Hello! Sometimes, a trip might go so bad that you want it to end. And when I say, "so bad", I don't mean you get scared or it's a rough ride, or think you might be insane. Those are common. I mean, the trip might be so bad that you are a step away from literally calling an ambulance, or the police on yourself, or actually about to hurt yourself, or maybe even kill yourself because you want the trip to end so bad. Or, other times, something might arise during a trip and you want or need to make yourself baseline. Some people get so freaked out on psychedelics that they end up calling an ambulance, or police on themselves, unnecessarily. You don't need that, and the police don't need that. There are some medications that can stop the psychedelic effects. I thought we should discuss trip abortion methods.

The target of trip abortions will usually be ayahuasca, or pharmahuasca. The intensity of a smoked trip will probably wear off by the time your trip abortion method kicks in.

My first thought was the class of drugs known as benzodenziades (GABA agonists). However, I was told that maois are contraindicated for benzo drugs. However, after googling, I did not find that RIMA's and benzos are contraindicated. I did read, anecdotally that some benzos do have more of a reaction with maoi's, than other benzos, causing a more sedative effect. I read that clonazepam reacts more negatively with maois, while trazadone works well. Does anyone know for certain if benzodenziades are in fact contraindicated with RIMA's, and why they are contraindicated?

Also, please list other trip abortion methods you may know of and/or use.

This post will be updated as more responses come in.

I remember hearing they used thorazine (an old style "typical" antipsychotic medication) to stop LSD trips back in the 1960's. I'm assuming some of the newer atypical neuroleptics would be effective for this purpose, but I am no pharmacologist I couldn't even begin to tell you which ones or to speculate about interactions between various substances.

here's a wiki on em anyway might have some useful info in there somewhere:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antipsychotic

I should add for safety purposes these are very powerful pharmaceutical medications and should really be administered under the guidance of a trained professional.

Excellent thread.

I don't have an answer about the interaction between benzos and MAOI's, but I've certainly used them to quell a shaky LSD trip or two. In those instances, I found 20mgs of valium to be very, very effective - not in terminating the trip altogether, but certainly in evening it out and chasing the willies away.

Yes great thread Apoc.

This thread is an example of a situation where a good trip abortion method would've come in handy: https://www.dmt-nexus.me...aspx?g=posts&t=24851

When we take the benzo method, I have a question: can you get these kind of drugs without a prescription? I don't tink you can walk in a pharmacy and ask for some valium or xanax...

When i was in amsterdam i bought a load of Hawaiian Copelandias and when the guy gave them to us, cuz we got loads, he handed me a bag with these weird gel caps... and i'll never forget his dutch accent saying "dis to neutralise de trrip" ... i had a complete ego loss that night and wish i knew that those pills existed. Wonder what was in them? Snail poop? I think I actually might still have them somewhere. I'll have a looksie...

Benzo's definitely help in shaky trip situo's by the way, but might be kinda shady mixing with random substances...

I know benzos are discouraged, but they've always helped me when I needed to come down. Never had a negative interaction here, with LSD or aya.

I would never take a benzo just because a psychedelic dose is intense. That's what meditation is for.

I think that the most difficult experiences can turn out to be the most cathartic so it's best to just ride it out, fear is part of the yin & yang/dark & light of the experience and should be faced head on rather than avoided.

I personally believe that aborting the trip with another substance should only be used as a last resort, when the person is either a threat to themselves or others. Using another substance to end the trip can potentially block the user from integrating their experience, leading it to carry over into the following days or weeks. Although the same can be said of difficult experiences in general.

Rather than benzos or antipsychotics i'd be interested in natural substances that could help smooth the experience out, such as Kava, Kratom or Valerian Root.

Yeah, the thing is, that you are kinda forced to try establishing methods to fight fear.
My last LSD experience showed me, how extreme some small environmental changes can be for instance and that it is paramount to monitor your anxiety level even while sober so you won't foget when it is time to "let go".

There is a plan to construct a section that one could visit during moments of crysis. Not sure how far ahead are we.

Valium has worked great on acid / phen trips. Doesn't completely stop the trip, just cradles you in a warm blanket until you sleep / come down. I only use them in emergencies though really...

SWIM has never used anything other than time, meditation &/or breathing execises to quell a shaky journey... but a small dose of a dissociative BEFORE hand virtually eliminates the possibility of any anxiety or some emotional torrent sweeping one away.

Now that I think about it, I do seem to remember that sugar can deflate a mushroom trip. Not sure if it works, or was an urban legend. It seemed to work for other people, though the placebo effect and suggestion can accomplish wonders on their own. If it does work, no idea how or why... or if it might work with other substances.

Obviously, vomiting won't help. Perhaps GABA could bring one down...

Can you expand a bit on that ? Dosage (compared to regular ones), which dissociatives, which combinations, etc

I am strongly opposed to using any type of pharmaceutical, prescription medication to abort a trip. This is for a number of reasons - I'll list just a few here:

1.) If I wanted a guaranteed "good ride" I would NOT consume a psychedelic. Sometimes a hellishly rough ride is part of the process, is where the REAL insight and learning takes place, is where the lasting (positive) impact is to be gained from.

2.) These benzodiazopene class of drugs are dangerously addictive. I wouldn't even take a single one for anything. There are extreme addiction cases of folks trying to go off these drugs cold turkey and literally dying I believe. To me, in my ignorance, this implies physical changes, possible difficult or impossible to reverse, are being made

3.) The anti-psychotic or neuraleptic class of drugs do NOT abort the trip content at all. They simply make the outward appearance of the tripper look more "sedate" and turn the trip contents themselves even more "sideways," in that the person is now having a difficult trip AND feeling completely and utterly "f_ _ _ed up."

