best friends here. Bundle yourself up and make yourself as cozy as possible. Focus on taking deep breaths, close your eyes, and relax as much as you can.

3. Shock Your Senses

While under the influence of psychedelics, things get… trippy . You may feel like you are in a totally different world. It may feel difficult to distinguish what is real and what is not.

The best thing you can do is ground yourself by shocking your senses Take a shower or bath. Eat salt and vinegar chips or something spicy. Hold an ice cube in your hands. Put some lavender or peppermint oil on your hands and smell it.

4. Listen to Something Soothing

Find a playlist with anxiety and fear-easing frequencies. Turn on some ambient sounds, like ocean waves or raindrops. Put in your headphones and listen to a calming guided meditation.

Redirecting your attention to the calming sounds you are hearing will help bring you back to some peace when you really need it.

Just drink some water, for the love of God.

6. Avoid Other Drugs

If you dabble in cannabis, it may be tempting to take a quick toke to calm yourself down . You may have even heard about “trip killers” and find the urge to take one.

It is highly suggested to avoid other drugs and ride it out. Depending on the psychedelic drug you took, it will take some hours to come down— which can be tough, but manageable if you follow these tips.

7. Surrender

The first psychedelic I ever tried was LSD. I was at a vacation house on the 4th of July with some close friends and felt very safe. But, as soon as I started to feel the initial effects take over, I was freaking out on the inside.

One of my sober friends could tell and asked how I was feeling. “I am kind of freaking out,” I replied. “Well, you have already taken it. So you are in it now. The best thing you can do is fully surrender to the experience.”

Once I let go and reminded myself that it was all temporary and that I would return to normal soon, I was able to have an easier experience.

8. When in Doubt, Head to Reddit

I am a regular on the psychedelic subreddits. There are tons of different communities out there: mushrooms, acid, psychonauts, rational psychonauts, and more.

And anytime I scroll, I always see at least one post from someone seeking support because they are having a bad trip. The comment section typically ensues with lighthearted, encouraging reminders that can be helpful if you are really in a pinch.

Psychedelics deserve respect.

Psychedelic substances aren’t for everyone. There’s still a lot of controversy surrounding whether or not psychedelic use/therapy is appropriate for those with certain mental health conditions such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Plus, the way that we use psychedelics is just as important. Taking psychedelics under the care of a professional is very different to taking them at a party with friends.

For most people, a bad trip can be the beginning of a turning point in life, an experience that transforms into something positive. For a small number of people, there can be ongoing stress and anxiety after a bad trip. The sheer impact of the psychedelic experience is to be respected, and sometimes psychedelics aren’t for everybody.

If you want to use psychedelics to work through a mental health issue, it’s important for you to consult your mental health practitioner first. Same goes if you’re experiencing ongoing anxiety or stress after a magic mushroom experience. Careful guidance from a professional is always advised if you’re experiencing either of these things.

Have you ever had a bad trip? What did it feel like? Was there anything you could do to reduce it? We’d love to hear your bad trip stories in the comments!

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Grzyby psylocybinowe – jak uniknąć „bad trip’a”

Spis treści

Grzyby psylocybinowe nie są ogólnie uważane za uzależniające i są rzadko używane przez dłuższy czas, co oznacza, że stanowią mniejsze zagrożenie dla zdrowia fizycznego niż inne substancje psychoaktywne. Jednak nieodpowiednie zażywanie psychodelików może wywołać przytłaczające i bardzo nieprzyjemne doznania.

Najlepszym sposobem na uniknięcie nieprzyjemnych efektów podczas jedzenia grzybów psylocybinowych jest ich niejedzenie. Jednak jeśli dana osoba ma zamiar je spożyć, powinna przestrzegać pewnych zasad bezpieczeństwa. Z tego artykułu dowiesz się, na co uważać, jeśli masz zamiar zacząć przygodę z grzybami psylocybinowymi.

Upewnij się, że masz odpowiednie grzyby

Są podobne do niektórych innych grzybów, dlatego tak trudno je zidentyfikować. Pomylenie grzybów psylocybinowych z innymi grzybami może być nieszkodliwe (w najlepszym przypadku) lub śmiertelne w najgorszym. W naturze występują trujące odmiany grzybów, dlatego należy zachować ostrożność przy wyborze rodzaju grzyba do spożycia. Jest to szczególnie niebezpieczne, gdy osoba zbiera dzikie grzyby bez odpowiedniej wiedzy lub wskazówek.

Istnieje wiele różnych rodzajów grzybów psylocybinowych – niektóre są słabsze, a inne silniejsze – nawet pomylenie silnej odmiany ze słabą może mieć niezamierzone skutki w postaci intensywniejszego niż przewidywano przeżycia. Przed spożyciem koniecznie trzeba wiedzieć, jaki rodzaj grzyba się spożywa. Jeśli nie masz pewności, nie bierz ich lub skonsultuj się z mykologiem lub kimś, kto zna się na odmianach i rodzajach grzybów.

Uważaj na odpowiednie dawkowanie grzybów

Dawkowanie jest bardzo ważne podczas przyjmowania substancji. Przyjęta dawka będzie bezpośrednio wpływać na intensywność doznań i ryzyku działań niepożądanych. Ponieważ grzyby psylocybinowych mają bardzo niski potencjał negatywnego wpływu na zdrowie fizyczne, przedawkowanie może nie powodować żadnych szkód fizjologicznych. ale często spowoduje bardzo intensywne, niepokojące lub niekomfortowe doświadczenie, które może pozostawić po sobie szkody psychiczne. Psylocybina może wywoływać naprawdę intensywne efekty psychiczne, ale nie powoduje uszkodzeń ciała, więc przedawkowanie jest mało prawdopodobne.

Dawka grzybów psylocybinowych różni się w zależności od tego, czy są świeże czy suszone. Ponieważ grzyby zawierają około 90% wody, dawka suszonych odmian jest często 10 razy mniejsza niż świeżych odmian. Na przykład średnia dawka świeżych grzybów to 20 gramów, a dawka tej samej odmiany suszonych grzybów to 2 gramy. Przed spożyciem jakichkolwiek grzybów psylocybinowych, ważne jest zważenie ich i zapewnienie odpowiedniej dawki. Dokładne wagi gramów i miligramów są powszechnie dostępne i należy ich używać, aby zapewnić prawidłowe dawkowanie.

“Set and settings” – zadbaj o swój nastrój i otoczenie podczas tripa

Po upewnieniu się, że masz właściwy rodzaj grzyba psylocybinowego i dokładnie odmierzasz dawkę, zwróć uwagę na Twoje nastawienie oraz otoczenie, w jakim będziesz przebywał podczas tripa. Dowiedz się czym jest „Set and Settings” – i korzystaj bezpiecznie z psychodelików.

Nastawienie – set

Twoje nastawienie determinuje to, co robisz i jak reagujesz na rzeczy. Psychodeliki często wzmacniają odczuwanie, dlatego jeśli Twoje nastawienie i nastrój będą negatywne – może to spotęgować doznania i spowodować “bad trip’a” Jeśli jesteś w dobrym nastroju, psilocybina sprawi, że poczujesz się bardziej zainspirowany i podniesiony na duchu, prowadząc do radosnego i wnikliwego doświadczenia.

Pozytywne nastawienie, a przynajmniej neutralne nastawienie, jest kluczem do doznania psylocybinowego.

Otoczenie – settings

Otoczenie odnosi się do środowiska, w którym przebywasz. Powszechne efekty psylocybiny mogą wahać się od niewyraźnego widzenia i halucynacji do głębokiego zagłębiania się w umysł lub osobowość. Wydaje się, że substancja ta sprawia, że mózg jest otwarty na wszystkie i dowolne doznania zmysłowe podczas podróży. Oznacza to, że jeśli znajdujesz się w głośnym, zatłoczonym, nieznanym lub w inny sposób niekomfortowym otoczeniu, jest bardzo prawdopodobne, że doprowadzi to do “bad trip’a”, nawet jeśli zaczynasz z pozytywnym nastawieniem.

Bardzo ważne jest, aby przed rozpoczęciem podróży psilocybinowej upewnić się, że otoczenie jest znajome, wygodne i że przebywa się z ludźmi, którym się ufa. Nieprzestrzeganie tego zalecenia prawie na pewno doprowadzi do negatywnych doświadczeń.

Opiekun – czyli obecność zaufanej, trzeźwej osoby podczas tripa

Dobrze jest mieć zaufaną, trzeźwą osobę obecną podczas podróży psilocybinowych. Osoba ta, zwana „opiekunem podróży”, może zapewnić wszystkim bezpieczeństwo, pozytywne doświadczenia i poradzić sobie z potencjalnymi sytuacjami, które mogą się pojawić.

Opiekun może przywrócić użytkownika do rzeczywistości i zapewnić go, że to, o czym myśli lub czego doświadcza, nie jest prawdziwe, a narkotyk w końcu przestanie działać. Pomocne są uspokajające komentarze i gesty, a także upewnianie się, że osoby biorące udział w tripie nie czują się niespokojne lub niekomfortowo.

Idealnym opiekunem może być osoba, która sama doświadczyła pozytywnych doświadczeń z psylocybiną. Oznacza to, że rozumie, co to znaczy i co jest potrzebne, aby skutecznie uczestniczyć w podróży. Psylocybina może sprawić, że użytkownicy będą bardzo wrażliwi na swój nastrój i nastroje innych. Osoba, która jest osądzająca lub nie zgadza się na spożywanie grzybów psylocybinowych, może negatywnie wpłynąć na doświadczenia osób biorących udział w tripie.

Zmniejszanie haju po grzybach psylocybinowych

Potoczne dowody i relacje użytkowników sugerują, że haj psylocybinowych może zostać zmniejszony lub „zbity” przez spożywanie słodkich pokarmów i napojów, takich jak słodycze, węglowodany czy soki owocowe. Uważa się, że cukry rozkładają psylocybinę we krwi, co przyspiesza proces powrotu użytkownika do trzeźwości/rzeczywistości.

Nie ma wielu dowodów naukowych na poparcie tej teorii, ale jeśli użytkownik ma zły okres i/lub chce zejść z nałogu, spożywanie słodkich pokarmów i napojów nie zaszkodzi.

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Bad trip - czym jest? Objawy, przebieg, postępowanie, konsekwencje zdrowotne

Zgodnie ze swoją misją, Redakcja Medonet.pl dokłada wszelkich starań, aby dostarczać rzetelne treści medyczne poparte najnowszą wiedzą naukową. Dodatkowe oznaczenie "Sprawdzona treść" wskazuje, że dany artykuł został zweryfikowany przez lekarza lub bezpośrednio przez niego napisany. Taka dwustopniowa weryfikacja: dziennikarz medyczny i lekarz pozwala nam na dostarczanie treści najwyższej jakości oraz zgodnych z aktualną wiedzą medyczną.

Nasze zaangażowanie w tym zakresie zostało docenione m.in. przez Stowarzyszenie Dziennikarze dla Zdrowia, które nadało Redakcji Medonet.pl honorowy tytuł Wielkiego Edukatora .

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Bad trip to angielska nazwa pewnego zjawiska oznaczająca „złą podróż”. Jest to zjawisko odnoszące się trudnych i nieprzyjemnych doświadczeń wywołanych przez przyjmowane substancje psychoaktywne. Znając objawy bad trip, można dużo łatwiej rozpoznać osoby po zażyciu narkotyków. Co wskazuje na bad trip? Jak zachowuje się osoba, która doświadcza tego zjawiska?

SPIS TREŚCI

Czym jest bad trip, bad trip – objawy, bad trip – postępowanie, bad trip – długość, bad trip – marihuana, bad trip – konsekwencje, bad trip – ryzyka wystąpienia.

Bad trip jest określeniem potocznym, które odnosi się do ciężkiego, psychodelicznego doświadczenia. Zjawisko to jest bezpośrednio związane z przyjęciem substancji psychoaktywnych, jak np. ecstasy, magiczne grzybki, czy nawet zbyt duża ilość marihuany . W czasie bad trip osoba po zażyciu takich substancji może postrzegać świat zupełnie inaczej, jako nowy, obcy dla niej świat.

Jednym z pierwszych udokumentowanych przypadków bad tripu jest historia chemika Alberta Hofmanna, który odkrył LSD. Opisał on swoje doświadczenia po przyjęciu substancji. Niestety doświadczenia związane z bad trip nie zawsze wyglądają tak samo i nie da się jednoznacznie stwierdzić, jak dana substancja zadziała w przypadku danej osoby. Oznacza to zatem, że również objawy bad tripów mogą być różne i mieć różne nasilenie w zależności od organizmu danej osoby i wysokości przyjętej dawki.

Objawy bad tripu mogą mieć różne nasilenie. Narkotyk może wywołać zarówno łagodne objawy bad tripu, jak i bardzo intensywne, przerażające i przytłaczające. Istnieje podejrzenie, że doświadczenia te może nasilać nadmiernie stymulujące otoczenie, jak np. światła dyskoteki i głośna muzyka. Ponadto istotne jest również to, czy dana osoba jednocześnie spożywała alkohol, inne używki, a także jak duża była dawka substancji psychoaktywnej.

