Psychedelics can be challenging even to the most experienced users. A so-called ‘bad trip’ can take many forms, the most well-known being frightening hallucinations.

Others may experience more physical challenges like feeling a lack of self control over themselves and their bodies.

With the simple tips below, we hope to help guide new users and veterans of plant medicine through these sometimes difficult encounters.

Please note these tips apply to the use of psychedelics and plant medicine, we do not recommend experimenting with chemical drugs such as MDMA, Ketamine, DXM and others unless you have the ability to properly source, test and or use these substances in a medical environment and or through medical professionals.

Survival Guide

Tip 1 – Breathe

This may sound obvious, however always remembering to breathe – and doing so mindfully – is the best defence against a bad trip.

If things get dark or challenging, focus on your breath and exhale longer than you inhale, noticing the tension in your body release with every exhale.

Studies have found that deep breathing is one of the best ways to lower stress in the body. This is due to your brain getting signals to relax when inhaling deeply.

Activities that increase heart-rate like: fast breathing, high blood pressure all decrease when you practice breathing techniques or as some call it breathwork. This is why you see professional athletes like Boxers moving around the ring and exhaling between rounds.

Belly breathing is probably the easiest technique and can be done anywhere, even in a crowded festival (post covid19 of course). Just follow these easy steps:

1. Sit or lie flat in a comfy position
2. Put one hand on your belly just below your ribs and the other on your chest
3. Take a deep inhale through your nose, and let your belly push your hand out.
4. Exhale through pursed lips as if you were whistling. Feel the hand on your belly go in, and use it to push all the air out.
5. Do this between 5 to 10 times. Take your time!
6. Take note of how you feel in the moment when you finish

Tip 2 – Acceptance

Now that more psychedelic clinical trials are underway, medical professionals have also become aware of the potentials of bad trips with some of their patients using Psilocybin, LSD or other psychedelic substances.

Guides for these trials will now often advise participants to surrender to the experience, especially if it’s a challenging one.

Showing compassion and curiosity to negative thoughts, feelings, or experiences is often a guide into your deep consciousness, and these dark journeys inwards are often just as important as the positive ones.

If certain aspects of what you are seeing or experiencing are bothering you always try and remove them. This could be something as simple as putting your phone in airplane mode, or turning on a different visual on TV.

“If you feel like you’re dying, melting, dissolving, exploding, or going crazy, go ahead and embrace it” said Dr. Bill Richards, a pioneer in the psychedelic research world.

Trying to combat these organic feelings during a bad trip will do much more harm than good and through sheer willpower and some of these other suggestions, you can safely navigate through the bumpiest of trips.

Tip 3 – Change of Scenery

The best thing about tripping is that there really are no rules or perfect formulas to perfect your experience.

Sitting in one place physically for the entire trip may make certain folks feel a bit trapped, closed in or anxious and this is totally normal.

One of the best ways to change the mood before a bad trip takes hold is to switch things up, either physically or by going from indoors to outdoors.

Lighting, music and visuals can always be a huge help too. Making you feel like you’ve transported yourself to a completely different space, without needing to necessarily leave your home. If you are too deep into a trip to even consider travelling too much, try changing your clothes, touching your hands, feet, and body.

Walk around your personal space and try and find any part or place that feels like home. You can shift negative thoughts and energies simply by moving and experimenting with where you feel best while tripping.

For me personally I always feel best tripping 50% in the comfort of my own home and 50% out in nature around as many of the elements as possible.

For you though – could be totally different.

Tip 4- Distract Yourself

Negative thoughts are always a possibility while tripping, and we’ve already covered why it’s important to accept though feelings.

However, another smart approach to avoiding or controlling those feelings is to simply distract yourself. Thought loops and reminiscing on traumatic events is never fun, but sometimes it will come up.

To prepare for this inevitability a lot of people who trip prepare activities ahead of time. This can be anything from painting to making a beat, simply writing in a journal, playing a video game, watching your favourite movies or having a luxurious bath or shower.

