Bad trip: what is it and how to prevent it?

A bad trip, or “going bad” on psychedelics, is a doomsday scenario for many. Fortunately, with the right precautions, you can greatly reduce the chances that your trip will be disappointing. Even if you already have experience with a bad trip! Don’t let one bad trip make you decide that psychedelics are not for you. Because with the right approach you are guaranteed to benefit from the many advantages that trip drugs can offer you.

The definition of a bad trip cannot be found in the Dutch dictionary. However, we do agree that it involves a disappointing and negative trip experience. This can be physical, but also psychological. The different symptoms we see in a bad trip:

• panic feelings and anxiety
• unpleasant and uncomfortable feeling
• confusion and disorientation: not knowing where you are, or (with) who you are
• paranoid thoughts: thinking and feeling things that do not match reality
• hallucinations: seeing things that are not there
• nausea and pain symptoms.

Most people who have a bad trip feel that they no longer have control over what they are experiencing. For example, over their breathing or thoughts. This causes people to panic. Which, of course, makes the whole experience just extra unpleasant.

If you want to help someone who has fallen into a bad trip, fortunately you can apply these tips:

Keep calm

As you have read above, a large part of a bad trip is panic. So above all, don’t make the panic worse, with your own anxiety, for example. Get the person away from a stimulating environment. Go outside for a while, away from crowds and music. Focus together on calm deep breathing: slow breaths through the abdomen. Explain that there is nothing intense going on, that the person is safe and that there is no reason to panic. Thanks to your vibe and words, make sure this person is confident that they will be fine. A joke can also definitely clear the air. Keep your dark humor to yourself, though!

Distraction as a secret recipe

It’s a recipe that works for crying babies, rebellious toddlers to confused senior citizens: distraction. Find a light-hearted and positive way to distract the person having a bad trip. An anecdote or funny shared memory is a good one. Or putting on a nice and quiet song. Taking a walk around can also do wonders. Even drinking a glass of water can work as a sufficiently distracting placebo.

Trip Stopper

Handy to have around the house just in case: a packet of our Trip Stopper. In it are two ingredients that can get your brain back on track. Just the thought of having Trip Stopper in the house can help prevent a bad trip.

Prevention, of course, is a thousand times better than cure. That’s why it’s smart to put some effort into preparing for a trip. These tips will prevent you from going bad:

The optimal atmosphere for a trip indoors and outdoors

When you go tripping, you are extra sensitive to atmosphere. Therefore, make sure you have a cozy, comfortable and loving environment. An atmosphere in which you feel comfortable has a positive influence on the course of your tripping experience. Read in this article all about the right atmosphere and setting for a psychedelic trip. Choose for example consciously for indoor or outside. Outside can be very beautiful because of nature, but can also feel more unsafe because it is an unknown and grand world.

Know what you are eating

Don’t eat too much, but again, don’t eat too little. Preferably trip on an almost empty stomach. Read how here: What to eat before and during your psychedelic trip on magic mushrooms and truffles?

All tips for tripping with truffles

Tripping on truffles and magic mushrooms is quite similar. In fact, both plants contain the same active ingredient, psilocybin. Be sure to read through our previous articles where we help you with the best preparation for a psychedelic session: 10 tips for tripping with truffles and The best preparation for a magic mushroom and truffle trip.