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Bad trip

Psychedelic filmA bad trip (acute intoxication from hallucinogens — 'bad trip', drug-induced temporary psychosis, psychedelic crisis, or emergence phenomenon) is a frightening and unpleasant experience triggered by psychoactive drugs, especially psychedelic drugs such as LSD and magic mushrooms.There is a tremendous danger of confusing the inner world with the outer world, so you'll be dealing with your inner realities but at the same time you are not even aware of what's happening, You perceive a sort of distortion of the world out there. So you can end up in a situation where you're weakening the resistances, your conscious is becoming more aware, but you're not really in touch with it properly, you're not really fully experiencing what's there, not seeing it for what it is. You get kind of deluded and caught into this. A bad trip (acute intoxication from hallucinogens — 'bad trip', drug-induced temporary psychosis, psychedelic crisis, or emergence phenomenon) is a frightening and unpleasant experience triggered by psychoactive drugs, especially psychedelic drugs such as LSD and magic mushrooms. The features of a bad trip can range from feelings of mild anxiety and alienation to profoundly abject terror, ultimate entrapment, or complete loss of self-identity. Psychedelic specialists in the therapeutic community do not necessarily consider unpleasant experiences as threatening or negative, instead focusing on their potential to greatly benefit the user when properly resolved. Bad trips can be exacerbated by the inexperience or irresponsibility of the user or the lack of proper preparation and environment for the trip, and are reflective of unresolved psychological tensions triggered during the course of the experience. It is suggested that, at a minimum, such crises be managed by preventing the individual from harming oneself or others by whatever means necessary up to and including physical restraint, providing the patient with a safe and comfortable space, and supervising the intake until all effects of the drug have completely worn off. A multitude of reactions can occur during a psychedelic crisis. Some users may experience a general sense of fear, panic, or anxiety. A user may be overwhelmed with the disconnection many psychedelics cause, and fear that they are going insane or will never return to reality. The fear that is felt during a bad trip has a psychotic character, coming as it does from within the mind of the tripper and not from the external environment. For example, during Albert Hoffman's first acid trip, he hallucinated that his neighbour had turned into a malignant demon, when in fact she was only a friendly woman trying to help him. A person having a bad trip might try to harm themselves or others around them. They may experience suicidal ideation, or make full-blown suicide attempts. Because of the magnification of emotions they induce, many psychedelics could possibly cause thoughts of death and intensely adverse reactions in some users. Users can believe that their death is imminent or that the very universe itself is collapsing. Rapid 'aging' of other people may be observed by the user, perpetuating the aforementioned fears to an even greater degree. Some users may experience disorientation. The normal views of time, space, and person can be substantially altered, causing fear. Some can worsen their condition by trying to fight the psychedelic experience after embarkment. There can be illusions of insects crawling over or into one's self, or of being in dirty places such as sewers. Some users may experience a feeling of losing control of their minds due to persistent racing thoughts.

[ "Pharmacology", "Psychiatry" ]
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