Typowe objawy bad trip to:

• powiększone źrenice;
• halucynacje , obejmujące zniekształcenie zarówno postaci, jak i otaczających osobę przedmiotów, czy widzenie nieistniejących przedmiotów;
• ataki paniki ;
• nadmierne pocenie się;
• kołatania serca ;
• wrażenie zatrzymania czasu.

Halucynacje w czasie bad tripu mają różną postać. Najczęściej są to halucynacje podczas tzw. podróży i przybierają formę wizualnych zniekształceń, jak np. falujące ściany, dziwne kolorowe formacje, czy iluzje niczym z kalejdoskopu. W czasie bad trip mogą się również pojawić tzw. zniekształcenia żywe jak np. zmieniająca się w demona twarz osoby znajomej, czy pojawiające się nagle dziwne istoty i nieistniejące przedmioty.

Osoby w czasie bad tripu doświadczają również dylatacji czasu. Jest to zjawisko polegające na tym, że czas dosłownie stoi w miejscu dla osoby w czasie bad trip. W związku z tym ludzie często całkowicie tracą poczucie czasu w czasie podróży, co wzmaga nieprzyjemne aspekty podróżowania. Niestety jak do tej pory nadal nie wiadomo z czego wynika ten efekt. Może być to skutek neurochemicznego wpływu przyjętej substancji na organizm lub zmiany stanu świadomości.

W czasie bad trip często dochodzi do tego, że osoby przyjmujące substancje psychoaktywne zaczynają odbierać swoich znajomych i przyjaciół jako osoby podejrzane i niegodne ich zaufania. Sprawia to, że bad trip jest często bardzo ciężkim doświadczeniem również dla najbliższego otoczenia osoby w czasie bad trip. Uczucie to jest tak silne, że często kończy się to atakiem paniki i próbami ucieczki osoby pod wpływem psychodelików od znajomych.

Huśtawki nastroju w czasie bad trip zdarzają się bardzo często. Osoby te bardzo mocno odczuwają każdą emocję i szybko przechodzą z jednego uczucia na drugie, a więc np. od smutku do ataków paniki.

Osoba w trakcie bad tripu nie powinna być zostawiona sama sobie. Najważniejszym aspektem jest zapewnienie takiej osobie bezpieczeństwa. Powinna ona przebywać w dobrze sobie znanym środowisku.

Najlepiej omijać miejsca głośne, takie jak ruchliwa ulica, czy dyskoteka, ponieważ takie miejsca mogą być dla takich osób przerażające oraz nasilać halucynacje i inne nieprzyjemne objawy. W takim stanie osoby te zagrażają same sobie, dlatego należy ich pilnować i kontrolować ich zachowanie.

Osoby doświadczające bad tripu powinny zadbać o przyjęcie bezpiecznej pozycji. Ma to duże znaczenie w przypadku pojawienia się np. wymiotów. Bezpieczna pozycja ma uniemożliwić zakrztuszenie się wymiocinami.

Gdy bad trip utrzymuje się przez dłuższy czas lub objawy się nasilają, należy bezwzględnie poszukać pomocy lekarza. Obecnie dostępne są leki, które mogą powstrzymać objawy bad tripu, jednak mogą one być podawane wyłącznie przez lekarza i pod jego nadzorem.

Czas trwania bad trip jest bardzo różny i uzależniony w dużej mierze od tego, jaką i ile substancji psychoaktywnej dana osoba przyjęła. Niektóre substancje działają przez jedynie 15 minut, jak np. po DMT, białym proszku, który jest zwykle palony. Z kolei po podaniu innych substancji, takich jak LSD, objawy bad tripu utrzymują się przez wiele godzin (nawet do 12 godzin).

Bad trip po marihuanie jest możliwy w określonych przypadkach. Najczęściej pojawia się on po przyjęciu zbyt dużej ilości marihuany w krótkim czasie. Na bad trip dużo bardziej narażone są osoby, które sięgają po silne odmiany marihuany, a także te, które przed paleniem marihuany piły alkohol lub przyjmowały leki, które mogą wchodzić w reakcje z marihuaną.

Bad trip po marihuanie przypomina objawy upojenia alkoholowego, po spożyciu zbyt dużej ilości alkoholu. Bad trip po paleniu marihuany przejawia się:

• zawrotami głowy;
• przyspieszoną pracą serca;
• mdłościami;
• atakami paniki;
• stanami lękowymi;
• halucynacjami w ciężkich przypadkach.

Konsekwencje bad tripu są dość zróżnicowane. Dla większości osób, które się z nim mierzyły, doświadczenie to znajduje się wśród najgorszych momentów w ich życiu. Wszystko jednak zależy od tego, jaką substancję przyjęli i w jakiej ilości.

Zdecydowanie poważniejsze konsekwencje bad tripu dotyczą osób, które mają historię chorób psychicznych. Zmiany nastroju są w tej grupie zdecydowanie częstsze, choć należy pamiętać, że mogą się one pojawić u każdej osoby przyjmującej środki halucynogenne.

Bad trip często nie pojawia się od razu u osób, które zaczynają dopiero eksperymentować z substancjami psychodelicznymi. Najczęściej prowadzi to do tego, że narasta u nich przeświadczenie, że każdy trip jest przyjemny. Wśród nich popularne jest twierdzenie, że bad trip to mit, który ma zniechęcić ludzi do dobrej zabawy pod wpływem substancji psychoaktywnych.

Kolejną kwestią jest wiara w to, że zażywanie substancji psychoaktywnych razem z kimś do kogo mamy zaufanie, jest gwarantem zapobiegania bad tripowi.

Przekonania te budują błędne poczucie bezpieczeństwa. Należy pamiętać, że nie ma żadnego sposobu gwarantującego uniknięcie bad tripu. Im częściej przyjmujemy substancje psychoaktywne, tym bardziej jesteśmy narażeni na wystąpienie tego trudnego zjawiska u nas.

Ponadto warto unikać przyjmowanie substancji psychoaktywnych, gdy mamy jakieś problemy lub z czymś się zmagamy, np. w życiu prywatnym lub zawodowym. Dobrze jest unikać tłumów, lepiej zostać w domu w gronie znajomych osób, które budzą twoje zaufanie.

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• https://www.doz.pl/czytelnia/a17436-Co_to_jest_bad_trip_i_na_czym_polega https://wylecz.to/psychologia-i-psychiatria/bad-trip/
• grzyby halucynogenne
• substancje psychoaktywne

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Czym jest bad trip? 6 sposobów jak go uniknąć

Spis treści

• 1 Przyczyny występowania “bad trip”
• 2 Jak radzić sobie podczas bad tripa?
• 3 Potencjalne korzyści z bad tripa
• 4 Porady dotyczące unikania bad tripa
• 5 Jakie substancje mogą wywołać bad trip?
• 6 Jak bad trip może wpłynąć na zdrowie psychiczne?
• 7 Zakończenie i podsumowanie:

“Bad trip” to termin opisujący nieprzyjemne doświadczenie psychodeliczne, które charakteryzuje się szeregiem negatywnych reakcji psychicznych i emocjonalnych. Osoby przechodzące przez “bad trip” mogą doświadczać intensywnego lęku, zamieszania umysłowego, paranoi, a nawet głębokich, często niepokojących przeżyć mistycznych. Czas trwania i intensywność takiego doświadczenia mogą się znacznie różnić w zależności od indywidualnych czynników, takich jak dawka zażytej substancji, ogólny stan psychiczny i emocjonalny osoby przed zażyciem, a także wpływ otoczenia i kontekstu, w którym substancja jest przyjmowana.

To złożone zjawisko pokazuje, jak różnorodnie mogą oddziaływać substancje psychodeliczne na umysł i percepcję, podkreślając jednocześnie znaczenie odpowiedniego przygotowania i świadomego podejścia do eksperymentowania z tego rodzaju środkami.

Przyczyny występowania “bad trip”

Istnieje wiele czynników, które mogą przyczyniać się do wystąpienia nieprzyjemnych doświadczeń psychodelicznych , znanych jako “bad trip”. Jednym z kluczowych elementów jest otoczenie, określane często jako “set and setting”. Chodzi tutaj o stan psychiczny (set) osoby zażywającej substancję oraz otoczenie fizyczne i społeczne (setting), w którym odbywa się doświadczenie. Oba te aspekty mają znaczący wpływ na przebieg i charakter doświadczenia psychodelicznego.

Innym ważnym czynnikiem jest dawka substancji psychodelicznej. Zażywanie zbyt dużej dawki może zwiększyć ryzyko intensywnych i trudnych doświadczeń. Z kolei stan psychiczny osoby przed zażyciem substancji, w tym jej nastrój, oczekiwania, a nawet wcześniejsze doświadczenia z psychodelikami, również odgrywają istotną rolę.

Ostatnim czynnikiem jest mieszanie substancji. Zażywanie psychodelików w połączeniu z innymi środkami, takimi jak alkohol czy inne narkotyki, może prowadzić do nieprzewidywalnych i często niebezpiecznych reakcji, zwiększając ryzyko wystąpienia “bad trip”.

Jak radzić sobie podczas bad tripa?

Podczas nieprzyjemnego doświadczenia psychodelicznego, znaczące jest zachowanie spokoju i próba kontrolowania sytuacji. Oto kilka praktycznych porad, które mogą pomóc:

• Pozostanie w spokoju : Staraj się zachować spokój i przypomnij sobie, że doświadczenie jest tymczasowe i minie.
• Zmiana otoczenia : Czasami zmiana otoczenia może przynieść ulgę. Jeśli to możliwe, przejdź do innego pomieszczenia lub wyjdź na zewnątrz, do natury, aby odzyskać wewnętrzny spokój.
• Skupienie na uspokajającej aktywności : Znalezienie czynności, która odciąga uwagę i uspokaja, może być pomocne. Może to być słuchanie muzyki, medytacja, rysowanie lub inne kreatywne działania.
• Poszukiwanie wsparcia od zaufanej osoby : Wsparcie ze strony zaufanej osoby, która jest obecna i może pomóc w przejściu przez trudne doświadczenie, jest niezwykle ważne.
• Akceptacja doświadczenia : Czasami najlepszą strategią jest zaakceptowanie doświadczenia i jego przeżywanie, zamiast próby walki z nim.
• Unikanie samoleczenia : Pod żadnym pozorem nie należy mieszać psychodelików z alkoholem lub innymi substancjami, co może prowadzić do negatywnych skutków zdrowotnych.

Pamiętaj, że te porady są ogólnymi wskazówkami i nie zastąpią profesjonalnej pomocy medycznej czy terapeutycznej, szczególnie w przypadku silnych lub długotrwałych “bad tripów”.

Potencjalne korzyści z bad tripa

Chociaż “bad trip” może być intensywnym i nieprzyjemnym doświadczeniem, pewne badania sugerują, że może on mieć również długoterminowe pozytywne skutki na dobrostan psychiczny. Trudne doświadczenia psychodeliczne mogą prowadzić do głębszego zrozumienia siebie i efektywniejszego przetwarzania trudnych emocji.

Zgodnie z badaniami przeprowadzonymi przez Journal of Drug Policy, trudne doświadczenia psychodeliczne mogą stymulować psychiczną zmianę i rozwój. Psychedeliki potęgują stan umysłu, co może ułatwić dostęp do negatywnych emocji, myśli, wspomnień i lęków, które w normalnych warunkach mogą być ignorowane lub tłumione. Dodatkowo, substancje te mogą zwiększać otwartość na nowe perspektywy i kreatywność myślenia, a także wpływać na neuroplastyczność mózgu, co przekłada się na możliwość zmiany wzorców myślowych i zachowań.

W świetle tych badań, nawet intensywne i wyzywające doświadczenia psychodeliczne mogą być postrzegane jako szansa na eksplorację i rozwiązanie trudnych kwestii życiowych. Wydaje się to sprzeczne, ale “bad trip” może prowadzić do pozytywnych, trwałych zmian, zwłaszcza gdy osoba jest gotowa zmierzyć się z pojawiającym się dyskomfortem.

Porady dotyczące unikania bad tripa

Aby zminimalizować ryzyko nieprzyjemnych doświadczeń, znanych jako “bad trip”, podczas eksperymentowania z substancjami psychodelicznymi, warto rozważyć kilka dodatkowych aspektów i wskazówek:

• Odpowiednie przygotowanie psychiczne : Oprócz medytacji czy jogi, skuteczne może być także poświęcenie czasu na refleksję i ustalenie intencji związanych z doświadczeniem psychodelicznym. Zrozumienie swoich motywacji i oczekiwań może pomóc w uzyskaniu bardziej pozytywnych doświadczeń.
• Dobór odpowiedniego otoczenia : Oprócz wyboru bezpiecznego i komfortowego miejsca, warto też zwrócić uwagę na to, aby otoczenie było przyjazne i nie zawierało elementów, które mogą wywołać niepokój lub nieprzyjemne skojarzenia. Dobór odpowiedniej muzyki czy oświetlenia również może mieć znaczący wpływ na doświadczenie.
• Unikanie dużej dawki : Ważne jest, aby zacząć od niskiej dawki, zwłaszcza jeśli jesteś początkującym użytkownikiem psychodelików. Pozwoli to na lepsze poznanie reakcji swojego ciała i umysłu na substancję oraz umożliwi kontrolowanie intensywności doświadczenia.
• Unikanie mieszania substancji : Konieczne jest również świadome unikanie mieszania psychodelików z lekami na receptę, suplementami czy innymi substancjami psychoaktywnymi, które mogą mieć nieoczekiwane i niebezpieczne interakcje.
• Bycie z zaufanymi osobami : Towarzystwo bliskich i zaufanych osób może stanowić dodatkowe wsparcie emocjonalne i pomóc w utrzymaniu pozytywnego nastawienia podczas doświadczenia.
• Doświadczony przewodnik lub opiekun : Osoba doświadczona w przewodnictwie psychodelicznym może nie tylko pomóc w nawigacji przez doświadczenie, ale również zapewnić wsparcie emocjonalne i bezpieczeństwo, szczególnie w trudnych momentach.

