Ending the LSD trip - How to do it | MODERNmind

Anyone who has already dealt with the subject of hallucinogens knows that there are such and such experiences. Not every trip is pleasant and some experiences make you want to end them immediately. But is it possible to end an LSD trip? Is it possible to help the body to break down the hallucinogen more quickly, or perhaps even help the mind to process the hallucinations better? These are some of the interesting questions we're looking at today - so stay tuned if you want to know more.

Oh dear - that can happen. When experimenting with hallucinogens, it happens again and again that a so-called bath trip puts out its feelers. A bad trip - sometimes also called a horror trip - often comes unexpectedly, but rarely for no reason. There are usually one or more decisive factors that ensure that such an experience can occur in the first place.

One important point is the often-mentioned "set and setting". This basically refers to nothing more than the mental state of the experimenter in combination with the environment in which the experiment is carried out. Because LSD has an extremely strong effect on the psyche, this also plays an equally important role in how a trip can be processed. Anyone who is already anxious or under stress before the experience begins - or even has unresolved trauma and other pronounced psychological problems - has an increased risk of being confronted with a horror trip. It is not for nothing that hallucinogens have been used for thousands of years by indigenous peoples for shamanic rituals, in which you can consciously access the subconscious and enter into a deeper connection with yourself. However, these special kind of "trips" are guided and under strict supervision, which creates an environment in which you can surrender to the experience. This leads us to the aforementioned setting, i.e. the direct environment in which the experiments take place. This includes both the location and the people who are there to accompany the trip. If you don't feel safe, this is a bad prerequisite for a positive experience with the substance.

Dose and previous experience are also important factors that must be clarified before the experience. Horror trips can often be avoided in good time through self-reflection and personal responsibility. But what if it's too late and you're already in the middle of it? Can you end a bad LSD trip just like that? How can you support yourself, your body and your mind during a bad trip?

This may sound too superficial at first, but the first thing to do is to stay calm. Both the person suffering from the bath trip and those accompanying them should do their best not to break out in fear and terror and thus make the bath trip even worse. Relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises or progressive muscle relaxation, which actively promote relaxation.

The next step is to adapt or change the environment accordingly. If you are in the middle of a club during a bathroom trip, it will be rather difficult to end or weaken the LSD trip. In these situations, the loud music, the many people and the extreme impressions often only intensify the panic that is already present. Ideally, you should therefore ensure that you create a calm, safe situation. Then:

• Talk yourself into it: no matter how bad, an LSD trip is always temporary and it helps to remind yourself of this.

• Meet basic needs: Water is important and helps the body to maintain all functions.

• Distraction: It is often helpful to mentally distract the person affected so that they do not disappear into the trip with all their senses.

• Get professional help: Depending on the severity of the trip, either a doctor, hospital or psychological support should be consulted

Let's get to the exciting points on our list: Can you just end an LSD trip, especially if it's a bathroom trip? The simple answer is no. Just as you can't make a drunk person less drunk, it's not possible to end an LSD trip. Once the substance has entered the bloodstream, there is nothing a "normal" person can do. Now it's time to sit it out.

However, with the above-mentioned remedies, you can make the experience as pleasant as possible and prevent the worst from happening. An LSD trip ends on its own after around 8-12 hours, as soon as the body has broken down enough of the active substance and the hallucinations and accompanying symptoms subside.

We now know that it is basically impossible to end an LSD trip. But is there anything you can do to end an LSD trip more quickly? Unfortunately, we have to disappoint you here too: The substance is mainly broken down by the liver and is determined by the body's metabolic processes. These processes cannot be accelerated so easily. However, measures such as exercise can help to make the time pass more quickly. Light snacks can also have a supportive effect and basically help the body to carry out the detoxification functions.

The main thing you can do in the case of a bathroom trip is to create a calm environment and give the body the time it needs to deal with the substance itself. There are also a few things that should be avoided at all costs, as they not only do not end the LSD trip, but can even prolong it:

• Caffeine: Although the stimulating effect speeds up the metabolism, it does not speed up the breakdown process via the liver. In addition, there is a risk of increasing anxiety, as the heartbeat is accelerated. As with people with anxiety disorders, coffee and energy drinks are not a particularly good idea here.

• Isolation: Isolating yourself completely can mean that you can no longer maintain contact with reality and become lost in a bathing trip. This not only worsens the subjective experience, but also potentially endangers your own health.

• Conflicts: A bathing trip is not the right time to argue with other people or even just to be in the vicinity of people who are arguing. Peace and quiet and a stress-free environment are important and conflicts should be avoided.

