A trip sitter is a “sober person” who accompanies one or more people going through a psychedelic experience.
Their role is to provide a calm and supportive presence, They serve as the link to reality.
The trip sitter remains entirely sober and alert — able to react to any potential situations and help people through particularly tough experiences while on their psychedelic journey.
They are usually a person the tripper trusts and can rely on to stay calm and composed. The trip sitter’s role is to watch from afar, and if needed, provide hydration or amend settings to ensure the tripper stays as comfortable as possible. A trip sitter is your safety net should an experience become too overwhelming; often, just their presence is enough to keep a journey through the cosmos on its spiritual tracks.
What’s the Role of the Trip Sitter?
To be effective as a trip sitter, you should maintain a calm and positive attitude throughout the trip and avoid influencing or “guiding” the trippers experience. You should allow the psychedelics to guide the trip organically.
Instead, a good trip sitter is merely along for the ride — ready to step in only when completely necessary.
As the designated trip sitter, your role is to maintain a safe space and be attentive to the trippers’ needs. Whether this is talking through a particularly tough experience, providing tea, water, or blankets, or simply being a source of stability and calmness for the group.
The 4 Qualities of an Effective Trip Sitter
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Almost anybody can be an effective trip sitter with little preparation.
Here are the Four fundamental qualities of being an effective trip sitter for your group.
1. Understand The Substance
You should be familiar with the correct dose, how long it will last etc.
It’s highly recommended the trip sitter have experience with the substance or at least a similar substance. However, this isn’t always necessary.
2. Be Familiar With The Safe Trip Guidelines
As the trip sitter, you’re responsible for the tripper. Don’t agree to trip Sit for anybody unless they can agree to be safe and follow the safe trip guidelines.
Here’s a quick review of the four pillars of responsible psychedelic use:
- Set — have a positive mindset before taking the substance
- Setting — only take the substances in a safe and comfortable environment
- Sitter — a responsible, trusted, and sober person to accompany the trippers
- Substance — know what substance you’re using, and test a sample before taking it
3. Create & Maintain a Safe Space
One of the core roles of the trip sitter is to maintain a safe space for the participants.
This goes along with the other pillar, “setting.” The environment where the journey takes place should be safe and not be a source of stress to the trippers. Choosing the right setting requires the effort of the entire group, but maintaining it once the journey begins falls upon the trip sitter.
This involves maintaining a calm, reassuring presence for the tripper etc.
You should ensure everybody has access to everything they need, including blankets, space to be alone, access to the bathroom, and a comfortable place to hang out and lie down.
The trip sitter should also act as the interface with the outside world when necessary. If there’s a knock on the door, a phone call, or someone needs to drive or order food — this is the responsibility of the trip sitter.
Part of maintaining a safe space involves confidentiality and non-judgment too. The person should always feel comfortable and safe throughout the experience.
4. Remain Active & Attentive To The Tripper
Attention is important. While you can have fun on the journey, too, you should always remain active and alert.
HHH
How to Trip Sit LSD & Magic Mushrooms
The psychedelic experience with magic mushrooms and LSD are very similar.
The most common challenge you will face as a trip sitter on these substances is keeping your patrons from wandering off on their own.
Both LSD and shrooms are fairly introverted psychedelics — which means your tripper will likely feel the urge to be alone — at least for a short period during the trip. It’s important to allow them to find this space while keeping tabs on where they are so they don’t get lost.
How to Trip Sit DMT
Trip sitting for DMT(N,N-dimethyltryptamine) is a completely different experience. This substance is very short-lived — lasting a maximum of about 30 or 40 minutes.
If smoking or vaping DMT, the sitter should hold the pipe or vape pen. Once the psychedelic explorer starts feeling the effects, they’re likely to drop the pipe.
DMT often brings people into another dimension. They may lose control of their body, start speaking gibberish or try to wander off. Don’t interfere with this unless completely necessary. Gently guide the tripper to a comfortable spot where they can sit or lie down. Don’t be aggressive or forceful.
