first time tripper

OK a friend of mine who has never done drugs apart from the very occasional bong and a shitload of grog wrote me this email today. i was jsut wondering if any of you "experienced" peeps out there have any comments on my mate's experience. i've never had a trip so i have no idea what it feels like. but it seems to me he was stupid to try it in these circumstances? what do you all think?
"It’s 10am and I essentially haven’t slept. I took a trip last night. I guess "wow" is the best single word to describe it. But after saying that I have to clarify something; I wouldn’t do it twice. In fact I wouldn’t do it once, if I had the chance to live again. It’s not worth it I don’t think, you know how you do something and it feels like you might have damaged yourself permanently? While the conditions under which I did it weren’t exactly optimal (in fact in reality it was possibly the stupidest fucking thing I’ve ever done in my life) I don’t really recommend anyone do it under any conditions. Ok so I think I’ve made this clear: drugs are bad, mmmkay?
I’m trying to come up with words to describe the experience. But given that it lasted over eight hours I guess that’s not so easy. There were two very distinct sections of my trip. The first hour and a half (it may well have been more, time was very difficult to quantify) was really great. I was at a pub / club with a large group of friends and having this incredible experience. Just hyped up and really wired. I felt like an utter druggie, the way I was acting, but it was a lot of fun. I rang a few people and just generally ran around like a madman. It had taken me very much by surprise. I wasn’t expecting it to have much effect – [name removed] took one a couple of days ago and said it did very little for him. It was because of this that I made the hideous decision to drive to the pub.
It was about 12:30 (maybe later), 2-3 hours into it that it actually started to do what it’s really supposed to do. Up until then it had just been affecting the way I saw lights, and I was pretty cool with that. But all of a sudden everything I focused on was shimmering and distorting. That’s a very scary thing, believe me. I panicked, but only a little bit. I just went out to the dance floor to be with my friends. Now that was an experience. The band sounded like they were a tape that was being played by hand, ie speeding up and slowing down (in pitch and tempo) in a highly irregular way. That was disturbing. The lights on the dancefloor were really intense, really almost offensive to me. My sense of balance was somewhat impeded.
One thing that really struck me at this point, is how much acid is exactly like it’s portrayed in movies / TV. In fact I felt like I was watching one of those LSD documentaries! They seriously got it spot on. I kept noticing things from everyday pop culture that I could swear were derived from someone’s acid trip. It really is like someone has re-plugged the switchboard in your brain, you can feel colours, hear space and see emotions. It was kind of like living in a movie, but horrendously real.
And unlike a movie, I couldn’t walk out when I had had enough. Around 2:15 I started to get pretty panicky. I needed to get this car home and I knew I wouldn’t be in a state to drive it for many hours. But I didn’t really trust myself with the keys, because I could tell that my perceptions were so fucked up that I could conceivably find myself thinking I was alright to drive. I decided I had to do something about this. I called [name removed] but there was no answer. That did surprise me somewhat, but my greater concern was: what the fuck was I going to do now?
My memories are a bit hazy after that. I managed to find two acquaintances who were alright to drive and to my immense appreciation agreed to drive my car (not actually my car!) home for me. The trip was surreal. The traffic and street lights looked totally bizarre. And I never realised how straight Glenferrie rd is! As you’d expect things didn’t really get better once I was alone. I got my guitar out and for a while kept myself fairly entertained. I wasn’t trotting out anything other than my standard Hendrix / Page / Everyone ripoff blues scales, but it felt pretty cool. My fingers were really quick at tapping. I’d like to hear a recording of what I did to see if it was in fact any good at all! I was playing one of my electric 6-strings, it seemed awfully loud and resonant given that it wasn’t plugged into anything. The sound seemed to fill the room. But then so did any sound at all.
I went to lie down. Lying in bed was really difficult. Everything around me was constantly distorting. It was really bad. I just wanted to sleep, to get away from this. It was about 3:30am. I had no chance of sleeping. My body was just dead; I could barely bring myself to move a muscle. But my mind was racing and crawling and just being generally weird. And that’s basically it. I did this all night, tossing and turning, sitting up, lying down. Looking at my clock every hour just hoping it would wear off. But it seemed as intense as ever. I insisted to myself that I would never do this again. Ever. But then I’ve said that on a few hungover mornings in the past, haven’t I? At about 9am I felt, quite suddenly, back in reality. I’ve never been so glad to see the cold hard light of a dehydrated morning after. Reality is a much better place. I’m going to stay here."
thanks guys.
DQ.
[This message has been edited by De Quincey (edited 25 April 2001).]