Podsumowując, świadome i odpowiedzialne podejście do każdego aspektu doświadczenia psychodelicznego jest kluczowe dla zapewnienia bezpieczeństwa i zwiększenia szans na pozytywne przeżycia. Ważne jest, aby pamiętać o swoim zdrowiu psychicznym i fizycznym, a także o odpowiedzialnym korzystaniu z psychodelików. Przygotowanie psychiczne, dobór odpowiedniego otoczenia, rozważne dawkowanie, unikanie mieszania substancji, bycie w towarzystwie zaufanych osób i możliwość skorzystania z pomocy doświadczonego przewodnika lub opiekuna – to wszystko może przyczynić się do zmniejszenia ryzyka wystąpienia “bad trip” i zwiększenia szans na pozytywne i bezpieczne doświadczenie.

Jakie substancje mogą wywołać bad trip?

Substancje mogące wywołać “bad trip” obejmują szeroki zakres psychodelików, takich jak LSD (kwas lizergowy), psylocybina (składnik aktywny grzybów halucynogennych), DMT (dimetylotryptamina), a także MDMA (ekstazy) i meskalina. Doświadczenia związane z “bad tripem” pod ich wpływem mogą znacznie się różnić w zależności od rodzaju substancji, dawki, stanu psychicznego użytkownika oraz otoczenia.

Typowy “bad trip” może obejmować intensywne uczucie lęku, paranoi, a także dezorientacji i poczucia utraty kontroli. Wizualne i sensoryczne halucynacje mogą stać się przerażające, tworząc wrażenie zagubienia w strasznym, chaotycznym świecie. Może to prowadzić do negatywnych rozważań i obsesyjnych myśli, pogłębiających stan lęku. W przypadku MDMA, choć rzadziej kojarzonego z “bad tripem”, negatywne doświadczenia mogą obejmować intensywne uczucie smutku, lęku lub izolacji. Ważne jest, aby pamiętać, że każde doświadczenie psychodeliczne jest wysoce indywidualne i nieprzewidywalne.

Jak bad trip może wpłynąć na zdrowie psychiczne?

Wpływ “bad trip” na zdrowie psychiczne jest tematem, który zasługuje na szczegółową analizę, ponieważ może mieć różne konsekwencje dla osób eksperymentujących z substancjami psychodelicznymi. Chociaż większość doświadczeń typu “bad trip” nie prowadzi do długotrwałych problemów psychicznych, istnieje pewne ryzyko negatywnych skutków długoterminowych, szczególnie u osób, które mają wcześniejsze problemy psychiczne lub są do nich predysponowane.

W przypadku osób z historią chorób psychicznych, takich jak schizofrenia czy ciężka depresja, “bad trip” może potencjalnie nasilić objawy tych zaburzeń. Substancje psychodeliczne mogą wyzwalać silne emocjonalne i psychologiczne reakcje, które w przypadku osób ze skłonnościami do problemów psychicznych mogą prowadzić do pogorszenia stanu zdrowia.

Jednocześnie, niektóre badania wskazują, że trudne doświadczenia psychodeliczne, w tym “bad tripy”, mogą również prowadzić do głębszej introspekcji i osobistego rozwoju. W kontekście terapeutycznym, pod okiem wykwalifikowanych specjalistów, nawet trudne doświadczenia psychodeliczne mogą być przetwarzane w sposób, który przyczynia się do pozytywnych zmian w zdrowiu psychicznym. To właśnie jest celem integracji doświadczeń psychodelicznych.

Ważne jest jednak, aby podkreślić, że każde doświadczenie psychodeliczne jest wysoce indywidualne i może mieć różne skutki dla różnych osób. Dlatego też, osoby zainteresowane eksplorowaniem psychodelików powinny rozważyć swoją historię zdrowia psychicznego, obecny stan umysłu oraz dostępność wsparcia profesjonalnego przed podjęciem decyzji o eksperymentowaniu z tymi substancjami.

Podsumowując, “bad trip” może mieć zarówno krótko-, jak i długoterminowe konsekwencje dla zdrowia psychicznego, które różnią się w zależności od indywidualnych predyspozycji i historii zdrowia psychicznego danej osoby. W związku z tym, podejmowanie świadomych i przemyślanych decyzji w kontekście używania substancji psychodelicznych jest kluczowe dla zachowania zdrowia psychicznego.

Zakończenie i podsumowanie:

Niniejszy artykuł poświęcony jest tematyce “bad trip” w kontekście używania substancji psychodelicznych, będąc próbą uchwycenia złożoności i różnorodności doświadczeń związanych z tym zjawiskiem. “Bad trip” został zdefiniowany jako nieprzyjemne doświadczenie psychodeliczne, charakteryzujące się szerokim spektrum negatywnych reakcji emocjonalnych i psychicznych, takich jak lęk, zamieszanie czy paranoja. Czas trwania i intensywność tych doświadczeń są wysoce indywidualne i zależne od wielu czynników, w tym od dawki substancji, stanu psychicznego przed zażyciem oraz otoczenia.

Omówiliśmy przyczyny występowania bad tripów, wskazując na znaczenie otoczenia, dawki, stanu psychicznego przed zażyciem oraz ryzyko związane z mieszaniem substancji. Podkreślono również, że odpowiednie przygotowanie psychiczne, dobór otoczenia i unikanie dużych dawek mogą zminimalizować ryzyko nieprzyjemnych doświadczeń.

Mimo iż “bad trips” są z natury nieprzyjemne, mogą mieć również potencjalne korzyści, takie jak głębsze zrozumienie siebie i lepsze przetwarzanie trudnych emocji. Jednakże, istnieje również ryzyko długotrwałych negatywnych skutków, szczególnie u osób z wcześniejszymi problemami psychicznymi.

W konkluzji, temat “bad trip” jest złożony i wielowymiarowy, a doświadczenia z nim związane są wysoce subiektywne. Świadomość, odpowiedzialne podejście oraz dostęp do profesjonalnego wsparcia są kluczowe dla bezpiecznego i kontrolowanego eksplorowania doświadczeń psychodelicznych. Ważne jest, aby każdy, kto rozważa eksperymentowanie z substancjami psychodelicznymi, dokonał tego z pełną świadomością potencjalnych ryzyk i korzyści.

• Liridona Gashi, Sveinung Sandberg, Willy Pedersen, Making “bad trips” good: How users of psychedelics narratively transform challenging trips into valuable experiences , International Journal of Drug Policy, Volume 87, 2021, 102997, ISSN 0955-3959, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.102997.
• Johnson M, Richards W, Griffiths R. Human hallucinogen research: guidelines for safety . J Psychopharmacol. 2008 Aug;22(6):603-20. doi: 10.1177/0269881108093587. Epub 2008 Jul 1. PMID: 18593734; PMCID: PMC3056407.

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Bad Psychedelic Trips: Causes, Coping, and Prevention

Written by: Mushroom Tao

Exploring psychedelics can lead to both enlightenment and difficult experiences, known as "bad trips," characterized by distress and discomfort. Understanding causes, such as mindset and environment, and employing strategies like changing settings or grounding techniques, can help navigate these challenges. Preparation and integration are key to transforming these experiences into opportunities for growth, emphasizing the importance of a respectful and informed approach to psychedelic exploration.

The world of psychedelics offers a vast spectrum of experiences, ranging from life-changing insights to moments of sheer bliss. However, like any profound exploration, venturing into the entheogenic realm can be challenging. One term often discussed in psychedelic circles is the "bad trip." Understanding what constitutes a bad trip, its causes, and how to navigate or prevent one can ensure a safer and more beneficial psychedelic experience.

1. The Psychedelic Abyss: What is a Bad Trip?

A "bad trip" is a term some psychedelic explorers use to describe a distressing, often terrifying experience while under the influence of these substances. While many individuals seek out psychedelics for their potential for profound insights and transformative experiences, not every journey features bright colors and limitless joy. Here's a deeper dive into the intricacies of a bad trip:

• Spectrum of Experiences: The severity and nature of bad trips can vary widely. Some might experience a slight unease or discomfort, while others could confront overwhelming dread, despair, or disorientation. ‍
• Physical Manifestations: It's not just the mind that can be affected. One might also experience physical symptoms like nausea, increased heart rate, or feeling trapped or constricted. Sometimes, the journeyer might lose control of their body movements, which can be frightening. ‍
• Triggering Factors: Bad trips can be spontaneous, but often there are identifiable triggers. These can include an unsettling comment someone makes, a particular song or smell, or even a sudden change in lighting. These phenomena can trigger past traumas, seemingly buried deep within, to resurface during a journey. ‍
• Temporal Distortion: A hallmark of many psychedelic experiences, time can seem to stretch, making minutes feel like hours. This phenomenon can intensify the feeling of being stuck in a negative loop. ‍
• Potential for Growth: While the experience can be jarring, many in the psychedelic community and therapeutic circles believe that bad trips can act as a mirror, reflecting aspects of ourselves that might need attention or healing. Navigating these dark waters, especially with the support of therapy or integration practices, can lead to deep personal growth and understanding. ‍
• The Importance of Set and Setting: The mindset one has going into a trip (set) and the environment in which it occurs (setting) are fundamental. Being in a negative headspace or an unfamiliar or unsafe environment can increase the likelihood of a challenging experience.

"While the notion of a bad trip might seem like an impediment, in the broader tapestry of psychedelic exploration, it's a thread that adds depth, texture, and richness. With the right mindset, what initially appears as a setback can be the very catalyst that propels one towards personal transformation and enlightenment."

In essence, while daunting in the moment, a bad trip is a complex interplay of one's psyche, external factors, and the substance itself. Recognizing its potential as a learning opportunity and a path to deeper self-awareness can change how we approach and integrate these unpleasant journeys.

2. Roots of the Experience: Understanding the Causes of Bad Trips

Venturing into the realm of psychedelics is akin to exploring vast, uncharted territories of the mind. Like any expedition, several factors can determine whether the journey is smooth or challenging. Understanding the potential pitfalls can help in navigating this complex landscape. Let's dissect the primary causes of bad trips in greater detail:

Set and Setting

• Mindset (Set): Our internal emotional and mental state acts as the lens through which we experience the trip. A psychedelic journey can amplify feelings of anxiety, stress, or unresolved emotional issues, leading to uncomfortable or even traumatic trip sequences. You can still go on a journey when experiencing unpleasant emotional states, but you should prepare to confront and work through them. ‍
• Environment (Setting): A chaotic, noisy, or unfamiliar environment can disorient users, making them feel unsafe or anxious. It's not just about the physical space; the people around, the music, and even the lighting can significantly shape the journey's narrative.

Taking a dose higher than one's comfort level or without understanding its potency can plunge an individual into overpoweringly intense visuals, sensations, and emotions. It's essential to start low and go slow, especially with unfamiliar substances or sources, so one can gradually understand their limits.

Pre-existing Mental Health Issues

Individuals with anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, or severe depression might have a heightened risk of adverse experiences. If you have a history of psychotic episodes, please take extreme caution before exploring psychedelics. It's not just the potential for a challenging trip; psychedelics can exacerbate certain conditions or bring latent issues to the surface. Before venturing into psychedelics, a thorough  mental health screening and consultation with professionals  is advisable.

Interactions with Other Substances

Each substance, be it alcohol, prescription medication, or other recreational drugs, has a unique interaction with psychedelics. Some combinations can intensify effects, while others might lead to unsettling physical or mental responses. It's essential to be  informed and cautious about potential interactions .

Awareness, preparation, and respect for the sacraments ensure a more harmonious and beneficial experience.

3. Navigating the Storm: Coping with a Bad Trip

Embarking on a psychedelic journey brings the potential for both enlightenment and challenge. When faced with the latter, knowing how to maneuver through turbulent waters can be the difference between a harrowing ordeal and a beneficial learning experience. Here's a more detailed exploration of strategies to cope with a bad trip:

Change the Environment: A Reset Button

The surroundings can significantly impact the trip's tone. If a room feels claustrophobic or a particular song is triggering unease, making a change can act as a reset. Switching to soothing music, dimming the lights, or even stepping outside for fresh air can provide immediate relief and a shift in perspective.

Grounding Techniques: Anchoring to Reality

Amid a psychedelic whirlwind, grounding techniques act as an anchor, offering a touchpoint to reality.

• Breathing: Deep, conscious breaths can act as a calming rhythm, pulling attention away from spiraling thoughts and focusing on the here and now. You might visualize your connection with the earth. ‍
• Physical Connection: Holding onto a familiar object, like jewelry, a blanket, or a stone, can offer comfort. Consider putting your feet on the grass if you have an outdoor space. Some individuals prepare 'trip kits' with items that have sentimental value or are tactilely pleasing. ‍
• Hydration: Sipping on water or herbal tea keeps you hydrated, and the act can be a rhythmic, grounding experience. Nourishment, such as coconut water or fresh fruit, are small pleasures that can shift one's mind during challenging moments.