4.) It is my responsibility as a consumer of psychedelic drugs to ensure that I have cleared my calendar for that entire day. To plan ahead and eliminate as many non natural distractions or interruptions as possible.



The one thing that struck me here was elru's response about how her cat died when she was shrooming. This was not personal, psychological stuff coming up in trip content. This was not an un-natural event that could have been controlled for in advance.

I know about sudden death, having someone die in front of me, the screaming/crying/keening response from personal experience. But, NOT while tripping. What if my husband died in the middle of a trip? I gotta say that is about as legit a situation I can imagine (AND it's a natural/nature based/uncontrollable interruption) for needing/wanting to abort a trip. elru - I am glad you had something you could take during that time.


So, clearly, super extreme, unplanned for situations, such as a sudden severe injury (I have been with trippers when this happened) that requires an ER visit for a cast or stitches is one. The sudden death of a loved one is another.

If these things happen to me while I trip I will not have any pills to take. I'll just have to suck it up and somehow deal until the REAL impact hits me when I baseline. For extreme situations like those I listed, if you have something to take, take it.

For the other stuff, I honestly think as long as you are not a harm to self or others, it makes a lot more sense to just try to ride it out and see if you can figure out why that happened, why you went there and what that meant once you baseline.

that must have been very sad. Klonopin. Is that another name for clonazepam?



Yes, I figured it's probably better that people attempt an abortion before hitting their head against a wall to knock themselves out.




Good question. I don't know much about these medications, so this thread will be preliminary until I can get more info. I know there are places online at least, where some of these options are available. I doubt valium is available online, but I think clonazepam is. But, there is also the option of just going to a doctor, saying you're having anxiety, and asking for medicines you've heard good things about.



I have never taken one. However, it seems there are times when a person thinks they're ready for an intense journey, thinks they'll be fine if things get intense, but it turns out when that intensity hits, it's even more powerful than they ever imagined and they can't handle it after all. It's unexpected. It's probably better at this point that a person has a way out other than contemplating harming themselves, or sending themselves to jail. Calling an ambulance on oneself is still an option if the abortion method doesn't work enough.



That's fine, and I agree. However, there will be people out who do decide they want a way out, and the trip abortion method is an option that is less drastic than other options.



I also hate mind altering prescription drugs. I think they're at least as dangerous and addictive as anything else, except maybe heroin, crack and meth. But, a one time use shouldn't be addictive or cause life threatening withdrawal. I've taken clonazepam. I didn't die.



More people seem to claim that while benzos or antipsychotics will not end a trip altogether, they will slow it down a great deal.



Agree. That is the most responsible thing we can do. But this thread was inspired by circumstances that are unforseen, or emergency situations, where taking an abortion pill is the least drastic action. There was a report where one of our members thought about knocking himself out to end the trip. If one is thinking about harming themselves, that's the time when you reach for an abortion pill. The abortion pill should be like a safety net. You don't use the net unless you fall down a cliff. Otherwise, just ride it out.

Oh, yadda yadda yadda. Quack quack quack.

I'm not going to forego anesthesia and bite on a stick during surgery, and I'm not going to pooh pooh pharmacological help when I'm cascading out of control. I have no desire to be a purist just to wear that badge of honor. I've had 100 LSD experiences - most of them ecstatically joyous and wonderful, some of them reasonably difficult and challenging, and a couple that just went wrong. Twice in those instances I've reached for the valium and was immediately glad that I did. The alternative in the moment was hurting myself or tearing ass naked down the street.

This was years ago, and anything stronger than a stiff cup of chamomile tea is no longer an option for me. I don't take anything other than psychedelics as I'm just not wired to do so in anything other than an addictive manner. But I don't forego them so I can hold myself up as some kind of tripping idealist. That to me is silly dogma from the church of the narrow minded.

Psychedelics can be rough - and when we take them, we sign on for the possibility. Yes, it is better to work your way through it and come out the other side naturally. But when a situation arises where you find yourself in utterly over your head, contemplating hurting yourself or others, or slipping into psychosis, disregard the acid gestapo; don't be afraid to terminate.

Meditation and breathing are fine and all ... but there are just those moments when I'm like, "Thanks Universe, I just want to go to bed now."

I see nothing wrong with a Big Red abort button. In fact, I think it's wise (esp. when there are others tripping with you). There's no reason to become hooked on benzos after the occasional use - unless you have an addictive personality.

LMFAO. Way to basically endorse what I wrote while remaining 100% you.

I think Pandora and Art were married in a past life.

I didn't read the whole thread so forgive me if this is redundant but, I understand that if one goes to the emergency room for an LSD gone bad experience then one is perscribed a massive dose of vitamin C.
The principal behind this is that the vitamine C causes the body to rapidly replace red blood cells thus, the trip intensifys at first but ends sooner. Saving precious brain cells in the long run.
That's what I've been told.
As for what I know first hand; a good large drink of Sunny Delight with vitamin C does seem to speed up the coming down process but don't over do it or you'll projectile vomit orange stuff about eight feet instead of being taken home by that cute girl who's driving that wants to get laid! !
I had a bad experience like, two decades ago, that involved getting pulled over by police and swallowed about ten hits of blue felix to avoid a bust.
Yes, the vitamin C did seem to help me, my brain, stop frying my brain, uh...