Recovering after bad trips and persisting negative psychedelic effects
Sometimes people experience persistent negative effects after bad psychedelic trips. This page provides information about these difficulties and what helps people recover, based on the research of the Challenging Psychedelic Experiences Project.
You're not alone — and you're not broken
One thing that can make post-psychedelic difficulties harder to bear is the feeling that this happened to you alone, you're the only one to feel worse after a bad trip, while everyone else has amazing trips.
But that's not true.
Psychedelic experiences — whether from mushrooms, LSD, ayahuasca or other substances — can be wonderful and blissful. But sometimes, people can have very frightening and confusing experiences. 52% of people who responded to a survey said they'd experienced at least one intensely challenging trip. 39% of people who had a challenging psychedelic experience / bad trip said it was one of the five most difficult experiences of their life. In other words, a terrifying trip can be right up there with things like life-threatening illnesses, violent assaults, bereavement, divorce, war, and other truly challenging experiences. What makes it harder is psychedelics distort our time perception, so people can feel they were stuck in hell for years or lifetimes.
Usually, negative or adverse after-effects from these frightening psychedelic experiences last a few days, and are mild. But in some cases, people can emerge feeling very shaken up or even traumatised afterwards. For around 9% of people who take psychedelics (or more in some surveys), they lead to challenges that last beyond the trip itself. In one large survey, 6% of people reported experiencing moderate-to-severe difficulties lasting longer than a month.
Through our research at the Challenging Psychedelic Experiences Project, we have learned a lot from people who have faced similar struggles and come out the other side. This guide shares some of that knowledge, along with practices and coping strategies that others have found helpful. You can find stories of post-psychedelic crises and recovery here.
How long do post-psychedelic difficulties last?
The answer is, it varies. Very often, post-psychedelic difficulties or negative effects last just a few days and then naturally clear up. For example, in one of our studies, 30% of participants after a psilocybin retreat reported challenges afterwards, but in this small study, the challenges largely cleared up after two weeks. In the 2025 Global Psychedelic Survey, 40% of people reported difficulties lasting longer than a day after taking psychedelics, but usually these difficulties are mild and short-lasting.
Sometimes the difficulties can last longer — perhaps a few weeks, or in rarer cases a few months, or in rarer cases still, a year or longer. In most cases we have come across, symptoms diminish and gradually disappear over time. In some cases, symptoms can endure but become easier to live with.
One of the paradoxes of post-psychedelic difficulties is, the more you worry about them, the worse they feel and the longer they persist. I know this may sound difficult right now, but trying to cultivate patience, acceptance, perseverance, self-compassion and hope can help you navigate this situation and see you out the other side.
Common symptoms after a difficult psychedelic experience
Post-psychedelic challenges can look different for different people. You might be experiencing one or more of the following:
Anxiety or panic – feeling constantly on edge, worried, or like something terrible might happen.
Sleep disturbances – struggling to fall asleep, nightmares, or waking up feeling like you are tripping again.
Feeling disconnected from others – struggling to relate to others, feeling alienated or like no one understands you.
Perceptual changes (or Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder / HPPD) – lingering visual disturbances like trailing lights, halos, or distorted shapes.
Derealisation or depersonalisation – a sense that the world isn't real, or feeling detached from your body, thoughts, or surroundings.
Existential confusion – overwhelming thoughts about the nature of reality, life, or death, or the meaning of the trip.
Feelings of depression or despair – feeling hopeless, joyless, or emotionally overwhelmed.
Cognitive difficulties – struggling with memory, concentration or brain fog.
Somatic or nervous system issues – hypersensitivity to light or sound, strange sensations, exhaustion or tinnitus.
Memories or visions of past trauma – feeling confusion after visions of earlier trauma, which you may not have been aware of and aren't sure is true.
Thoughts or attempts at harming oneself or others.
Psychosis or mania – in very rare cases psychedelics can trigger episodes of hypomania, mania or psychosis. For a minority of cases, this can then develop into a long-term disorder requiring medication, but this is rare.
Feelings of shame and self-blame – especially if you acted in extreme or dangerous ways during the psychedelic experience, and perhaps were hospitalized.
