Tripsitters are worth their weight in gold. They’re the Mum Friend who doesn’t partake and looks after their friends during substance-based adventures. We recommend you have a tripsitter with you when you’re taking substances, especially if it’s your first time with a particular substance and aren’t sure how it’ll go.
People normally have tripsitters when they’re taking psychedelics like LSD or mushrooms because they can take you into some dark or intense places unexpectedly. Folk also have tripsitters when they take substances that…uh… increase “social tendencies” because it’s hard to see red flags with rose-tinted glasses on. Sometimes throwing your clothes to the wind along with your inhibitions can lead to a regret-filled morning.
If you’re tripsitting for the first time we’ve put a lil’ guide together for you.
Basics
If you’re tripsitting, you’re the one who’s in touch with reality, so you’re in charge of reality until your friends get back to baseline (no pressure).
Meat suit maintenance
Your friends’ bodies still need tending while they’re altering their consciousnesses, which they might forget.
Food and hydration
Appetite can be difficult while people are tripping. Nobody wants to sit down to a meal that has a multitude of unusual colours and/or won’t stop moving. Having snacks people can nibble on without being overwhelmed or feeling like they’re weighed down in their belly is a good way to keep people fed.
In saying that, if your friends are in a state where their senses are heightened, some flavours can be intense while under the influence. Having your entire world taken over by salt n vinegar can be quite confronting, even if it’s only for a moment.
It’s also worthwhile to think about texture when selecting snacks. A mouthful of dry, chalky, sticky snacks is pretty likely to immediately turn them off eating anything further.
Hydration is another thing to keep in mind. Serotonergic drugs like MDMA, drugs in the 2C family, and to a lesser extent LSD, psilocybin, and DMT interrupt the hormone feedback loops that tell you that you need to pee. We talked about it in our MDMA, hormones, and why you want salty snacks so badly when you’re high blog post.
Reminding your friends to have a drink every DJ set or every hour will help keep their hydration levels up without tipping over into a risk of hyponatremia.
Weather
This summer is (so far) turning out to be more of a summer than last year’s mudfest, so keeping sun smart is super important. Aotearoa’s got a ferocious UV index and burn times can be under 10 minutes, depending on where you are. Convincing people under the influence to wear clothes if they don’t want to can be difficult, but the hat, sunblock, and sunglasses combo is something you can talk them into.
In saying that, we all know that the weather in Aotearoa can turn in a heartbeat, so keeping a warm and/or waterproof layer within reach is always a good idea.
Rest
Adventures can be quite physically demanding, whether you’re dancing or going for a wander, you’re going to want to catch your breath at some point. Chill spaces at festivals or parties are great for moments like these as they’re generally quiet, sheltered, and have comfy things to sit on. If you’re out and about, public places like parks or play areas are good, although finding shady spots out of the sun can be a challenge.
Playtime
Being a tripsitter can actually be quite fun. Not only do you get to watch your friends be completely delightful goofballs, but if you’re willing, you can plan little things for them to do and make the day a bit more memorable.
Going out
There’s a few things to keep in mind if you’re going to head out into the world on an adventure while your friends are in an altered state.
The tripsitter’s backpack
If you’re leaving home base, your backpack is your friend. Not only does it give you somewhere to put the things your friends find if they’re in goblin mode and don’t have pockets to put their new treasures in, but it also means you can bring things you might need, such as:
- Sunblock
- Bug spray
- Lip balm
- Warm/rainproof layers
- Snacks
- Drinks
- Phones
- First aid kit (including antihistamines)
- Writing or colouring materials
- Picnic blanket
Stay with the party, no side quests
If you head away from home base, keeping everyone together is the most important thing you can do.
This can be a little like herding cats, but this is the single best way to make sure nobody gets hurt or has an unexpected experience. Someone under the influence can be more trusting than usual, or less likely to believe in things like gravity and the limits of their own physical form. Making sure nobody goes off on their own side quest means that they’re not going to fall off something or get stuck somewhere or accidentally arrested.
Nature walks
Going for a wander in nature and hanging out in open spaces can be a really lovely experience. Getting out into the trees or down to the water is good for everyone’s soul, whether they’ve had substances or not. Just keep in mind that swimming under the influence probably isn’t a good idea if the water is deep, fast, or unpredictable. Paddling up to about shin depth is probably fine though, so long as nobody falls over.
Playgrounds
We could get into the psychological weeds about people indulging their inner child or whatever, but when it comes down to it, swings, jungle gyms, flying foxes, and roundabouts are awesome fun. Most of them will still fit a grownup, too, and have the squishy kind of matting to land on in case you fall off.
BUT
We are going to point out that playgrounds are only appropriate for grownups on substances when there aren’t any children around. We don’t want you getting put on any kind of watch list, ok?
Art galleries, zoos, museums, and places where other people are
These can be fascinating places and a great way to spend an afternoon even when you’re not on an adventure.
HOWEVER.
