Psychedelic Harm Reduction Guide

1: Buy a test kit. Only ~$2 per test. http://www.amazon.com/NIK-Drug-Test-Kit-LSD/dp/B002ATUECS/
Getting the right source is the #1 issue with LSD.

2: Tell at least one friend that you appreciate them, and you would feel very comforted if they read/follow the instructions in the trip sitter preparation section on tripsafe. Ask them if they'd be happy to tripsit. Especially important if you're inexperienced or trying a new dosage level for the first time (1.5 tabs is not the same as 1 tab!).

3: Be aware of dosage. Also, different sources for LSD can have very different strengths! Especially take note if you're used to getting street LSD and then you switch to dark net market LSD. The dark net tabs tend to be much higher quality.

Should I smoke weed while tripping?
If you need to ask this question, probably not — it can make it much more intense.
At least, try and wait until the tail end of the trip, rather than smoking during the peak.

DOSAGE

Shrooms
If possible, try and identify what variety of shrooms you are taking.
Different mushrooms have different potencies.

• Threshold: 0.25 g; 1/100oz
• Light: .25 - 1 g; 1/100-1/28oz
• Common: 1 - 2.5 g; 1/28-1/10oz
• Strong: 2.5 - 5 g; 1/10-1/6oz
• Heavy: 5 + g; 1/6oz+

LSD

• Threshold: 20μg
• Light: 25-75μg
• Common: 50-150μg
• Strong: 150-400μg
• Heavy: 400μg+

PSYCHEDELIC DOSAGE IS NOT WEIGHT DEPENDENT.
Don't use 5g or 300μg on your first time because you weigh more than your friends. Seriously.

MY FRIEND IS HAVING A ROUGH TRIP??
The purpose of sitting with someone in crisis is not to reduce effects but to create and maintain a safe place where the individual can play out the process without coming into contact with themselves or others.

Everything is Fine with Me: Make it clear that the whole world may be falling apart for them, but everything is OK with you.

Also, if you're having a bad trip, know you won't die! Things can seem much worse during the trip. Afterwards, they will realise, of course I/they weren't going to die, but during the trip some aspects of reality can disappear, so remember to be reassuring.

Though if they didn't ask if they are going to die, don't go saying, “Don't worry, you're not going to die”... That won't be very helpful! Instead, remember, make it clear that no matter what is going on with them, everything is OK with you, you aren't scared for them, etc. If you're really scared for them and show it, they will likely get unnecessarily worried.
If someone seems to be having a hard time, gently ask them if they would like someone to sit with them. If it seems disturbing to them to have someone sitting with them, have someone nearby keep an eye on them unobtrusively.
Relate to them in the space they are in. Oftentimes, the thing which isolates people and creates a sense of paranoia or loss is that they are so far out of normal awareness that people are trying hard to ground them. Start off instead by trying to just be there for them. Try to see the world through their eyes.

What different ways can you change setting (noise level, temperature, outside vs. inside, etc.)? A party/rave/concert setting can aggravate a person's state of mind. Consider finding the quietest place if it seems like it will help (taking cues from the experiencer), and ask people to not crowd around. Reassure them the situation is under control, noting those who offer help in case help is needed later. Another example of changing the setting may be turning the lights on/off.

How can you minimise risk of emotional or physical harm? Remember your concern for how the person is feeling, not concern for the situation (as in "oh my gawd, we've got to do something.")

Paranoia: If the person doesn't want anyone near them, hang back, turn so you aren't staring at them, but keep an eye on them as discretely as possible. Think about what it would feel like to be in a paranoid state, having some stranger (whether you are or not) follow you around and watch you.

What objects/activities/distractions might help the person get through a difficult space (toys, animals, music, etc.)?
No Pressure: Just be with them. Unless there is risk of bodily injury, just make it clear you are there for them if they need anything. Touch. Touch can be very powerful, but it can also be quite violating. In general, don't touch them unless they say its OK or they touch you first. If it seems like they might need a hug, ask them. If they are beyond verbal communication, try to be very sensitive to any negative reaction to touch. Try to avoid getting pulled into any sexual contact. Often, holding hands is a very effective and non-threatening way to let someone know you are there if they need you.

