After a Psychedelic Experience: The First Days and When to Ask for Help

If you are in danger, or think you might hurt yourself or someone else, contact emergency services now. In Ireland that's 112 or 999. In the UK it's 999 [4]. In the US, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). To find a helpline in other countries, see Find A Helpline [7]. Psymerge is not a crisis service and can't help in an emergency.

Short answer: Many people feel tired, emotional or unsettled for a few days after a psychedelic experience. Rest, regular routines and talking with someone you trust can help. If sleep problems, anxiety or unusual perceptions persist or worsen, or you feel unsafe, contact a doctor or licensed therapist. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

This page is general information, not medical advice. Psymerge doesn't offer substances, medical care or support during experiences.

What people commonly report

Not everyone has the same experience afterwards, and the research is limited. Here's what the sources we read say.

• Ireland's health service (HSE) says that in the days after a challenging drug experience you may feel tiredness or muscle aches, anxiety, low mood or problems concentrating, and that thoughts of suicide can occur [1].
• For psilocybin, the HSE says the "comedown" can include tiredness, anxiety and low mood. It also says that in rare cases psilocybin can cause hallucinations or other drug-like experiences in the days or weeks after taking it, and that it can cause mental health difficulties or make existing ones worse [2].
• A 2024 survey of 608 people who had difficulties lasting at least a day after a psychedelic experience asked how they coped. The authors collected written answers and analysed them for themes. The most common things people did alone were meditation or prayer, then reading and journaling. The most common support from others came from friends or family, then a therapist or coach. People said it helped to feel heard and accepted, not judged, and to share similar experiences [3]. This is self-reported, from people who chose to take part, so it can't tell us how often difficulties happen or what works best.

Common doesn't mean you have to ride it out alone. If something worries you, it's reasonable to ask for help.

Making the next few days simpler

The HSE's advice after a challenging experience is to look after yourself: get enough sleep and food, and avoid using drugs for a while [1]. A few other ideas are widely shared in the integration world, though they are less well studied:

• Keep the days ordinary. Familiar routines, meals and sleep give you something steady.
• Talk to someone you trust. The HSE says it may help to talk to someone you trust or a listening service [1].
• Hold off on big decisions. A 2021 paper for clinicians describes "sudden wellness": after an experience, people may feel strongly driven to make major changes, such as leaving a job, and it suggests weighing decisions that may help in the end but are impulsive in the short term [10]. A 2022 review notes that some integration models put reflection before action, partly to guard against impulsive changes [9]. Neither gives a fixed waiting period. The principle is to let an insight settle before acting on it.
• Don't use more to feel better. The HSE says to avoid drugs for a while [1].

None of this is treatment. If you're finding it hard, skip to the next section.

Signs it's time to get help

Think of it in three steps.

1. Right now: get emergency help

The HSE says to phone 112 or 999 (or go to an emergency department) if you feel you're going to harm yourself. It lists other emergency signs after taking drugs, including a seizure, breathing problems, being unresponsive, severe distress or panic you can't calm, thoughts of suicide, chest pain and severe vomiting [1]. If you're with someone who shows these signs, call emergency services for them. Tell the medics what was taken.

2. Soon: see a doctor or mental health professional

The HSE says to talk to a GP or mental health professional if you find it hard to cope, or if your mood doesn't improve or gets worse. It says to ask for an urgent appointment if you're in a crisis [1]. In the same spirit, it makes sense to get checked if:

• sleep, anxiety or low mood don't settle, or get worse
• you see, hear or feel things that aren't there, or feel unreal or cut off from the world
• you have thoughts you don't want, or feel unsafe
• you feel worse after a few days, not better
• you have a physical symptom that worries you

In the UK, NHS 111 can help if you think you need medical help right now and it isn't an emergency [4]. In the US, you can call or text 988 at any time [5]. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans is free to call on 116 123 [6].

3. When you're still unsettled: talk it through

If you aren't in danger but you're still turning it over, it can help to talk. See the table below.

Who can help

If you're not sure which to pick, a GP or mental health professional is a good first stop for anything that worries you.

Fireside Project is a US nonprofit. Their Psychedelic Support Line is free and confidential peer support, which you reach by call or text on 62-FIRESIDE (623-473-7433), any day from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Pacific time, according to their site [8]. Check the hours on their site before you call.

Making sense of it

Some people find that after the first few days they want help working out what the experience means for them. This is often called integration. The definition varies. A 2022 review found that integration services are offered by therapists, coaches and other practitioners, or may be self-guided, and that people use the term in many ways [9]. A 2021 paper aimed at clinicians describes a model for assessment, preparation and working with difficult experiences [10].

If you want help with that, you can read more:

• What is psychedelic integration?
• Coaching vs therapy for integration
• Difficult experiences after psychedelics

Psymerge lists coaches, psychologists, counsellors and other professionals. We don't offer substances, retreats or medical advice, and listing a guide isn't an endorsement of any outcome.

If you took medication or other substances

Tell your doctor or therapist what you took, and which medicines you take. They can only help with the full picture. Don't start, stop or change any medication on your own. Talk to the clinician who prescribes it.

If you're worried about what telling a clinician could mean where you live, we can't give legal advice. Rules and confidentiality differ by country, so it can be worth asking about confidentiality before you share details.

Find a guide

If you'd like to talk it through with someone, you can browse guides and message them before you book. Psymerge isn't a crisis service. Find a guide on Psymerge →