Overwhelming Psychedelic Experiences

If you are uncertain about the origin and/or purity of the psychedelic you are using, and if you truly believe that you may be in physical danger, then you should seek help immediately.

Sometimes psychedelic experiences can become difficult or overwhelming, and can trigger a sort of panic attack (or anxiety attack), which is essentially a triggering of the flight-or-fight response (also called the acute stress response), which can cause the body to release catecholamines including adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol, resulting in physical symptoms such as dilated pupils, pale or flushed skin, rapid heart rate and breathing, and even trembling, dizziness, and cramping, but typically more prominent in psychedelic related anxiety are emotional symptoms such as feelings of impending doom, fear of loss of control or death, and a feeling of detachment from reality.

The first thing to do, is to remember that psychedelic experiences are temporary, and also inherently very physically safe. You can not die from a panic attack, and you will not die from an overwhelming psychedelic experience, especially when using classic psychedelics, such as LSD and psilocybin.

Next, it is highly recommended to focus on your breathing. Slowly inhale, while counting to four, hold for four seconds, and then exhale for a count of four, repeat this, focusing on your breath, and how it feels. You want to do your best to relax, and to let yourself know that everything is okay. If you find this too difficult to achieve, you could instead try singing a simple and familiar song – anything really, even just row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream.

Working backward from 5, use your senses to list things you notice around you. For example, you might start by listing:

• 5 things you hear
• 4 things you see
• 3 things you can touch from where you’re sitting
• 2 things you can smell
• 1 thing you can taste

Make an effort to notice the little things you might not always pay attention to, such as the color of the flecks in the carpet or the hum of your computer.