What do we all think about what?
Personally, i think your friend described acid (some parts of it) quite well. But, the thing that gets me, is that people take acid in a certain situation and they panic when the effects kick in.
I'm sorry, but you must be living under a rock if the stereotypes of "wow visuals, man, i'm a tripper" haven't been thrown at you.
Why panic when you actually do start "tripping"? It may be unnerving, but you took the acid to "trip" why not relax and enjoy it?
Also, driving somewhere then taking acid? unless you are going to be there for at least 12 hours, that's a pretty silly idea.
I don't know what type of response you want. LSD isn't that far from reality, that you are totally detached from it - "Reality is a much better place. I’m going to stay here."
its just a drug, that's all.
i think your friend should have researched what they were doing more, and definately thought about things like - being with friends/trusted ones during the peak, looking after their personal well-being and what exactly they can expect.
acid is just a drug, you either have an acid head or you don't. it can be powerful, but it also can be magnificent. You shouldn't mess with something powerful unless you, and your mind, are up for it.
2c spent.

I think he wrote this when he was probably comming down. So naturally it is a coloured description and essentially he hasnt had time to digest what had happened to him. Personally I find everything a little harrowing when Im comming down.
(it is a rather good description though)
Ask him what he thinks about it now.
[This message has been edited by fataliss (edited 25 April 2001).]

i tend to agree with supaspeed on relaxing and enjoying it as well as on not driving somewhere to do it especially if it's the first time. to answer your question, dq, yes, it think it was well... silly... to do it under those circumstances. we may not agree with some of the reasons why drugs have been made illegal but that doesn't mean that these reasons aren't valid at all. the law reckons that people need to be 'protected against themselves' and IMO, people who choose to use drugs and hence go against that school of thought then owe it to themselves to know as much as they can about what they are getting into and take whatever precautions they can. even then, it may not be enough... such is the nature of drugs. i'm sure many of you must have heard this sort of thing many thousands of times so my apologies for the repetition
personally, i think first trips should be carefully considered in terms of amount, company, set and setting. i had the good fortune of doing my first one with friends who've had some experience and i guess some 'respect for the drug' as well if you know what i mean. after trying it at a club, i've decided that acid's probably not my party drug of choice. nowadays, i'd tend to enjoy the mental liberation and personal insight in the comfort of more intimate surroundings i.e. at home etc.
and ooh... the visuals!

Yup. Reason why it was also bad for him was once you try and escape from a trip it normally makes it worse because you continually get yourself into loops. What was he thinking of course it lasts for 8 hours . Admitedly sometimes towards the end u just want to close ur eyes and sleep but your brain goes off spiralling and spinning on its own accord.
Key point. If you keep thinking how long until this ends! Its gonna take longer. Just like a watched kettle never boils. Trying to sleep was probably the worst thing to do, listening to soothing music or even walking wastes time and keeps you occupied.

Your friend must live near me
Anyway, do you know how much of what, they had?

Your friend must live near me
Anyway, do you know how much of what, they had?

Sounds like a lot of people have this problem if the first drugs they have are something like e's or speed. Those drugs have much more sociable and subtle effects compared to lsd. As most ppl already know, lsd is much more overpowering, and makes you unable to deal with the simplest of things (but that can be part of the fun). But the location is MUCH more important if tripping. If out somewhere speeding or e-ing, if you lose your friends, it doesn't matter, you make the most of it. If tripping and out, you lose your friends, AAAHHHHHH, help, all alone, cannot deal.... mummmyyyyyyyy...
For me, most trips are usually a visual ride, so I cannot conceive having a "bad trip". If you keep in mind, like supaspeed said, it's just a drug, "it will be in my system for x hours, and I will then be normal again, may as well enjoy the ride!"
However there are lots of ppl that have issues in their lives that they don't face, sometimes these ppl will not be able to suppress these problems under the effects of lsd, and their problems may emerge as strange, anxious horrible thoughts. Basically the only way to avoid this is not to do it, if you are that type of person. If you feel doubtful, you probably shouldn't do it!
As with any drug, start of with a half dose the first few times. It's even more important in my opinion, to be in someones home, preferably with others who have done it before, and above all, don't go anywhere unless it's a short walk!!! (that call for iced coffee can be strong...)
After you've tried it at least once at home, you might like to try it out somewhere, but a bright, loud pub is not likely to enhance the experience...