Feeling afraid that you've permanently damaged yourself.
Check our symptoms page for more information on possible difficulties after psychedelics. These experiences can be frightening, but the majority of people recover and find a way to enjoy life again, and some even feel they've grown through the process.
Whatever is going on, others have gone through something similar, and found things that helped them cope.
Have I permanently damaged my brain?
This is quite a common belief among people dealing with lingering post-psychedelic difficulties.
Of course, every serious adverse event that happens to us affects our brains, our nervous system, our guts, our emotions and immune system, as well as our social relations — all of us. So yes, a very bad trip can 'affect our brain'. But that doesn't mean that our suffering is permanent. Usually, symptoms pass and diminish. And even if, in rare cases, symptoms persist (such as visual distortions), we can change our attitude to them, how much attention we give them, and how much we catastrophize about them, and this changes how we feel about them.
Thinking 'I have permanently damaged myself and will always be this miserable' is a surefire way to stay miserable. We always have a choice over our attitude or perspective on things, including on symptoms in our body, and this gives us some ability to choose how we feel about our lives.
How could I have been so stupid? Coping with shame and self-blame
Self-blame is very common after traumatic situations, and people can be especially prone to shame and self-blame if the traumatic situation involved drugs which a person freely chose to take (even more if they spent thousands of dollars to do so!). So it's normal and human to blame oneself after an adverse event, however, it doesn't help matters, it only makes a difficult situation worse.
What happened, happened. You're not the only person to try psychedelics, they're increasingly popular and enthusiastically promoted by the media, celebrities and even some politicians. Psychedelic culture and industry tends to amplify only the most positive stories, and to dismiss, silence or minimize negative stories, so the public has not always got the full picture of the risks. While it's true that most people have either positive or neutral psychedelic experiences, it's also true that around 40% of people who take psychedelics regularly say they've had at least one truly awful experience, up there with the worst experiences of their lives.
The most helpful and useful thing you can do now, rather than beat yourself up, is accept the situation and practice self-compassion. You're going through something very hard and you deserve kindness and encouragement as you go through it. Can you be a kind, supportive, compassionate friend to yourself as you go through this life-challenge?
Why constantly monitoring your symptoms makes them worse
People coping with post-psychedelic difficulties are often very worried that they are going to remain unwell forever. They notice new and disturbing symptoms in their mind or body, such as visual distortions, or brain fog, or anxiety, or intrusive thoughts, or derealization. When the dreaded symptom appears, they hyper-focus on it, and catastrophize about it: 'here's the hated symptom again! I'm permanently broken! I'll never get better!' The symptom takes all of their attention and focus, and becomes amplified until it dominates their entire life, sucking their energy and attention away from life-enhancing things like relationships, meaningful work or just enjoying the moment.
This hyper self-monitoring is a trap. Paradoxically, it makes it more likely the symptom will keep popping up, more likely it will cause you suffering, and more likely you will stay feeling defeated and broken.
Imagine if I said to you 'don't think of a polar bear'. You automatically would think of one. Likewise if I said 'it's a catastrophe if you experience visual distortions, or panic, or difficulty sleeping etc', this actually increases the chances you will experience these symptoms and feel really bad and sad when you do.
So what's the alternative? Acceptance. If the symptom appears, let it. Let it appear then disappear, like leaves on a stream or clouds in the sky. That which we resist, persists. If you can learn to accept the symptom arising without catastrophising or without giving it all your attention and energy, then gradually it will shrink in importance and energy and significance, leaving you with more energy and attention to focus on the things that give you pleasure and meaning in life.
Don't let your symptoms take over your life
If at all possible, stay working and going to your job. That may sound impossible, but from what people tell us, it really helps to stay busy and to have some structure in your life that takes you out of rumination. Find ways to distract your attention and focus it on external events, or on the senses, or on relationships, or on the arts or nature. Anything to take energy and attention away from the symptoms. We can choose where we put our energy and attention and focus.
