This is how you trip safely!

It’s really great to get out of your head with smart drugs. Nature has an awful lot to offer and all the natural tripping substances we have in the smart shop are legal in the Netherlands. But this is one of the questions most frequently asked: ‘Is tripping safe?’ Yes it is but the degree of safety depends on a number of considerations. Ready to visit other dimensions? Take this list with you and go on your way well prepared.

Safe Tripping 101: Know what you are taking

The effects, duration, side effects and dosage all depend on what you are using to reach higher spheres. Tripping with truffles is not the same as going on a sacred journey with Ayahuasca in your system. So always read our product descriptions, blogs and the category texts carefully. These are full of information about the specific characteristics of our natural smart drugs. You will not only read about the active substances but also the correct dosage and best way to use them.

That’s why it’s so important to never just accept something from someone. Do your research on the stuff and only buy through a channel you can trust. This is not a case of us singing our own praises. We sincerely wish you a great and safe trip. Whether or not you buy at Dutch Headshop.

Need help choosing? You probably have a certain effect in mind already. Read a short resume of the psychedelics in our range here:

Short, powerful and fun? Nitrous oxide. Microdosing, are you looking for answers or do you simply want to have a heavy trip? Then take Magic Truffles - the legal alternative to shrooms. A similar experience but unique in its type: Mescaline Cacti. Are you ready for the next level and in need of strong stuff and a trip which is truly different from the rest? A trip with Salvia Divinorum is bizarre and quite short lasting if smoked. Heard about Ayahuasca and have the skills to put this drink together yourself? Start off with Chacruna, one of the most used constituents. Something akin to LSD but which occurs naturally? Choose Morning Glory seeds - rich in LSA.

The Duration of the Trip

Tripping means giving up control for a time. So be prepared to no longer be completely in charge of your thoughts and your body. Does that scare you? Not every trip lasts that long. How long do trips last? Use the table below to compare how long your trip will be.

Made your selection? Now the Dosage

The correct dosage is always stated in the text for the product in question. The dosage for trip smart drugs is dependent on:

1. The type. No two cacti are the same. That also applies to other smart drugs.
2. The format (dried, fresh, extract, and so on).
3. The way in which it’s taken (smoking, eating, dissolving in water, etc.).
4. Your body weight.
5. Experience with the substance (knowing what to expect).
6. How long since you last used it.
7. And naturally the desired effect. A low dosage of Magic Truffles works very well for micro-dosing. A bit more and a colourful evening in the forest awaits you. A high dosage lifts you off the Earth’s surface.

The importance of Set and Setting

The most underestimated matters which influence your trip are set and setting. How do you differentiate them? Think of mindset.

Set

Set is the state of mind in which you find yourself when you start the trip but also how you handle the trip subsequently. Your health, your outlook on the world, your religious convictions and even your sense of humour all affect the intensity and perception during a trip. Set is the complete picture with which the psychedelic substance comes into contact: your body and your thoughts throughout the period of the trip.

Your state of mind is a big influence on the effect of the psychedelics

The best mindset for a trip is a cheerful, energetic and inquisitive mood. Knowledge about what to expect helps. Then you are more prepared and won’t be surprised if you suddenly feel nauseous or if ‘the light suddenly melts’.

Don’t:

Never go on a trip if you aren’t feeling well. Ill, weak or nauseous? First of all get well before you worry about the use-by date of your Magic Truffles (they keep longer if you store them in the freezer!) Above all don’t panic if it turns out to be unpleasant. In some cases, it’s accompanied by vomiting, a sudden change in perception or a strange hallucination. This goes back to lesson 1. Know the characteristics of your smart drugs.

Setting

The setting means the environment or the location where you go on your trip but also who’s with you, the temperature and the conditions in the neighbourhood. Make sure there’s a toilet, comfortable and warm clothing, plenty to drink and a bucket in the vicinity.

Where you trip really matters to the experience

Safe tripping is ensuring a familiar setting without too many distractions. Turn your phone off, put some relaxing music on or enjoy the silence. You can trip alone, more sensibly with a sober tripsitter or with others. Just don't think that you and the person next to you will share the same experience from the same stuff. A trip is really a journey into yourself and the experience is different for everyone, in part because of the set.

