MindBodyLove Portal

This will be developed into a FAQ for dealing with crisis situations involving psychoactive substance use.

The Varieties of the Psychedelic Crisis

Different substances have different effects and variances of these effects will occur in different people.

It is important to know how long certain drugs may last and what certain interactions may be when drugs are mixed.

Most Common Issues

• Psychological issues
• Emotional issues
• Physical symptoms
• Spiritual Emergencies
• Past traumas

These may go beyond one’s capacity of understanding or current worldview and can be quite shattering.

Supporting Someone through a Psychedelic Crisis

Reassure them and assist them in feeling safe

• This experience was brought on through the ingestion of a substance
• This will pass, it is a process
• This is an experience other people have had
• There is support available

Response-ability

• Once you decide to engage in the process or assist, be prepared to follow through
• Pay attention to your own process
• Evaluate your role, if you you don’t know what to do, find someone who does
• or acknowledge that you don’t know what to do and make an effort to support in whatever way you can (just be present)

Post-experience Grounding Techniques

• Movement, stretching, dancing
• Light massage, Reiki or other simple bodywork
• Art
• Journal or creative writing
• Breathwork
• Making music, singing, chanting
• Meditation

Re-integration and Follow-up

• Post experience dialogue
• Encourage writing or creating art/music either for themselves or to share with others and as an aid in reflection and reconsolidation of learned experience
• Provide resources for information and venues for further communication and feedback

Supporting Team Members

• Process time for facilitators
• Peer-counseling
• Re-integration
• Checking in
• Being attuned to eachother, keeping grounded
• Feedback forum