How to Help Someone on a Bad Acid Trip
A bad trip, or a psychedelic crisis as it's sometimes known, is a disturbing experience that is associated with the use of LSD and other hallucinogenic drugs like magic mushrooms. There is no way of knowing if somebody is going to have a bad trip before taking LSD, but the feelings of a bad trip can range from mild anxiety to absolute terror or self harm, and can be potentially dangerous to the tripper and those present. But what can you do to help somebody who is in the midst of this experience? In this article we at OneHowTo are going to give advice on how to help someone on a bad acid trip.
There is no way of knowing who will have a bad trip when taking acid. People who have other mental health problems are perhaps more likely to experience this than somebody who is considered mentally sound, but it truly depends on the persons state of mind beforehand. A bad trip is thought to manifest if the tripper is feeling particularly sad, angry or experiencing negative feelings before taking the drug. Other factors such as the size of the dose ingested and the environment in which you have chosen to trip may influence.
Contents
Keep them calm
The best thing you can do to help someone on a bad acid trip is try and keep them calm. Don't raise your voice or shout or sound agitated, and don't grab or pull at them unless it is an emergency. Use gentle force if you need to, for example steer somebody in a certain direction rather than dragging or gabbing them.
Speak calmly. Smile and sound reassuring, tell them that they are safe and with people that they trust and who care about them. Putting on calming music can sometimes help alter the atmosphere which when you have taken a hallucinogenic can make a huge difference.
Remind them they're tripping
One of the main causes of a bad trip is feelings of panic and stress. The tripper might feel like they're going insane, or that the trip will never end, time can pass differently when you have taken a hallucinogenic. So keep reminding them that they have taken a psychedelic drug and that is what is causing these feelings. You might not be able to stop the bad trip, but lowering the anxiety and stress is the aim. Let them know the only way to get through this is to relax and enjoy themselves which was why they took the drug. Communication is key helping them work through the negative feelings they are experiencing.
Keep their mind busy
Helping someone on a bad trip can mean taking their mind off what was bothering them. Putting on some music or a funny TV show can sometimes work and even a change of scenery if that is possible, bearing in mind taking them out into a public place is NOT the thing to do. If you have a garden then being out in nature can be soothing for someone who is tripping, walking and talking can also be relaxing.
Don't let them take or smoke any other drugs such as cannabis as this will only intensify the feeling of a bad trip.
Stay safe
On rare occasions people who are experiencing a bad trip can do harm to themselves or others which can make helping someone through the crisis much more difficult. Keep them away from environmental hazards as best you can. If you have to lift or move them whilst they are disorientated, tell them exactly what you are doing and why. You don't want to cause any more distress or confusion, acid can sometime cause paranoia and trippers can sometimes doubt who they can and can't trust.
Knowing when to call for help
Helping someone during a bad acid trip rarely calls for involving authorities. Most people experiencing a psychotic crisis whilst they may be having a terrible time, will often ride out the experience and come out the other side a little exhausted and emotionally drained. However if you feel that the person is dangerously psychotic and could do harm to either themselves or you, then it is time to call for help.
One of the most important things to remember when helping someone who is experiencing a bad acid trip is that you can't just snap them out of it. Once the drug has been ingested, all you can do is wait for the effects to wear off, and in the mean time help keep that person calm and safe. Do not despair, even if the person sounds extremely distressed or upset, it is drug induced and they will come through it. You are essentially their anchor to reality so stay strong. They will thank you for it later!
This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to How to Help Someone on a Bad Acid Trip, we recommend you visit our Mental health category.