Just always make sure to prepare for any more complicated activities before tripping to avoid….problems.

Tip 5 – Talk About it!

If you were with a group of friends and someone said something super offensive or troubling, you or someone in the group would probably speak up.

The same theory should apply to tripping on psychedelics. If you are having a bad time, tell someone you are with and or whom you trust!

If they are also tripping, you don’t even need to go into details, but should still let them know if you are struggling through your experience.

Human connections or even a gentle physical touch like someone lightly holding your hand or rubbing their hand over your back softly can help lift you out of a devastating feeling or negative place.

If you are scared your trip might get overthrown by negativity or you’d like to work through a hyper specific and complex problem, you should look for a trip sitter, experienced guide or possibly a full fledged psychedelic retreat centre or treatment facility.

Sources:
Doubleblind: https://www.instagram.com/p/CEaMF_tBj9B

MAPS: https://maps.org/articles/5953-refinery29-7-ways-to-help-someone-who-s-having-a-bad-trip

Photo by Christopher Ott on Unsplash

“Something traumatic happened that changed my life checkkkk @natthecvt #fyp #viral #crime #murder #randonautica #randonauting #scary #washington.”

Another caption in the video explains, “Randonaut sent us to this part of the beach…and we found this black suitcase. We were joking that maybe the suitcase would have money. As SOON as she opened it, the smell was overwhelming.”

The girls called the local police, They said they were scared and nervous. Pretty soon, officers arrived and it turned into a crime scene. Then things got super real.

@ughhenry

Something traumatic happened that changed my life checkkkk @natthecvt ##fyp ##viral ##crime ##murder ##randonautica ##randonauting ##scary ##washington

♬ Creepy, scary, horror, synth, tension – Sound Production Gin

Randonautica is a random number generator that uses specific coordinates within a set radius of your current GPS location that you can travel to as a way of exploring the world around you. People gather these coordinates through a dedicated app, Randonautica, where users can further define what they want to encounter. The app encourages users to set a personal intention before visiting said locations in hopes of uncovering ‘synchronicities’, coincidences or occurrences outside of usual patterns of experience. The hashtag #radonautchallenge has taken off on TikTok in particular.

The Seattle Police Department confirmed the discovery in a news release, stating “Detectives are currently investigating after several bags containing human remains weer located near the water in the 1100 block of Alki Avenue SW this afternoon.”

Police responded after receiving a call of a suspicious bag on the beach. Another bag was located in the water. Once the contents were determined to be remains, detectives responded to begin their investigation. Harbor Patrol is assisting on the call, and detectives will work closely with the King County Medical Examiner’s Office as the investigation proceeds. This remains an active and on-going investigation.

There is no indication yet whether they belong to one person or more than one person, and no cause of death has yet been determined. At first, it wasn’t clear what was in the bags.

 West Seattle blog noted that police found “a black plastic bag that smelled really bad.” A woman wrote on that comment thread, “My kids and I were driving Alki when we happened upon the scene. We saw SPD zipping someone (or something) into a full-size black body bag. And over the radio they talked about sweeping the scene. So much for taking the kids to the beach. My condolences to whoever it may be.”

Some kids on tiktok found the body that was discovered on alki beach this past weekend using a geocaching type app and I am so shook.

— dashboard professional (@ArryTron) June 21, 2020

For any readers interested in trying Randonautica yourselves, here’s the download link.

To most, cinema is a form of escapism from an increasingly complicated society. Teleporting an audience to another realm to make them laugh, cry or think about the complexities of humanity is a hard feat in 2020. While most people enjoy Hollywood blockbusters like “The Avengers”, cinema’s darker side is generally forgotten or given a shallow reputation. Film is a multi-faceted creature, full of strange and deep crevices filled with things you probably never imagined could even be possible, and it’s in this spirit we explore the most disturbing movies of all time.

Horror films are easily the foremost escapist genre in art history. Tackling themes and characters that most humans would try and constantly avoid or don’t even imagine to be real. The most impactful and shocking films combine hyperbolic facets of real life with the impossible.

If a movie stays with you long after the initial viewing then it’s done its job. Despite critics quickly dismissing the darker side of film, there are lots of people who love a wholly different type of escape. Which generally includes: realistic scenes of violence, absurdism, torture and a general disregard for human life.

The Most Disturbing Movies on this list all come with a forewarning with potential to scar your mind for years to come and prove that a movie can still be considered artistic or poignant, even if it’s on the extreme side. If you’re curious to find out what lies beneath the surface of the conventional and one-dimensional movies we see advertised everywhere, you’re on the right list.

• MARTYRS
• KILL LIST
• BEGOTTEN
• SEUL CONTRE TOUS
• UN CHIEN ANDALOU
• TIDELAND
• MEN BEHIND THE SUN
• THREADS

THE MOST DISTURBING MOVIES: #5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=054OIVlmjUM

Note: This Article Has Been Updated From Its Original Format (April 2020)

The setup is simple: four horny teens hit a travelling carnival that has come through town. They hang out, view the weird attractions, and eventually decide to stay in a ride called “The Funhouse”(natch) overnight, where mayhem ensues. What elevates “The Funhouse“, though, is Tobe Hooper’s execution. The director doesn’t rely on cliches of the early slashers of the decade, instead establishing a downright creepy atmosphere through the use of inventive lighting, odd camera angles and even odder characters that populate the carnival. With a colourful palette and some great widescreen shots, we’re well outside the drab grey and black look of Friday The 13th, or the even more bleak feel of his seminal debut “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”.

“The Funhouse” opens with a Halloween-inspired POV shot, misdirecting us to be a prank played by a younger brother on his older sister, Amy (Elizabeth Berridge). This opening shower scene immediately marks a change from the cliches of early slashers, as getting naked is the surest way to a death sentence, and most “Final Girls” avoided this at all costs. Amy heads out to the carnival with her boyfriend and another couple, and, as these things ALWAYS seem to happen, her kid brother Joey sneaks out after her. After getting sauced and looking to get it on, the quartet decide to hideout in the titular Funhouse for the night. Needless to say, this is the wrong move…They’re not alone, and here there film revs up the murder machine we’ve all been waiting for. Tobe Hooper fully embraces the setting of “The Funhouse” in horrific fashion as our teens are stalked through the ride by the masked killer, and his dad (Kevin Conway), the barker of the ride, doing whatever they can to keep the carnivals secrets hidden.

Hooper skillfully drops hints earlier in the film that something is off about the people of the carnival, revealing its odd past through conversation, and subtly establishing the bizarre deformity of the film’s villain without allowing the viewer to anticipate the terrifying true identity of the awkward carny dressed as Frankenstein’s monster. One of “The Funhouse“‘s biggest successes, and the second way it sets itself apart, is the way it crafts a legitimately creepy atmosphere and a feeling of impending dread during this downtime before cutting the monster loose. Mutated animals at the carnival’s freak show, a ride through the garish funhouse, and perhaps most unsettling, the same man acting as three different barkers in front of the freakshow, the funhouse, and the girlie show, all set the films tone and keep the tension high. It was actor Kevin Conway’s suggestion for him to play all three roles, and while attention is never really drawn to it, the effect is quite disturbing and lends an air of surrealism, or an icky suggestion of inbreeding, to the scene.

Hooper and co-writer Larry Block’s script also departs from the typical backstory with a killer who’s both goofily, gloriously deformed (he looks like Sloth from the goonies fucked Doc Brown from Back To The Future in a wind tunnel) and somehow sympathetic. He doesn’t look it, but he’s more human than most of his victims, as his rage is only released as he’s pushed too far by the cruel and cackling carnies. The kills in “The Funhouse“are supremely satisfying, with a HVAC powered mutilation that’s a high point, and the score is serviceable in keeping things moving and setting the tone. The teens are the usual mix of far too old and dumb to be teens, but they do a fine job in being dispatched by Gunther, our masked maniac. The real standout is Kevin Conway as the evil owner, absolutely chewing through every scene he’s given with growling, glorious sleaze.

While there are the “Three Bs” in ample amount (Blood, Breasts, Beasts), “The Funhouse” the film was actually unsuccessfully prosecuted as a video nasty in the UK a few years after its release. While recent re-issues, and Hooper’s unfortunate passing in 2017, have elevated his body of work, it’s a shame the initial explosion of home video wasn’t enough to keep Funhouse form obscurity. You can catch this classic on Amazon Prime in glorious HD, or grab one of THREE re-issues from the always great Arrow Video…if you can find them! For completists and film fanatics, The 2-disc Blu-Ray has audio commentary with The Funhouse S/FX wizard Craig Reardon and Jeffrey Reddick (creator of the Final Destination series) plus featurettes like Carnage at the Carnival: Tobe Hooper Remembers “The Funhouse” , Miles of Mayhem: Acting in Tobe’s Funhouse with star Miles Chapin, A Trilogy of Terror: The Make-up Madness of Craig Reardon, in which the S/FX wizard recollects his collaborations with Tobe Hooper; Eaten Alive, Poltergeist and The Funhouse, Master Class of Horror: Mick Garris, in which the director of Sleepwalkers and the miniseries adaptation of The Shining reflects on the crimson-covered career of his longtime colleague Tobe Hooper, a live Q&A with Tobe Hooper from San Francisco, never-before-seen behind the scenes photographs from the collection of Craig Reardon, the film’s trailer, a brand new transfer of the film in high definition (1080p), a four-panel reversible sleeve option with original and newly commissioned artwork, a double-sided fold-out artwork poster, and a collector’s booklet featuring brand-new writing on the film by critic and author Kim Newman! Well worth the $60 price tag and more proof that physical media still has its place in film.

“BLOOD MACHINES” centres around Vascan (Anders Heinrichsen), his co-pilot Lago (Christian Erickson), and their sentient AI console. The two are scavengers, searching for the ‘Mima’, a renegade ship piloted by it’s own AI which is “trying to free itself.” To the pilots surprise, Mima is actually an ethereal naked woman with a glowing crucifix on her chest who escapes from the disabled ship into space. Along with the mystic Corey (Elisa Lasowski), captured by the greedy Vascan, they travel to an outer-rim graveyard for scrapped vessels in pursuit of the Mima and that’s where the “story” really starts: There’s telepathic dance choreography, glowing hexagonal pathways into the human soul and, of course, body swapping, with the most simultaneous on screen breasts I’ve seen in a non porno film.

Although this film may just be a bunch of influences and style over substance, it’s done right. I saw a screening of BLOOD MACHINES at Toronto After Dark, to a packed crowd who cheered from start and finish. The dialogue of this film may be reminiscent of RPG cutscenes at times, but Ickerman ensures enough visual overload to leave viewers in the psychedelic synthase trip of a lifetime. I don’t think those who are interested in this film are here for connective storytelling or a hidden deep meaning, especially at a runtime of under 60 minutes, which to me is a perfect amount of time for most genre films these days.

You are correct to assume “BLOOD MACHINES” is one massive music video that’s always favouring style over storytelling, and in a totally NSFW way that only offers ‘naked space witch’ roles for women. However, Hernandez and Joly-Gonfard embrace their universe and don’t bother to spell it out with painful exposition that we see in 98% of all modern films, which helps plug the viewer into their unique vision of a cosmic dystopia. Viewers will quickly be able to decide if this short, punchy vision is for them, and if so: get ready for a hyper-speed adventure with hypnotic qualities… an automaton’s editorialized and hyper stylized-daydream without any exit. I wish there was more resolution with the somewhat shallow characters – but who am I kidding, I’ll re-watch this sexually charged space race any day…and probably will watch it at least another 10 times once it hits digital release on Shudder.