Seek Comfort: The Power of Presence

We cannot overstate the value of a  compassionate, understanding companion  during a bad trip. A tripsitter or trusted friend can act as a lighthouse, offering guidance and comfort amidst the storm. Their smile, a hand to hold, or gentle words can immediately soothe anxiety.

Remind Yourself: The Temporary Nature of the Experience

Amidst the intensity, losing perspective and feeling trapped in the experience can be natural. Taking a moment to consciously remind yourself that you've ingested a substance and that its effects, no matter how overwhelming, are temporary can be grounding. Some individuals find it helpful to have written notes or messages prepared in advance as reassuring touchpoints.

While challenges might arise during your psychedelic experience, these strategies can transform these moments from unpleasant hurdles into profound opportunities for growth and insight.

4. Laying the Groundwork: Prevention is Better Than Cure

Embarking on a psychedelic journey carries inherent risks and rewards. Invest time and energy into preparation to maximize the benefits and minimize potential pitfalls. Much like a traveler preparing for a voyage, the right tools and knowledge can make all the difference. Here's an in-depth look into preemptive measures to ensure a more positive experience:

Educate Yourself: Knowledge as Your Compass

Psychedelics, though transformative, are complex substances. Before diving in, you must familiarize yourself with the chosen substance.

• Research: Dive into reliable sources, books, and firsthand accounts for a holistic view of what to expect. ‍
• Effects: Each psychedelic has its unique effects, duration, and intensity. Knowing these can help you prepare mentally and physically. ‍
• Dosage: Familiarize yourself with standard dosages and understand the implications of varying doses. A small dose can offer profound insights without overwhelming. Consider practicing microdosing for a few weeks or days before delving into a more substantial journey to feel how you respond to small doses.

Create a Safe Space: Your Sanctuary

The environment plays a crucial role in shaping the trip's direction. Setting up a nurturing space can act as a safety net.

• Personal Touch: Add soothing elements such as soft lighting, comforting blankets, or your favorite incense. ‍
• Avoid Disturbances: Ensure privacy. Switching off phones or putting them on 'Do Not Disturb' mode can prevent unexpected disruptions. ‍
• Nature's Embrace: Access to a calm outdoor setting, like a garden, can be therapeutic.

Have a Trusted Sitter: Your Psychedelic Guardian

Whether you're a novice or a seasoned tripper, the presence of a  trusted, sober individual  can be invaluable.

• Experience Matters: A sitter with experience in psychedelics can offer insights, assurance, and guidance. ‍
• Clear Communication : Discuss your intentions, fears, and boundaries with your sitter before the trip, ensuring they know how best to support you.

Respect the Substance: Approaching with Reverence

These potent medicines offer windows into our psyche and the universe at large. Never underestimate their power.

• Intentionality : Set a clear intention for your journey. Whether it's seeking healing, insight, or simply exploration, knowing your 'why' can guide the experience. ‍
• Avoid Mixtures : Refrain from mixing psychedelics with other substances, including alcohol, which can muddy the waters and lead to unpredictable effects.

Proper preparation doesn't just reduce the chances of a challenging trip but enhances the depth, clarity, and transformative potential of the experience.

5. The Silver Lining: Unearthing Growth from Challenge

The realm of psychedelics often mirrors the larger tapestry of life – filled with peaks of euphoria and valleys of discomfort. Yet, just as in life, the moments shrouded in darkness often hold transformative potential. Delving into challenging psychedelic experiences can provide unparalleled opportunities for introspection and growth. Here's how:

Therapeutic Intervention:

• Guided Exploration: Engaging with a therapist familiar with psychedelic experiences can offer a structured space to dissect, understand, and integrate the lessons from a challenging trip. ‍
• Tools for Healing: Therapists can equip individuals with coping strategies, mental tools, and emotional techniques to address the contents of a bad trip and apply these learnings in day-to-day life.

Integration Circles:

• Communal Understanding:   These circles , often guided by experienced facilitators, provide a platform for individuals to share their experiences. The collective wisdom of the group can offer fresh perspectives and insights. ‍
• Validation and Support : Knowing you're not alone, hearing similar stories, and receiving empathy can be immensely healing. Such communal settings underscore the universality of human struggles and the shared journey of seeking understanding.

Spotlights on the Soul:

• Revealing Hidden Wounds: A challenging trip might resurface past traumas, unresolved emotions, or deep-seated fears. Recognizing these can be the first step towards healing. ‍
• Opportunities for Change: By highlighting areas of distress or discontent in one's life, bad trips can act as catalysts, pushing individuals towards making necessary changes, be it in relationships, careers, or personal habits.

Building Resilience:

• Embracing the Full Spectrum: By navigating through the tumultuous waters of a bad trip and emerging on the other side, individuals often find a newfound resilience and strength. The experience teaches that even in profound discomfort, one can discover grounding, understanding, and peace. ‍
• Enhanced Empathy: Going through profound internal challenges can strengthen empathy and understanding towards others, fostering deeper connections and enriching interpersonal relationships.

While the immediate aftermath of a challenging psychedelic experience might feel overwhelming, with the proper guidance and introspection, you can alchemize these experiences into stepping stones for personal growth. It's a reminder that even in the darkest nights, there's the promise of dawn and the potential for renewal and transformation.

Conclusion  

The terrain of psychedelic experiences is vast and varied, much like the myriad landscapes of the human psyche. While understandably daunting, bad trips are not anomalies but inherent parts of this explorative journey. The valleys complement the peaks, presenting a fuller picture of the mind's capabilities and depths. Having the proper foundation of knowledge acts as a compass, guiding individuals through these intricate mazes of consciousness. Preparation isn't just a safeguard against adversity but equips individuals with the tools to navigate, understand, and derive meaning from these challenges. The approach one adopts, characterized by respect for the substance and an openness to all possible experiences, determines the outcomes one can glean from these journeys. More often than not, the challenging trips, when dissected and understood, reveal invaluable insights. They might help you uncover suppressed emotions and unresolved traumas or simply test one's resilience. But in every challenge lies an opportunity to grow, understand oneself better, and reshape one's narrative. So, while the notion of a bad trip might seem like an impediment, in the grand tapestry of psychedelic exploration, it's a thread that adds depth, texture, and richness. With the right mindset, what initially appears as a hurdle can be the very catalyst that propels one towards profound personal transformation and enlightenment.

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Psychodeliki i bad trip – dlaczego trip killer po LSD to zły pomysł?

Zażycie psychodelików takich jak LSD i psylocybina (składnik magicznych grzybów) może wywoływać halucynacje, zniekształcać procesy myślowe i zmienić postrzeganie świata. Intensywność psychodelicznego tripu może powodować niepokój, pobudzenie, a nawet psychozę. Niektóre z przypadków kończą się hospitalizacją. Nowe badanie zauważa niebezpieczne zjawisko używania trip killera na złe samopoczucie pod wpływem psychodelików.

Trip killer kontra psychodeliczny bad trip

Badanie „ Trip-killers: a concerning practice associated with psychedelic drug use ” zostało opublikowane w Emergency Medicine Journal 19 grudnia. 

Analiza zauważa, że istnieje wiele sposobów na kontrolowanie złego tripu i uniknięcie hospitalizacji. Bezpiecznym jest przyjmowanie psychodelików pod nadzorem osoby, która jest trzeźwa i może zapewnić wsparcie psychologiczne. Tym, który powoduje, poważne zagrożenie jest stosowanie dodatkowych leków psychoaktywnych, tzw. trip killerów w celu złagodzenia lub przedwczesnego zakończenia doświadczenia psychodelicznego. Trip killery, nie są niczym nowym, ale w ostatnich latach cieszą się coraz większą popularnością w mediach społecznościowych.

Niebezpieczny stop bad trip

Ludzie próbowali już różnych leków, aby zakończyć tripa. Naukowcy odkryli, że leki takie jak benzodiazepiny i leki przeciwpsychotyczne są najczęściej zalecanymi opcjami. Niestety ostrzeżenia o ich potencjalnych skutkach ubocznych są rzadko uwzględniane. Zgodnie z opinią badaczy, w literaturze medycznej również nie opublikowano żadnych istotnych artykułów na ten temat. 

Celem badania było zebranie danych opisowych na temat stosowania psychodelicznych trip killerów poprzez analizę postów zamieszczonych na Reddit , publicznie dostępnej, anonimowej stronie mediów społecznościowych. Według informacji, które opisuje badanie „Reddit zawiera kilka wątków do dyskusji na temat narkotyków rekreacyjnych, takich jak r/LSD (716 752 użytkowników) i r/MDMA (237 622 użytkowników). Treść postów na Reddicie była już wcześniej wykorzystywana w badaniach nad psychodelikami. Do przeprowadzenia tego badania nie była wymagana formalna zgoda etyczna ze względu na wykorzystanie publicznie dostępnych i anonimowych danych online”. 

Postanowiłam także, sprawdzić wątek na polskim forum, na którym można przeczytać chyba o wszystkich możliwych substancjach – hyperreal.info. Tam również można znaleźć wątek zatytułowany trip killer.

Badacze przeprowadzili systematyczne wyszukiwanie słów kluczowych w całym serwisie Reddit. Odbyło się przy użyciu wewnętrznego narzędzia wyszukiwania witryny i zapytania Google specyficznego dla witryny (dodatkowe informacje online). Jak informują „celem było uwzględnienie anglojęzycznych wątków, w których jedna lub więcej osób poleciło trip-killer, rozpoczynając nowy wątek lub odpowiadając na otwarte pytanie innego użytkownika”. 

Naukowcy przeanalizowali posty na platformach mediów społecznościowych, takich jak Reddit, i znaleźli 128 wątków utworzonych w latach 2015-2023, zawierających łącznie 709 postów.

„Wyodrębniono następujące dane: zalecany trip killer, opisany lek psychodeliczny, dawka, oraz ostrzeżenie dotyczące bezpieczeństwa . Statystyki opisowe obliczono przy użyciu programu Microsoft Excel 2016”.

Trip killer kontra substancje – magiczne grzyby, LSD i MDMA

Badacze wykorzystali nowatorskie metody w celu zidentyfikowania pojawiającego się trendu w rekreacyjnym zażywaniu narkotyków. Użytkownicy Reddita często polecają benzodiazepiny i leki przeciwpsychotyczne, aby przeciwdziałać efektom działania środków halucynogennych . Niestety rzadko omawiają potencjalne szkody związane z tymi środkami.

„Najczęściej polecanym trip killerem, z 440 rekomendacjami, stanowiącymi prawie połowę (46%) wszystkich trip-killerów wspomnianych w postach, były benzodiazepiny. Po benzodiazepinach znalazło się kilka różnych leków przeciwpsychotycznych (18%)”.

„Jedno na 10 zaleceń dotyczyło leków przeciwdepresyjnych, a 1 na 20 – alkoholu. Opioidy, leki przeciwhistaminowe, leki ziołowe, takie jak rumianek i waleriana oraz przepisane tabletki nasenne, przyciągnęły po 3%. Marihuana, w tym kannabidiol uzyskała po 2% głosów”.

Trip-killery były najczęściej omawiane w odniesieniu do pr zeciwdziałania efektom LSD (235 rekomendacji), psylocybiny (143) i MDMA (21).

Benzodiazepiny (benzo) to leki działające depresyjnie na ośrodkowy układ nerwowy (OUN) Są stosowane głównie w leczeniu lęku. Niebezpieczeństwo, jakie za sobą niosą, jest, ogromne. W szczególności istnieje ryzyko przedawkowania, a także ryzyko silnego uzależnienia, które może prowadzić do demencji. Podobnie jak fentanyl, benzodiazepiny mogą zatrzymać oddychanie, a sposobów na odwrócenie skutków ich przedawkowania jest niewiele.

Niebezpieczeństwo trip killerów 

Według informacji dostępnych w badaniu „benzodiazepiny i leki przeciwpsychotyczne mogą wydawać się logicznym wyborem w przypadku trip killerów. Działanie przeciwlękowe benzodiazepin w teorii może sprawić, że bad trip będzie mniej przerażający. Leki przeciwpsychotyczne preferowane w naszych wynikach są antagonistami receptora 5-hydroksytryptaminy 2A (5-HT2A), który jest głównym miejscem działania psychodelików”.

Alprazolam i kwetiapina były lekami najczęściej wymienianymi przez autorów wątków. Odkrycie to można wyjaśnić geografią. Większość użytkowników Reddit mieszka w USA. Alprazolam i kwetiapina są najczęściej przepisywanymi lekami w swojej klasie. Jednak nielegalny dostęp do tych substancji wzrósł w Europie.

Popularność benzodiazepin budzi jednak obawy. Benzodiazepiny uzależniają i były wielokrotnie przyczyną zgonów spowodowanych przedawkowaniem. Dawki opisane na Reddit, które możecie zobaczyć w badaniu, wiążą się z ryzykiem nadmiernej sedacji, niedociśnienia i depresji oddechowej. Dawki kwetiapiny były również wysokie i tylko kilka postów rozróżniało preparaty o natychmiastowym i zmodyfikowanym uwalnianiu.

