Citation

Yasser AM. Crisis Interv. 1970; 2(Suppl 1): 23-24.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1970, Suicide Prevention and Crisis Service)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The SPCS has recently organized a Drug Hotline. This telephone program serves as a coordinating service for several clinical agencies interested in helping the drug abuser, an information line for individuals concerned about drug use and abuse, and a telephone counseling service for callers with a variety of drug related problems. This report will summarize a general approach which seems useful for helping callers who are experiencing the most frightening of all acute drug problems, the bad trip.

Any drug, but particularly the more potent hallucinogens, can facilitate a bad trip. Our immediate aim in "bummer" counseling is to help the caller turn his bad trip into a good one. In addition to the obvious humane reasons for this approach, there is a solid clinical reason. The phenomenon of flash backs (usually frightening psychedelic perceptions experienced days, weeks or months after the drug was actually ingested) appears to be positively related to unresolved bad trips. Theoretically, a reduction in the length or intensity of a bad trip may serve to reduce the likelihood of flashbacks or other drug induced decompensations.

Crisis counseling focusing upon the bad trip is a tricky procedure. It is best handled by counselors who, in addition to the general qualities one expects of a telephone crisis worker, have some basic knowledge of drugs and the local drug scene and who have worked through or at least confronted their own conflicts over chemically-induced experiences.

During the opening moments of our contact with the bad tripper we attempt to calmly explore with him the specific factors that are turning his trip into a bummer...

Language: en