hmm... i'm not sure about the part about losing your friends while e-ing chaoscat. in fact, the one time i had what could be described as a 'bad trip' or bad roll on e was when the exact thing happened: some friends i was with abruptly left (to get some paracetamol for a headache). i just went down, down, down... and basically felt quite shit until it started to wear off. e is a very social drug that tends to open our emotional valves so i think the company you're with affects the roll greatly.
2 cents poorer.

i don't know what exactly it was that he had, but i assume he had one unit of whatever it was. i dunno...
i think he was fucking mad to try lsd like that. it's behaviour like that that gives drugs a bad name! but what can you do? educate i guess...
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"Cabbages... knickers.... it's not got a beak!"

Yes, definitely educate!
It scares me to see ppl's attitudes today, compared to 10 years ago even. I really think that if you do lsd first, you learn to respect the amount of drugs you consume, and possible effects taking too much might have. Unfortunately a lot of ppl will only learn the hard way.
May be better that they do that with lsd rather than pills, because lsd will more likely scare them... ooga booga

Congratulations to those of you who can just simply relax when tripping. For some of us the process isnt quite so simple.
I used to take alot of acid and never had a problem. HOwever recently hallucinogens and myself havent been mixing very well. A few not so great experiences have caused an inkling of paranoia to develop in my head, before th trip is ingested i assure myslef all will b fine, but then........it creeps up and is hard to stop.
Most recently in the summer holidays i was in Byron, went to Nimbin got the obligatory mushrooms and got to tripping.
About 3 hours into the trip the sand starting trying to swallow me at the beach, my fingers turned into snakes and all the trees started forming the mask from scream with their leaves. Back at the house people were coming out of the walls and I forgot how to talk.
I cant remember how many times i tried to tell myself that i have done this many times before and to juts calm down. But once that papanoia starts it doesnt end until the trip weakens out a bit. After which i had an amzing time.
My point is when you are in that tripping head space you dont think rationally, i personally find it very hard to calm myself.

It depends on how you view your hallucinogens. Acid and mushies can be one hell of a ride (try combining them - holy shit mother of mary ) but, somewhere there is a little voice saying, "it's only the drugs, relax buddy".
This isn't directed at anyone, but acid/mushhies often bring out underlying weaknessses in people's psyches. I have seen many a person have a "bad trip" which really was coming sooner or later because they had to deal with a character flaw of theirs.
Set and setting are important, highly important and the people involved either make or break the trip. But, if questions have been asked that you can't answer or deal with, let the little voice say, "its only the drugs, relax buddy" and deal with it at a later date. don't let the cycles start, and everyone is a happy camper. (haha - HC reference )
know your drugs, know yourself. I think people often neglect considering whether they are ready for what they are undertaking. Acid is especially bad. People don't have a good trip, but already start planning the next time as soon as they come down. know your drugs, know yourself.

I dunno its all too easy for someone who's never had a bad trip to say that its only the mentaly weak and all that hard ass shit, god I used to think that way myself having had a fair few powerful trips and coming through sweet. But if its chemical, psycological or whatever, there is such a thing (as I learn't one night about a year ago) as a bad trip. There can be a point on acid where you just can't take it anymore and all you want is out (especially if your dumb enough to work the next day but thats another story). I dunno, I guess all you can do is make sure you get stuff from someone you really really trust and never take any drugs unless you r in the mood for it, coz if you don't feel like a trip before you drop, your going to hate it afterwards!
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WARNING THIS IS A HARD HOUSE AREA!