We can make our mind a heaven or a hell, by choosing where we put our attention and what we cultivate. Cultivating positive thoughts, emotions and values doesn't happen over-night, it takes practice, like growing a garden. Each day, we can try to cultivate attitudes of self-compassion, patience, wisdom, kindness, good humour and so on. Over time we can grow these positive mental attributes while weakening attributes like rumination, catastrophizing, self-blame, regret over the past, anxiety over the future, paranoia over relationships, and so on. In this sense, even a terrible mental crisis can be a powerful opportunity for self-growth.
What does a bad trip mean?
What does a bad or very difficult trip 'mean'? People can go through extreme and extraordinary experiences and have bizarre encounters or visions with demons or aliens, they can feel they have spent aeons in hell, or gone through many lives, or left their body, or confronted the ultimate meaningless of the universe. And when they emerge, they are naturally very shaken up and can find themselves obsessing over the meaning of that one experience for weeks or months or years. They can also feel intensely alone and feel like no one else in the history of humanity has ever gone through something quite as weird and awful as they went through, and therefore no one will ever understand. If psychedelics were an important part of their identity, values or spirituality, they can feel ruptured from their faith system, let down by their spirit-guide, cursed, possessed, or even punished by God!
This sort of 'existential confusion' is quite common after very challenging trips and it can last a while, as people make sense of a weird experience and gradually digest it. That can take months or years.
But what does it mean? Well, your trip could be a metaphor, or it could be a projection of your inner state of mind at that time, or some aspect of your psyche. It could just be random noise provoked by a drug and weaved into a narrative by your mind. Who knows if it is the 'Ultimate Cosmic Truth' — people experience an infinite range of mind-states on psychedelics so it's impossible to say any particular state is the 'Ultimate Truth'.
Why did this happen to you? Everyone who goes through an intensely-adverse experience asks themselves that — it's a deep philosophical question ('the problem of suffering') without a clear answer. You could say 'it was meant to be' or you could say 'shit happens', who knows for sure. It might be more helpful to try and accept that something very difficult, strange and even traumatic happened to you, but it's now in the past and ruminating over it obsessively doesn't really help. What helps you go on with your life now, in the present?
As for more exotic beliefs, like the feeling you might be possessed, or cursed by a sorcerer, or cursed by God… who knows! There's no way of getting proof for that. Such beliefs are quite common in psychedelic / plant medicine culture, and because they're quite common, they can be amplified in your psychedelic experience, leading you to think they must be true. But they're not necessarily true in an objective sense, they might just be a projection of a cultural perspective.
Some animist cultures talk about 'bad energies', while post-animist cultures talk about 'mental disorders'. Often, similar sorts of practices help people recover, whatever the cause — not giving all your attention and energy to the negative thoughts / bad energy but instead trying to cultivate a wise, accepting, self-compassionate mind-set in which this is a process through which you can grow morally and spiritually.
It can be helpful, rather than focusing on the cause of your dis-ease (and there are countless possible causes), to instead focus on: what helps me feel better, and what helps me feel worse? How can I do more of the former? How can I build a better future, rather than ruminating over the past? You might find Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helpful — it teaches people to focus on their values and goals while learning to tolerate difficult feelings like anxiety along the way.
What helps you recover after a bad trip?
Below are practices that many people in our research found helpful. Not all will work for everyone — but many people found that over time, and with support, they began to feel better.
Talk to someone
Speak with a trusted friend, family member, or peer who can listen without judging. Support groups (online or in person) can be especially validating. CPEP runs a monthly online peer support group which meets on the last Sunday of the month.
Do you need to talk to someone urgently? You can email us at contact@challengingpsychedelicexperiences.com or call/text the Fireside Project.
Seek therapy
A therapist who understands psychedelic experiences can help. Reach out and we can offer suggestions if you're not sure where to start. You can also find our database of therapists and psychiatrists who specialize in post-psychedelic difficulties here.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can help with panic and anxiety. Somatic therapies can help calm the nervous system.
Be cautious — some therapists or coaches deeply invested in psychedelics may not understand or validate harm and might proffer spiritual explanations like 'the medicine knows what you need' which might not always be appreciated! Typically, the most important thing in therapy is the truth and empathetic bond between therapist and client.
