Stories8
Social connections are fundamental to our well-being, providing a sense of belonging, support, and understanding. However, for some individuals, the aftermath of psychedelic experiences may bring about challenges in navigating social interactions.
For most individuals, feelings of social disconnection persist for up to 6 months following the psychedelic experience. The second most common duration is between 7 and 12 months, with over 3 years being the third most frequent time frame. 32% of people reported these difficulties as very severe, significantly disrupting their lives. For half of the individuals, the challenges were moderately severe, causing some minor disruptions to their daily lives. Meanwhile, 17% experienced the feelings of social disconnection as not severe, with no significant impact on their lives.
These difficulties can encompass various experiences that affect social interaction and connection with others:
Feeling alone in a crowded room
One of the most commonly reported social difficulties is a profound sense of social disconnection. Some individuals describe feeling like an outsider, even among fellow psychedelic users/journeyers. This sense of isolation can leave one feeling distant, withdrawn, and unsure how to bridge the gap between oneself and others.
“A feeling of being distant, withdrawn, ’socially outcast’… Even from other Ayahuasca users.”
Study participant report (Evans et al., 2023)
Struggling to communicate and share
Expressing oneself can become difficult post-trip. Individuals might find it hard to find the right words or feel misunderstood by those who have not shared similar experiences. There may also be a fear of judgment or stigma surrounding psychedelic use, leading to reluctance in opening up about one’s journey.
Dealing with social anxiety and feeling hurt
Some individuals may experience heightened social anxiety after psychedelic use. This can manifest as a fear of being judged or misunderstood by others, leading to avoidance of social situations and increased feelings of isolation.
Individuals may also experience hurt or distress due to the behavior of others, particularly during or after psychedelic experiences. This can include feeling mistreated or invalidated by psychedelic guides or peers.
Withdrawing and longing for normalcy
In more severe cases, individuals may withdraw completely from social interaction, feeling untrusting and disengaged from friends and peers. Individuals may also experience difficulties with being socially ‘normal’, where they want to fit in and be ‘normal’ but no longer know how to do that.
“I became withdrawn, untrusting, disengaged from friends. I recall giving away my possessions. Though smart, I dropped out of high school.”
Study participant report (Evans et al., 2023)
Coping strategies
Reconnecting with others and oneself after a psychedelic journey takes time and effort. Seeking support from understanding communities, therapists, or peer support groups can provide a safe space for individuals to process their experiences and connect with others who can relate. Effective coping strategies commonly reported include reading or viewing materials about the condition, receiving therapy or coaching, spending time outdoors and in nature, and seeking support from peers and family.
Here are some practices people generally have reported to find helpful to cope with challenging psychedelic experiences:
- Speaking to friends and family or attending a peer support group
- Speaking to a therapist, especially one who is familiar with psychedelics and psychedelic difficulties
- Cognitive practices like compassionate self-talk, cognitive distancing, and especially meditation and prayer
- Embodied self-care practices like exercise, yoga, walking in nature or body relaxation
- Finding useful information online and in books (e.g. the work of Stanislav Grof’s or “Breaking Open: Finding a Way Through Spiritual Emergency” by Jules Evans and Tim Read)
- Journaling
- Engage in creative activities like writing, art-making, or music
- Some people find medication helpful. Additionally, although controversial and risky, some may find that a subsequent altered state experience can help resolve their difficulties. However, this method carries obvious risks and should be approached with caution.
It is essential to explore and integrate these strategies in a way that resonates with personal preferences and needs, seeking support from professionals or trusted sources as needed.
More information
Bibliography
Argyri, E., Evans, J., Luke, D., Michael, P., Michelle, K., Rohani-Shukla, C., Suseelan, S., Prideaux, E., McAlpine, R., Murphy-Beiner, A. & Robinson, O. C. (2024). Navigating Groundlessness: An interview study on dealing with ontological shock and existential distress following psychedelic experiences. Available at SSRN.
Evans, J., Robinson, O. C., Argyri, E. K., Suseelan, S., Murphy-Beiner, A., McAlpine, R., … & Prideaux, E. (2023). Extended difficulties following the use of psychedelic drugs: A mixed methods study. Plos one, 18(10), e0293349. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0293349
Robinson, O., Evans, J., Luke, D., McAlpine, R., Sahely, A., Fisher, A., … & Prideaux, E. (2024). Coming back together: A qualitative survey study of coping and support strategies used by people to cope with extended difficulties after the use of psychedelic drugs. Available at SSRN.