Spożycie psychodelików w bezpiecznej przestrzeni

Istnieją sposoby, które pomagają w bezpieczny sposób uniknąć przerażających halucynacji. Odpowiedni set&setting jest konieczny gdy chodzi o substancje psychodeliczne i halucynogenne. Nieprzestrzeganie lub lekceważenie głębokiej natury psychodelików może prowadzić do bad tripów, które mogą być przerażające i powodować negatywne doświadczenia.

Podobnie jak w Stanach Zjednoczonych, liderzy w Europie zastanawiają się obecnie, jak najskuteczniej włączyć terapię psychodeliczną do opieki zdrowotnej.

Europejska grupa lobbingowa reprezentująca deweloperów i profesjonalistów w branży opowiada się za włączeniem doświadczonych praktyków jako integralnych członków organu doradczego. 

Doświadczeni praktycy , czyli osoby odbywające podróże psychodeliczne służyliby jako autorytet przewodni. Mieliby oferować organom regulacyjnym i praktykom opieki zdrowotnej istotne spostrzeżenia dotyczące optymalnych praktyk w miarę rozwoju i zmian w tej dziedzinie. Pomysł pochodzi od European Psychedelic Access Research and European Alliance (PAREA), zgodnie z dokumentem informacyjnym, który ma zostać przedłożony Europejskiej Agencji Leków (EMA) według Politico.

Przyszłość środków psychoaktywnych

W dokumencie czytamy, że osoby z faktycznym doświadczeniem z psychodelikami powinny mieć coś do powiedzenia na temat dawek i przeciwwskazań do psychodelicznych. Jest to zgodne z ideą, że osoby mające rzeczywisty związek z substancją, a nie tylko chęć czerpania z niej zysków, tworzą lepszy biznes. Potwierdza się to w branży konopi indyjskich.

Gdyby psychodeliki były przyjmowane z większą ostrożnością, często z udziałem opiekuna, złe podróże byłyby mniej powszechne. Ludzie byliby mniej zależni od tak zwanych zabójców tripów.

Badacze zalecają, aby lekarze udzielający pomocy medycznej pytali pacjentów o trip killery, jeśli podejrzewa się zażywanie substancji psychodelicznych. Rozmowa ta powinna odbyć się niezwłocznie po przybyciu do szpitala i przed przepisaniem jakichkolwiek benzodiazepin lub leków przeciwpsychotycznych. Takie postępowanie może zrównoważyć pośrednie ryzyko dla tych pacjentów, jakim jest przedawkowanie leków psychotropowych, a także poprawić zrozumienie objawów ich zatrucia przez konkretną grupę substancji. Łączenie psychodelików, które mają potencjał terapeutyczny z substancjami takimi jak benzodiazepiny, które niszczą ludzkie życia może, okazać się niebezpieczne. W przypadku złego tripu psychodelicznego być może lepiej będzie go przeżyć, niż przyjmować dodatkowe leki w celu jego wygaszenia.

Jeżeli szukasz więcej informacji na temat psychodelików to odwiedź stronę  goldenteacher.pl . Znajdziesz tam, grow kity, poradniki, specjalistyczne książki i inne przydatne informacje na temat grzybków psylocybinowych.

• Yates G. , Melon E. (2023). Emergency Medicine Journal. Trip-killers: a concerning practice associated with psychedelic drug use. Z linku: https://emj.bmj.com/content/early/2023/11/21/emermed-2023-213377
• Collis H. (2023) Politico. Experienced trippers should advise on Europe’s use of psychedelics, says lobby. Z linku: https://www.politico.eu/article/experienced-trippers-should-advise-europe-use-psychedelics-lobby/
• Adams M.B. (2023). High Times. Doctors Warn About Emergence of ‘Trip-Killers’.  Z linku: https://hightimes.com/psychedelics/doctors-warn-about-emergence-of-trip-killers/

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What is a bad trip causes, effects, and alleviation.

A trip is a duration of intoxication from magic mushrooms or other psychedelic drugs, which you'd hope is pleasant. But sometimes, you can have a bad trip — an unpleasant experience during such intoxication. 

More often than not, you won't truly know what a bad trip is until you have one. However, we'll go over what typically happens, the causes, and alleviation techniques to help you navigate this otherwise discombobulating time.  

What Happens During a Bad Trip?

Psilocybin (the compound that creates the trip) changes your perceptions of yourself and the world around you. So much so that it can feel like you're transported to a strange, undiscovered land. 

Anecdotal evidence says you can have wholly pleasant trips, trips that turn unpleasant halfway through, or completely undesirable experiences. 

Okay, so what happens during a bad trip?

It's common for unpleasant thoughts, hallucinations, or sensations to happen while tripping. But those alone don't necessarily mean you're having a bad trip. After all, some users consider these experiences funny or exciting rather than frightening. 

Essentially, a bad trip is any experience you have while on magic mushrooms that scares you or creates stress. It's incredibly subjective.

Unfortunately, there's no way to predict what will actually occur during your bad trip. However, sources state that these are some common signs and symptoms:

• Time dilation —  Time seems to stand still, which may make you feel as though the bad trip will never end. Depending on how psilocybin affects you, your perception of time may disappear altogether. 
• Paranoia and negative reinterpretations —  Some users have said they no longer trusted those around them, causing them to panic and run away from people who they previously felt favorable toward. Such feelings can be all-consuming. 
• Hallucinations —  Typically, hallucinations while tripping on psilocybin are visual distortions like colored formations, illusions, or the walls "breathing." However, bad trips can involve vivid distortions, like a relative's face transforming into a demon. Naturally, this can be pretty disturbing.
• Mood swings —  During a bad trip, you may reach all-new levels of sadness, despair, and panic. Although they pass, sources state that they're overwhelming at the time. 

What Causes a Bad Trip?

Bad trips can happen to anybody using psychedelics. Although, some factors can make you more susceptible to unpleasant experiences than others, including:

• Mental health problems —  If you or a relative has mental health problems, psilocybin could trigger unpleasant trips. 
• Prescription medications —  More research is needed to accurately state how magic mushrooms interact with prescription medications. Therefore, combining shrooms with them can cause bad trips.
• Your mindset —  Embracing your psychedelic experience elicits fun, educational, or spiritual results. However, going into the trip with the wrong frame of mind (like trying to control the experience) could cause bad trips. 
• Bad experiences —  Climbing things, having sex with somebody unfamiliar, or looking in the mirror can bring unexpected and unpleasant results. 
• Substance mixing —  Taking magic mushrooms with any other substances can cause adverse effects and increases the likelihood of a bad trip. 

We've said it before, and we'll say it again; everybody is different! So, it could be a combination of these factors that causes a bad trip. 

How to Alleviate a Bad Trip for You or Someone Else

Luckily, there are ways to alleviate a bad trip if you or a friend are in the middle of one. 

Keep in mind that the following tips and tricks are based on anecdotal evidence. In other words, they're techniques that have worked for other people in the past, including:

• Relax —  Try to relax by meditating or breathing deeply. If your friend is the one tripping, help them calm down by breathing with them or guiding them through meditation. 
• Safe environment —  If you aren't already in a safe, calm environment, head to one. Do the same for your friend if they have a bad trip. Playing some calming music may also help. 
• Surrender —  When you're having a bad trip, it's tempting to try and control it. However, according to sources, you should attempt to surrender to the experience for the best results. You may find this dissipates the unpleasant trip. If your friend is struggling, reassure them that you're there for them and that the experience will pass, even though it may feel like it won't. 

How to Prevent a Bad Trip

We probably aren't alone when we say we'd rather prevent a bad trip than try and stop one once it's started. And while there isn't a foolproof method, avid shroom lovers have noted a few things that seem to set you up for a good trip. 

Firstly, you should stay away from places or people that you could find upsetting. Make sure you're around people you trust, and the environment is comforting to you. 

That said, busy public places aren't the best option. Why? Because they can be over-stimulating when on magic mushrooms, increasing the likelihood of a less-than-pleasant experience. 

Secondly, you shouldn't take shrooms if something is bothering you. As we mentioned earlier, your mindset plays a massive part in how your trip will feel. 

Thirdly, plan well. Talk to those around you about what to do if you have a bad trip, and always purchase magic mushrooms from reputable sources. 

The Bottom Line

As the name suggests, a bad trip isn't pleasant! However, you've got all the info you need to alleviate and (hopefully) prevent an upsetting experience.

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-bad-trip-22071

https://www.psilomart.com/

https://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/infosheet/safer-tripping-magic-mushrooms-lsd-and-other-hallucinogens

https://banyantreatmentcenter.com/2020/07/20/what-causes-a-bad-trip/

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What Is a Bad Trip?

Psychedelic drugs such as lsd, mushrooms, and molly can cause hallucinations known as a “bad trip”. learn what causes a bad trip, how to identify warning signs, and how to stop it..

A trip refers to the intoxication from a drug that causes hallucinations. It is called a trip because the sensations that a psychedelic ( hallucination-causing ) drug causes can be so strange that it feels as if you are in a whole different world. A bad trip, also sometimes called a bad  acid  trip, occurs when the trip a psychedelic drug causes is negative.

Bad trips can lead to excessive fear, agitation or emotionally disturbing situations. Someone who is having a bad trip may feel as if time is standing still and may have disturbing hallucinations that cause extreme fear or mood swings.

What Causes a Bad Trip?

There are several things that can  increase the probability of a bad trip , but anyone who is using psychedelic substances is at risk of having a bad trip. Some of the things that can increase the risk of having a bad trip include:

• Taking higher doses of a psychedelic drug
• Being in a negative emotional state before using or while using psychedelics
• Being in settings with excessive stimulation
• Using  alcohol  at the same time as using a psychedelic drug
• Not having someone stay with you while using psychedelic drugs
• Not drinking enough water

While avoiding these risks can reduce your chances of having a bad trip, anyone can have a bad trip at any time while using psychedelics. Someone who has been using psychedelic drugs for years and has never had a bad trip can have a bad trip while using, even if they have not changed anything about how they use.

Drugs That Can Cause a Bad Trip

Any drug that can cause hallucinations and lead to a trip can cause a bad trip. These drugs are called psychedelic drugs and are often used for the hallucinations they create. Some common psychedelic drugs include:

• LSD  – Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), also known as  acid , is primarily taken for the hallucination that it creates. LSD is probably the best known psychedelic drug.
• DMT  – N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a powerful psychedelic drug that can lead to a bad trip. Because of how strong the effects of  DMT  are, it is more likely to lead to a bad trip than many other psychedelic drugs.( See More:  What is DMT
• Mushrooms  – Psilocybin mushrooms, also known as “shrooms” or “magic mushrooms,” are hallucinogenic fungi that can lead to a bad trip. A bad mushroom trip may also be referred to as a bad shroom trip.
• Molly  – Molly, a slang name for the drug  MDMA , is a psychedelic drug that is commonly used in parties or raves. Bad molly trips are more common in situations where people become dehydrated from over-partying.
• Salvia  – Salvia, also known as “sage of the diviners,” is a hallucinogenic drug that is shorter-acting and more potent than many other psychedelic drugs. Bad trips while using  salvia  are reported to be more terrifying than those experienced while using other psychedelic drugs.
• Marijuana  – Bad trips while using  marijuana  are uncommon, but can definitely still occur. Some of the most common bad trip symptoms occurring with weed are anxiety and facial numbness.

Symptoms of a Bad Trip

Bad acid trip symptoms are highly individualized and may be different from previous bad trip symptoms for the same individual. Some common bad trip symptoms include:

• A sensation that time is standing still
• Negative thoughts or interpretations of events around you
• Extreme paranoia
• Extreme and sudden mood swings
• Negative hallucinations that may include sensations, sounds or sights

If you are with someone who is experiencing these symptoms and they have recently been using a psychedelic drug, they could be having a bad trip. If you are with someone who is having these symptoms and you are not sure if they have taken any drugs, you should take them to the nearest hospital or call 911.

How to Stop a Bad Trip

Stopping a bad trip may not be possible, but there are things that can be done to  help someone who is having a bad trip . If someone is having a bad trip, they should be moved away from noise and stimulation, as this can make a bad trip worse. A bad trip guide can also help. This involves having someone who is sober stay with the person having the bad trip and talk them through the trip. Not everyone will benefit from a bad trip guide, and some people may develop a paranoid attitude towards the guide or even become aggressive.

Some medications may help to stop a bad trip, but these can only be given in a hospital. Calling 911 or going to the nearest emergency room can help provide someone who is having a bad trip with these medications.

Related Topic:   Treatment options for LSD

Carbonaro, T.M., et al. “ Survey Study of Challenging Experiences […]egative Consequences .” Journal of Psychopharmacology, August 20, 2016. Accessed August 14, 2019.

Davis, Kathleen. “ Salvia: What Are the Effects? ” Medical News Today, January 16, 2019. Accessed August 14, 2019.

Sturtz, Rachel. “ Refinery29: 7 Ways To Help Someone Who’s Having A Bad Trip .” Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, 2019. Accessed August 14, 2019.

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What is a Bad Trip and Why are They Important?

• Jimmy Nguyen

Those of you who have endured a psychedelic experience understand their potential to heal the mind, body, and spirit. You also probably had a very entertaining time while exploring these states of altered consciousness. However, many of you are equally nervous about the probability of becoming transfixed in what has been termed a “bad trip ” .

If you or someone you know has experienced a bad trip, this article will help you understand what you went through. But before we go any further, let’s break down what a bad trip really is, why they are important, and how to navigate one.