Another good setting for a mild trip is a lovely place in nature. But this is not the best way for a first time because the environment is unpredictable. The chance of unrecognisable sounds, insects and an encounter with unknown persons in your environment is then a real possibility. Getting out of your head for the first time is best done at home.

Don’t:

Trip at a party or in a busy environment. Make sure you remain where you are. Door locked and windows shut, for example. Don’t light any candles and don’t smoke after taking something. And we can’t say it too often: don’t get involved in traffic.

In essence: you are the set and the setting is the trip location. Set and setting set the tone for the trip experience. A bad experience during a trip (a bad trip, as it’s called) is often attributable to an unsuitable set or setting.

The Tripsitter

It’s a good idea to invite someone if you’re considering tripping. Preferably, someone you trust with your life. That sounds more intimidating than tripping actually is but that’s the kind of person you want to accompany you. The tripsitter is a sober, trusted person who can supervise you during a trip. Someone who can help you with something as minor as getting you a glass of water or showing you the way to the toilet and, at the same time, can intervene if you become unwell. Ideally, the tripsitter will know even better than you do what to expect during a trip. Consequently, it’s useful for your tripsitter to have already used the drug before at least once.

Don’t:

Are you taking on the important role of tripsitter? Then there are things which you must never do in any case. Never take the substance the tripper is taking yourself. Not even a bit of it. You are a champion if you stay completely sober yourself. Is your tripper having a bad time? Put the person at his or her ease and give him or her something sweet. A dextrose tablet and a cola drink often do the trick. In any event never chat about the bad side of the trip. Don’t go into the bad experience and don’t distance yourself from the trip. By that we mean: ‘Scary or what?’ - ‘Stop acting weird’ - ‘Don’t be stupid’, - the tripsitter is not allowed to make these kinds of outbursts. Empathy, patience and compassion are important characteristics you should expect from a tripsitter. And in addition, a good deal of knowledge of the substance taken is desirable. An Ayahuasca trip can last for a long time so as the tripsitter be sure to stock up on coffee or energy drinks!

Combinations

You may have heard about the idea of combining drugs. This is not recommended, especially when it’s your first time. Some combinations are safer than others. But we won’t say which as we don’t want to encourage experimentation. The danger lies in the unpredictability which increases exponentially with the number of components.

We know exactly what will happen with some combinations. MAO inhibitors make trips last much longer than intended. That is not a positive. Because you’re unaware of the time during a trip, it’s much better for your body to have both legs firmly on the ground after a predictable amount of time. For those products where combining with MAO inhibitors (or other medicines) is strictly taboo, this is stated in the disclaimer.

And don’t combine a trip with alcohol. That won’t benefit the experience and it increases the chance of having a bad experience. Bad for your trip!

Tripstoppers - Aids for getting back

So-called tripstoppers often consist of a set of ingredients which help you to get a grip on reality. Take, for example, the Trip Stopper. Sweetness and mild sedatives such as valerian can help to relieve your trip. Ginger can help you to get the queasiness under control and taking CBD before the trip can make you calm. In this way you can help yourself to avoid a bad experience. For those of us who are tripsitters: don’t underestimate the proven placebo effect. Encouraging words and the conviction that a sugar lump with a glass of water will calm you down can perform wonders.

And we can’t say it too often: don’t get the idea that it’s safe to pick something yourself and eat it.

Recovery after the Trip

Not totally unimportant: how do you quickly get it back together after the trip? If you experienced a mild trip then it shouldn’t be too difficult. The aftermath of a trip cannot be compared at all to a hangover. In some cases you may be haunted by spiritual questions after an intense inner journey. It helps to talk it over with people who’ve taken the same trip substance or to meditate. As regards your physical body: have lots to drink and take 5-HTP so you are able to quickly produce good old serotonin again.

One more time?

Not so fast. Most smart drugs need a few days to disappear fully from your system. Shrooms, truffles, cacti and plants containing DMT all have a reduced effect in the days following your trip. The chance of addiction is therefore as good as non-existent.

Want to know more? Ask our customer service!

You can, of course, share your experiences online. And do leave us a review if you’ve experienced a trip with us. We look forward to reading about what you saw and experienced! Do you think this is all a bit too intimidating and you’re not someone who likes to lose control? Then we have some simple advice. Don’t go tripping but have a nice joint instead (weed doesn’t send you on a trip - that’s a fairy story) or go on a journey in your dreams with dream herbs.