Actual problem or just fear/panic?

[Espiritus]

When on mushrooms/LSD, how do you tell the difference between fear and something actually going wrong? Because of the amplification of all emotions, fear can feel very physical and there might be other physically distressing symptoms like headaches, nausea etc. Or it could actually be something happening, like a medical emergency... The fact that uncomfortable sensations could mean fear or a serious problem deters me from psychs. Do bad trips often feel like something is wrong physically besides dark thoughts and feelings?

 

[Joeroe]

First

 

[TripSitterNZ]

You will be very aware you senses are amplified thousand fold. usually the fear and anxiety will make your heart beat alot faster or feel like it but you physically safe. If i feel cold it can negatively impact my trips a little bit. Bad trips won't really feel physically wrong because if you are really deep in one you wont have a body at all to feel it would of been obliterated at that atomic level. All fear on psychedelics can be adressed during the point if you are able to remember all you see is your own reflection and accept love and let go. Study the psychedelic experince by tim leary he was a acutally a gensius beyond times i use to think he was a fucking dickhead but i have come to realize he was right all along.

 

[Hodor]

When on mushrooms/LSD, how do you tell the difference between fear and something actually going wrong? Because of the amplification of all emotions, fear can feel very physical and there might be other physically distressing symptoms like headaches, nausea etc. Or it could actually be something happening, like a medical emergency... The fact that uncomfortable sensations could mean fear or a serious problem deters me from psychs. Do bad trips often feel like something is wrong physically besides dark thoughts and feelings?

There have been reports of people getting seizures from combining LSD and lithium, but otherwise, LSD is a *very* safe drug (in a physical sense - one should of course not underestimate its potentially deleterious effect on mental health). Ditto for shrooms. Sure, someone with heart issues could suffer complications from the stimulating effects of LSD, but the same risk goes for caffeine. Yes, NBOMe's and high doses of certain 2C's have killed people, but this risk does not seem to be present with LSD and psilocybin.

So applying Occam's Razor, the fact that people are more likely to experience paranoia on psychedelics points to those uncomfortable situations very very likely being just psychosomatic, rather than a symptom of a heart attack or stroke.

 

[Cream Gravy?]

So applying Occam's Razor, the fact that people are more likely to experience paranoia on psychedelics points to those uncomfortable situations very very likely being just psychosomatic, rather than a symptom of a heart attack or stroke.

I wholeheartedly agree. It's easy to experience the fear on psychs but it's easy enough to find a way out of it too, if you're in a setting you can alter.

 

[pupnik]

work the set and setting so that no real challenges are likely, then practice relaxing.
what you practice will visit you later,
just like the panic which is usually what is practiced in most situations.

 

[Espiritus]

Sounds good, guys. Thanks for the replies

 

[Pfafffed]

That's something I've wondered about myself. It's never been an issue for me when taking psychedelics with a stunning safety profile (mushrooms, LSD, mescaline,) because I know that my concerns are practically guaranteed to be unfounded should they arise. It helps to know that feeling like you are dying and getting "the fear" is common with a lot of psychedelics, but by sticking to the incredibly safe ones, there's some built in reassurance.

When it comes to RC psychedelics, though, I don't know what advice to give. My plan should something like that arise at some point in the future is to take a benzo to tone down the trip, then evaluate whether or not I actually need medical attention. I hope it never comes to that, and so far it hasn't

 

[Espiritus]

That's very reassuring that you mentioned that, Pfafffed!