What is a Bad Trip?

Unfortunately, the War on Drugs in America has created a lot of misinformation when it comes to psychedelics, particularly with regards to the bad trip. You may have heard rumors that even one experience with lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) can make you perpetually trip or permanently insane. Scare tactics like these have been used over the past several decades to demonize psychedelics and deter their use. 

Though these myths are untrue, it is important to note that individuals predisposed to mental illness, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, may have adverse effects from a psychedelic experience, including psychosis, and that proper mental health screening should be conducted before engaging in any psychedelic activity. 

So what defines a bad trip? A bad trip refers to a challenging or difficult experience while being under the influence of a hallucinatory substance such as psilocybin mushrooms, LSD, ayahuasca, or even cannabis. Although it is common for occasional unpleasantness, such as nausea or bewilderment, to occur temporarily during a psychedelic experience, bad trips are defined by prolonged or seemingly uncontrollable episodes.

During these experiences, symptoms can range from unpleasant to traumatic, with some experiencing anxiety, paranoia, resurfacing of repressed memories, or overwhelming stress. Physical discomforts, such as an upset stomach, sweating, overheating, or soreness may also occur. 

To be clear, “good” and “bad” are arbitrary labels we assign to our experiences. And generally, people use “bad” to describe discomfort or pain. But like a weightlifter who endures temporary discomfort to build muscle, so too can a psychedelic explorer endure a bad trip to receive long-term benefits. The caveat is that the user must prepare in advance of the experience , exercise safety during, and take care of the body and mind well after. And just like the weightlifter, results do not happen overnight. 

What is the Likelihood of Having a Bad Trip? 

It is often difficult to predict if you will have a bad trip. In actuality, it’s not really a question of if, but when, as bad trips are actually unavoidable milestones in the psychedelic journey. When you do experience one, it may be comforting to know that you are not alone and that adverse effects are temporary. 

According to the Journal of Psychopharmacology , a study surveyed 1993 psilocybin users. Of this, 39% labeled the experience one of the most challenging of their lives. However, 84% of the total participants stated that this challenge was a positive experience in the long term. What’s more is that the study concluded that risky behavior or enduring psychological distress is extremely low when psilocybin was given to screened, prepared, and supported participants. 

Not only does this mean that bad trips are generally safe, but it further supports our belief that bad trips, though difficult to endure, are actually the most crucial part of the psychedelic experience as they result in the positive mental, physical, and spiritual growth we all desire.  

Why Bad Trips Are Important

If you ask someone experienced in psychedelics if they’ve had a bad trip, an overwhelming majority would say yes. This matters because it suggests that discomfort is part of the psychedelic journey. You are typically not in control of the events or outcome of a psychedelic experience, thus putting you outside of your comfort zone.

This often results in opening up and exploring your fears, anxieties, and analyzing unwanted aspects of our personalities. This experience is accompanied by a series of mental, physical, and emotional triggers and releases. 

Bad trips are misunderstood experiences that have a misguided social context. Many of these “bad” trips can actually lead to prolonged mental and physical healing. Though healing isn’t always comfortable, it is necessary to make a significant change in your life.

Healing requires confronting the traumas and pain that limit our lives to truly embrace and love all the facets, both the light and the shadow, the “good” and “bad” parts of ourselves. Like a lobster that molts its shell each year to grow larger, the psychedelic experience, particularly bad trips, can provide a venue to undergo this challenging, yet vital evolution.

This isn’t to say that you should be specifically seeking bad trips. These difficult trips are most common for inexperienced users and those who did not adequately prepare. A higher dosage is typically related to an increase in adverse reactions, so proper dosage and preparation are key. Psychedelic Passage offers guidance on dosage and preparation through our trip sitting program .

Even the most seasoned psychonaut has a chance of experiencing a taxing psychedelic experience. Ironically, if you are equipped with the framework to work through these difficult experiences, they turn out to be very rewarding. If you happen to undergo a “bad” trip, these 10 tips may help you navigate the trip , mitigate risks, and stay safe during these stressful episodes. 

What Should I Do If I’m Currently Having a Bad Trip? 

This is a great question, and thankfully, it’s not too late to take the edge off of your discomfort. While we always maintain the position that proper preparation is most important , there are certainly some tips you can use to make a bad trip more pleasant.

Ideally, with adequate preparation, you are in the presence of a guide or trip sitter who is knowledgeable in harm reduction and altered states of consciousness. This individual should be well prepared to help you safely and smoothly navigate a “bad” trip. 

The number one thing to keep in mind is that it is temporary—you aren’t stuck like this, you will return to your normal self with time. That said, we’ve put together a list of 10 tools to help you safely navigate a bad trip , which you can find here. 

I’ve Recently Had a Bad Trip. Now What Do I Do? 

First off, congratulate yourself for having the strength to endure a challenging and taxing experience. We understand how wild and confusing that process can be. Now the real work can begin for you to use the experience of a bad trip to positively affect your life—this work is known as psychedelic integration .

Fortunately, we are smack dab in the middle of the psychedelic renaissance where support and integration services are more available than they have ever been. If you are preparing for an upcoming experience, you may want to seek the guidance of a trip facilitator. 

And if you feel a lasting negative effect from taking psychedelics or want to discuss your trip in-depth to gain further insight, book a consultation to speak with our guides and trip sitters who are also integration specialists, have first-hand experience, and can help you integrate these powerful, profound events.

Looking for a professionally supported in-person psychedelic experience?

Take the first step and book a consultation call with us today. We'll walk you through every step of the process after getting to know you and your unique situation.

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Definition:

A bad trip refers to a highly distressing or negative psychedelic experience typically induced by hallucinogenic drugs such as LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, or DMT. It is characterized by intense feelings of fear, anxiety, paranoia, confusion, and profound discomfort that can be emotionally and psychologically overwhelming.

• Drug potency: Consuming a higher dose of hallucinogenic substances than one’s tolerance level can lead to a bad trip.
• Set and setting: An individual’s mindset, emotions, and the environment they are in greatly influence the outcome of a psychedelic experience. Negative emotions, stressful environments, or being in an unfamiliar or uncomfortable place can increase the likelihood of a bad trip.
• Pre-existing mental health conditions: People with certain mental illnesses or predispositions may be more susceptible to experiencing negative effects during a psychedelic trip.
• Interactions and unknown substances: Mixing hallucinogens with other drugs or consuming substances of unknown origin can significantly elevate the risk of having a bad trip.
• Intense anxiety: Feelings of extreme unease, fear, or dread.
• Hallucinations: Distorted perceptions, seeing or hearing things that aren’t there, or experiencing terrifying visuals.
• Paranoia: An overwhelming sense of being watched, followed, or a belief that harm is imminent.
• Confusion and disorientation: Difficulty processing thoughts, memories, or understanding reality.
• Emotional distress: Overwhelming sadness, despair, or a feeling of being trapped.
• Panic attacks: Sudden onset of intense fear or discomfort accompanied by physical symptoms such as increased heart rate, sweating, or shortness of breath.

Treatment and Prevention:

When experiencing a bad trip, it can be helpful to have a trusted and sober friend present who can provide reassurance and support. Removing oneself from stimulating environments and engaging in calming activities, such as deep breathing or listening to soothing music, may also help alleviate anxiety.

To prevent a bad trip, individuals should take precautions, including:

• Researching: Understanding the substance, its effects, and appropriate dosage before consuming.
• Choosing the right set and setting: Ensuring a positive mindset, stable emotions, and being in a comfortable and safe environment.
• Testing substances: Using testing kits to verify the purity and identity of any illicit substances.
• Start low, go slow: Beginning with a low dose and gradually increasing if desired effects are experienced.

Note: The use of hallucinogenic substances carries inherent risks, and it is important to prioritize personal safety and well-being.

Let’s Talk About Bad Trips: Separating Difficult from Traumatic

Bad trips are a polarizing concept in psychedelics. acknowledging that they exist - and knowing how to work with them - can be healing..

Want to start a war on social media? Post something like this: “Bad trips exist.”

As somebody who has worked in the psychedelic space for years now and has supported many, many people during their trips, it’s time to come out of the closet and say it: people can be harmed by psychedelics, and bad trips exist.

But allow me to define the term “ bad trip ,” because the vague phrase has become too polarized to be meaningful.

When I talk about bad trips, I’m not talking about the harrowing, painful journeys to the underworld from which we return raw and exhausted, with some important piece of our healing work having been catalyzed.

When I talk about bad trips, I mean the trips that register in the body as a trauma or injury to the nervous system. And that is not , in fact, the same thing as a difficult trip.

What happens when we deny this truth is that we inadvertently alienate those who have had traumatic or harmful experiences. These people have endured a trauma, and are now being told that they have not.

So let’s talk about traumatic trips: The psychedelic experiences that leave us injured. Thankfully, they are rare.

I’m not just speaking from my observations as a clinician, but also from personal experience: I had a traumatic psychedelic experience on ayahuasca many years ago. I was decidedly “not okay” afterwards and required much time and support to recover.

Despite the shock and injury to my nervous system, I eventually used psychedelics again. In fact, in the eight or so years that have passed since the traumatic trip, I have openly supported the legalization of psychedelics, and have built two businesses centered around empowering people to heal with psychedelics.

I have also taken sabbaticals from my practice to work in other countries as a psychedelic facilitator. I am now a lead educator in the country’s first training program for psilocybin facilitators to be licensed by Oregon’s Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC). I’m a ketamine prescriber, and I train other prescribers in the use of ketamine for treating chronic pain and mood disorders. I lead and run intensive healing retreats. I’ve also taken my own fair share of mind altering substances in a variety of sets, settings, and time zones.

All of which is to say: I am no newcomer to the world of psychedelics.

And yet I cannot swallow the field’s echo-chamber-like mantra that “there is no such thing as a bad trip .” In fact, I find the rabidity with which some of my fellow cosmonauts deny the existence of bad trips to be rather disconcerting. In the more-than-one heated debate I’ve had about this topic, I’ve noticed certain patterns – or myths, if you will – around the topic of traumatic trips. I address each one here.

Myth: Bad Trips Only Happen When the Set and Setting Are Improper

If the word “only” didn’t appear in the above sentence, it would be true. In my experience in working with hundreds of patients who have used psychedelics – and in administering psychedelics myself – I’ll say that the vast majority of traumatic trips happen when the environment is not safe, calm, and supportive.

When we talk about set and setting in psychedelic harm reduction , we mean two things: (1) the person’s mindset when they took the drug, and (2) their physical environment. If somebody had just had an argument with their spouse before taking LSD, for example, that’s their set. If they were at a noisy, crowded music festival, that’s the setting. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the majority of bad trips happen when individuals on drugs feel overwhelmed in a noisy, chaotic setting like that of a concert or party. Drug-drug interactions are also often at play during difficult trips, for example, when people combine alcohol with psychedelics.

When people insist a little too strongly that, “There’s no such thing as a bad trip, if the set and setting are right,” I feel uneasy. It’s perhaps like asking a rape survivor, “Yeah, but what were you wearing?” (If you think the analogy of a bad trip and rape is too far of a reach, you luckily have never had a traumatic trip.)

There are other factors in psychedelic harm reduction that influence the outcomes. These include the substance being used, the dosage taken, and the people you’re with.

The night of my traumatic trip was the third of a three-night ayahuasca ceremony. I was there with my then-partner. I liked the other people attending. I trusted the facilitators completely and knew they were well trained and highly esteemed by their colleagues. The medicine was pure. The environment was soothing and well contained. The music was beautiful. The first half of the third ceremony was trippy, strange, and lovely.

After I drank my second dose of the brew, however, I was decidedly NOT OKAY. I will not describe the experience here, but I will say two things about it: (1) I felt like my nervous system was being gang raped, repeatedly, and (2) I can now absolutely understand why people with psychosis sometimes choose to die by suicide.

The facilitators of the circle took care of me, pulling me out of the ceremony space and letting me try to calm down outside. Somebody stayed with me at all times until I vomited up the salt water they gave me to drink.

There’s one factor of harm reduction we don’t discuss enough: dose. It’s possible that the second cup of ayahuasca I drank that night contained more voltage than my nervous system could handle – that it was too much, too fast, and too hard for me.

The Influence of Neuroticism

Aside from the environment, another factor that can predict bad trip potential is neuroticism. Neuroticism is one of the “Big Five” traits thought to collectively form the full picture of personality.

People who score high on neuroticism tend to overthink things, typically have a hard time relaxing, and may feel irritated in noisy settings or stressful situations. These folks are often described as “high strung.”

At least two studies have shown that people who score high on neuroticism scales are more likely to have a challenging psychedelic trip than those who score lower. [1] , [2] The theory behind this is that if a neurotic’s negative thoughts or feelings arise during a psychedelic trip, the person might get pulled into an amplification spiral of their own negativity.

But does that mean it’s somebody’s fault that if they tend towards neurosis and they have a bad trip? Aren’t psychedelics supposed to help heal negativity? What does it mean that the same drugs that help soothe negative thoughts and feelings can also make us feel worse? (Let a neurotic chew on that one.)

Once again, we could very easily slip into the territory of victim blaming if we are not mindful.

