Making "bad trips" good: How users of psychedelics narratively transform challenging trips into valuable experiences.
The International journal on drug policy January 1, 2021 Liridona Gashi, Sveinung Sandberg, Willy Pedersen 170 citations
Bad trips—frightening experiences of losing oneself or going crazy—are common among users of psychedelics. Based on interviews with 50 Norwegian users, most described such episodes but said they could be avoided by following rules based on tacit subcultural knowledge. This knowledge served as symbolic boundary work distinguishing insiders from outsiders. Some rejected the term bad trip entirely, arguing the experience reflected a lack of competence. Crucially, most participants said these unpleasant experiences had been beneficial, sometimes yielding deep existential and life-altering insights. Storytelling transforms bad trips into valuable experiences, serving as a coping mechanism that helps users make sense of frightening episodes and integrate them into their life stories, enabling continued psychedelic use.