How to Get Out of a Bad Trip?

Start a life-changing journey as you learn to overcome the negative effects of a bad trip. Take back control, find comfort, and embrace inner tranquility.

Have you ever found yourself in the midst of a bad trip, feeling like your mind and reality are spiraling out of control? Whether it's due to experimenting with hallucinogenic substances or simply finding yourself in an overwhelming situation, getting stuck in a negative mental state can be terrifying. But fear not! 

In this article, we will dive into the depths of how to escape the clutches of a bad trip and regain control over your mind and emotions. So buckle up, take a deep breath, and let's explore the strategies that will help you navigate through these challenging moments and come out on the other side unscathed.

What is a Bad Trip?

A bad trip is a scary experience that happens when taking drugs, especially psychedelic ones. It is a journey into darkness where the mind becomes overwhelmed by negative feelings and thoughts. Drug tripping can be enjoyable and enlightening, but a bad trip is the opposite. It causes anxiety, paranoia, and even terror.

Imagine going on a mind-altering journey, hoping to explore your inner thoughts and connect with the universe. But as you go deeper, the beautiful colors and shapes turn into disturbing images, and you feel a strong sense of impending doom. This is what a bad trip is all about.

Top 5 Biggest Reasons Why People Have a “Bad Trip”

One thing that makes people anxious about psychedelics is the possibility of a bad trip. Psychedelic substances can cause intense physical, cognitive, and emotional experiences, which is important to remember. Psychedelics are not suitable for everyone, and it's okay to decline. However, even those who are curious and open-minded can have challenging trips. It's impossible to predict when a negative experience will occur, but there are a few factors that can make the psychedelic journey more difficult than necessary. Here are the five main reasons people have a bad trip.

1. Getting trips with the incorrect crowd

When it comes to getting drug trips, it is crucial to be mindful of the company we choose to surround ourselves with. Engaging in such experiences with the wrong crowd can have detrimental consequences. It's important to actively and consciously select our companions, ensuring they are trustworthy, responsible, and supportive individuals who have our best interests at heart. By doing so, we can create an environment that fosters safety and comfort during these experiences.

2. Tripping in the improper surroundings

If you have been interested in psychedelics, you may have heard of set and setting. Timothy Leary, a psychologist and psychedelic activist, came up with these terms in 1964. Set refers to your mindset during the psychedelic experience, while setting refers to the environment around you during your trip, including the physical space, the people, and your comfort level.

The best place for a psychedelic experience is a personal one. What feels comfortable to you may not feel comfortable to others on the trip. Different cultures have different ideas of what is appropriate and comfortable for using entheogenic plants. Some people who explore psychedelics like to do it in a retreat, clinic, nature, or a cozy home.

Consumers like having safe and secure indoor and outdoor spaces where they can rest and find warmth or shade. It is important to have access to water, comfortable clothing, snacks, and emergency services.

3. Establishing ambitious goals

Using psychedelics and entheogenic plants is like going on an adventure into the unknown. You might have some ideas about what the experience will be like, but you can't really predict how it will actually happen. Trying to control the psychedelic experience is not really possible. If you have strict expectations, you might end up feeling let down or fighting against what the experience has to offer.

Psychedelic substances create various experiences. Grof believes that his perspective on LSD can also be applied to other substances like psilocybin mushrooms and DMT. These substances enhance existing feelings. Simply put, being open will likely lead to more openness, while resistance will likely lead to more resistance. However, it doesn't guarantee any specific experience.

4. Failing to prepare

Many people don't think about preparing for a psychedelic experience. Preparing is an important part of the mindset and environment. Before the experience, it's helpful to think and set a goal. Why do you want to try psychedelics? What do you want to learn from the experience? Are you ready for a difficult experience? Are you using psychedelics to avoid something in your life now?

5. Not returning for grounding

People with anxiety often experience panic during difficult trips. It is helpful to prepare for your trip by making a list of grounding tools that you can use. These tools include lying down, changing settings, listening to music or using headphones, deep breathing, drinking tea or eating a snack, and doing a mental body scan. Distracting yourself with a toy, plants, a coloring book, art, or a favorite fidget can also be helpful.

