The Importance Of A Support System

As social creatures, support systems are integral to our collective wellbeing. This can include friends, a partner, family members or any individual that’s a text, phone call, outreached hand or a walk down the street away when you’re in need of some love and connection. It can also include people like your doctor or therapist—trusted experts to whom you feel comfortable opening up and can rely on for guidance. 

Research shows that healthy support systems are associated with longer lifespans, healthier lives and elevated states of well-being. These connections can help us keep the good times rolling, while also being there for us when the going gets tough. It’s no secret that they help us heal in bad times and grow in good...which is perhaps why having a support system in place is a vital component of any psychedelic experience. 

Much of what you’ll experience in your psychedelic journey may feel new, strange or even uncomfortable. You may feel challenging emotions come up that surprise you, and might lead to residual feelings of confusion or agitation. Having an understanding support system provides you with a safe space to navigate and integrate these difficult experiences. 

A support system will be like your journey -- unique and yours. So define that for yourself. It may be confined to one trusted BFF or it could be a whole community you’re a part of. It might even be digital, through an online group you’ve connected with or perhaps Trip (stay tuned :)). 

Another form of support  that might be beneficial for you in getting the most out of these experiences is a trip sitter or guide. This is often an individual that’s experienced with psychedelics who can help guide your journey. Your sitter may be a real live person, or more likely today, they support via Facetime or Zoom. It may even be a licensed, trained professional such as a psychiatrist who supervises your experience in a clinical setting. 

The support system you choose can hugely impact your set and setting. Set can be thought of as your internal state before a trip. Setting refers to the environment in which you’ll be tripping. Knowing someone’s there for you before, during, and after your experience will positively influence the collective set and setting in a positive way, inviting the feelings of trust and safety you need to fully let go and surrender to the journey.

Support systems aren’t just handy for the duration of the trip, either. They’re also an essential component of integration. Integration is the practice of setting aside time after a trip to process what’s happened, and weave the insights and self discoveries into your life. 

Many mental health practitioners and researchers believe integration is just as important as the trip itself. 

“When people take drugs recreationally, like just go to a festival and take LSD and then go home, that’s where they tend to run into problems because there’s a lack of integration of the experience,” says psychiatrist Ben Sessa. Sessa works with the Zendo Project, an organization that specializes in providing psychedelic peer support. The Zendo Project does so with the hopes that this support will “transform difficult psychedelic experiences into valuable learning opportunities, and even potentially offer healing and growth.”
 

Sessa’s idea is continuing to gain traction in the field. In fact one team of researchers studying ketamine assisted psychotherapy noted that the psychedelic effects of ketamine and resultant challenges that may arise, while typically feared or avoided, “...offer benefits to our patients when supported and integrated in a psychotherapeutic context.”

There’s also a small but real chance you could accidentally hurt yourself during a trip. A team of researchers at Johns Hopkins found that only 2.5% of 2,000 people surveyed acted violently during their most challenging psychedelic experiences. It’s a good idea to have someone nearby just in case. 

But what are you supposed to do if you don’t have a tight knit support system? Fear not, friend. There are plenty of ways you can begin expanding your support system. 

One great place to start is with Michael Pollan, author of How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence. The #1 best seller is an excellent starting resource for those who are interested in learning more about psychedelics. Pollan also happens to have a fantastic section on his website solely dedicated to psychedelic resources. The page links out to several resources including:

• Erowid, an online community with over 60,000 pages of information and first-hand user trip reports

• Entheogenic Research Integration and Education (ERIE) – This bay area based meetup group reviews, researchers and provides methods for integrating experiences with entheogens. The group also has a forum for discussion. 

• Fireside Project, who operate a free 24/7 Psychedelic Peer Support Line that offers text and phone support to anyone in the midst of a psychedelic experience or to those attempting to integrate their experiences 

Other support groups that you can utilize include The Zendo Project, a non-profit harm reduction service to help people navigate challenging psychedelic experiences, and MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies). MAPS also has a Psychedelic Integration list which provides a list of therapists you can reach out to to help integrate psychedelic experiences. 

You can also consider what elements are holding you back from making deeper connections. What roadblocks have you put in place? Psychedelics can be a useful tool to help you re-examine deeply held beliefs in a safe setting. 

We know how much support systems matter, which is why we take great care in creating and improving Trip to be there for you throughout your journeys, no matter where you are or who you’re with. Use Trip to set your intention, check in with your mood and follow your progress or reflect and integrate through guided journaling. You can even use Trip to help you find music to enhance or deepen your experience, or find important resources on harm reduction. Think of us as a supportive hand/friend when you need it. 

Regardless of what form your support system takes on, having one in place is a tried and true way to ensure you maximize your experiences and therapeutic outcomes.