While writing this article, I took the Big Five Personality Test online. I scored in a higher-than-average percentile for negative emotionality (neuroticism). That may explain why grumpy cat is one of my heroes and why my friend Greg refers to me as “a female Larry David.” It could also explain why I’m one of the unlucky few who have had a traumatic psychedelic trip. (Side note: I also scored pretty high on open mindedness, so that could explain why got into psychedelics in the first place.)

Myth: Bad Trips Are Actually Just Difficult Experiences That Haven’t Been Integrated

I continue to stay in this field because traumatic trips are, indeed, exceedingly rare, and because the healing gains people typically experience from psychedelics are unparalleled by any other intervention I’ve found.

Working regularly with patients in non-ordinary states of consciousness, I see that the most challenging experiences are often the most rewarding. Drawing from my previous experiences in volunteering with the Zendo Project and White Bird , I teach my students the tenants of “trip sitting.”

As one of the Zendo principles states: difficult is not necessarily bad. Note that the phrase is not “difficult is not bad,” but rather, “ difficult is not necessarily bad. ” In other words, difficult can sometimes be bad.

Another layer to this argument is that if you wait long enough, the bad experience will prove itself to be good. This does, indeed, happen to many people after their challenging journeys. Yet there is a difference between suggesting this to a bad trip survivor and insisting that “everyone gets the trip they need.”

Many of my new-age peers have become allergic to the word “bad,” especially within the context of bad trips. “Is anything really bad?” I’m often asked. The argument here, as I understand it, is that with every cloud there comes a silver lining, and that silver lining might just hold a very valuable teaching for us.

I admit that my own traumatic trip gave me a lesson: It taught me that there is indeed such a thing as a bad trip. Another gift was that my bad trip helped me to better understand, validate, and support others who have been harmed by psychedelics. Another lesson was this: my bad trip was an amplifier of the toxic positivity that I see running rampant in the psychedelic field.

In fact, a patient once confessed to me, “I’m just so mad at her” – her being ayahuasca – “but everyone in the group is so in love with Great Grandmother that if I say one bad thing about her, it’ll be like heresy.” I noticed that he was clenching his jaw and only breathing into the upper part of his chest. I leaned forward, looked him in the eye, and said: “Tell me exactly what you think about that bitch – you won’t offend me.”

By the end of the hour, he had raged, wept, and laughed. His breath was reaching his abdomen and his jaw was relaxed. The client messaged me some days later, saying, “That was so healing for me just to be heard, to be able to say mean things without being afraid somebody would cancel me. Thank you.”

Perhaps for this client, “the medicine” was to be heard without anybody trying to stop him from expressing anger. Maybe the bad trip was just part of the arc that took him to that finale. I don’t know.

Myth: There’s No Such Thing as Bad

There’s that old story about the Zen master, whose son got a new horse. “What good luck!” The neighbors said. “We’ll see,” said the master. One day the son was thrown from the horse and broke his leg. “How terrible!” Said the neighbors. “We’ll see,” said the master. Then the country went to war, and the army came to recruit soldiers. Because the young man’s leg was broken, they army didn’t take him to battle. “How good!” said the neighbors. “We’ll see,” said the Zen master. Perhaps there is no good or bad.

What I’ve always found lacking in this story about the Zen master was the voice of his son – the one who actually fell from the horse.

Is a bad trip like falling from a horse? It absolutely can be. Yet something about the “you just haven’t integrated it yet, there’s gold there” argument feels like a dismissive bypass. Let us consider other situations in which we could apply such a statement:

• After getting food poisoning and vomiting for hours
• After taking penicillin and breaking out in a full body rash
• After going on a horrible date
• After surviving a sexual assault
• After your child has been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness
• After losing a loved one to cancer
• After surviving a terrible accident that has resulted in disability
• After your cat has been run over by a car
• After losing a house to foreclosure

Would we really tell the people in the above hypothetical situations that there was no such thing as bad shellfish? No such thing as a bad drug reaction or a bad date? No such thing as rape? No such thing as a bad diagnosis, a bad prognosis? Or how about just a bad day? Or something as non-threatening as a bad movie, a bad haircut, or a bad parking job? Would we really tell somebody whose child just died to avoid using the word “bad” to describe her condition?

Perhaps it is true that none of these things are bad, and that all of them are blessings in disguise. But would we really get righteous about it on social media, the way some of us do about denying bad trips?

And what’s so bad about saying “bad,” anyway? Must everything truly be a blessing? (The neurotic writing this article needs to know.)

I’d also like to share the story of Becks. Becks was a 24-year-old female patient of mine with anorexia nervosa who did MDMA-assisted psychotherapy to heal from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) rooted in childhood sexual abuse.

In a follow-up visit, Becks told me that the MDMA-assisted therapy session (done with an underground provider) had done wonders for her. She was getting much more mileage out of her weekly therapy sessions. She was now remembering things she had repressed previously, and she was able to stay present when the memories arose.

Becks had also forgiven herself. She explained that without realizing it, she had blamed herself for what happened to her when she was a child, punishing herself through self-denigrating thoughts, food restriction, and high-risk drinking. Her MDMA-assisted therapy session helped her identify this pattern and realize that she didn’t deserve the blame or the punishment. Having forgiven herself, Becks was now sleeping better at night, eating when she was hungry, and avoiding alcohol. Clearly, much healing had occurred for her.

Yet Becks felt discouraged and worried. “I don’t think I’m doing it right,” she told me while pulling at the rings on her fingers.

“Why’s that?” I asked.

“Well,” she explained, “I know I’m supposed to get to this place where I feel like the trauma was a blessing – and that hasn’t happened.”

“You think you’re supposed to get to a place where you think that being repeatedly molested as a child is a blessing? ” I asked her.

“Yes,” she said with a defeated sigh as she looked at her shoes.

“Where’d you get that idea?”

Her head snapped up to look at me, breathless, huge-eyed. And then she burst out laughing. The laughter turned to tears. She sobbed and babbled something about a podcast she’d heard. Then she laughed some more. Her face lit up and the color returned to her cheeks.

“Becks, was being molested by your stepbrother every night a blessing?” I asked her.

“No, it was a fucking horrible nightmare that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy,” she declared.

“Okay,” I said, “and is it possible that it was a fucking horrible nightmare and that you still get to heal and have a happy adult life starting right now?” I asked.

“ Fuck yeah,” she said. And the look on her face told me she believed it.

(This, by the way, is what happens when you go to a doctor who scores high on neuroticism scales: We acknowledge and celebrate that life might be a fucked up mess sometimes, and that we can still heal even if we don’t buy into toxic positivity.)

(Also: I do have patients who come to see their traumas as gifts. It truly is a powerful and important step in their healing. But let’s not assume that healing cannot happen in other forms. Everyone’s path is different and valid.)

Myth: Talking About Bad Trips Is Going to Harm the Psychedelic Movement

On the day I graduated from medical school, I took an oath to First, Do No Harm . Sometimes, First, Do No Harm means doing the uncomfortable thing or saying what others don’t want to hear. In this case, it means acknowledging that there are risks to using psychedelic substances, and a traumatic trip is one of those risks.

Every therapy, every medicine, every experience comes with risks and benefits. One risk of taking vitamin C is that too much can cause diarrhea. One risk of antibiotics is that they can lead to vaginal yeast infections. One risk of using acetaminophen (paracetamol) is that it’s hard on the liver. One risk of eating a vegan diet is that it can deplete vitamin B12 stores and subsequently trigger depression. One risk of a life-saving surgery is that it can result in a lethal infection. And so forth.

Psychedelic medicines also come with their risks, and the risk of a traumatic trip should be on that list. Admittedly, it should be in small letters, towards the bottom of the list, next to the words “very rare when used in therapeutic contexts.” But traumatic trips are, in fact, “a thing.” They’re part of the fine print.

As far as I know, bad trips have not been reported in any of the clinical trials on psychedelics – but keep in mind that we haven’t had too many people go through the clinical trials as compared to the number of folks doing psychedelics “in the wild.” Bad trips may have also been down-played in the trials as “dysphoria” or “agitation” by the researchers.

Are the possible risks of psychedelic medicines worth wagering for the potential benefits? The answer to that question can only be answered on a case-by-case basis – as with any intervention.

For me personally: The healing engendered by psychedelics has far outweighed and more than redeemed the harm I’ve endured. Every time I take a psychedelic medicine now, I understand that I am taking a risk, and I make the clear, informed decision to proceed – or not to proceed, depending on the circumstance.

When I advocate for the destigmatization and legalization of psychedelics, furthermore, I don’t just act out of love for the movement: I act out of love for my patients.

What’s going to injure the psychedelic movement even more than a level-headed discussion about traumatic trips is the harm that may be caused by denying them.

How to Talk to a Bad Trip Survivor

So, what should we say to a survivor of a traumatic trip? Anything but: “There’s no such thing as a bad trip.”

If somebody tells you they’ve endured a bad trip, treat them as if they’d just told you that they survived an accident, an assault, or another kind of shock. Offer them comfort and support. Listen. Don’t ask them to prove the truth of what they say happened.

Essentially: treat them as you would treat the survivor of any kind of experience that was too much, too hard, and/or too fast for their mind, body, or spirit.

Remember that the word “trauma” does not refer to the distressing event itself, but rather to the resulting emotional and neurological response. Trauma can harm a person’s sense of Self, their sense of safety, their ability to navigate relationships, and their ability to regulate their emotions. Trauma, in other words, is injury to the nervous system that ripples outward. (To be clear: Trauma does not mean simply feeling uncomfortable or offended, as some people mistakenly use it.)

Even if integration of the experience would be helpful for the survivor – and might even help them stop using the term “bad trip” to describe it – that cannot happen at the beginning. The first thing the bad trip survivor likely needs is to know that they are safe now . The nightmare has ended, and they are loved and supported by trustworthy people who care.

How can we help others feel safe? By our presence. By regulating our own breath. By listening. By letting them know that we believe them. By showing empathy. By making them soup, gifting them a massage, or offering to pick their kids up from school. By being kind.

Even if the traumatic trip was the result of poor planning, improper set and setting, or other user error, hold your tongue for now. Think of how you might react if a friend was in a terrible car accident that resulted from driving when they were overly tired.

Think of how you might respond if a child dragged a chair to the kitchen counter and climbed atop it to try and reach the off-limits cookie jar sitting high up on a shelf – only to tumble backwards and slam onto the floor. Would you shout, “Well, that’s what you get for climbing on the chair!” while the poor kiddo cried on the linoleum? I hope not. I hope you would sit by their side, hug them, and stroke their hair. Once you felt their breathing return to normal and the smile return to their face – and not a second sooner – might you ask, “Honey, remember what we said about climbing on the furniture?”

Healing From My Bad Trip

It took me almost eight years to feel like I had fully integrated my bad trip. Curiously, what helped me complete the arc from wound to health was a peyote ceremony.

What prolonged my healing was people insisting that there was no such thing as a bad trip. I heard this line in my ayahuasca circle, at psychedelic conferences, on social media, on podcasts, and in books. The experience-denying and victim-blaming made me feel angry and alone.

Another factor that delayed my full recovery was peer pressure. Buckling to the well-intentioned insistence of friends, I returned to the ayahuasca circle (and other psychedelic circles) sooner than I truly wanted to. This meant that I was taking medicines with a mindset of doubt and fear, which resulted in several dysphoric, confusing, and terrifying journeys that only compounded the injury.

I was fortunate to find a healer who believed in bad trips and who confirmed that I was not fully in my body. Through regular sessions, I was able to return. While my therapist hadn’t had much psychedelic experience herself, she at least believed me. That allowed us to start from a place of trust and not from a place of defensiveness. I also took a break from psychedelics and instead cultivated gentler, more predictable health-affirming practices like singing and going to the gym.

Years after the experience, I read about the concept of “too much, too hard, too fast” in a book about psychedelic facilitation. I felt a surge of heat rush to my face as I read the words; hot tears filled my eyes. I hadn’t made it up. It had happened to me. I wasn’t weak, or stupid, or crazy. But why was the truth so hard for other people to accept?

I’m grateful to my own stubborn will to get better – to that spark within me that keeps me seeking out people, places, and things that can help me heal, grow, and learn.

There was, indeed, some good that came from my bad trip on ayahuasca all those years ago. The seams of that horrific shroud were sewn with golden thread. I am grateful for the blessings gleaned.

I am also grateful to my unconditionally supportive family, friends, and partner, and to Grandfather Peyote for helping me weave the blessings into my life and pull back the heavy curtain.

I had a bad trip, and that’s okay.

And you know? Considering that I’m a neurotic, I’m pretty proud of myself for saying so.

Follow your Curiosity

[1] Barrett FS, Johnson MW, Griffiths RR. Neuroticism is associated with challenging experiences with psilocybin mushrooms. Pers Individ Dif. 2017 Oct 15;117:155-160. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2017.06.004 .

[2] Petter Grahl Johnstad (2021) The Psychedelic Personality: Personality Structure and Associations in a Sample of Psychedelics Users, Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 53:2, 97-103,  DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2020.1842569

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Bad trip anxiety and the first steps for dealing with it  

If you’re experiencing anxiety following a bad trip, you’re in the right place. I’ve been exactly where you are right now – and I’ve gotten through it. I created this site to help people who are struggling to understand what happened to them and how to get back to normal. I am so sorry that you had to go through a traumatic trip, but I have no doubt that you’ll become stronger and wiser through this experience. I know it’s hard right now, but the more you can look at this as a positive opportunity to change and grow, the faster you’ll begin to heal.