How to Get Out of a Bad Trip? 5 Essential Tips

Tripping can be enjoyable and magical, but it can also be sad and difficult. It can make repressed memories and emotions come to the surface. You might also get stuck in a negative thought loop, where you constantly have anxious thoughts and feelings. However, there are ways to reduce this negative mindset, whether you are tripping with friends, a guide, or alone. By following these steps, you can hopefully turn a bad experience into something cathartic.

1. Accept

During psychedelic clinical trials, guides often tell volunteers to surrender to the experience, especially if it is difficult. If you feel like you are dying, melting, dissolving, exploding, or going crazy, embrace it, says Dr. Bill Richards, who helped develop the therapy model used at institutions like Johns Hopkins University. The important thing is to accept the experience instead of fighting it. Show compassion and curiosity towards negative thoughts, feelings, or experiences, or as clinicians say, trust, let go, be open. Try repeating a mantra while focusing on your breath. There might be transcendence waiting for you.

2. Breathe

To avoid a bad trip, remember to breathe and do so mindfully. If things become difficult, concentrate on your breath and exhale for longer than you inhale to release tension. Holding a small object, like a rock or crystal, can help you stay grounded while breathing through challenging moments. If you already practice light yoga or meditation, give it a try. If you're not too far gone, remind yourself that you've taken a psychedelic and this feeling will eventually go away. It's all part of the experience.

3. Change the scenario

Because psychedelics render you more sensitive to your environment, a change in scenery can have a profound impact on your mood. If you’re having trouble accepting a difficult experience, there’s no rule that says you have to sit with it for the entire duration of your trip. 

One of the best ways to change the mood is to switch things up, either by moving from one room to another, or by going from indoors to out (or vice versa), if that’s an option. It can also help to change the music or the lighting, making you feel like you’ve transitioned from one destination of your trip to the next. If most of these tricks sound like way too much effort for your state of mind, try just taking off your shoes and touching your feet to the ground. Stand up and walk around barefoot to shift away from that heavy, negative energy and to ground yourself.

4. Distractions

Experienced psychonauts know that negative thought loops can happen during a trip. They prepare activities or distractions in advance to help if this happens. These activities can be anything enjoyable on psychedelics, like making art or music, or exploring different sights, sounds, and textures. The key is to prepare everything before you start tripping. 

Set up art supplies in your kitchen, put out musical instruments in your living room, place art or nature books on the coffee table, chop up some fruit, decorate your house with fresh cut flowers or other pretty things to look at, or download nature documentaries that interest you. When you feel down or stuck during a trip, get up and find one of the distractions you prepared. This will likely change the direction of your trip.

5. Let your friends, guide, or sitter know

If you're tripping with others, don't hesitate to tell them if you're having a hard time. If your friends are also tripping, you don't need to give too many details if you think it will bring them down, but you should still reach out. Cuddle, hold hands, and talk about something else, like how funny your dog is or the grains in the wood furniture. Connecting with others or simply touching can help improve your mood. 

If you're worried that your trip might be filled with negative emotions or if you want to work through something difficult, you might consider finding a sober and supportive person to be with you, such as a trip sitter, experienced guide, or going to a psychedelic retreat. Having someone like this around can be helpful, especially if you feel confused or scared. If you find it difficult to handle things on your own, let your guide or trip sitter know, and they will likely hold your hand and provide support. Just their presence alone can greatly assist you in getting through a tough time.

Conclusion

Experiencing a bad drug trip can be an incredibly overwhelming and frightening experience. However, it is important to remember that you are not alone and that there are steps you can take to help yourself through it. By following these tips – finding a supportive environment, practicing relaxation techniques, seeking professional help if necessary, distracting yourself with positive stimuli, and learning from the experience – you can increase your chances of navigating through a bad drug trip more smoothly. Remember, your mental well-being is important, so don't hesitate to reach out for assistance when needed. Stay safe and take care of yourself!