Intensity can come in cycles or waves. It also can work as a system — a movement through transpersonal spaces which can have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Don't try to push too hard to move it.

Not Forever: If they are connected enough to worry about their sanity, assure them that the state is due to a psychoactive and they will return to their 'home' state of mind in time.

Normal Drug-Induced: Tell them they are experiencing the acute effects of a psychoactive (if you know what, tell them) and tell them that it is normal (although uncommon) to go through spiritual crises and they (like thousands before them) will be fine if they relax and let the substance run its course.

Breathing: breathe with them. If they are connected enough to be present for assistance, get them to join you in deep, long, full breaths. If they're amenable to it, or really far out and freaking, putting a hand on their belly and saying, "breath from down here", "just keep breathing, you 'got it", can help.

Relaxing: It can be very very hard to relax in the middle of dying or being pulled apart by demons, but tell them that you are there to make sure nothing happens to their physical body. One of the most important things during really difficult internal processes is to learn to be OK with them happening, to 'relax' one's attempt to stop the experience and just let it happen.

Getting Meditative: Gently suggesting they try to close their eyes and focus inward can sometimes change the course of their experience. Bare feet on the ground: One of the most grounding thing to do is to take off shoes and socks and get your feet directly on the hard ground. Be careful of doing this in toe-dangerous surroundings.

Eye contact: If the person is not acting paranoid and fearful of you, make sure to include a lot of eye contact. Everything is Fine with Me: Make it clear that the whole world may be falling apart for them, but everything is OK with you. Healthy process: Crises are a normal part of the human psychological process and one way to engage them is as a process of healing, not a 'problem' to be fixed.

If you have a blanket: The most comforting thing that some people reported helped them during the most acute experiences is having a blanked wrapped around them.

Other general tips:

Just go with it! Make it clear to the tripper beforehand that if they want you to switch out of "sitter" mode and into playful/friend mode, you're happy to at any point.

If the person plans to think, get writing utensils available to them in any position they are in. While peaking, it will tend to require far too much energy for the tripper to ask for a pen and paper. Seriously -- if you ask them "need anything?" they'll probably respond with "nope" because they're trying to work out how to get the energy to tel you that they want paper and pen. At best they might be able to wave their hand around to indicate a pen. It can be hard to understate how difficult it can be for the tripper to communicate to the sitter during the peak period :)
Sitter needs to have tons of patience - full day free, no phone calls needed etc

Have a watch to check the time so that you don't need to check your phone Isolate the tripper from unnecessary problems -- like phone calls (turn off vibrate) or knocks at the door, but don't be weird or secretive about it. Trippers are pretty good at sensing small details so if you try and hide something they might worry :)

Reassure the tripper before you start that you will take full care of yourself -- and that you are happy to wait the entire time (say 16-24 hrs at most with LSD, likely 12-14 depending on dosage) with them. This is important so that they don't worry that you're dissatisfied or uncomfortable -- remember, they likely won't be able to communicate and ask you "are you comfortable" so they'll just think about it in their head During their peak, try and sit mostly in one place, so have water/sunscreen/a book with you Reading a book should be fine

If it's a place with windows where others can see in, you (the sitter) sitting outside or by the windows can be nice, a tripper would likely think "It's nice that they are by the window so that no one outside sees me doing crazy things inside and thinks I'm a crazy person and wants to call the police"

Don't dismiss anything they say. This applies just on the come up -- e.g. if they make a suggestion and you respond with an abrupt "nah" they may well take the negativity more than normal, and also after the peak while they are trying to communicate things to you -- just feel them and understand them, even if they things they are saying are scary to you or them, and know that you'll be in a better spot to discuss it all tomorrow.