I do a lot of volunteering work that involves helping people who are having difficult psychedelic experiences. You can't actively try to calm someone like that down; as you said, it doesn't work. The better thing to do is just to be there to hold space and act as a "reality anchor." Mild reassurance can be helpful if the person wants it (especially the reassurance that the state is temporary), but inexperienced people usually try to "guide" the trip, which basically never works.
I got into it a million years ago when I was in college and got involved with Students for a Sensible Drug Policy. These days, I'm in a leadership position with the Black Rock Rangers, which is the public safety / conflict resolution volunteer group at Burning Man. That's mostly where I do it now.
I do a lot of volunteering work that involves helping people who are having difficult psychedelic experiences. You can't actively try to calm someone like that down; as you said, it doesn't work. The better thing to do is just to be there to hold space and act as a "reality anchor." Mild reassurance can be helpful if the person wants it (especially the reassurance that the state is temporary), but inexperienced people usually try to "guide" the trip, which basically never works.
What a cool way to volunteer, how'd you get into that? Also this sounds like really good advice
I got into it a million years ago when I was in college and got involved with Students for a Sensible Drug Policy. These days, I'm in a leadership position with the Black Rock Rangers, which is the public safety / conflict resolution volunteer group at Burning Man. That's mostly where I do it now.