Trippin’ in Summer: A Friendly PSA
Photo by Muhammad Daudy on Unsplash
Written by: SAVANNAH BLAKE
With summer in full swing you may be planning your next great adventure. It’s that time of year when all you want to do is be outside, under the sun, engulfed in nature. You want to be a part of it— one with it, you might say. And what better way to commune with Mother then to get down on the purple passion for roughly six to eight hours?
The last time I took more than a micro-dose of mushrooms I got greedy. I was in Big Bear California with a group of friends. While I was tripping we went on a hike then settled into the shoreline of the lake. By the time I was coming down we were back at our Airbnb and I was surrounded by friends laughing and joying each others company. The next day when I decided I’d like more of that joyful feeling I took several more caps and stems. I walked away from the jar sitting on the kitchen table several times before going back and sticking my grubby little hand in for a second time. A mistake.
At a certain point that night I got extremely emotional. An overwhelming sadness enveloped me as I did all I could do, lay down in a dark bedroom in the fertile position- and sob. I wasn’t crying over anything specific, but everything in existence. Eventually the crying turned to nausea and before I knew it I was running up the stairs to the only free bathroom. Outside it’s door two of my friends were already passed out from drinking too much and eating too little. And my fate was about to be the same. I was practically exorcised in that bathroom; physically and spiritually purged. Everything forced out of me, rendering me completely ungrounded and disoriented in my own mind and body.
See, magic mushrooms may be found in nature, but that doesn’t mean they should be taken without thought. Death by psilocybin may be rare, but there are still risks involved if you are not dosing properly. Typical signs of psychedelic mushroom overdose include:
Agitation
Anxiety and panic attacks
Vomiting and diarrhea
Agitation
Panic and paranoia
Psychosis
Seizures
Coma
Any combination of these things in varying degrees can put a stop to a good time in the blink of an eye and none of us wants to be that friend. With temperatures outside rising every day it is even more essential for us to always monitor our nervous-systems but especially while partaking mind-altering substances. So if you’re planning on taking a trip, be responsible. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, using proper dosing methods (while you consider what you’ve had to eat and drink), and staying hydrated. And don’t forget the sunscreen!
Taking psychedelics during the heat of summer can be extremely enjoyable and enlightening, but if not thought through can end badly. Show your body and mind some love by taking the extra steps to ensure your comfort and safety.