First things first, there are a few things that are really important for you to understand:

• What you’re experiencing is normal: anxiety and uneasiness is a natural response to a scary, traumatic experience. Many people go through this and heal from it. You truly are going to be okay.
• While you may feel like a totally different person now, you did not “break your brain.”  You will feel normal again.
• The anxiety does not have the power to control you unless you let it. I know that is probably hard to believe right now, but framing it this way in your mind is the first step you must take to actually get in control of it. If you continue to believe you are powerless against your anxiety, that will continue to be true.

With this understanding, it’s time to start regaining your feeling of normalcy and confidence about your life and your ability to function, while understanding that this dramatic, transformative experience was something that happened for a reason. You chose to do the psychedelic for a reason.

Step #1: Understand why bad trips can happen

A “bad trip” is a psychedelic experience that is scary, difficult, ominous, unsettling, traumatic, or otherwise unpleasant. It is entirely normal to experience anxiety after going through something traumatic. So, why do bad trips happen to begin with?

• Taking more than you can handle : If you took a large dose, upped your dose, or mixed multiple substances, it’s likely that you ended up taking more than you were ready for. This made the experience too intense, and you had a hard time coping with it.
• Trying to stay in control : When tripping, many things happen that are out of our control. It can feel as though you’ve entirely lost control of your mind, and that is a very scary experience for some people. When you try to forcibly control a psychedelic trip, things can generally become very tense and take a turn for the worst. It’s best to surrender to what ever is happening in the experience.
• An anxious disposition : Psychedelics tend to magnify our personality traits. If you struggle with anxiety in your daily life, it’s possible that the trip magnified that tendency.
• Emotional difficulty : If you haven’t been in a great place emotionally recently, it’s possible that your troubled emotions were heightened by the trip.
• The wrong surroundings : Usually, it’s best to take psychedelics in a safe, relaxing, and familiar environment, especially when you’re inexperienced. Many people, however, trip in loud, busy, and unfamiliar places such as concerts, music festivals, camp grounds, and even friends’ houses. These unfamiliar or destabilizing environments can lead to a sense of fear and panic.
• The wrong people : It’s extremely common to trip as a social activity.  If someone you tripped with scared you or made you nervous (even if they didn’t mean to), it’s important to spend time examining your relationship with that person. They may not be as they seem.
• Fear of having a bad trip : If you were afraid going into the trip, it’s not surprising that you had a scary experience. Taking fear into a trip can be detrimental, and I would always suggest to wait until your no longer afraid.

These are very broad explanations of some of the general reasons that trips can turn difficult. I’m a big believer in the idea that, if you can start to understand what led to your difficult experience, you’ll begin to be less haunted by it. In order to help you further analyze what went wrong, I’ve created a questionnaire that you can fill out.  If you’d like to fill out the questionnaire, you can click here for the Google Doc. This link takes you to a read-only version of it, so you’ll need to click File>Make a Copy in order to save it to your own Drive and edit it. You can also read the version that I filled out . 

Further Reading 

• Why do bad trips happen?
• How to understand a bad trip and start the healing process

Step #2: Infusing the anxiety with some logic

The next thing to do is to write down everything you can possibly remember about your trip, in chronological order and in as much detail as you can. This is the beginning of thinking about the trip objectively, because by taking it out of your brain and putting it on paper, it becomes less ominous and strange.

Thinking objectively and logically about a scary trip is very important. The experience you had was largely subconscious, and while the subconscious mind is extremely powerful and beautiful, it is definitely not logical. We spend so much of our typical lives trying to make logical decisions and basing our understanding of the world on logic that, when we are thrown into the totally illogical, subconscious realm of psychedelic trips, it can be too much to handle. This can give you an uncomfortable sense of anxiety that lingers long after you’ve come down. After an intense trip, it can be difficult to shut off the illogical side of our minds, almost as if someone left a door open somewhere in the house and it’s letting cold air in.

Take what you’ve written about your trip and make sure to note the parts of it that were particularly scary for you. Try to understand why those certain things were so scary. If you were terrified because you were really feeling like you were about to die, why death is such a scary idea for you? Was it the way you were going to die? Were you thinking about the people you’d leave behind? Was it your uncertainty about what happens after death? Write down these thoughts and try to keep asking “Why?” until you feel like you’ve gotten to the root of the issue. You may not fully understand why something was so scary, and that’s okay – you will in time. For now, just write down everything you do understand or think.

I can’t stress the importance of writing down your experience enough. This is one of the most relieving experiences because it allows you to just get it all out . It will help you to no loner ruminate on what you experienced and mull it over in your mind. It will help you to look at what happened more clearly, and it will help you analyze what caused your difficulty.

Step #3: Understanding your anxiety patterns

The next thing to do is to start keeping a record of everything to do with your anxiety, especially if you’re having what you might call an “anxiety attack” or a “panic attack.” Write down everything about these experiences as soon as they start to occur: What’s the day and time? Where were you? What were you doing? What were you thinking about? How did you feel? What do you think triggered the anxiety? There are a few reasons for doing this:

• You can start to understand the patterns and triggers for your anxiety, so that you are more prepared for and objective about it when it starts to happen. This starts to remove the anxiety’s power over you.
• You gain a reference that will help calm you when you do have anxiety. When you start to feel some coming on, you’ll be able to refer back to your notes and realize, “I’m simply having some anxiety right now, and it’s totally predictable – nothing is really wrong.”

When dealing with this anxiety, it’s important to remember that it’s coming from the subconscious mind, which has the noble goal of trying to protect you against a perceived threat. It doesn’t realize that there is no threat or that the threat is over, and so it starts trying to protect you again (anxiety) as soon as it perceives a threat again (a trigger). In order to get past this, you’ve got to start seeing your anxiety for what it really is and disassociating yourself from it – try to think of it as an old friend who you’re playing a game with, and the object of the game is to not let him or her take control of you.

Once you get the anxiety attacks more under control, the next step is to work on healing from them and understanding the lessons the trip was trying to teach you.

Further Reading

• Visit the Anxiety page for all kinds of anxiety-related topics 

Bad Trips Exist. Here’s How to Heal After Them.

In the psychedelic community, we often hear “bad trips don’t exist,” but that’s simply not true, article by dr. erica zelfand published on may 15, 2023 updated december 18, 2023.

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I know that bad trips exist, because I’ve had one. 

I know that toxic positivity exists, because I’ve been gaslit by it.

Here’s what I wish other people understood:

First, let’s define (and redefine) the term “bad trip,” because the phrase has become too polarized for anyone to think straight when they hear it. I think it’s because “bad trip” is an umbrella term for two very different experiences: challenging journeys and traumatic ones.

Challenging journeys are uncomfortable. They hurt like hell. They can be terrifying. They may send us to the underworld, catapult us to hell realms, or shove us way beyond our comfort zones. But when we work through those experiences—focusing on working with the material instead of running away from it—deep growth, learning, and healing happen. We emerge—hours, days, or weeks later—raw yet triumphant, with vulnerability and solace. 

When a person feels unsafe during a challenging trip, however, their journey runs the risk of becoming traumatic. 

Traumatic journeys are a serious injury to the nervous system and psyche. The word “trauma” gets thrown around a lot nowadays, so it’s important that we remember what the word really means. Trauma does not mean feeling offended or rattled. Trauma does not refer to a distressing event, but rather to the nervous system’s response to the experience. Trauma imprints on a person’s subconscious in a lasting way. Trauma can harm a person’s sense of Self, their sense of safety, their ability to navigate relationships, and their ability to regulate their emotions. Trauma, in other words, is a psychological and neurological injury that has negative ripple effects. Like everything in life, trauma can ironically come with a gift, some silver lining or shred of gold. And yet, traumatic trips are distinctly different from challenging ones, to the detriment of our wellbeing. When I talk about “bad trips,” I specifically mean traumatic psychedelic experiences.

READ: How To Survive A Bad Trip

Preventing and Transforming Traumatic Trips

Thankfully, there are things we can do to prevent traumatic trips. We also have tools for transforming challenging journeys so that they are more likely to become healing opportunities and less likely to traumatize a person. 

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These include:

Intention : The reason for taking the psychedelic substance. If somebody’s intention is to have fun with their friends at a festival, for example, they may feel very perturbed when the curtain of the subconscious is pulled back and their psyche accesses challenging material (such as a rape, assault, or other intense thing the person has survived).

Set : Set refers to the person’s headspace. Are they feeling agitated when they take the substance? Are they scared? Are they taking the drug because they feel peer pressure to do so? Are they drunk or high? Research suggests that individuals with high levels of neuroticism are more likely to experience a bad trip.

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Setting : Chaotic, noisy environments that require filtering information, focusing externally, or otherwise staying on guard come with high traumatic trip potential. I’ve had many clients experience challenging and traumatic trips at raves and festivals.

Company : Tripping with people you don’t trust, or that you’re trying to impress, comes with the risk of a hard or traumatic trip. For example, one of my clients took LSD with a group of guys. During her trip she sensed that her “friends” were trying to coerce her into sex. Narcissistic or under-trained “shamans” and facilitators can also cause harm.

Substance : The drug itself matters. Pressed pills are more likely to be adulterated with other, more harmful drugs than pure preparations. Professionally, I have seen ayahuasca , LSD, and 5-MeO-DMT cause more traumatic trips than psilocybin or MDMA.

Orientation to the Drug : Does the person know more or less what to expect from the substance? I always counsel my clients on what to expect from the experience and how to navigate the trip. This includes educating them on longtime psychedelic researcher Bill Richards’ “ flight instructions .” I emphasize the importance of turning and facing the terrifying material that may arise during the journey, rather than trying to escape it. I also make sure the client understands the logistics of the substance, like how long the journey may last. Eight hours into an LSD trip, many have panicked, worrying that they broke their brain. Knowing that an LSD trip can last up to 14 hours , would have saved them a lot of distress.

Dose : Higher doses of substances typically require more orientation on how to trip, as they dig deeper into the psyche and our physical energetic holding patterns. They are also more likely to turn sour if the tripper cannot let go and surrender. The common thread here has to do with surrender. To get the most out of a psychedelic experience, we need to be willing to surrender. If we’re in a situation in which we feel that it is unsafe or unwise to surrender, we risk having a challenging trip.

READ: Set and Setting: Why Preparation Matters

Bad Trips May Still Happen Despite Set and Setting

The majority of traumatic trips occur in situations in which one or more of the above factors is sub-optimal. That being said, I personally endured a traumatic trip in which all of the above were quite dialed in. The night of my traumatic trip was the third of a three-night ayahuasca ceremony. I liked the other people in the group. I trusted the facilitators and their skills. The medicine was pure. The environment was soothing and well contained, with beautiful music. During the first half of the ceremony, I released a huge grudge I’d been holding onto for years. I enjoyed feeling more space and lightness in my body as a result.

After I drank my second dose of the brew, however, I took a hard nosedive. It’s difficult to put into words what happened, but I was thrust into an experience that was too much, too rough, too fast, and too hard for my nervous system. I felt like my brain was being raped, and like I would psychologically snap (in more of a “breakdown” than “break though” way). It all felt very, very out of control and unsafe.

The medicine carriers helped me out of the ceremony space and tried to soothe me outside. Somebody stayed with me at all times until I vomited up the salt water they gave me to drink and limped back into the ceremony space to whimper under my blanket. It took me eight years to fully recover.

Healing After a Traumatic Trip

If you have survived a traumatic trip, here are some tools that may help:

• Don’t bother trying to convince other people that you had a traumatic trip. Ignore the “no such thing as bad trips!” gaslighters and the “we all get the trip we need” bypassers. Find people who believe you and want to support you. Your job right now is not to debate the issue of bad trips: your job is to get your nervous system feeling as safe as possible so that it can heal.
• Nurture yourself. Treat yourself as you would if you had just endured a terrifying car accident, a rape, the death of a loved one, or any other potentially devastating experience that can injure the psyche, body, or spirit. Rest. Take time off if you can. Meditate. Pray. Keep your blood sugar balanced with regular, balanced meals. Exercise. Get therapy, energy work, and/or bodywork. Ask for help. Be good to yourself. I personally found warm epsom salt baths helpful, as I felt contained within the bathtub and embraced by the warm water. Craniosacral therapy was also a gentle-yet-effective modality for me.
• Even if the traumatic trip was a result of poor planning, improper set and setting, or other “user error,” be kind to yourself. 
• Ditch the victim mentality. Shit happens. It isn’t always personal.
• There may be a huge blessing in having endured this trauma, but you don’t need to hold your feet to the fire until you find it. Just heal. If the blessings are there, they will rise to the surface in due time. Ignore the bubble of toxic positivity that often comes with pseudo-spiritual communities and frequent-flier scenes. You can decide for yourself, later, if everything is indeed connected or if it’s all truly a blessing.
• You will know when and if it’s time to take psychedelics again. Don’t buckle to peer pressure. Trust yourself. Personally, going back to ceremony too soon after my traumatic experience did me more harm than good: I took the medicine while feeling nervous, and was thrust into several challenging, dysphoric trips that frankly gave me garbage data. Eight years later, however, I felt the arc was finally completed during a peyote ceremony.

Trauma exists on this wild planet, even when everyone does their best. Be gentle with yourself, and with one another.

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