Try cognitive or spiritual practices
Compassionate self-talk: remind yourself that healing is possible.
Meditation or prayer: even short moments of stillness can help.
Cognitive distancing: practice observing your thoughts without identifying with them.
Changing our attitude to symptoms: when an unwanted symptom arises, we can let it arise and pass, rather than resisting it and catastrophizing about it. Frame the crisis as a life-challenge rather than a life-failure.
Move your body
Walking in nature, yoga, dancing, or other movement practices can help restore grounding and regulate your system. Focusing on the senses or intense exercise can re-focus our attention away from unwanted mental states or negative beliefs.
Create or express
Writing, journaling, painting, music — these can help you process what happened, especially when words are hard to find. Or it can just be an enjoyable distraction away from rumination.
Find reliable information
Books like Breaking Open by Jules Evans and Tim Read can help make sense of the process. You can read and watch people's stories of recovery on the CPEP website. You can also find a summary of findings on psychedelic risks and harms, and all of CPEP's research on post-psychedelic difficulties and recovery here.
Medication (if needed)
Some people find short-term medication helpful, especially for anxiety or sleep. Always consult a medical professional, and don't make changes without guidance.
Be cautious with further psychedelic trips
Some people report that another psychedelic experience helped them resolve things. But this approach carries significant risks. Seek guidance and be honest with yourself about your readiness.
If someone you know is struggling after a psychedelic experience
If you're worried about someone after a psychedelic experience, here are some things to watch for that may indicate they need immediate support:
- Extreme distress or acting very out of character
- Talking about suicide or self-harm
- Signs of psychosis: paranoia, hallucinations, or delusions
- Aggressive, disruptive, or risky behaviour
- Being unsafe to themselves or others, and not having enough support
In a crisis, contact local emergency services or see global crisis support lines
If you were harmed or abused in a psychedelic setting
Some post-psychedelic difficulties are caused or worsened by the actions of others — such as facilitators, guides, therapists, friends, or groups. People may be manipulated, coerced, harmed or even assaulted while under the influence. This is unfortunately not uncommon in psychedelic spaces.
You have a right to name what happened and to seek justice and support.
If the person who harmed you is a licensed therapist, you can report them. You may also leave a review on sites like Retreat Guru or share your story anonymously on Reddit or Facebook.
It takes courage to speak up. Your voice can help make this space safer for others. But your own healing always comes first.
Final reminder: windows and waves
You are not broken. What you're going through is hard, but it doesn't mean something is wrong with you.
Take things one day at a time. Focus on small steps that restore stability — rest, food, connection, self-soothing.
You can do this. We know post-psychedelic difficulties are extremely hard, they can be one of the hardest things you go through in your life. You can do it, especially if you get the support and resources you need, and you can come out the other side.
You don't have to do it alone. Reach out. There are people who understand what you're going through.
Windows and waves. Sometimes recovering from post-psychedelic difficulties takes a while, just like recovering from any other serious life-crisis (losing a loved one, say, or having life-threatening cancer). Take your time, go easy on yourself. You will have better and worse days. You will have windows where you feel normal again and waves where you feel worse again. Widen the windows and ride the waves.
Encourage yourself. Don't beat yourself up. Cultivate an inner voice of compassion and encouragement to yourself.
This isn't a life-failure, it's a life-challenge. Challenges demand the best of us. Challenges require us to call on our deepest powers, and to call in all the help and wisdom we can find.
More support and resources
CPEP peer support group: We run a free monthly online peer support group for people experiencing post-psychedelic difficulties.
Psychedelic Clinic in Berlin: Clinic at Charité — Universitätsmedizin Berlin offering immediate online support with the initial sessions free.
Fireside Project: The Psychedelic Support Line provides emotional support during and after psychedelic experiences.
Psychedelic Integration: Includes information and contacts for integration therapists and coaches.
The Spiritual Crisis Network: Offers resources, an email support service and peer support groups for people going through spiritual crisis.
The Perception Restoration Foundation: A charity dedicated to helping people experiencing Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD).