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What Is a Power Trip? Exploring the Psychology, Signs, and Impact of Going on a Power Trip

By Happy Sharer

Introduction

The term “power trip” has become increasingly popular in recent years. But what exactly is a power trip? In its simplest form, a power trip is when someone seeks to gain control over others by using their power or authority. This can manifest itself in different ways, such as through manipulation, bullying, or intimidation. It’s important to understand what a power trip is and the potential consequences it can have on relationships and mental health.

Exploring the Psychology Behind Power Trips

When it comes to understanding the motivations behind power trips, there are a few psychological factors at play. According to Dr. Ramani Durvasula, a clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at California State University, Los Angeles, “Power trips are rooted in insecurity, narcissism, and a need to feel powerful and in control.” 1 People who go on power trips may be trying to compensate for a sense of inadequacy or to make up for a lack of self-esteem. They may also be driven by a need to prove themselves or to be seen as superior.

Another factor that may contribute to power trips is an individual’s ego. Ego can cause people to overestimate their capabilities and underestimate the capabilities of others. This can lead them to take on more than they can handle and to act in a controlling manner. As psychologist Dr. Gail Saltz explains, “People who are prone to power trips often have a sense of entitlement, which means they believe they should get what they want without having to work for it.” 2 This can lead to unrealistic expectations and a lack of empathy for those around them.

Examining Common Examples of Power Trips

Power trips can occur in many different contexts, but some of the most common examples are in the workplace, social settings, and family relationships. In the workplace, a power trip might involve a supervisor or manager who uses their position to manipulate or intimidate others. This could include setting unreasonable demands or expectations, micromanaging employees, or withholding praise or recognition. In social settings, a power trip could involve someone who tries to dominate conversations or make decisions for the group without considering other people’s opinions. In family relationships, a power trip might involve a parent who attempts to control their children’s behavior or choices.

Recognizing the Signs of a Power Trip

It’s important to be able to recognize the signs of a power trip so you can address the issue before it escalates. Some common signs to watch out for include:

• Controlling behavior: A person on a power trip may attempt to control or dictate the behavior of those around them.
• Aggressive or demanding language: They may use aggressive language or demand things from others.
• Unreasonable expectations: They may set unrealistic expectations or make unreasonable demands.

Discussing the Impact of Power Trips on Relationships

Power trips can have a profound impact on relationships, both personal and professional. People who go on power trips tend to create tension and conflict, which can strain relationships and lead to feelings of resentment. Additionally, power trips can damage self-esteem and lead to feelings of worthlessness. Research shows that power trips can even have long-term effects on mental health, such as depression and anxiety. 3 It’s important to recognize the impact power trips can have and take steps to address the issue.

Exploring Ways to Avoid Going on a Power Trip

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to avoid going on a power trip. The first step is to understand your own motivations. Ask yourself why you want to exert control over others and consider whether there are healthier ways to meet your needs. It’s also important to practice empathy and compromise. Make sure to listen to the perspectives of others and be open to making concessions. Finally, it’s important to set clear boundaries. Let people know what you expect from them and don’t be afraid to say no if something doesn’t feel right.

In conclusion, it’s important to be aware of what a power trip is and the potential consequences it can have on relationships and mental health. Power trips are often driven by insecurity and ego and can manifest themselves in different ways. Recognizing the signs of a power trip is key to avoiding it and setting clear boundaries can help you maintain healthy relationships. By understanding the psychology behind power trips and taking steps to avoid them, you can ensure that you don’t fall into the trap of trying to control others.

1 Durvasula, R. (2019, October 23). What is a Power Trip? Verywell Mind. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-power-trip-4157783

2 Saltz, G. (2018, December 21). 8 Signs Someone Is on a Power Trip. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-power-prime/201812/8-signs-someone-is-power-trip

3 Rudolph, K. D., & Hammen, C. (2002). Interpersonal stress and depression: Tests of transactional and diathesis-stress models. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 111(4), 602–614. doi: 10.1037/0021-843X.111.4.

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Hi, I'm Happy Sharer and I love sharing interesting and useful knowledge with others. I have a passion for learning and enjoy explaining complex concepts in a simple way.

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11 Signs Of An Ego-Tripping & Power Hungry Leader

Leadership is all about character , integrity and guiding your team in the right direction.

Even if this job requires a sense of humility , some leaders can get ahead of themselves, let their ego run their world, crave and abuse their power.

Unfortunately, without even knowing it, the best leaders can also get consumed by ego and power.

Wondering if you are ego-tripping or if you are a power-hungry leader?

We have all worked in environments where leaders have completely lost their minds, letting their ego drive their decisions, searching for power or being completely drunk on power.

These leaders are said to be ego-tripping, power-tripping or power-hungry.

Below are the 11 signs revealing whether or not you are power-hungry or ego-tripping.

1. Power-hungry leaders are bullies

They bully their team members to ensure dominance and to kill any potential that would threaten their sense of power.

They overtly criticize others, take cheap shots and undermine the success of the entire team by creating chaos.

They are known to sabotage their team members because they think that they will move forward without them.

2. Power-hungry leaders are empty individuals

They are not whole individuals.

Truth is, they have a heightened sense of self, very low self-esteem and need to constantly feed their ego.

Furthermore, they are not self-aware , mindful of their actions, have low self-esteem and an unhealthy work-life balance.

3. Power-hungry leaders hide deep insecurities

Ego tripping and power-hungry individuals are weak-minded and will give anything to fill that inner void. For most, ego-tripping and power-hungry people are people who have felt powerless while growing up.

Deep inside, they are weak, are cowards, fear their own shadow, don’t have real power and they know it. They are unstable and easy to break.

To the world, they act tough and search for the weaknesses of everyone.

4. Power-hungry leaders jealousy has no bound

They get jealous when other people do better than they do or hold the position they want. They want to be the only one to shine and won’t hesitate to dim the light of others.

5. Power-hungry leaders think rank is enough

They think that their rank and role in the organization is enough to command respect.

Indeed, they pull rank whenever they feel threatened. Unfortunately, they tend to lose all the respect that they so crave.

6. Power-hungry leaders shut down dissenting voices

They remove dissenting voices or anyone who would oppose them.

Instead, they favor yes men, force people to bow down, to submit to their will, to agree with them, to follow them even if they are wrong.

Basically, it’s their way or the high way.

7. Power-hungry leaders believe status is everything

They often remind everyone around them of their titles and past accomplishments. They overshare and over-exaggerate their achievements.

They demonstrate a sense of superiority and use their status to build up their sense of self-worth .

8. Power-hungry leaders always compete with others

To feed their ego, they compete with people or powerful leaders who may not know that they are competing.

They think life is a competition. Even worse, some believe that life is a game and people are pieces on their chessboard.

9. Power-hungry leaders only social climb

They only network with powerful people and use them to social climb.

They look to climb the social ladder, thirsty for notoriety and take part in the most influential situations. They name drop powerful leaders they know in order to get respect and to feel superior.

10. Power-hungry leaders want to control everything and everyone

They tend to micromanage and don’t trust the people around them.

For this reason, they constantly seek control and leverage over others.

11. Power-hungry leaders encourage toxicity

They thrive in chaos, encourage toxic behavior and competition.

They may even gossip and create false narratives to foster a negative environment.

Last Words Of Advice!

Wanting and having power is not always a negative thing. You simply have to want it for the right reasons in order to go the distance. Otherwise, you will rapidly crash and burn.

If you come across one of those power-hungry leaders, don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself.

Hope that I’ve helped you get it together on your way to leadership!

Don’t forget to like, share and leave a comment below.

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Power tripping: what to do when someone misuses their authority at work

Sep 22, 2020

Journaliste indépendante

“Constant experience shows us that every man invested with power is apt to abuse it, and to carry his authority as far as it will go.” French philosopher, Montesquieu’s theory was that people with power have a natural tendency to abuse it. His words seem to be as true today as they were in the 18th century. Just take a look at the huge number of claims of harassment voiced during the #MeToo movement, as well as the many high-profile cases such as those citing President Donald Trump, Harvey Weinstein, and the late Jeffrey Epstein. Here in the UK, we are no more advanced: only a minority of universities have a policy against student-staff relationships.

But what exactly is the abuse of power in the business world? We hear a lot about sexual and psychological harassment, but are there other forms that the abuse may take? How can we recognize them? And how can employers strive to prevent them from happening? To find out more, we looked into what happens when power dynamics in the workplace become toxic .

What does “abuse of power” mean exactly?

Awareness of sexual harassment has increased in recent years, but it would be unwise to limit the definition of abuse of power to these particular forms. Abuse of power can be defined as any excessive exercise of a power by an individual. It’s when that individual uses their capabilities outside the usual scope of action or, in simpler terms, they exceed the limit of their rights. Legally, an employer has the right to:

• Change the working conditions of employees (but they may not change employment contracts without employee consent)
• Impose disciplinary action (but they may not proceed to dismissal without genuine and serious cause)
• Choose to hire one person over another (but they may not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, or religion, for example).

Additionally, any decision made by an individual employer that is not made purely in the best interests of the company, but is instead primarily intended to directly harm an employee’s working conditions, may be considered an abuse of power.

While sexual harassment may seem the most “obvious” misuse of power in the workplace, it is not the only form. Misuse of power can also manifest as intimidation, humiliation, threats, or mockery . Through these means, employers can isolate targeted employees, hound them by micromanaging their work , demote them without good cause, overload them with work or r efuse to give them with enough to do , constantly [criticize https://www.welcometothejungle.com/en/articles/workplace-bullying ) them, demand justifications for their actions, or publicly dismiss any ideas or proposals they put forward––the list is long.

The Power Paradox

While every abuse of power case is unique, it is common for those in positions of power to be tempted to abuse it, even though they have likely acquired that power through genuine, laudable qualities. This is what the American professor and psychologist Dacher Keltner calls “the power paradox” : “In the behavioral research I’ve conducted over the past 20 years, I’ve uncovered a disturbing pattern: while people usually gain power through traits and actions that advance the interests of others, such as empathy, collaboration, openness, fairness, and sharing; when they start to feel powerful or enjoy a position of privilege, those qualities begin to fade. The powerful are more likely than other people to engage in rude, selfish, and unethical behavior,” he notes. Keltner also found that businesspeople in positions of power are three times more likely than their subordinates to interrupt colleagues , ignore them, or take other unwelcome actions during meetings, or to raise their voices or insult others in the office.

Power contributes to a loss of empathy among those who wield it. Because those in power no longer feel compelled to pay attention to the needs of others to ensure their own progression and position, they tend to develop a lack of both empathy and compassion. This not only makes it more difficult for them to put themselves in someone else’s shoes, but it’s also likely to make them more impulsive and more likely to take risks. These phenomena were observed by Professor Sukhvinder Obhi, a neuroscientist at McMaster University in Canada, who observed what was happening in the brains of people in positions of power and those in subordinate positions. It turned out that in the “powerful” group, the functioning of mirror neurons, which are responsible for empathy, was impaired . Professor Obhi provided scientific evidence that the brain chemistry of powerful individuals can hinder their efforts to show empathy and compassion towards others.

Serious consequences

The lack of empathy that so often accompanies power misuse can have profoundly serious consequences , both for the victimized employee and for the company.

In a survey conducted by American professors Christine Porath and Christine Pearson with 800 managers and employees across 17 industries, about half of those surveyed who reported being subjected to abuse of power said they responded by deliberately reducing their efforts and/or lowering the quality of their work. This demotivation can be extremely powerful itself, sometimes even leading employees to stop caring about their work altogether.

Companies suffer when there is a widespread lack of motivation, but those individuals who are being mistreated should not be forgotten. Stress, anxiety, feelings of isolation, and a deep sense of injustice are some of the most common symptoms among the victims. If it happens consistently and repeatedly, the misuse of power can ultimately lead to burn-out and depression.

For Marion, an office manager at a small communications agency, it took a while before she could adequately describe her condition: “My boss often asked me to do little things for him, which were not part of my job, such as running errands, booking his holidays, going to his place to get his keys. At first, I did these things for him as a favor, but then it ended up encroaching on my actual job. I didn’t know how to say no, but I was getting more and more stressed, and was going to work with knots in my stomach. I felt that something was definitely wrong, but I couldn’t talk about it. Eventually, I went to my doctor about my anxiety attacks, which were becoming more and more frequent, and he immediately diagnosed me with burn-out.”

Talking about it isn’t enough: the spectre of sexual harassment

Although there’s increased visibility of workplace abuses of power, particularly with regards to cases of sexual harassment, there’s still an enormous amount to do. It’s particularly worth remembering that, according to a survey carried out by the Everyday Sexism project in conjunction with the TUC, more than half of women surveyed in the UK reported being the victims of unwanted sexual behavior at work. However, only 20% of those affected had opened up to a colleague about the issue, and only 5% had spoken to someone who potentially had the authority to act on what had happened.

In seeking to remedy this, the UK government instituted a public consultation in mid-2019, which sought opinions on whether “the current laws on this issue provide the protections they’re supposed to; considering whether there are any gaps and thinking about what more can be done at a practical level to ensure people are properly protected at work” . Nevertheless, progress on the issue remains difficult to measure since nearly a year after the consultation closed, no steps have been taken based on the results of the consultation. Indeed, the results themselves have not been revealed publicly yet. In an environment such as this, it’s impossible to avoid the conclusion that victims of sexually-oriented abuses of power have to rely on solutions and structures initiated by their employers.

Prevention campaigns and support groups

The majority of studies agree that to deal with the various issues related to abuse of power, prevention efforts must first be put in place within companies.

According to Christine Marsan, a psychologist, coach, and the author of ‘Violence in Business and How to Avoid It’, the first step is educating executives about the complexity of the workplace as it is today: “Young people today need meaning, they need power to be shared, and they seek to understand the purpose of the actions they are being asked to take. It’s no longer possible to manage by diktat. The most common complaints relating to abuses of power are regarding orders that make no sense, contradictory demands, management by stress…because managers promote the values of openness and cooperation but fail to apply them in their own management, managers get trapped in their own contradictions, and will pass them on to others through ordering one thing while doing another.” To remedy this, it’s necessary to train business leaders to share power with the lower members of the hierarchy, to recognize the uniqueness of each employee, and to adapt to a view of business that is more progressive: specifically, organizations where decisions are more and more collective , and where power is no longer entirely held by a single person or leadership group.

In its practical guide, entitled “Sexual harassment and harassment at work: technical guidance,” the UK’s Equality and Human Rights Commission gives employees a legal explanation and practical examples of how to tackle and respond effectively to harassment, including examples of harassment and victimization, the effects of harassment in the workplace, employers’ responsibilities and how to prevent and respond to harassment.

While #MeToo has enabled an undeniable release of speech and the implementation of certain measures against sexual harassment and power misuse, there is still a long way to go when it comes to prevention in business.

Translated by Andrea Schwam

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Let’s Talk About Bad Trips: Separating Difficult from Traumatic

Bad trips are a polarizing concept in psychedelics. acknowledging that they exist - and knowing how to work with them - can be healing..

Want to start a war on social media? Post something like this: “Bad trips exist.”

As somebody who has worked in the psychedelic space for years now and has supported many, many people during their trips, it’s time to come out of the closet and say it: people can be harmed by psychedelics, and bad trips exist.

But allow me to define the term “ bad trip ,” because the vague phrase has become too polarized to be meaningful.

When I talk about bad trips, I’m not talking about the harrowing, painful journeys to the underworld from which we return raw and exhausted, with some important piece of our healing work having been catalyzed.

When I talk about bad trips, I mean the trips that register in the body as a trauma or injury to the nervous system. And that is not , in fact, the same thing as a difficult trip.

What happens when we deny this truth is that we inadvertently alienate those who have had traumatic or harmful experiences. These people have endured a trauma, and are now being told that they have not.

So let’s talk about traumatic trips: The psychedelic experiences that leave us injured. Thankfully, they are rare.

I’m not just speaking from my observations as a clinician, but also from personal experience: I had a traumatic psychedelic experience on ayahuasca many years ago. I was decidedly “not okay” afterwards and required much time and support to recover.

Despite the shock and injury to my nervous system, I eventually used psychedelics again. In fact, in the eight or so years that have passed since the traumatic trip, I have openly supported the legalization of psychedelics, and have built two businesses centered around empowering people to heal with psychedelics.

I have also taken sabbaticals from my practice to work in other countries as a psychedelic facilitator. I am now a lead educator in the country’s first training program for psilocybin facilitators to be licensed by Oregon’s Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC). I’m a ketamine prescriber, and I train other prescribers in the use of ketamine for treating chronic pain and mood disorders. I lead and run intensive healing retreats. I’ve also taken my own fair share of mind altering substances in a variety of sets, settings, and time zones.

All of which is to say: I am no newcomer to the world of psychedelics.

And yet I cannot swallow the field’s echo-chamber-like mantra that “there is no such thing as a bad trip .” In fact, I find the rabidity with which some of my fellow cosmonauts deny the existence of bad trips to be rather disconcerting. In the more-than-one heated debate I’ve had about this topic, I’ve noticed certain patterns – or myths, if you will – around the topic of traumatic trips. I address each one here.

Myth: Bad Trips Only Happen When the Set and Setting Are Improper

If the word “only” didn’t appear in the above sentence, it would be true. In my experience in working with hundreds of patients who have used psychedelics – and in administering psychedelics myself – I’ll say that the vast majority of traumatic trips happen when the environment is not safe, calm, and supportive.

When we talk about set and setting in psychedelic harm reduction , we mean two things: (1) the person’s mindset when they took the drug, and (2) their physical environment. If somebody had just had an argument with their spouse before taking LSD, for example, that’s their set. If they were at a noisy, crowded music festival, that’s the setting. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the majority of bad trips happen when individuals on drugs feel overwhelmed in a noisy, chaotic setting like that of a concert or party. Drug-drug interactions are also often at play during difficult trips, for example, when people combine alcohol with psychedelics.

When people insist a little too strongly that, “There’s no such thing as a bad trip, if the set and setting are right,” I feel uneasy. It’s perhaps like asking a rape survivor, “Yeah, but what were you wearing?” (If you think the analogy of a bad trip and rape is too far of a reach, you luckily have never had a traumatic trip.)

There are other factors in psychedelic harm reduction that influence the outcomes. These include the substance being used, the dosage taken, and the people you’re with.

The night of my traumatic trip was the third of a three-night ayahuasca ceremony. I was there with my then-partner. I liked the other people attending. I trusted the facilitators completely and knew they were well trained and highly esteemed by their colleagues. The medicine was pure. The environment was soothing and well contained. The music was beautiful. The first half of the third ceremony was trippy, strange, and lovely.

After I drank my second dose of the brew, however, I was decidedly NOT OKAY. I will not describe the experience here, but I will say two things about it: (1) I felt like my nervous system was being gang raped, repeatedly, and (2) I can now absolutely understand why people with psychosis sometimes choose to die by suicide.

The facilitators of the circle took care of me, pulling me out of the ceremony space and letting me try to calm down outside. Somebody stayed with me at all times until I vomited up the salt water they gave me to drink.

There’s one factor of harm reduction we don’t discuss enough: dose. It’s possible that the second cup of ayahuasca I drank that night contained more voltage than my nervous system could handle – that it was too much, too fast, and too hard for me.

The Influence of Neuroticism

Aside from the environment, another factor that can predict bad trip potential is neuroticism. Neuroticism is one of the “Big Five” traits thought to collectively form the full picture of personality.

People who score high on neuroticism tend to overthink things, typically have a hard time relaxing, and may feel irritated in noisy settings or stressful situations. These folks are often described as “high strung.”

At least two studies have shown that people who score high on neuroticism scales are more likely to have a challenging psychedelic trip than those who score lower. [1] , [2] The theory behind this is that if a neurotic’s negative thoughts or feelings arise during a psychedelic trip, the person might get pulled into an amplification spiral of their own negativity.

But does that mean it’s somebody’s fault that if they tend towards neurosis and they have a bad trip? Aren’t psychedelics supposed to help heal negativity? What does it mean that the same drugs that help soothe negative thoughts and feelings can also make us feel worse? (Let a neurotic chew on that one.)

Once again, we could very easily slip into the territory of victim blaming if we are not mindful.

While writing this article, I took the Big Five Personality Test online. I scored in a higher-than-average percentile for negative emotionality (neuroticism). That may explain why grumpy cat is one of my heroes and why my friend Greg refers to me as “a female Larry David.” It could also explain why I’m one of the unlucky few who have had a traumatic psychedelic trip. (Side note: I also scored pretty high on open mindedness, so that could explain why got into psychedelics in the first place.)

Myth: Bad Trips Are Actually Just Difficult Experiences That Haven’t Been Integrated

I continue to stay in this field because traumatic trips are, indeed, exceedingly rare, and because the healing gains people typically experience from psychedelics are unparalleled by any other intervention I’ve found.

Working regularly with patients in non-ordinary states of consciousness, I see that the most challenging experiences are often the most rewarding. Drawing from my previous experiences in volunteering with the Zendo Project and White Bird , I teach my students the tenants of “trip sitting.”

As one of the Zendo principles states: difficult is not necessarily bad. Note that the phrase is not “difficult is not bad,” but rather, “ difficult is not necessarily bad. ” In other words, difficult can sometimes be bad.

Another layer to this argument is that if you wait long enough, the bad experience will prove itself to be good. This does, indeed, happen to many people after their challenging journeys. Yet there is a difference between suggesting this to a bad trip survivor and insisting that “everyone gets the trip they need.”

Many of my new-age peers have become allergic to the word “bad,” especially within the context of bad trips. “Is anything really bad?” I’m often asked. The argument here, as I understand it, is that with every cloud there comes a silver lining, and that silver lining might just hold a very valuable teaching for us.

I admit that my own traumatic trip gave me a lesson: It taught me that there is indeed such a thing as a bad trip. Another gift was that my bad trip helped me to better understand, validate, and support others who have been harmed by psychedelics. Another lesson was this: my bad trip was an amplifier of the toxic positivity that I see running rampant in the psychedelic field.

In fact, a patient once confessed to me, “I’m just so mad at her” – her being ayahuasca – “but everyone in the group is so in love with Great Grandmother that if I say one bad thing about her, it’ll be like heresy.” I noticed that he was clenching his jaw and only breathing into the upper part of his chest. I leaned forward, looked him in the eye, and said: “Tell me exactly what you think about that bitch – you won’t offend me.”

By the end of the hour, he had raged, wept, and laughed. His breath was reaching his abdomen and his jaw was relaxed. The client messaged me some days later, saying, “That was so healing for me just to be heard, to be able to say mean things without being afraid somebody would cancel me. Thank you.”

Perhaps for this client, “the medicine” was to be heard without anybody trying to stop him from expressing anger. Maybe the bad trip was just part of the arc that took him to that finale. I don’t know.

Myth: There’s No Such Thing as Bad

There’s that old story about the Zen master, whose son got a new horse. “What good luck!” The neighbors said. “We’ll see,” said the master. One day the son was thrown from the horse and broke his leg. “How terrible!” Said the neighbors. “We’ll see,” said the master. Then the country went to war, and the army came to recruit soldiers. Because the young man’s leg was broken, they army didn’t take him to battle. “How good!” said the neighbors. “We’ll see,” said the Zen master. Perhaps there is no good or bad.

What I’ve always found lacking in this story about the Zen master was the voice of his son – the one who actually fell from the horse.

Is a bad trip like falling from a horse? It absolutely can be. Yet something about the “you just haven’t integrated it yet, there’s gold there” argument feels like a dismissive bypass. Let us consider other situations in which we could apply such a statement:

• After getting food poisoning and vomiting for hours
• After taking penicillin and breaking out in a full body rash
• After going on a horrible date
• After surviving a sexual assault
• After your child has been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness
• After losing a loved one to cancer
• After surviving a terrible accident that has resulted in disability
• After your cat has been run over by a car
• After losing a house to foreclosure

Would we really tell the people in the above hypothetical situations that there was no such thing as bad shellfish? No such thing as a bad drug reaction or a bad date? No such thing as rape? No such thing as a bad diagnosis, a bad prognosis? Or how about just a bad day? Or something as non-threatening as a bad movie, a bad haircut, or a bad parking job? Would we really tell somebody whose child just died to avoid using the word “bad” to describe her condition?

Perhaps it is true that none of these things are bad, and that all of them are blessings in disguise. But would we really get righteous about it on social media, the way some of us do about denying bad trips?

And what’s so bad about saying “bad,” anyway? Must everything truly be a blessing? (The neurotic writing this article needs to know.)

I’d also like to share the story of Becks. Becks was a 24-year-old female patient of mine with anorexia nervosa who did MDMA-assisted psychotherapy to heal from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) rooted in childhood sexual abuse.

In a follow-up visit, Becks told me that the MDMA-assisted therapy session (done with an underground provider) had done wonders for her. She was getting much more mileage out of her weekly therapy sessions. She was now remembering things she had repressed previously, and she was able to stay present when the memories arose.

Becks had also forgiven herself. She explained that without realizing it, she had blamed herself for what happened to her when she was a child, punishing herself through self-denigrating thoughts, food restriction, and high-risk drinking. Her MDMA-assisted therapy session helped her identify this pattern and realize that she didn’t deserve the blame or the punishment. Having forgiven herself, Becks was now sleeping better at night, eating when she was hungry, and avoiding alcohol. Clearly, much healing had occurred for her.

Yet Becks felt discouraged and worried. “I don’t think I’m doing it right,” she told me while pulling at the rings on her fingers.

“Why’s that?” I asked.

“Well,” she explained, “I know I’m supposed to get to this place where I feel like the trauma was a blessing – and that hasn’t happened.”

“You think you’re supposed to get to a place where you think that being repeatedly molested as a child is a blessing? ” I asked her.

“Yes,” she said with a defeated sigh as she looked at her shoes.

“Where’d you get that idea?”

Her head snapped up to look at me, breathless, huge-eyed. And then she burst out laughing. The laughter turned to tears. She sobbed and babbled something about a podcast she’d heard. Then she laughed some more. Her face lit up and the color returned to her cheeks.

“Becks, was being molested by your stepbrother every night a blessing?” I asked her.

“No, it was a fucking horrible nightmare that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy,” she declared.

“Okay,” I said, “and is it possible that it was a fucking horrible nightmare and that you still get to heal and have a happy adult life starting right now?” I asked.

“ Fuck yeah,” she said. And the look on her face told me she believed it.

(This, by the way, is what happens when you go to a doctor who scores high on neuroticism scales: We acknowledge and celebrate that life might be a fucked up mess sometimes, and that we can still heal even if we don’t buy into toxic positivity.)

(Also: I do have patients who come to see their traumas as gifts. It truly is a powerful and important step in their healing. But let’s not assume that healing cannot happen in other forms. Everyone’s path is different and valid.)

Myth: Talking About Bad Trips Is Going to Harm the Psychedelic Movement

On the day I graduated from medical school, I took an oath to First, Do No Harm . Sometimes, First, Do No Harm means doing the uncomfortable thing or saying what others don’t want to hear. In this case, it means acknowledging that there are risks to using psychedelic substances, and a traumatic trip is one of those risks.

Every therapy, every medicine, every experience comes with risks and benefits. One risk of taking vitamin C is that too much can cause diarrhea. One risk of antibiotics is that they can lead to vaginal yeast infections. One risk of using acetaminophen (paracetamol) is that it’s hard on the liver. One risk of eating a vegan diet is that it can deplete vitamin B12 stores and subsequently trigger depression. One risk of a life-saving surgery is that it can result in a lethal infection. And so forth.

Psychedelic medicines also come with their risks, and the risk of a traumatic trip should be on that list. Admittedly, it should be in small letters, towards the bottom of the list, next to the words “very rare when used in therapeutic contexts.” But traumatic trips are, in fact, “a thing.” They’re part of the fine print.

As far as I know, bad trips have not been reported in any of the clinical trials on psychedelics – but keep in mind that we haven’t had too many people go through the clinical trials as compared to the number of folks doing psychedelics “in the wild.” Bad trips may have also been down-played in the trials as “dysphoria” or “agitation” by the researchers.

Are the possible risks of psychedelic medicines worth wagering for the potential benefits? The answer to that question can only be answered on a case-by-case basis – as with any intervention.

For me personally: The healing engendered by psychedelics has far outweighed and more than redeemed the harm I’ve endured. Every time I take a psychedelic medicine now, I understand that I am taking a risk, and I make the clear, informed decision to proceed – or not to proceed, depending on the circumstance.

When I advocate for the destigmatization and legalization of psychedelics, furthermore, I don’t just act out of love for the movement: I act out of love for my patients.

What’s going to injure the psychedelic movement even more than a level-headed discussion about traumatic trips is the harm that may be caused by denying them.

How to Talk to a Bad Trip Survivor

So, what should we say to a survivor of a traumatic trip? Anything but: “There’s no such thing as a bad trip.”

If somebody tells you they’ve endured a bad trip, treat them as if they’d just told you that they survived an accident, an assault, or another kind of shock. Offer them comfort and support. Listen. Don’t ask them to prove the truth of what they say happened.

Essentially: treat them as you would treat the survivor of any kind of experience that was too much, too hard, and/or too fast for their mind, body, or spirit.

Remember that the word “trauma” does not refer to the distressing event itself, but rather to the resulting emotional and neurological response. Trauma can harm a person’s sense of Self, their sense of safety, their ability to navigate relationships, and their ability to regulate their emotions. Trauma, in other words, is injury to the nervous system that ripples outward. (To be clear: Trauma does not mean simply feeling uncomfortable or offended, as some people mistakenly use it.)

Even if integration of the experience would be helpful for the survivor – and might even help them stop using the term “bad trip” to describe it – that cannot happen at the beginning. The first thing the bad trip survivor likely needs is to know that they are safe now . The nightmare has ended, and they are loved and supported by trustworthy people who care.

How can we help others feel safe? By our presence. By regulating our own breath. By listening. By letting them know that we believe them. By showing empathy. By making them soup, gifting them a massage, or offering to pick their kids up from school. By being kind.

Even if the traumatic trip was the result of poor planning, improper set and setting, or other user error, hold your tongue for now. Think of how you might react if a friend was in a terrible car accident that resulted from driving when they were overly tired.

Think of how you might respond if a child dragged a chair to the kitchen counter and climbed atop it to try and reach the off-limits cookie jar sitting high up on a shelf – only to tumble backwards and slam onto the floor. Would you shout, “Well, that’s what you get for climbing on the chair!” while the poor kiddo cried on the linoleum? I hope not. I hope you would sit by their side, hug them, and stroke their hair. Once you felt their breathing return to normal and the smile return to their face – and not a second sooner – might you ask, “Honey, remember what we said about climbing on the furniture?”

Healing From My Bad Trip

It took me almost eight years to feel like I had fully integrated my bad trip. Curiously, what helped me complete the arc from wound to health was a peyote ceremony.

What prolonged my healing was people insisting that there was no such thing as a bad trip. I heard this line in my ayahuasca circle, at psychedelic conferences, on social media, on podcasts, and in books. The experience-denying and victim-blaming made me feel angry and alone.

Another factor that delayed my full recovery was peer pressure. Buckling to the well-intentioned insistence of friends, I returned to the ayahuasca circle (and other psychedelic circles) sooner than I truly wanted to. This meant that I was taking medicines with a mindset of doubt and fear, which resulted in several dysphoric, confusing, and terrifying journeys that only compounded the injury.

I was fortunate to find a healer who believed in bad trips and who confirmed that I was not fully in my body. Through regular sessions, I was able to return. While my therapist hadn’t had much psychedelic experience herself, she at least believed me. That allowed us to start from a place of trust and not from a place of defensiveness. I also took a break from psychedelics and instead cultivated gentler, more predictable health-affirming practices like singing and going to the gym.

Years after the experience, I read about the concept of “too much, too hard, too fast” in a book about psychedelic facilitation. I felt a surge of heat rush to my face as I read the words; hot tears filled my eyes. I hadn’t made it up. It had happened to me. I wasn’t weak, or stupid, or crazy. But why was the truth so hard for other people to accept?

I’m grateful to my own stubborn will to get better – to that spark within me that keeps me seeking out people, places, and things that can help me heal, grow, and learn.

There was, indeed, some good that came from my bad trip on ayahuasca all those years ago. The seams of that horrific shroud were sewn with golden thread. I am grateful for the blessings gleaned.

I am also grateful to my unconditionally supportive family, friends, and partner, and to Grandfather Peyote for helping me weave the blessings into my life and pull back the heavy curtain.

I had a bad trip, and that’s okay.

And you know? Considering that I’m a neurotic, I’m pretty proud of myself for saying so.

Follow your Curiosity

[1] Barrett FS, Johnson MW, Griffiths RR. Neuroticism is associated with challenging experiences with psilocybin mushrooms. Pers Individ Dif. 2017 Oct 15;117:155-160. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2017.06.004 .

[2] Petter Grahl Johnstad (2021) The Psychedelic Personality: Personality Structure and Associations in a Sample of Psychedelics Users, Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 53:2, 97-103,  DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2020.1842569

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How To Deal With A Coworker On A Power Trip In 8 Ways

How to deal with a coworker on a power trip is a question many people find themselves asking. This type of coworker can be frustrating and challenging to deal with.

However, dealing with them is not that difficult if you know the proper methods. Below are some of the best ones:

8 Ways To Deal With A Coworker On A Power Trip

Now let’s get started with the tips to deal with a coworker on a power trip:

1. Don’t Get Involved In Their Games:

The first thing you need to do is avoid getting involved in their games.

If you start playing their game, you’re only giving them the satisfaction of knowing that they can control you.

They can make you angry, happy, or anything in between. So, the best thing you can do is  stay away from them.

To identify if someone is playing games with you, ask yourself if they are:

– Making decisions that will impact you without consulting you first

– Constantly changing their mind or expectations

– Trying to make you look bad in front of others

– Gossiping about you behind your back

– Giving you the silent treatment

Once you identify, avoid getting involved in their games by:

– Not reacting to their provocations

– Keeping your cool

– Not engaging in gossip

– Being assertive when you need to make decisions, etc.

This way, you won’t give them the satisfaction of  controlling  you. Thus, they will likely begin to stop their games.

2. Keep Clear Boundaries:

The next thing you need to do is to set boundaries with this coworker.

This means that you need to be clear about what is and isn’t acceptable to you.

For example, they are constantly  gossiping  about you or getting you in trouble.

You must let them know that this behavior won’t be tolerated.

If you don’t set clear boundaries, the other person will likely continue their bad behavior. They’ll feel like they have free rein.

By setting clear boundaries , though, they will know what they can and can’t do.

It will be harder for them to  take advantage of  you or control you. Some more ways to set clear boundaries are by:

– Being assertive and vocal about your needs

– Sticking up for yourself when needed, etc.

3. Talk To Them In Private:

One of the best ways to deal with a coworker on a power trip is by talking to them in private.

Sometimes, to deal with a coworker on a power trip is by having a direct conversation.

In this situation, you mustn’t do this in front of others.

This will make it seem like they are always right. And that you’re simply trying to cover up your  tracks  or  complain  about them.

Instead, find a  private place  to talk. This could be in your office or at a nearby coffee shop.

Then, calmly explain how their behavior affects you and ask them to stop.

If they refuse, it may be time to take your concerns further. You might need to speak with HR or discuss the issue with your manager.

Whatever you do, you must remain calm and collected.

4. Stand Up For Yourself:

Another important thing you need to do is to stand up for yourself.

This coworker will likely try to push you around or take advantage of you. Don’t let them get away with it.

If they’re trying to make you look bad in front of others, don’t just stand there and take it.  Defend yourself. 

If they’re constantly changing their expectations or requirements, speak up. Let them know that this isn’t acceptable behavior.

You must assert  yourself  and stand up for what’s right. Otherwise, they’ll continue to take advantage of you.

5. Stay Away From Them As Much As You Can:

Try to stay away from them as much as you can. This coworker is toxic, and they’re likely just going to cause you more stress.

So, it’s best to stay away from them. If you can, avoid working with them altogether.

If you have to work with them, keep your  interactions to a minimum. 

The less contact you have with them, the better. However, you don’t have to ignore them completely.

Just don’t engage in any unnecessary conversations or interactions.

6. Try To Avoid Conflict:

Of course, it’s not always possible to avoid conflict with a coworker on a power trip.

But, you must try. If you can, avoid getting into arguments or fights with them.

This will escalate the situation and make things worse .

In some cases, it may be best to agree with them. Even if you disagree, it’s not worth getting into a fight over.

You can always discuss the issue later when you’re both calm.

7. Document Them:

If this coworker is giving you a hard time, it may be necessary to start documenting their behavior.

This way, you have a record of everything going on. This can be helpful if you need to take your concerns to HR or your manager.

Having this documentation can also help to keep you on track and focused.

It will remind you why it’s important not to let this coworker get to you.

8. Seek Help From Others:

If you’re struggling to deal with a coworker on a power trip, you must seek help from others.

This could include your manager , HR , or others you trust in the workplace.

Sometimes, it can be hard to deal with difficult coworkers independently.

So, don’t hesitate to reach out for help when you need it.

In many cases, others will be happy to assist. They may even have some advice or tips to share with you.

In the end, remember that dealing with a coworker on a power trip is never easy. But by following these tips and working hard, you can manage them effectively.

Signs Of A Power Tripping Coworker

Let’s take a look at some common signs that they may be on a power trip:

1. Micro-Management: 

Does your coworker constantly try to micromanage you? Are they continually telling you what to do and how to do it?

If so, they may be on a power trip. Such behavior is often a sign that they try to  assert themselves  and make you  feel inferior.

Moreover, it can make it challenging to do your job correctly. If you’re constantly told what to do, it’s hard to be creative or think outside the box.

2. Excessively Criticizes You:

Another sign that your coworker may be on a power trip is if they excessively criticize you.

Do they always find ways to  nitpick  your work? Do they make  comments  that are designed to put you down?

If so, they may be trying to assert their dominance over you.

It’s essential that you stand up for yourself and not let them get away with this behavior.

3. Bullies:

It’s also possible that your coworker is bullying you to try and control you.

Suppose they’re constantly making  mean or hurtful comments . Or if they are trying to  embarrass  you in front of others.

Perhaps if they are generally acting like a  jerk , they may be trying to bully their way into power.

The important thing is not to let them get away with this behavior.

Whether you address it directly or report it to your manager, you should stand up for yourself and your rights in the workplace.

4. Disrespects Your Boundaries: 

Another potential sign is if they disrespect your boundaries.

For example, do they constantly try to  interrupt  or  dismiss  your opinions?

Do they act as if you should always listen to them and do whatever they want?

If so, you must stand up for yourself. Don’t let them push you around.

5. Unreasonable Demands: 

Another common sign of a power trip is if your coworker makes unreasonable demands.

Do they always want things their way? Do they expect you to do everything for them?

Such behavior is often a sign that they believe they are entitled to special treatment. Thus, it would help if you were willing to give it to them.

If so, it’s essential to set boundaries. Make it clear that you’re not going to put up with this behavior.

6. Takes Credit For Your Work: 

One sign that your coworker is on a power trip is if they take credit for your work.

Do they always make sure that their name is on everything? Do they try to take  credit  for your ideas?

If so, it’s essential to speak up. Don’t let them  steal  your hard-earned credit.

They can try to take your ideas, but they can’t take away your accomplishments.

7. Belittles Your Contributions: 

Do they make it seem like your ideas are  stupid  or  unimportant ? Do they always have to be the right one?

They may be trying to belittle your contributions to make themselves feel important.

You mustn’t let them get away with this behavior. Stand up for yourself and your ideas.

8. Isolation: 

If your coworker is on a power trip, they may try to isolate you from the rest of the team.

Do they always leave you out of important  meetings ? Do they make sure that you’re not included in important  decisions ?

If so, it’s essential to speak up. Don’t let them isolate you from the team.

9. Only Wants To Be Friends With People In Higher Positions: 

Do they only want to be friends with people in higher positions than they are?

Do they always try to suck up to the  boss ? Moreover, do they try to make themselves look good by associating with essential people?

If so, they may be on a power trip. They may be trying to make themselves seem more important by  association .

10. Is Jealous Of Your Success: 

Do they always seem jealous of your success? Do they try to undermine you or make you look bad when you do something well?

If so, they may be on a power trip. They may be trying to make themselves feel better by making you look worse .

It’s important to stand up for yourself and not let your coworker walk all over you.

Remember that you have as much right to succeed as they do. They don’t have the right to put you down.

Conclusion:

If your coworker is on a power trip, it can be challenging to deal with them.

However, you must stand up for yourself and your rights in the workplace.

By setting boundaries and speaking up for yourself, you can handle this situation. Ensure that you don’t let them get away with their bad behavior.

If you notice any signs of power tripping, it’s essential to take action. Don’t let them get away with their behavior.

Please stand up for yourself. Make sure that they know that you’re not going to tolerate their behavior.

Last Updated on 2 months by Shahzaib Arshad

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Definition of power trip

Examples of power trip in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'power trip.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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“Power trip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/power%20trip. Accessed 27 Jun. 2024.

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What Is a Bad Trip?

Psychedelic drugs such as lsd, mushrooms, and molly can cause hallucinations known as a “bad trip”. learn what causes a bad trip, how to identify warning signs, and how to stop it..

A trip refers to the intoxication from a drug that causes hallucinations. It is called a trip because the sensations that a psychedelic ( hallucination-causing ) drug causes can be so strange that it feels as if you are in a whole different world. A bad trip, also sometimes called a bad  acid  trip, occurs when the trip a psychedelic drug causes is negative.

Bad trips can lead to excessive fear, agitation or emotionally disturbing situations. Someone who is having a bad trip may feel as if time is standing still and may have disturbing hallucinations that cause extreme fear or mood swings.

What Causes a Bad Trip?

There are several things that can  increase the probability of a bad trip , but anyone who is using psychedelic substances is at risk of having a bad trip. Some of the things that can increase the risk of having a bad trip include:

• Taking higher doses of a psychedelic drug
• Being in a negative emotional state before using or while using psychedelics
• Being in settings with excessive stimulation
• Using  alcohol  at the same time as using a psychedelic drug
• Not having someone stay with you while using psychedelic drugs
• Not drinking enough water

While avoiding these risks can reduce your chances of having a bad trip, anyone can have a bad trip at any time while using psychedelics. Someone who has been using psychedelic drugs for years and has never had a bad trip can have a bad trip while using, even if they have not changed anything about how they use.

Drugs That Can Cause a Bad Trip

Any drug that can cause hallucinations and lead to a trip can cause a bad trip. These drugs are called psychedelic drugs and are often used for the hallucinations they create. Some common psychedelic drugs include:

• LSD  – Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), also known as  acid , is primarily taken for the hallucination that it creates. LSD is probably the best known psychedelic drug.
• DMT  – N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a powerful psychedelic drug that can lead to a bad trip. Because of how strong the effects of  DMT  are, it is more likely to lead to a bad trip than many other psychedelic drugs.( See More:  What is DMT
• Mushrooms  – Psilocybin mushrooms, also known as “shrooms” or “magic mushrooms,” are hallucinogenic fungi that can lead to a bad trip. A bad mushroom trip may also be referred to as a bad shroom trip.
• Molly  – Molly, a slang name for the drug  MDMA , is a psychedelic drug that is commonly used in parties or raves. Bad molly trips are more common in situations where people become dehydrated from over-partying.
• Salvia  – Salvia, also known as “sage of the diviners,” is a hallucinogenic drug that is shorter-acting and more potent than many other psychedelic drugs. Bad trips while using  salvia  are reported to be more terrifying than those experienced while using other psychedelic drugs.
• Marijuana  – Bad trips while using  marijuana  are uncommon, but can definitely still occur. Some of the most common bad trip symptoms occurring with weed are anxiety and facial numbness.

Symptoms of a Bad Trip

Bad acid trip symptoms are highly individualized and may be different from previous bad trip symptoms for the same individual. Some common bad trip symptoms include:

• A sensation that time is standing still
• Negative thoughts or interpretations of events around you
• Extreme paranoia
• Extreme and sudden mood swings
• Negative hallucinations that may include sensations, sounds or sights

If you are with someone who is experiencing these symptoms and they have recently been using a psychedelic drug, they could be having a bad trip. If you are with someone who is having these symptoms and you are not sure if they have taken any drugs, you should take them to the nearest hospital or call 911.

How to Stop a Bad Trip

Stopping a bad trip may not be possible, but there are things that can be done to  help someone who is having a bad trip . If someone is having a bad trip, they should be moved away from noise and stimulation, as this can make a bad trip worse. A bad trip guide can also help. This involves having someone who is sober stay with the person having the bad trip and talk them through the trip. Not everyone will benefit from a bad trip guide, and some people may develop a paranoid attitude towards the guide or even become aggressive.

Some medications may help to stop a bad trip, but these can only be given in a hospital. Calling 911 or going to the nearest emergency room can help provide someone who is having a bad trip with these medications.

Related Topic:   Treatment options for LSD

Carbonaro, T.M., et al. “ Survey Study of Challenging Experiences […]egative Consequences .” Journal of Psychopharmacology, August 20, 2016. Accessed August 14, 2019.

Davis, Kathleen. “ Salvia: What Are the Effects? ” Medical News Today, January 16, 2019. Accessed August 14, 2019.

Sturtz, Rachel. “ Refinery29: 7 Ways To Help Someone Who’s Having A Bad Trip .” Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, 2019. Accessed August 14, 2019.

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What is a Bad Trip and Why are They Important?

• Jimmy Nguyen

Those of you who have endured a psychedelic experience understand their potential to heal the mind, body, and spirit. You also probably had a very entertaining time while exploring these states of altered consciousness. However, many of you are equally nervous about the probability of becoming transfixed in what has been termed a “bad trip ” .

If you or someone you know has experienced a bad trip, this article will help you understand what you went through. But before we go any further, let’s break down what a bad trip really is, why they are important, and how to navigate one.

What is a Bad Trip?

Unfortunately, the War on Drugs in America has created a lot of misinformation when it comes to psychedelics, particularly with regards to the bad trip. You may have heard rumors that even one experience with lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) can make you perpetually trip or permanently insane. Scare tactics like these have been used over the past several decades to demonize psychedelics and deter their use. 

Though these myths are untrue, it is important to note that individuals predisposed to mental illness, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, may have adverse effects from a psychedelic experience, including psychosis, and that proper mental health screening should be conducted before engaging in any psychedelic activity. 

So what defines a bad trip? A bad trip refers to a challenging or difficult experience while being under the influence of a hallucinatory substance such as psilocybin mushrooms, LSD, ayahuasca, or even cannabis. Although it is common for occasional unpleasantness, such as nausea or bewilderment, to occur temporarily during a psychedelic experience, bad trips are defined by prolonged or seemingly uncontrollable episodes.

During these experiences, symptoms can range from unpleasant to traumatic, with some experiencing anxiety, paranoia, resurfacing of repressed memories, or overwhelming stress. Physical discomforts, such as an upset stomach, sweating, overheating, or soreness may also occur. 

To be clear, “good” and “bad” are arbitrary labels we assign to our experiences. And generally, people use “bad” to describe discomfort or pain. But like a weightlifter who endures temporary discomfort to build muscle, so too can a psychedelic explorer endure a bad trip to receive long-term benefits. The caveat is that the user must prepare in advance of the experience , exercise safety during, and take care of the body and mind well after. And just like the weightlifter, results do not happen overnight. 

What is the Likelihood of Having a Bad Trip? 

It is often difficult to predict if you will have a bad trip. In actuality, it’s not really a question of if, but when, as bad trips are actually unavoidable milestones in the psychedelic journey. When you do experience one, it may be comforting to know that you are not alone and that adverse effects are temporary. 

According to the Journal of Psychopharmacology , a study surveyed 1993 psilocybin users. Of this, 39% labeled the experience one of the most challenging of their lives. However, 84% of the total participants stated that this challenge was a positive experience in the long term. What’s more is that the study concluded that risky behavior or enduring psychological distress is extremely low when psilocybin was given to screened, prepared, and supported participants. 

Not only does this mean that bad trips are generally safe, but it further supports our belief that bad trips, though difficult to endure, are actually the most crucial part of the psychedelic experience as they result in the positive mental, physical, and spiritual growth we all desire.  

Why Bad Trips Are Important

If you ask someone experienced in psychedelics if they’ve had a bad trip, an overwhelming majority would say yes. This matters because it suggests that discomfort is part of the psychedelic journey. You are typically not in control of the events or outcome of a psychedelic experience, thus putting you outside of your comfort zone.

This often results in opening up and exploring your fears, anxieties, and analyzing unwanted aspects of our personalities. This experience is accompanied by a series of mental, physical, and emotional triggers and releases. 

Bad trips are misunderstood experiences that have a misguided social context. Many of these “bad” trips can actually lead to prolonged mental and physical healing. Though healing isn’t always comfortable, it is necessary to make a significant change in your life.

Healing requires confronting the traumas and pain that limit our lives to truly embrace and love all the facets, both the light and the shadow, the “good” and “bad” parts of ourselves. Like a lobster that molts its shell each year to grow larger, the psychedelic experience, particularly bad trips, can provide a venue to undergo this challenging, yet vital evolution.

This isn’t to say that you should be specifically seeking bad trips. These difficult trips are most common for inexperienced users and those who did not adequately prepare. A higher dosage is typically related to an increase in adverse reactions, so proper dosage and preparation are key. Psychedelic Passage offers guidance on dosage and preparation through our trip sitting program .

Even the most seasoned psychonaut has a chance of experiencing a taxing psychedelic experience. Ironically, if you are equipped with the framework to work through these difficult experiences, they turn out to be very rewarding. If you happen to undergo a “bad” trip, these 10 tips may help you navigate the trip , mitigate risks, and stay safe during these stressful episodes. 

What Should I Do If I’m Currently Having a Bad Trip? 

This is a great question, and thankfully, it’s not too late to take the edge off of your discomfort. While we always maintain the position that proper preparation is most important , there are certainly some tips you can use to make a bad trip more pleasant.

Ideally, with adequate preparation, you are in the presence of a guide or trip sitter who is knowledgeable in harm reduction and altered states of consciousness. This individual should be well prepared to help you safely and smoothly navigate a “bad” trip. 

The number one thing to keep in mind is that it is temporary—you aren’t stuck like this, you will return to your normal self with time. That said, we’ve put together a list of 10 tools to help you safely navigate a bad trip , which you can find here. 

I’ve Recently Had a Bad Trip. Now What Do I Do? 

First off, congratulate yourself for having the strength to endure a challenging and taxing experience. We understand how wild and confusing that process can be. Now the real work can begin for you to use the experience of a bad trip to positively affect your life—this work is known as psychedelic integration .

Fortunately, we are smack dab in the middle of the psychedelic renaissance where support and integration services are more available than they have ever been. If you are preparing for an upcoming experience, you may want to seek the guidance of a trip facilitator. 

And if you feel a lasting negative effect from taking psychedelics or want to discuss your trip in-depth to gain further insight, book a consultation to speak with our guides and trip sitters who are also integration specialists, have first-hand experience, and can help you integrate these powerful, profound events.

Looking for a professionally supported in-person psychedelic experience?

Take the first step and book a consultation call with us today. We'll walk you through every step of the process after getting to know you and your unique situation.

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What Is a Bad Trip? - Embracing the Unexpected for Personal Growth

July 31, 2023

October 6, 2023

images of anxiety, fear, and discomfort. However, at our at-home ketamine clinic, we believe that even challenging experiences can hold valuable insights and transformative potential. In this blog post, we'll explore what a bad trip truly entails, discuss strategies to avoid it, and guide you on how to make the most of it should it occur. As Michael Pollan, author of "How to Change Your Mind, " beautifully stated, "A bad trip can be the most valuable experience of your life. It opens the door to the kind of self-discovery that only comes from confronting your deepest fears."

Understanding the Bad Trip:

A bad trip is an intense psychedelic experience characterized by overwhelming negative emotions, anxiety, and distress. It can feel like a rollercoaster ride through the depths of your psyche, where buried fears and unresolved traumas may resurface. During a bad trip, you may encounter hallucinations, paranoia, or a sense of losing control. While these experiences can be uncomfortable and challenging, it's important to remember that they are temporary and often indicative of deep-seated emotional or psychological issues that are surfacing.

One of our clients, Jessica, described her bad trip as a tumultuous journey through her own internal landscape. She shared, "In that vulnerable space, I confronted my deepest fears and insecurities. It was as if the doors to my subconscious swung wide open, revealing layers of emotions I had buried for years." Jessica's experience exemplifies the transformative potential hidden within a bad trip. By shining a light on her fears, she was able to begin the process of healing and growth.

Another aspect of a bad trip is the sense of time distortion. Minutes may feel like hours, and the passage of time can become disorienting. This distortion can intensify the emotional impact of the experience. However, it's important to remember that time is subjective during a psychedelic journey, and the intensity will gradually subside as the effects wear off. Remind yourself that it's part of the journey, and with patience and self-compassion, you can navigate through the challenging moments.

Navigating Challenging Moments:

While it's impossible to predict or completely avoid a bad trip, there are strategies to help navigate through challenging moments and minimize the likelihood of negative experiences. First and foremost, creating a supportive environment is crucial. Choose a comfortable and familiar space where you feel safe and secure. Set the stage with soft lighting, calming music, and cherished items that bring you a sense of comfort. Surround yourself with trusted individuals who can provide reassurance and support throughout the journey.

During a bad trip, it's easy to become overwhelmed by the intensity of emotions and sensations. This is where mindfulness practices can be incredibly beneficial. Focus on your breath as an anchor to the present moment. Breathe deeply and consciously, allowing the breath to guide you back to a state of calm and centeredness. Engaging in grounding techniques, such as feeling the weight of your body on the ground or touching objects with different textures, can also help anchor you in reality and provide a sense of stability.

Remember, a bad trip does not define the entire journey. It's a part of the transformative process that unfolds during a psychedelic experience. Embracing discomfort and facing fears can lead to profound insights and personal growth. As renowned author Joseph Campbell once said, "The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek." In the depths of a challenging trip, there is an opportunity to confront and heal the aspects of yourself that are calling for attention.

In the next part of this blog post, we will delve into strategies to avoid a bad trip and how to make the most of it if it occurs. Stay tuned for valuable insights and guidance on your psychedelic journey of self-discovery and healing.

Disclaimer:

The information provided in this blog post is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. If you are considering psychedelic experiences, it is important to consult with trained healthcare professionals who can guide you safely and responsibly.

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Definition:

A bad trip refers to a highly distressing or negative psychedelic experience typically induced by hallucinogenic drugs such as LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, or DMT. It is characterized by intense feelings of fear, anxiety, paranoia, confusion, and profound discomfort that can be emotionally and psychologically overwhelming.

• Drug potency: Consuming a higher dose of hallucinogenic substances than one’s tolerance level can lead to a bad trip.
• Set and setting: An individual’s mindset, emotions, and the environment they are in greatly influence the outcome of a psychedelic experience. Negative emotions, stressful environments, or being in an unfamiliar or uncomfortable place can increase the likelihood of a bad trip.
• Pre-existing mental health conditions: People with certain mental illnesses or predispositions may be more susceptible to experiencing negative effects during a psychedelic trip.
• Interactions and unknown substances: Mixing hallucinogens with other drugs or consuming substances of unknown origin can significantly elevate the risk of having a bad trip.
• Intense anxiety: Feelings of extreme unease, fear, or dread.
• Hallucinations: Distorted perceptions, seeing or hearing things that aren’t there, or experiencing terrifying visuals.
• Paranoia: An overwhelming sense of being watched, followed, or a belief that harm is imminent.
• Confusion and disorientation: Difficulty processing thoughts, memories, or understanding reality.
• Emotional distress: Overwhelming sadness, despair, or a feeling of being trapped.
• Panic attacks: Sudden onset of intense fear or discomfort accompanied by physical symptoms such as increased heart rate, sweating, or shortness of breath.

Treatment and Prevention:

When experiencing a bad trip, it can be helpful to have a trusted and sober friend present who can provide reassurance and support. Removing oneself from stimulating environments and engaging in calming activities, such as deep breathing or listening to soothing music, may also help alleviate anxiety.

To prevent a bad trip, individuals should take precautions, including:

• Researching: Understanding the substance, its effects, and appropriate dosage before consuming.
• Choosing the right set and setting: Ensuring a positive mindset, stable emotions, and being in a comfortable and safe environment.
• Testing substances: Using testing kits to verify the purity and identity of any illicit substances.
• Start low, go slow: Beginning with a low dose and gradually increasing if desired effects are experienced.

Note: The use of hallucinogenic substances carries inherent risks, and it is important to prioritize personal safety and well-being.

How to understand a bad trip and start the healing process

Bad psychedelic trips are incredibly common. If you’ve recently had a bad trip and are struggling to understand it, you’re in the right place. This site is dedicated to helping you understand a bad trip that you’ve had (that’s what we’ll do in this post) and heal from it.

The first thing to do is write down all of the details of your trip that you can remember in chronological order. Writing it all down will help you take the edge off. As long as you leave the trip bottled up in your mind, it will just continue to loom in the background like the memory of a nightmare. As long as it stays in that looming, scary, haunting state in your head, it will be almost impossible to understand a bad trip. To see an example of how to do this writing, take a look at my bad trip story . Once you’ve gotten everything you can written down, you can start to analyze and understand a bad trip more easily.

The truth is that, when you take psychedelics in the right way, having a bad trip isn’t very likely at all. Yes, there is a right way to take psychedelics – if you’re looking to avoid a bad trip, that is. You can certainly take psychedelics in any way you like, but you run a serious risk. When you understand the right way to take psychedelics, you’ll probably have “ duh ,” moment. It will likely be very obvious to you why you had a bad trip, which can be a healing realization. So: let’s learn how to understand a bad trip, starting with the circumstances.

This post will go hand-in-hand with questionnaire or checklist that you can use to evaluate your trip. If you’d like to fill out the questionnaire, you can click here for the Google Doc. This link takes you to a read-only version of it, so you’ll need to click File>Make a Copy in order to save it to your own Drive and edit it.

Understand a bad trip: setting and surroundings

The setting in which you take psychedelics is  extremely  important. In classic guides on taking LSD, mushrooms, mescaline, etc., “set” (i.e. mindset) and “setting” are the two top considerations. If you’re looking to avoid having a bad trip, you should take psychedelics in a relaxing, familiar environment that provides comfort and stability. It should be place that doesn’t have a lot of negative vibes or bad memories associated with. Also, it should ideally be pretty simple, without a lot of busy decorations or things going on. Things should be relatively quiet (i.e. no TV or movies), but having some gentle music without words is generally a good idea.

For many of you, this description will probably sound like the opposite of the setting in which you tripped. Perhaps you tripped in a hotel room that was completely unfamiliar to you or at friend’s house where you didn’t feel particularly at home. Maybe you rode around from place to place in a car. I’ve even heard of people having trips while on a boat in the middle of a lake at night – not a good idea. Another bad idea is tripping at a party or club where there is a lot going on that you can’t control: people, loud music, strange lights, and cramped surroundings. This will send you into overload-mode really quickly.

How setting impacts you during a trip

When you’re on a psychedelic substance, it’s a delicate time. Your brain is not operating in its usual way, and you’ve cut out the “sub” in subconscious . The subconscious part of your mind is not logical. While on psychedelics, your ability to logically understand where you’re at and why you’re there goes out the window. Your brain is open to make all kinds of irrational associations and blow small things out of proportion. This can send you spiraling into paranoia and a bad trip.

Think about it this way: your conscious mind is your outer shell which protects the most delicate, sacred part of you. Your subconscious mind is that sacred part which is so beautiful, creative, and delicate – it’s the true you. Do you really want to expose that sensitive, sacred  true you to a crazy party environment without the outer-shell to protect it? For me, the answer is no. I hope it is for you too.

When you’re tripping, it’s best to factor out any variable that could cause you to get freaked out, overstimulated, or overloaded. Know that, even if you love those kinds of environments on other drugs, psychedelics are  different. Even if your friends can handle those environments while on psychedelics, know that everyone reacts to these substances differently. You’re  you. You’re not your friends, so it doesn’t really matter what they’re doing or how they like to take psychedelics.

Understand a bad trip: people you were with

Another extremely important factor is the people you were tripping with – they can make or break an experience with psychedelics. Ideally, you should be with a supportive person (or a few people) who genuinely care about you and want to help guide you through a positive experience. It really helps to be with people who are a bit older than you or at least wiser when it comes to psychedelics – especially if it’s your first time. This person/these people should be caring and nonjudgmental. If you’re not a long-time psychedelics user, I would  not recommend tripping alone.

Here again, many of you will have had opposite experiences to this. Perhaps you tripped with a large group of people who you didn’t really know that well or just a few people who you  thought were good friends. Maybe the people you were with scared you or messed with you, showing that they weren’t that great of friends after all. Another difficult situation – tripping alone – makes it easy to spiral into a bad trip because there’s no one there to help bring you out or help ground you. It’s always best to have a trip sitter.

How people impact you during a trip

During a trip, you’ll likely react to a certain person differently than you do in normal life. This is because you’re fully embodying your subconscious mind, which sees all and can’t tell a lie. Your conscious mind, on the other hand, is the part of you that decides things, makes up stories, and tells yourself things that may or may not be true. In short, your conscious mind is the one that lets you lie to yourself. Often times, we may think we know or like someone. In reality, we have just convinced ourselves of such. When you take psychedelics around someone, you’re really meeting them for the first time –  truly meeting them.

This can be totally shocking. Trust me, I’ve been there. During my worst trip, I was with a guy I thought I really liked. We had been dating for a few months, and I felt like I knew him. Once we were in the trip together, though, I felt totally different about him. My reaction to him was actually what started to spark the bad trip. A trip can completely mess up a relationship (I have an entire post on this), but you have to understand that it’s for the better. If someone freaks you out during a trip, that means that your true self does not jive with that person. Why would you want to hang around someone who, at your deepest level, you don’t like or feel comfortable with?

This is also true of the people who mess with you, purposely scare you, or aren’t willing to support you during a trip. Run and hide from those people, even if they’re your “best friends.” Your  true best friends are the ones who treat you with kindness, care, and respect at all times, but especially during a psychedelic trip. When you’re tripping around someone who freaks you out, the best thing you can do is call someone else to come get you. The bad trip will likely persist until you get away from them.

Understand a bad trip: dosage and other substances

When you take psychedelics, you should take a comfortable dose. Also, you should not mix psychedelics with other substances nor boost your psychedelic dose. Many people take way too much of a certain psychedelic or boost their dose multiple times and then proceed to smoke weed or take ecstasy, etc. on  top  of the psychedelic. This is asking for trouble, because things can get out of hand extremely quickly.

Ask yourself: what’s the point of taking a heroic dose? To feel extremely fucked up? To seem epic or outlandish to your friends? To push yourself to the edge? To have an intense mystical experience? Often, taking a heroic dose is self-destructive and not at all necessary. If you’re looking for an intense mystical or spiritual experience, it’s best to work yourself up. Taking 10 hits of acid early on in your psychedelic life is just not a good idea. You’ll have no way of knowing what you’re getting into. Start small and perhaps increase your dosage a little bit each time you trip.

When taking psychedelics, don’t rely on other people to tell you what to take or how much to take. Do your own research. I can’t stress this enough. Everyone reacts to substances differently, and you need to look out for your own self and psyche. Your friend may need 250µg of LSD to have an intense experience, but you may only need 50µg. Start off lighter rather than heavier in order to learn how your body and mind react. Also, just don’t boost. Boosting is an easy way to spark a bad trip by taking more than you realize or can handle. If you don’t seem to be coming up soon or intensely enough for your preferences, just wait until next time. Life is long, and you’ll have another chance.

Please refer to Erowid’s dosing guide for more information on dosage.

Understand a bad trip: trip experiences

There are a few common trip patterns that cause bad experiences for many people. Feeling like you’re dead, dying, or going to die is certainly the most common one. I have an entire post dedicated to fear of death caused by psychedelics. In short, this is the psychedelic substance trying to show you that your consciousness does not stop at death. Many of us are not used to confronting ideas about death when we take psychedelics, so the thought of dying becomes terrifying. Before you go into a trip, it’s extremely important to thoroughly understand what risks are involved – for example, LSD is just not going to kill you. It will very often make you feel like you’re going to die, but you won’t actually.

If you felt like you were going to die during a trip, you probably got extremely scared and tried to resist it. Perhaps you even called 911. Resisting is the worst thing to do. It will usually cause you to spiral into a terrible trip. Know that the best thing you could’ve done – and the best thing you can do right now – is to make peace with the idea of death. Know that death is not the end of your existence or consciousness. It’s simply a birth into the next stage of your existence as a spirit.

Some other common experience that can provoke a bad trip is feeling like you’re out of control or can’t control your thoughts, experiencing unwanted telepathy, getting out of your body, or switching bodies with someone else. Like the feeling of imminent death, this is the psychedelic substance’s way of showing you that your consciousness is more than your physical existence. I truly believe that psychedelics are the best teachers we could ever ask for, but they’re not easy. If you had one of these types of experiences, know that it wasn’t some evil trick. It was a cosmic lesson that you were resisting. The best thing you can do now is to (while sober) try to learn the lesson that psychedelics were trying to teach you.

Understand a bad trip: leading into it

As I mentioned earlier, “set and setting” are the two of the most important factors for having a good experience, according to classic guides on taking psychedelics.  Set refers to your mindset or where you are mentally when you go into a trip. When you take a psychedelic for the first time, you should be calm, relaxed, and willing. If you’re scared, anxious, depressed, overly hyped up, or worried about a bad trip, it’s probably best not to take the substance at that time. These types of attitudes can readily bring on a bad trip. It’s also very important to thoroughly research the substance  before taking it. It’s easy to get lax about doing that, which can lead to a bad experience because you didn’t know quite what to expect. Personally, I feel that if I had done thorough research before my worst trip, it probably wouldn’t’ve been bad at all. All of my previous trips had been blissful and easy-breezy. No one ever sat me down and told me “You will feel like you’re definitely going to die, but you won’t,” nor did I do my own research. This isn’t someone else’s responsibility to tell you. Researching your substances is your responsibility .

Second, it’s important to consider your  psychedelic lifestyle leading into a trip. It’s not a good idea to repeatedly take psychedelics for the purpose of having fun or getting a joyride. Many people do this. Many people convince themselves that they’re  not doing this. Inevitably, if you use psychedelics like “drugs” that allow you to escape reality, you will likely end up having a terrifying or uncomfortable trip. You always get the trip you need , even if it’s not the trip you want . I call these unpleasant trips a “slap in the face.” They force you to confront yourself and the errors in your behavior.

Was there ever a time when your parents punished you or refused to let you do something in a way that made you  so  angry at the time? Now that you’re older, though, do you see how that bit of strictness was actually beneficial to you? I hope to help you get away from being angry at psychedelics and towards seeing how they were truly trying to help you.

Ideal situations leading up to a trip

Ideally, you should take psychedelics to expand your consciousness. To learn something about life or the universe. To get in touch with your true self or the Divine. To spark your creativity. Taking psychedelics for fun or to “trip balls” or because your friends are doing it is asking for a bad time.

Ideally, you should take psychedelics no more than once every six months. That probably sounds insane, but I’ve talked about this in a few other posts:

Terrance McKenna, who I would say is a well-known “prophet” of DMT and mushrooms said that he felt like he was doing a lot if he had two trips per year. If a person says DMT is their favorite drug, and you ask them when the last time they did it was, you might get an answer like “1967.” These substances are so powerful and consciousness-altering that it can take months, years, or even a lifetime to fully process and understand what you saw, experienced, and felt in a 45 second DMT trip or an 6 hour acid trip. If you’re doing full doses of psychedelics more than a few times year, it’s worth seriously contemplating why. It’s highly unlikely that you’re taking time to truly understand what you experienced. Without fully realizing it, you may be using your brain as sort of an amusement park. 

This amusement park mentality is common, especially in college situations. Unfortunately, it’s a lot like walking over the ocean on a tightrope when you could be walking on a bridge. Even though psychedelics offer wonderful experiences that are so much more interesting than daily life, you have to avoid overusing them. You can read more about this here .

Understand a bad trip: lifestyle and choices

This is probably the most difficult (but important) part of a trip to confront. Psychedelics often force us to confront the darker parts of ourselves. They show us where we’re going wrong. If you took psychedelics under the “perfect” circumstances and still had a bad experience, this is where you should focus. In order to understand a bad trip, you have to look deeply into yourself.

The best thing you can do is really take an inventory of where you are right now in life from all perspectives. It’s all about taking that good, hard look in the mirror and not shying away from what you see. Most of us live our lives in ignorance of who we really are, what we really feel, and what we really want. When I use the word “ignorance,” I’m not talking about being stupid. If you take a look at how the word is spelled, you’ll see the word “ignore” inside of it (minus the e). What I mean is that we have gotten so numb to our true selves that we live our lives in a state of ignoring our true selves.

The questionnaire  asks a variety of questions that can help you identify how out of touch you are with your true self. Here are some examples:

• Do you feel like you had been ignoring/running away from problems in your life?
• At the time of the trip, were you happy with who you were? Did you like who you had become?
• Do you feel like you had/have a dark past or skeletons in your closet?
• Were you in the habit of changing your mind frequently or having a hard time staying the course with things you started?
• Were you in the habit of doing what other people wanted you to do more than what you wanted to do?

I believe that this is one of the most beautiful things a trip can do: make you confront yourself. Often, this isn’t a fun or pleasant thing to do. It’s a long, difficult journey that will lead you to a place of true happiness and fulfillment. No purely pleasant thing has the power to do that. If you’ve had a bad trip, it’s time to start confronting those skeletons in the closet and healing from them. Part of this may involve dealing with repressed trauma, as was the case for me. I’ve got a full post dedicated to healing from trauma.

Understand a bad trip: how to use this post

Taking a psychedelic trip largely means taking a trip into the subconscious mind, which is devoid of logic. The subconscious mind is a place of raw intuition. The conscious mind is what infuses that intuition with logic and allows us to function in daily life. The illogical nature of the subconscious mind is part of what makes it so hard to understand a bad trip. While having an intuitive experience is beautiful and powerful, it won’t help you here in the 3rd dimension unless you can logically process and understand it. That’s the goal of this post: to help you infuse logic into the situation so that it’s easier to understand a bad trip. By doing this, you’ll help the memory of the trip to become less haunting and confusing. AND you’ll start to heal from the terrifying experience while integrating its lessons into your daily life.

Use this post as a starting point when you’re trying to understand a bad trip. Make a copy of the Google Doc I provided and fill it out for yourself. You can also take a look at the version of the questionnaire that I completed to get a better understanding of how it can be used.

Remember that there are no “bad trips,” only difficult lessons. That statement is coming from someone whose entire life was turned upside down for years by a bad trip and the resulting panic attacks. You  will get through this.

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Power Tripped? Common Causes and What to do

by Peter Cardamone | Oct 2, 2020 | Domestic Electrical , Emergency Electrical | 0 comments

Having something trip the power in your home can be an extremely frustrating occurrence – especially if you’re in the middle of a task, and particularly if you don’t know what has caused it. Often, the problem may be simpler than you think. There are a few reasons why your power might have tripped. Even better, there are simple steps to follow to fix the problem quickly and easily, allowing you to get on with your day.

Causes of a Power Trip

Essentially, a power trip occurs when the electrical system in your home is compromised in some way. The trip is a safety mechanism, meaning your circuit breakers will ‘trip the switch’ and automatically shut down power to one or several systems, making sure the problem cannot become anything more serious. This can happen for a number of reasons.

Overloaded Circuit

The most simple cause of a power trip is an overloaded circuit. If you have too many devices or appliances running simultaneously, the circuit can end up drawing more electrical load than it is equipped to handle. It heats up, the circuit breaker senses this, and the power trips before the circuit can heat to a dangerous level.

Short Circuit

A short circuit can be caused by a wiring problem in a device or an appliance when it is connected to your main system. It can also happen if two opposing wires accidentally touch, causing an unexpected surge of electricity that will cause the circuit breaker to trip the system.

Earth Leakage Fault

An earth leakage fault is a type of short circuit, and it will happen when the current flowing through the electrical system finds an alternative path other than the active or neutral conductors. These are slightly more dangerous, particularly if they occur in places such as the bathroom or kitchen where moisture could carry the electricity and cause shocks. Once again, the increase in electricity will cause the circuit to heat up, and the circuit breaker will therefore initiate a power trip to prevent further damage.

What to Do About a Power Trip

In the case of a short circuit or a ground fault, it is advisable to promptly seek professional advice in order to resolve the problem safely. If you live in the south-east, you may want to call your electrician in Brighton and get a specialist to take a look at the problem. However, in the case of an overloaded circuit, you can often fix the problem yourself in a few simple steps.

Before any fault occurs, it’s useful to ensure you know where your electrical board is located, and you have a handheld torch to help you navigate in case of a blackout.

Turn Appliances Off

Make sure to turn any appliances off that are connected to the affected system.

Master Switch

At the power board, your first move should be to turn off the master switch. This will ensure you cannot get hurt whilst fixing the problem.

Safety Switch

Make sure you have an RCD safety switch installed , and use it to check the safety of your appliances.

Once you have flipped the relevant switch back to the ‘on’ position, test that the circuit is working again. If it is not, or if it immediately trips again, it may be that the problem is more severe than an overloaded circuit, and it’s time to call in the professionals.

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a new supervisor on a power trip.

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Word history and origins.

Origin of power trip 1

Example Sentences

There, unlike in prison, he could be left alone, physically distant from other people and their needs, whims, power trips and pain.

Her latest is The Power Trip, and she has sold well over 500 million copies of her books.

The makeup artist shook her head slowly, always the sign of a power trip going on.

And in my experience of writing about campaigns, that power trip does exaggerate their narcissism.

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One Way to Deal With Someone on A Power Trip

Hint: many who throw their weight around don’t feel all that powerful..

Posted September 17, 2019 | Reviewed by Ekua Hagan

Sure, there are people out there who like to use power to control other people—that’s pretty much the definition of a power trip. But is your boss, coworker, ex-friend, or estranged relative really one of them?

Not necessarily.

Not everybody who seems to be on a power trip actually is. Even the most controlling, domineering person in your life may simply be… protecting herself.

Self-protection isn’t the only alternative explanation for an apparent power trip. But it’s one that’s often overlooked.

If you can spot self-protection in action, you’re more likely to respond effectively and even potentially help the person heal.

The Power of Self-Protection

Most of us, if we’ve been hurt badly enough in the past, will prioritize doing whatever it takes to stay emotionally and physically safe.

Some of the behaviors we use as a shield can easily be mistaken for something more aggressive. Here are just a few examples:

• Dictating the details of how things play out to make sure we don’t get hurt again
• Requiring lots of information upfront before we agree to do things
• Changing our minds after agreeing to something that makes us nervous
• Reducing or eliminating contact with people who feel dangerous

All of these behaviors can come across as power-tripping. But self-protection is not about enjoying power; it’s about trying to ensure safety.

Sometimes, self-protection requires us to remove ourselves from certain relationships. There are various ways of doing this, ranging from “ ghosting ” (disappearing without explanation) to having a respectful conversation in which we clearly state our needs and boundaries in a way that others can choose to act on, or not, with the understanding that we hope they’ll be able to do so.

Mostly, when we’re in self-defense mode, we’re not especially polite. We might come across as unreasonable, stubborn, or even aggressive.

Think about it: If you’re at a backyard barbecue, and your shorts catch fire, you’re going to make a beeline for the swimming pool without concern for whose Coke you knock over. While you’re dashing to the pool, your only thought is for your own safety.

Even if we don’t feel especially powerful, our self-protection can make us look like power-hungry control freaks.

Refusing to return someone’s phone call, from their point of view, is just rude. Even if the truth is we’re scared of what might happen if we talk to them.

Leaving relationships, or acting inconsistently within them because of our own ambivalence, can come across as a power trip because we’re controlling the contact schedule. Sometimes we’re available; other times, we’re not. We decide from moment to moment what we can tolerate.

To the person on the receiving end, we’re just messing with them.

How to Respond

If you’re on the other side, looking at someone who appears to be on a power trip, there are some questions you might consider. To your knowledge…

Has that person experienced physical harm, emotional pain, or deep disappointment in relationships?

How secure does he seem, in general? How’s his overall self-image ?

Is it possible that the “power trip” is really just a need for safety?

If the relationship is important to you, don’t skip over self-protection as a possible explanation for behavior that appears power-driven.

If it might be the case that the person is protecting himself, how can you help him feel safer, especially in the relationship you share?

Here are a few ways to provide safety for people who’ve been hurt and/or traumatized in relationships:

• Ask permission. Ask about timing, locations, activities, topics that are OK to discuss… anything that the person seems anxious to control. These are important to her, so let her decide what feels OK.
• Offer choices. Same as above, and let the person know you’re open to hearing her ideas and preferences. Respect her choices, as long as they don’t directly violate your personal boundaries.
• Don’t push. Fear of being dominated often goes hand in hand with concerns about safety. Never try to coerce someone who’s been traumatized into doing what you want them to do.
• Be patient. Intrusive self-protective behaviors stem from past harm, not malice. People need time, understanding, and acceptance in order to heal.

These behaviors represent the opposite of what most of us feel like doing when someone is throwing their weight around. It’s human nature to want to push back against anything that feels like an inappropriate power-grab.

So if the relationship is not that important to you, you may choose simply not to deal with someone who seems to be on a power trip.

But now that you know it could be something deeper, you can make an informed choice about your own response.

Tina Gilbertson, LPC, is the author of Reconnecting with Your Estranged Adult Child and Constructive Wallowing: How to Beat Bad Feelings By Letting Yourself Have Them . She hosts the Reconnection Club Podcast for parents of estranged adult children and offers consultation by distance.

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At any moment, someone’s aggravating behavior or our own bad luck can set us off on an emotional spiral that threatens to derail our entire day. Here’s how we can face our triggers with less reactivity so that we can get on with our lives.

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Joining NATO binds countries to defend each other – but this commitment is not set in stone

Professor of Political Science, Emory University

Associate Professor of Political Science, University at Albany, State University of New York

Disclosure statement

Dan Reiter receives funding from the Charles W. Koch Foundation

Brian Greenhill does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

University at Albany, State University of New York provides funding as a member of The Conversation US.

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The outcome of the upcoming U.S. presidential election is going to have major consequences for the relationship between the U.S. and its allies. While President Joe Biden is a firm believer in the value of the transatlantic alliance, Republican contender Donald Trump has for years railed against U.S. participation in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the military alliance commonly referred to as NATO.

In February 2024, for example, Trump said that if he were reelected president, he would tell Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” against NATO members that are “delinquent” in not having invested enough in their own military capabilities. Foreign policy commentators viewed that as an invitation for Russia to attack these NATO countries.

In September 2022, six months after Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine applied to join NATO. Now, Ukraine’s potential membership is one of the top questions that representatives from NATO’s 32 member countries in North America and Europe will consider when they meet in Washington in July 2024.

At the root of debates over policy toward alliances such as NATO is the assumption that NATO requires its members to step in and help with defense if another member of the alliance is attacked.

As political scientists who study the role of international organizations like NATO, we think it is important to understand that, in reality, alliance agreements are more flexible than people think.

In practice, it is possible for the U.S. and other Western countries to stay out of a conflict that involves a NATO country without having to break their alliance commitments. The NATO treaty’s language contains loopholes that let member countries remain out of other members’ wars in certain situations.

What does Article 5 really mean?

One key part of the NATO treaty that countries sign when they join the alliance is called Article 5 . This says that an “armed attack” against one NATO member in Europe or North America “shall be considered an attack against them all.”

In the case of such an attack, NATO countries agree to assist the country that requires help, including through “the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.”

But the treaty does not include a clear definition of a what an “armed attack” actually is.

This mattered in February 2020, when Turkey asked for a NATO meeting and requested that NATO intervene with military force in response to Russian and Syrian forces’ attacks on its territory, which had killed 33 Turkish soldiers, during the Syrian civil war. NATO allies chose not to defend Turkey with military force, arguing that the level of violence against Turkey wasn’t enough to call it an “armed attack.”

Other exceptions to the rule

Even when NATO members decide that Article 5 should apply to a specific situation, each country can still individually decide how to act. That is, while NATO does have administrative staff based in Brussels , there is no central NATO authority that tells each country what it must do.

Instead, each country tells NATO what it is – and is not – willing to do.

NATO members have only formally invoked Article 5 once – following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon outside of Washington.

At that time, 13 NATO countries sent fighter aircraft to help the U.S. patrol its skies from mid-October 2001 to mid-May 2002.

But most NATO allies chose not to send troops to Afghanistan to support the U.S. in its fight against the Taliban. This lack of action on the part of some NATO allies was not seen as breaking the treaty and didn’t prompt a major debate – and the countries that chose not to join the fight were not sanctioned by or ejected from the alliance.

The NATO treaty also provides some exceptions based on geography. When Argentina went to war with the United Kingdom (a NATO member) over the Falkland Islands in 1982, the U.S. and other NATO members were able to use the fact that the alliance only applies to the North Atlantic region as a reason to stay out of the conflict.

Would public opinion force the president’s hand?

Some political scientists argue that voters will demand their leaders take the country to war to defend an ally. This implies that what really binds the members of an alliance together is not the legal text of an international treaty itself, given that no international court is empowered to enforce the treaty , but rather the public’s expectations of what it means to be an ally.

As part of our research into how the American public thinks about international legal obligations, we decided to construct an experiment to see if presidents could use alliance loophole language to justify keeping the U.S. out of a war involving an ally.

In 2022 and 2023, we conducted a pair of survey-based experiments that involved asking nearly 5,000 American adults to consider a hypothetical scenario in which a U.S. ally comes under attack from a powerful neighbor.

Some of the respondents were told that the text of the alliance treaty would allow the U.S. government to avoid having to send troops to defend the embattled ally, while others were not told that information. Though the survey did not mention a specific alliance, we described the terms of the alliance in a way that matches the language used in treaties like NATO’s. We then asked the respondents to tell us their views on sending U.S. troops to defend the ally under attack.

Our results revealed a big difference between the people who were told about the flexibility in the alliance treaty and those who were not. While respondents from both groups were generally inclined to come to the defense of an ally, their willingness to do so was significantly lower when they were told that the alliance treaty did not necessarily require the U.S. to send troops.

This suggests that political leaders can, under certain circumstances, manage to convince a large segment of the public that it’s OK to abandon an ally in a time of need.

So, when it comes to debates about U.S. policy toward its alliance partners – and whether it should admit new members like Ukraine – it is important for both sides to appreciate that alliance commitments are not quite as binding, either legally or politically, as the conventional wisdom suggests.

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Definition of power trip noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

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Thursday 27 June 2024 13:19, UK

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It's the morning after the night that saw Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer clash for the final time before the general election.

Here's everything you need to know - and some of what's still to come.

• Reform UK  has won the backing of Sir John Hall, a former Tory donor and Newcastle United owner;
• He was introduced at a campaign event by Nigel Farage , as the party looks for more support with just a week to go until polling day.
• The Metropolitan Police have issued an update on their investigation into bets being placed on the date of the election;
• There are now seven officers under investigation ;
• Meanwhile, a Gambling Commission source has told Sky News the force could take over all cases currently being looked into - including those involving parliamentary candidates and party officials.
• Junior doctors are on strike today and have expressed disappointment at the approaches of both the Tory government and Labour;
• The co-chair of the BMA's junior doctors committee told Sky News the prime minister had failed to offer a "credible commitment" on pay ;
• He also warned Keir Starmer strikes would continue if his possible new government didn't "negotiate in good faith".
• Elsewhere, our political reporter Faye Brown has revealed more large donations from the chancellor to his local party;
• Jeremy Hunt is under huge threat from the Lib Dems in his constituency of Godalming and Ash and has donated another £32,000 of his own money, latest figures reveal.

You won't want to miss tonight's Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge at 7pm, which features the latest of our in-depth interviews with party leaders.

This time it's the man who could be Britain's next prime minister: Labour's Sir Keir Starmer.

Stick with us through the afternoon for the latest news and analysis from the campaign trail.

Rishi Sunak has refused to say if he told one of his closest parliamentary aides the date of the election before he placed a bet on it.

Just to remind you, Craig Williams, who has now been suspended as the Conservative candidate in Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr, admitted he "committed a serious error of judgment" but "not an offence" and declared he would continue to fight to win his seat.

Speaking to broadcasters, the PM insisted he was "furious" when he first learned about the allegations, and added "if anyone is breaking the rules, they should face the full consequences of the law, whether that's the Gambling Commission or the police."

Pushed repeatedly on whether he told Mr Williams - his parliamentary private secretary - the date in advance, Mr Sunak refused to say.

"It's absolutely not right when there are ongoing independent investigations, that those aren't compromised in any way, shape or form, they are rightly confidential," he said.

On behalf of all broadcasters, Sky's Sam Coates pointed out to Mr Sunak he cannot prejudice an investigation, only a jury.

But Mr Sunak still refused to say if he told Mr Williams the date of the election before it became public.

"Whilst there are ongoing independent investigations, including, as you said, by the police, it's important that those matters are allowed to proceed properly."

The other candidates for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr are:

• Jeremy Brignell-Thorp, Green Party;
• Oliver Lewis, Reform UK;
• Glyn Preston, Liberal Democrats;
• Elwyn Vaughan, Plaid Cymru;
• Steve Witherden, Labour.

A donor who has given more than £500,000 to the Conservative Party since 2007 has defected to Reform UK.

Sir John Hall, the former Newcastle United owner, is at Nigel Farage's rally in County Durham that is under way now.

He was integral to funding the Conservative 2017 snap election campaign, called by then PM Theresa May.

Speaking at the rally, Mr Farage said he is "delighted" that Sir John has joined them and given a donation to the party.

The businessman did not join Mr Farage on stage, but waved from the back of the hall as the crowd stood up and cheered.

As the election campaign enters the final week, Rishi Sunak has acknowledged that voters have left the Conservative Party in recent years - but appealed for public support.

Speaking during a visit to a pottery factory in Derbyshire, the prime minister said: "I understand why many of you might be hesitant about supporting us again at this election.

"I'm not blind to the frustrations that you feel about me, about our party."

He blamed many of the struggles on COVID and the war in Ukraine, but did concede the Tories "haven't got everything right", saying: "We've made mistakes, and we haven't made as much progress in all areas as we would have liked."

But he went on: "This is not a by-election. This is a choice about the future of our country and a choice that is going to have profound consequences for you, your family finances and the direction of our nation.

"Before you make that choice, you should just think very hard about what a Labour government would actually mean for you."

The PM said "you can't be sure" because Sir Keir Starmer "changes his mind on almost every major position he has taken".

As the general election campaign enters its final week, the party leaders are out on the campaign trail making their pitches to voters.

Rishi Sunak has just given a stump speech at a pottery factory in Derbyshire as he tries to claw back a few of the voters who have abandoned his party, and is now holding a Q&A.

Watch in the stream below:

Meanwhile, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is giving a speech in County Durham as he continues his attempt to destroy the Conservative Party and win seats in parliament.

You can watch that one here:

The Metropolitan Police has just given an update on the investigation into bets around the general election.

Seven police officers have so far been identified as having placed bets on the timing of the election, the force said.

One of Rishi Sunak's close protection officers was arrested 10 days ago on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The officer has been bailed and is subject to restricted duties.

A further six officers have been identified as having placed bets on the timing of the election, and are under investigation by the Gambling Commission.

The Met also clarified exactly how the investigation will work.

Bets that are suspected to fall under the cheating section of the Gambling Act will be investigated by the Gambling Commission, and are "likely to make up the majority of cases".

The gambling watchdog is empowered to bring criminal prosecutions where crimes are suspected to have been committed.

Bets that are suspect to be in breach of the Gambling Act, but with "special features" that could mean other offences could apply, such as misconduct in public office, will be "assessed by the Met's Specialist Crime Command to determine what further investigation is required".

"The number of these cases is likely to be much smaller than those in the first category," the force said.

In a statement, Andrew Rhodes, chief executive of the Gambling Commission, said they are "focused on an investigation into confidential information being used to gain an unfair advantage when betting on the date of the general election".

He added they cannot provide the names of anyone potentially under suspicion "to protect the integrity of the investigation and to ensure a fair and just outcome".

By Faye Brown , political reporter

Jeremy Hunt has donated a further £32,000 of his own money to his constituency party as he tries to avoid becoming the first sitting chancellor in modern British history to lose his seat.

Figures from the Electoral Commission show in the first quarter of this year, Mr Hunt made three donations to the Godalming and Ash Conservatives.

The chancellor gave £7,794 across two separate donations on 2 January, then another £24,451.30 on 8 February.

The 8 February donation is the largest single donation he has made to the local association, which has received £166,457 from him in total since 2014.

The vast majority of that has been cash donations, official records show, though £8,918 of it was non-cash.

Under electoral rules, MPs and candidates can donate to their local constituency accounting unit if they wish.

The Lib Dems said Mr Hunt is "throwing the kitchen sink at keeping his seat", amid warnings he could be ousted come polling day on 4 July.

The Surrey constituency has been a key target seat for Sir Ed Davey's party as they aim to demolish the Conservative "Blue Wall" in southern England.

Read more here:

The Met Police are trying to take over all live cases relating to the election date betting probe, but they are only being given a small number at this stage, a Gambling Commission source has told Sky News.

It is understood commission officials have stressed the importance of the investigation being independent, but that the police want to lead on investigations into their own officers as well as parliamentary candidates and officials.

The Gambling Commission source told Sky News if the Met Police take over all cases, the politicians identified will be arrested under caution and may be interviewed with commission officials present.

However, a Gambling Commission spokesperson said that this is not true.

Earlier, the Met Police announced it would take the lead on investigating "a small number of cases" related to the Westminster betting scandal (see post at 6.48am ).

Our live poll tracker collates the results of opinion surveys carried out by all the main polling organisations - and allows you to see how the political parties are performing in the run-up to the general election.

With just a week to go, the Tories and Labour have taken a drop, while support for Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats is on the rise.

Read more about the tracker  here .

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