Could a bad trip simply indicate that your mind is bad? If I had a bad trip, do I need to change certain things about myself? I recently had a bad trip and I think I learned more about myself (or how my mind works...despite what I felt) compared to great trips. Any thoughts?
Often a trip goes "bad" because we are learning more about ourselves, and sometimes those lessons are hard to face and accept. I do think the consensus in these forums is that often "bad" or uncomfortable trips are often the most productive in the long run.
Really depends on the individual, we're talking about powerfully mind altering plants/chemicals. I've seen some real healthy, well adjusted individuals have bad trips and they found really no value in altering their mind in such a manner while others have had bad/difficult trips and have been transformed from it. I tend to make a discrepancy between bad trips and difficult trips tho. Bad trips to me are characterized by trips where the mental trip becomes pretty much nonsensical, negative physical effects that don't really allow me to get into the trip, negative unforeseeable outside circumstances in the setting. I view difficult trips more along the lines of confronting difficult psychological material.
I agree with the fact that a bad trip does a lot more for you than a good trip. But it is really all a matter of perspective. I think there is a lot to learn from laughing. You can discover what you think is really funny, or beautiful. You can learn a lot about yourself even from a good trip. What I think a bad trip does, or can do, is scare the fucking shit out of you and your mind! I thought my friends were cops my last trip. I learned that most of those people are NOT my friends and I cannot trust them. I also learned that the time we spend with people is important, and who we spend our time with is VERY important. Who we spend time with let alone trip with is crucial to understanding ourselves.
thank you for your replies. It was very helpful. I think acid has the power to alter or perhaps permanently change one's perception. and i think when you change your perception on friends, family, yourself....it makes you wonder which view you have is the right (correct) one. In my philosophy class, we studied The Matrix movie with Keanu Reeves....and (don't judge cuz I already got enough shit from my friends) I tripped at an amusement park and just walked around observing the people I saw. I thought everyone around me was fake. I was surrounded by fat parents with spoiled kids who wanted junk food. I saw one kid being teased for his obesity. I hated the idea of people just constantly consuming and not seeming to give any care. But, this was only my thought that day and I truly believed in it. This is agent smith's speech: "I'd like to share a revelation I've had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species. I realized that you're not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment but you humans do not. You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed. The only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet.", I almost was convinced society (the way I perceived it) lived in a social matrix. I'm surrounded by kids who are so afraid to be themselves. I'm surrounded by guys who only think about sex, and who don't understand the true meaning of love (if there is one..). And, I'm surrounded by girls who are nasty to one another, who seem to be blinded by materialism. I guess, this is my new view on my life.....Also, roller coasters on acid was the most fun i've ever had I'm interested to hear other replies on their views on society or meaningful experiences. I'm all ears.
It's amazing that reading this made me think of this routine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQq9cmMGSQc"]Bill Hicks talks about mushrooms and tripping - YouTube About 4:37. And another great Bill Hicks line, "Humans are just a virus in shoes." Stay Brown, Rev J
I suppose another side of that topic is that a bad trip can fuck you up premanently. I was lucky, never had a bad trip. I never fought a drug, just let it take me where it took me. Most shit I took was created or bought from trusted sources Had many friends who are premanently fucked up from either taking too much acid or getting spiked at parties. Visited a few of them in psyche wards, they just never came down and were paranoid as hell. There some folks whose bodies just weren't made for tripping