They do have the added risk of dealing with the general public, and the general public aren’t something that you can control. The general public can also include cops, security, people from work, an ex, or incredibly conservative family members and other people your friends might not want to interact with while they’re exploring their inner world.
If you are going to take your friends on a side quest to a place with the general public, make sure you organise a signal before your friends take their substances so you can run interference and head off any potential distress or legal trouble.
Staying home
Home can be more predictable than heading out for an adventure. You know where everything is and the likelihood of anything unexpected or unpleasant happening is reduced significantly.
Arts and crafts
If you’ve got space for it, putting on some mellow music and letting your friends loose with colouring pencils or paints or playdoh can be super fun. Just make sure you put a sheet or something down first if you’re using paints in case there’s spillage. Also things like making bubble wands out of wire and dish soap are an easy way to keep people entertained with the added bonus of bubbles. Because bubbles.
Games
Treasure hunts, pass the parcel, twister, and all those kids’ games that you probably gave up as being lame ages ago can be hilarious for people who are under the influence. We would recommend against anything that involves blindfolds though because not being able to see can be quite scary if you’ve had psychedelics.
No, that’s not funny
Trolling your friends when they’re not under the influence can be a mark of deep, abiding love and acceptance, depending on the relationship you have with them.
Trolling your friends when their grip on reality is a bit tenuous and they’re potentially feeling vulnerable isn’t nice. Save the practical jokes for when they’ve come down and won’t be scarred for life by hearing that horrifying space monkeys are currently hiding under their bed waiting to grab their ankles or they’re eating invertebrates instead of delicious Chinese takeout.
Emergencies
Sometimes playtime can go sideways. Your friends are in a vulnerable state, and may need your help. This is where the mama bear side of the mum friend comes out.
Creepers
We’ve touched on this in our Sex, Drugs, and Consent – KnowYourYes blog, but we’re going to say it again. People under the influence of any substance may be vulnerable, and unfortunately bad people know this and sometimes exploit it.
Creepers don’t hang out in dark alleys wearing trenchcoats waiting to pounce. Most are friendly-seeming people that will isolate someone from their friends, get them alone, and hurt them. This can be particularly easy to do if someone’s had a serotonergic drug like MDMA, where everyone’s your friend and everything that touches your skin feels wonderful.
If you see anyone being sketchy and they refuse your polite requests to gtfo and leave your friends alone, don’t be afraid to make a scene. Call the bouncer. Call security. Yell things. The louder the better. Anyone around is going to be more concerned with protecting a vulnerable person or group of people from a sex offender than some people who have taken a lil’ something and are trying to have fun while minding their own business.
Yes, your friends are on drugs, but that doesn’t matter and security won’t care. This person is being predatory or making people uncomfortable. Security will be pleased to get rid of them so everyone else in the venue can have a safe and happy night.
Anxiety, panic attacks, and beating the spiral
Some substances are more likely to increase anxiety and overwhelm. Psychedelics in particular can bring up anything that you’ve been avoiding thinking about, or hadn’t realised you were upset about, which is why they’re used as a therapeutic device.
This is all fine, as long as you’re taking these substances with the aim of diving into your inner psyche and doing some mental spring cleaning. If it isn’t, it can bring on severe anxiety and panic attacks.
If someone you’re tripsitting for starts having a confronting time, you’ll be the one to hold space for them while they work through whatever it is they’re going through.
What anxiety looks like from the outside
Anxiety is the body’s fight-flight-or-freeze response kicking in, and this displays differently for different people. There are some common symptoms that everyone displays to a varying degree though. These are:
- Unsteady or rapid, shallow breathing
- Tensing muscles, particularly shoulders and neck
- Fidgeting with objects
- If they’re neurospicy, their stimming might increase or get more intense
- Movement changes – Either they’re unable to sit still and have to get up and pace, or they’re unable to move and withdraw into themselves completely.
- Speech pattern changes – Either talking very fast or going non-verbal
- Nausea
Panic attacks
Substance-related panic attacks happen when the anxiety builds to a head and needs to be let out. All of the person’s adrenaline is telling their body to do something and get out of the threatening situation, so it does. Again, these are all different depending on the human having them, but common symptoms are
- Trembling or shaking
- Sweating
- Running away and/or hiding
- Uncontrollable crying
- Losing their temper and lashing out
Bringing your friends back to baseline
If someone you’re tripsitting for starts getting anxious, you can rein it in and prevent things from spiraling into a full panic attack.
- Take them somewhere quiet. Noise and lights can be confronting and make things worse
- Give them water to drink – it’ll give them something to focus on and swallowing helps regulate their breathing
- If the anxiety’s caused by a particular person, see if you can get that person to leave
- Give them the space they need to feel their feels and let the anxiety subside.
Grounding techniques are great to bring your friends back to themselves if they start to spiral. Here are some of our favourites:
Box breathing
Five senses
In closing
Tripsitters around the world, we salute you ❤️❤️❤️