Call Emergency Services If…
- Is unresponsive, or you can't wake them
- Is having a seizure
- Has chest pain, difficulty breathing, or a dangerously fast or irregular heartbeat
- Is severely overheating (hot dry skin, confusion, collapse) — common with MDMA
- Shows signs of serotonin syndrome: agitation, muscle rigidity or twitching, high fever, racing heart
- Is a danger to themselves or others and cannot be de-escalated
Be honest with emergency responders about exactly what was taken, how much, and when. Their job is treatment, not enforcement — and knowing the substance can change what treatment is safe. Most US states and all of Canada have Good Samaritan laws that protect people who call for help during a drug-related emergency from simple possession charges.
Who to Call
Fireside Project — Psychedelic Support Line
62-FIRESIDE(623) 473-7433Free, confidential peer support by phone or text, daily 11am–11pm PT. Trained volunteers support people mid-experience and people processing past experiences. Not an emergency service.
firesideproject.org →988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
988call or text — US & Canada, 24/7Free, confidential crisis support around the clock in the United States and Canada. Outside North America, find your local line at findahelpline.com.
Poison Control (US)
1-800-222-122224/7, free, confidentialPharmacist-staffed guidance on overdoses and dangerous combinations. In Canada, call your provincial poison centre or 911.
Never Use Alone / NORS
1-800-484-3731US · Canada: 1-888-688-6677An operator stays on the line while you use and dispatches help if you become unresponsive. Primarily for overdose-risk substances.
SAMHSA National Helpline (US)
1-800-662-435724/7, free, confidentialTreatment referral and information service for individuals and families facing substance use or mental health challenges.
Find a Helpline
findahelpline.com130+ countriesA verified directory of free crisis lines worldwide. For medical emergencies anywhere in the EU dial 112; in the UK dial 999.
Supporting Someone Through a Difficult Experience
Most difficult psychedelic experiences are not medical emergencies — they are intense psychological states that resolve with time, reassurance, and a safe container. If the person is physically stable, the goal is not to stop the experience but to help them move through it.
- Stay calm and stay present. Your nervous system is the intervention. Speak slowly, softly, and simply.
- Reassure without arguing. "You took a psychedelic. This is temporary. You are safe. I'm staying with you." Don't debate the content of the experience.
- Change the setting, not the person. Lower the lights, change the music or turn it off, move somewhere quieter, offer water or a blanket.
- Don't restrain or corner them. Keep pathways clear and hazards away. Physical restraint escalates panic.
- Encourage surrender, not resistance. "You don't have to fight it. Let it move through you. Breathe with me."
- Call for backup when unsure. Fireside Project supports sitters too — you can call or text 62-FIRESIDE while you sit.
For a deeper treatment of navigating challenging states, see Navigation. For guidance on holding space, see Facilitation.
After a Difficult Experience
A hard experience is not evidence that something is wrong with you, and it isn't something you need to carry alone. Difficult journeys are common — in survey research, most people who report a challenging psilocybin experience also rate it among the most meaningful of their lives. But that meaning usually needs support to emerge.
- Talk to someone soon. Fireside Project offers free support for processing past psychedelic experiences, whenever they happened.
- Give it time before drawing conclusions. The days after an intense experience can be raw. Sleep, eat well, and be gentle with your schedule.
- Work with it deliberately. Our Integration page covers concrete practices for making sense of difficult material.
- Seek professional help if symptoms persist. If anxiety, dissociation, sleep disruption, or intrusive re-experiencing continue beyond a couple of weeks, see a mental health professional — ideally one familiar with psychedelic experiences.