Bad Trip Or Encounter with the Dark Side.

Introduction

The article is purely scientific and aims to develop awareness.

In many countries including Poland, the law prohibits the use of most psychedelic substances (LSD, Psylocybin, Mescaline, Marijuana, MDMA).

What exactly is this mythical bad trip?

Setting out into the unexplored realm of the world of psychedelics, one is bound to encounter the concept of a "bad trip." This bad trip at certain stages of the crossing through the thicket of swirling feelings and thought patterns becomes an integral aspect of this odyssey. The term encompasses disturbing, often frightening experiences such as feelings of fear, paranoia, vivid hallucinations, feelings of derealization to a sense of dying or the complete disintegration of the ego and the physical world. It is an enigmatic and capricious phenomenon whose details, nature or potency are influenced by a myriad of factors. Beginning with the environment through the mental state, the dose of the substance, and ending with the deep-rooted beliefs and hidden problems and fears of our subconscious.

However, the main determinants of travel are of course set and settings.

Set in this case means mental state, mood, thoughts and expectations, setting is a set of stimuli provided by the environment - from both people and place.

A nice calm environment in which we feel safe minimizes the risk of a potential bad trip, or makes it much easier to get through that unpleasant dark tunnel. Likewise, the people who surround us have a huge impact on the trip, An aggressive or potentially dangerous environment definitely increases the chances of anxiety attacks and paranoia.

Bad Trip and Psychology

The word "psychedelic" is a translation of the English word psychedelic, derived from the Greek ψυχή (psyche - "soul") and δηλείν (delein - "to show, reveal"), freely translated as "revealing mind."

The subject of the subconscious or unconscious was widely discussed by both Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung, considered the fathers of modern psychology. As they jointly claimed: "The human subconscious is defined as a psychological structure that contains parts suppressed by consciousness. It determines certain behaviors. The subconscious is that strange sub-world revealed by dreams, fades or Freudian slips."

What does this give us in the context of modern research on therapy using psychedelics? As early as the 1950s, research was being conducted on the impact of a scientific approach to traveling deep into our subconscious, a process beautifully described in probably the most comprehensive work on the subject "The Psychedelic Traveler's Guide". by Dr. James Fadiman

So bad trip properly understood and integrated in a therapeutic approach can prove to be a milestone in the process of our development, understanding of ourselves and the problems of which we are often unaware, and which clearly affect our actions and decisions in everyday life. This "unveiling" of the mind javes itself as an opportunity for deep self-reflection, the unraveling of hidden emotional dilemmas or a chance to work through the traumas that guide our lives. Many people say that after experiencing a bad trip, they better understand their fears and worries, which consequently gives them the strength to confront them. Often this forced confrontation with what we repress on a daily basis becomes a driving force for change.

Many modern researchers claim that therapy using consciousness-altering substances in combination with classical types of psychological therapy can incomparably speed up the process of analysis and treatment in patients with anxiety disorders.

We can read more extensively about this in the book "How to change your mind" by MIchael Pollan

How long does a bad trip last and how to deal with it?

Depending on the type and dosage of the ingested substance as well as the mental and physical state of the psychedelic user, this difficult experience can last from a few/ten minutes for several hours even up to several days. In the case of LSD which is probably the longest-acting of the group of primary psychedelics (LSD, Psylocybin, Mescaline, DMT) this time can be as long as 12 hours. On the other hand, for days after a bad trip, we may experience so-called flash backThat is, feelings of being "on phase" no longer under the influence of substances. Anxieties or feelings of derealization may reappear.

So how do we cope when a bad trip takes over?

The most important thing by far at this point is our awareness and the knowledge we have, because it is their state that is responsible for understanding the situation. More experienced travelers often deliberately surrender to the impending feeling of doom in order to delve deeper into the process, opening the gateway to deeper knowledge and understanding of their own inner self. However, not everyone is strong, brave or conscious enough to surrender voluntarily to what is coming, in which case it is worth trying to understand what triggers a given set of feelings. A change of environment or contact with another person, more experienced in this subject, may be helpful. Often, contact with nature, getting out into the sunlight or playing with a dog or cat can have a fantastic effect on our journey taking us from the dark alley of our thoughts, to a happy warm flowery meadow.

Minimize potential bad trip

To minimize the risk of a bad trip, we should take care of our surroundings, think carefully about the purpose of our trip and gradually increase our knowledge of the substances we take and their effects. Whether you are an experienced psychonaut or just beginning your adventure, there is always a risk of confronting this dark side of travel. You should always check the dose you are taking and, if possible, the purity and type of substance. Modern chemistry contains a whole range of more unidentified and definitely untested substances so-called "research chemicals" colloquially known as legal highs, the use of which can be fatal and in extreme cases end in death.

Health risks of bad trip occurrence

An unintegrated trip can lead to serious consequences, the most common threat being mental health effects. While a psychedelic trip can be a wonderful soul- and psyche-enriching experience prompting reflection or guiding us through spiritual states, a collision with the swamp of our subconscious in the form of a bad trip can result in persistent anxiety, paranoia or psychosis. In extreme cases, we may experience long-lasting changes in our perception of reality called HPPD or post-hallucinogen perceptual shift syndrome. Sleep disorders, concentration problems, depression and, in the case of particularly traumatic trips, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can also occur

In a word of conclusion

The right attitude knowledge and environment are the friend of a successful trip.

Good preparation safety and prudence should be an integral part when experimenting with psychedelics.
It is also worth remembering that psychedelics are not for everyone and there is always a risk of negative health effects.
If you're getting ready for your first time it's essential to READ about the substance you're about to adopt and talk about it with more experienced friends.

We recommend watching this video 😀