It can happen to anyone. That incredible high or gentle glow of an illicit drug descends into a nightmare of paranoia and fear. It doesn’t matter if the drug is legal or otherwise. People can get depressed or anxious on beer, grass, speed or LSD.
What triggers a bad trip? It can be an unpleasant environment like a noisy crowded club, or strangers who you don’t feel comfortable around.
If you try to resist the effect of the drug, this can lead to anxiety and feeling out of control, particularly if you got a stronger hit than you planned on.
Your communication and conflict resolution skills won’t be at their
peak, so arguments and problems with others can quickly spiral out of control.
If you weren’t in a good frame of mind to begin with, the drug might
amplify any depression, stress or anger you were feeling.
Even long-term users can get the occasional bad trip so it pays to make
preparations to avoid the nasties.
Symptoms of a bad trip
Some typical signs could be feeling paranoid, anxious and fearful. If it is happening to a mate, it may not be that obvious to begin with. They may be quiet and withdrawn before appearing upset, scared or experiencing a full blown panic attack. They may say they are losing their mind or in danger of dying.
Prevention of bad trips is better than cure
The main factor is having a safe comfortable environment and people you trust. You should also know all the effects of the drug you are taking and be careful with the dosage. Hallucinogens like LSD, ketamine and magic mushrooms are the most likely to give a bad trip so be very careful with your environment and drug mates on these. Cannabis has some hallucinogenic effects as well which is why you can be paranoid and weird after a few tokes.
The cure for bad trips
What if you or a mate are freaking out? Change the environment! If it’s noisy and crowded, get them somewhere quiet. Make sure they are only around friends who can help them chill out. If you are at home, put on some relaxing music. Be gentle and encouraging, don’t force the person to do anything they don’t want to.
Relaxation techniques can be a big help. Get the person to take deep breaths and count them. Anything that takes their focus of the drug’s effects will help. A bad trip can feel like it will never end, so reassure them that the effects will wear off and you are there to get them through.
Get your mates to read this too, as next time you might be the one freaking out and they can help you get through with a minimal of hassle. And remember too, that a bad trip might be the start of someone going into overdose. Do the right thing and stay with them!
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