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Frequently Asked Questions

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What does the term psychedelic mean?

Psychoactive drugs such as mescaline, LSD and psilocybin were initially referred to as psychotomimetics, referring to a drug that produces symptoms mimicking psychosis, including delusions and/or delirium. At a later date, Psychiatrist Dr. Osmond Humphrey coined the term psychedelic to indicate a drug that ‘reveals the soul’ (ref). The term psychedelic also means ‘mind-manifesting’ and is inclusive of drugs that occasion experiences that profoundly change perception, thoughts, one’s sense of self and an increased awareness of mental processes (ref). The word ‘empathogen’ is often used to describe drugs such as MDMA, that induce feelings of empathy, connectedness, benevolence, along with a sense of belonging and acceptance.

What are psychedelic drugs?

Psychedelic drugs are serotonergic hallucinogens and when taken at sufficient dosages, reliably produce non-ordinary states of consciousness that radically shift a person’s perception, mood and cognitive processes (ref). Drugs such lysergic acid, psilocybin, MDMA, mescaline, peyote, ibogaine, ketamine, DMT, and Ayahuasca are often categorized as psychedelics. Psychedelics are thought of as a catalyst for change to be used with integrative practices such as self-reflection, journaling and or counselling to make sense of the experience and foster personal growth. Psychedelics are currently being studied for the treatment of depression, anxiety, end of life anxiety, post-traumatic stress, addiction and pain to name a few.

What is the psychedelic experience like?

Often each psychedelic experience is unique from person to person and from trip to trip. However, there are several key characteristics that describe the phenomenology of a classic psychedelic experience (ref).

Journeyer’s may report feeling a:

Sense of unity and connectedness
Sense of sacredness
Transcendence of time and space
Objectivity and reality
Has a noetic quality
Deeply felt positive mood
Professed ineffability
Paradoxicality
Transience
Subsequent positive changes in attitude and behavior.

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When should I consider taking psychedelics?

You are curious about:

Experiencing other states of consciousness.
Finding new paths to improve well-being.
Exploring purported enhancements to mental flexibility or creativity.
Improving self-acceptance.
Finding new perspectives on personal issues.
Feeling more connected.
Expanding personal growth opportunities.

You are exploring other options to manage:

Depression and Anxiety
Post-traumatic stress disorder
End of life anxiety
Substance abuse and addiction disorders
Cluster headaches and chronic pain
Obsessive-compulsive disorder

How do I create a safer experience?

Psychedelics can be used safely and can occasion insightful and beneficial experiences. In order to reduce potential harm and facilitate a safer experience please review the following:

Check if you have any medical or psychiatric vulnerabilities.
Know your drug, the dose, tend to the set and setting, get a sitter, develop an intention and integrate the experience afterwards.
Different doses produce different effects and are unique for each person. Start low and go slow.
Consider getting trusted and compatible trip sitter to stay beside you to offer support and reassurance. If you are travelling solo, tell someone about your plans before you leave.
Reverence and careful planning reduce risk. Take care to plan each part of the journey: before, during and after.
Being too casual or mixing alcohol, cannabis, stimulants or other drugs with psychedelics increases the likelihood of a difficult experience.
Psychedelics can lead to changes in belief systems, worldviews, personality and values. Avoid big life changes such as switching jobs, changing your education path, intervening in a relationship (unless you are at risk of harm), or other things of this nature immediately after your journey.

I have been asked to be a sitter. What should I do?

The primary role of the sitter is to maintain the safety and comfort of the journeyer while respecting the previously agreed upon boundaries set in the non-psychedelic space. Because the journeyer cannot not provide valid consent during the experience, any assistance provided during the journey would need to be outlined prior to the journey. Assistance may include hand-holding, talking a journeyer through a particular aspect of their journey, providing grounding techniques or adjustments to the physical environment to enhance the journeyer’s experience. Sitter’s may also provide important reminders to the journeyer such as reassurance of safety, their intentions or calming mantras and serve as a voice of calm, compassionate clarity. For more information, please refer to our Sitter Guidebook.