• Other substances: Worth mentioning, of course. Under no circumstances should other substances be taken, neither additional LSD nor supposedly "helping" or "counteracting" substances. Cannabis, for example, has a fundamentally calming effect, but intensifies the effects of LSD and MDMA and makes the experience more intense.

We can only repeat once again: it is not possible to end an LSD trip just like that and any attempt can have the opposite effect. It is therefore advisable to do as little additional self-experimentation as possible and instead to take care of the person concerned with positive conversations, shallow distractions (such as painting), calming music and good company.

This time we have semi-positive news. It is basically possible to sleep on LSD to sleep. It may not be easy, but it can work and it is definitely not impossible. This is not a way to end the LSD trip, but if you have the opportunity to sleep, it can be a good way to give your body the time it needs without directly experiencing the effects of the trip. The most important thing here is to create a calm environment without stress. A bathroom trip in particular is of course even more of a challenge, as it usually involves strong restlessness and even panic. This naturally makes it more difficult to fall asleep. However, a few basic things can help to initiate the process of falling asleep.

Warmth in the form of blankets, pillows or even a warm shower help the body to feel comfortable and convey a sense of security.

Sounds of nature can also make the body more willing to get some sleep. Birdsong, for example, has a proven and noticeable relaxing effect - it is thought that this dates back to our cave-dwelling days: Birdsong stops when danger in the form of a predator is imminent. Singing birds could therefore be automatically interpreted by the nervous system as "safety".

Havingtrusted people in the same room can also help you to relax to the point where your body falls asleep. Even without soothing conversations, the presence gives a feeling of not being alone.

If the LSD trip is particularly strong and professional help is needed, a hospital may be the right place to go. This is pretty much the only way to end an LSD trip without simply waiting. The specialists here use various medications to counteract a bad trip.

In the hospital, medical professionals can use different approaches and medications to treat the symptoms of an LSD trip and calm the patient down. Here are some of the common methods:

Benzodiazepines are the most commonly used drugs to relieve the symptoms of an LSD trip. They have a calming and anxiolytic effect and can reduce the intensity of the experience.

• Diazepam (Valium) or lorazepam (Ativan): These medications are commonly used to relieve acute anxiety and panic. They help to calm the patient and allow them to relax.

Midazolam (Versed): Another benzodiazepine that is known for its fast action and can be used when needed.

In some cases, antipsychotics may be used - especially if the patient has severe hallucinations or delusions that cannot be controlled by benzodiazepines.

• Haloperidol (Haldol): Sometimes used to control psychotic symptoms. However, it should be used with caution as it can have severe side effects.

• Risperidone (Risperdal) or olanzapine (Zyprexa): Atypical antipsychotics that are sometimes preferred because they have less severe side effects than older antipsychotics.

However, under no circumstances should these methods be used for self-medication. Medication should always be administered under observation of the patient's vital functions and under the supervision of specialist staff who are aware of the side effects and interactions.

In rare cases, it can happen that an LSD trip does not subside even after 8-12 hours or ends in a dreaded prolonged trip. In this case, it is no longer just a matter of ending the LSD trip, but a serious health condition that must be treated immediately under medical and psychological care.

It is possible that it is simply a prolonged trip, but in serious cases it can also be psychosis or HPPD. In this case, even after the LSD trip has long since ended, the hallucinogenic states unfortunately do not subside or continue to occur at regular intervals in the form of afterimages, anxiety and restlessness. This has a massive negative impact on the daily lives of those affected, severely restricting their quality of life, and they should seek psychological treatment immediately. It is strongly advised not to accept these conditions

• or to ignore these conditions

• and taking other substances.

At this point, it should also be mentioned that although LSD is often hyped as a recreational drug and is now also used in psychotherapy, it is still a powerful hallucinogen that can cause serious and permanent damage to the body and mind if used improperly.

An LSD trip requires preparation, self-reflection and self-control, both beforehand and afterwards. Anyone who is not aware of the responsibility that must be assumed at this point runs the risk of having the above experiences.

Anyone who has experienced a bath trip on their own body (or had to) can confirm this: You're smarter afterwards. This experience cannot always be prevented, even with perfect preparation and the right set and setting, such incidents can occur. You should definitely be aware of this before you start your self-experiments - at the end of the day, everyone is responsible for themselves and their own health. However, as it is not easy to simply end an LSD trip, this should hopefully be enough motivation to make the necessary preparations.

Have you ever had a bad trip? If so, what was your experience like? If you want more information on everything to do with LSD, hallucinogens and other psychoactive substances, take a look at our other posts. From MDMA to lucid dreaming there's nothing we haven't covered yet. After all, our mission at MODERNmind is to educate people and make the taboo subject of LSD more accessible to society again. For all the risks that these self-experiments entail, they also offer something very special: the opportunity to discover more about yourself. The key: responsibility.