What are the common side-effects during and after taking psychedelics?

Common transient side-effects during the psychedelic experience may include gastro-intestinal upset, transient anxiety or fear, reduced decision making ability and reduced movement coordination. Most journeyer’s experience a mild transient increase in heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature (ref) during a journey. After a journey, some people report a headache, emotional sensitivity and fatigue that may last for 1-2 days. Rare and more serious side-effects that may occur during the experience is serotonin syndrome (ref) and after the experience is Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (ref). Some people relive personal traumas which can be very destabilizing and therefore it is recommended to connect with your primary healthcare provider to help process and work through these experiences safely and skillfully.

When should I consider avoiding psychedelic use?

You are under the age of 19.
You are pregnant, nursing or trying to conceive.
You have uncontrolled high blood pressure.
You have an uncontrolled heart condition.
You have had a recent surgery or recovering from a significant physical injury.
You want to rebel against, escape or avoid some given situation.
You have active or recently active suicidality.
You have a family history of Schizophrenia
You have Schizophrenia or Borderline Personality Disorder
You have an unstable mental illness such as bipolar disorder or psychosis
You have an uncontrolled eating disorder.
You have uncontrolled anger issues.
You have a history of long-term use of chronic tricyclic antidepressants and or lithium
You have not tapered from your antidepressant medications.
You are taking other serotonergic medications.
You have recently gone through significant life changes and have an unstable living situation.

I am taking an antidepressant or other medications to manage my mental health. What should I do?

Medications for the management of common mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety may blunt/attenuate or potentiate/amplify the psychedelic experience. In rare cases, taking a psychedelic with medications like these increases the risk of serotonin syndrome. Therefore, it is suggested that people taking these medications consult with their primary healthcare provider to see if psychedelics are right for them. If they are, work with your healthcare provider and develop a plan to slowly and skillfully taper from medications two to six weeks prior to the journey depending on the medication. Have this discussion with your primary health provider to make an informed decision on how to proceed.

To learn more about medications click here

What is a ‘bad trip’?

The primary concern with psychedelic use is referred to as ‘bad trip.’ A bad trip can be characterized as experiencing intense fear or grief, an experience of rebirth or death, reliving personal trauma, feelings of insanity, isolation, physical distress and paranoia (ref). Journeyer’s may experience anxiety, panic, and depersonalization when going through different aspects of the journey (ref, ref). It appears when journeyer’s do not tend to the set and setting (ref) or have higher levels of trait neuroticism are more likely to have a bad trip (ref).

Noteworthy, in those who have a ‘bad trip’, up to 84% report having still positively benefited from the experience (ref, ref). Categorically these ‘bad trips’ are often reframed as ‘difficult’ or ‘challenging’ experiences that have potential to lead to changes in well-being with the aid of integrative practices. Regardless if someone has had a difficult experience or not, experts recommend to process the event through integrative practices such as self-reflection, journaling and or counselling. For more information on integration, please refer to our Integration Guidebook.

Are psychedelic drugs addictive?

Psychedelics have a low toxicity potential and do not typically result in symptoms of withdrawal. While any drug can be abused, many psychedelics are generally considered physiologically safe and unlikely to cause biological or chemical dependence or addiction (ref). Noteworthy, there is additional emerging research looking at the potential of psychedelics to treat addiction disorders such as smoking (ref) and alcohol dependence (ref). Dependence can, however, occur with any substance and can be commonly associated with habituated behaviours or routines.

Are psychedelics legal?

At the current moment, in North America and most countries around the world, psychedelics are Schedule I substances, making them illegal to possess, sell, or use. Schedule I drugs are substances or chemicals that are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Psychedelics drugs can be accessed legally through special access programs and FDA-funded research.

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