After a quick set-up involving a gas-station goober getting gored by….something, we join final girl Polly Watt (Jill Wagner) and her nebbish boyfriend Seth (Paulo Costanzo) after a camping mishap causes them to spend the night in search of a low-budget motel. Meanwhile two hapless criminals, Drug addict Lacey and the weaselly Dennis (Well played by Shea Whigham as a criminal Anti-Hero with a tragic backstory and a bizarre sense of honour) abandon their getaway car and head out on foot. When Polly passes by Lacey, she stops the car, the pair get Kidnapped, and after blowing out a tire on the road, they head into a gas station to render repairs. Quickly, things go further off the rails when our pump jockey from the intro returns in his infected form, and the travellers have to fight for their lives as the parasite transforms every thing….and limb… it touches into ravenous killing machines. The creature in question is a mold which is attracted to heat and infects its victim via its “splinter” protrusions.  Once a parasite has embedded itself in living tissue it spreads through the host body until it has taken total control and it seeks out its next host for reproduction.  An assimilated host can contort into impossible positions, attach … liberated….parts from another host, or remove parts of itself which become independent creatures. It’s gory, it’s believably gross, and a great new take on the ‘zombie’ monster trope.

At a lean 80-ish minutes, Splinter doesn’t waste time with much setup, back-story or explanation, but we’re not here for that. We want gore and Splinter delivers some supremely satisfying kills with a skillful blend of practical effects and surprisingly effective CGI, winning our own 31 Days Of Halloween award for “Less Chatter, More Splatter”. As the townsfolk continue to attack, it’s up to Polly and Seth to figure out how to escape and keep themselves from becoming infected, and as things ramp up, director Wilkins’ keeps everything moving without losing the plot. Splinter is a solid, disgusting, disturbing, and down-right smart horror movie that stands alone with it’s unique creatures, clever editing tricks that hide it’s modest budget, strong performances of otherwise ‘one-note’ characters and a strange sense of humour without being a joke.

You can catch Splinter on Amazon Prime, part of their ever growing library of solid Horror cinema, or on Blu-Ray if that’s your thing. Check out the trailer below to put yourself in an itchy mood.

Toronto After Dark Film Festival announced 8 more Feature Films plus two fantastic collections of Short Films for fans to enjoy. Highlights include THE MORTUARY COLLECTION a scary fun new horror film from the iconic Clancy Brown, JAMES VS HIS FUTURE SELF a feel good sci-fi time travel comedy, and WEREWOLF the intense new World War II survival horror that’s been picking up awards everywhere it screens.

These final films join the list of 10 exciting features already announced. They will all screen at TAD2019. Festival passes are already on sale and almost SOLD OUT, go grab yours quick! The complete Festival Schedule along with Single Tickets will be available shortly, so sign up over on Toronto After Dark’s website for updates! Keep scrolling for official trailers & more info on the final wave of incredible horror & sci-fi films screening soon at Toronto After Dark Film Festival 2019! Here are our SCREAMISH top picks from the final wave of films.

THE MORTUARY COLLECTION (USA)
International Premiere. Director – Ryan Spindell

An absolute delight for horror fans from the opening credits to finish, THE MORTUARY COLLECTIONS sees the creepy mortician Montgomery Dark (played by fan favorite Clancy Brown) recount five terrifying tales of ghosts, monsters, slasher killers and more to a young woman applying for a job as his assistant. Filled with eye-popping practical effects, lots of scares and a good dose of creepy humour, it all adds up to an unmissable cinematic love letter to classic 1980s horror!

WEREWOLF (POLAND)
Canadian Premiere, Director – Adrian Panek

During the closing days of World War II, a group of children escape form a concentration camp and seek refuge in an abandoned mansion in the forest. But soon they find their new home is being terrorized by a pack of ferocious wolves, as terrifying as their Nazi captors. An official selection of over 20 International Film Festivals including Austin’s Fantastic Fest and winner of over 7 Film Festival Best Picture Awards, WEREWOLF is an unforgettable, stunning and intense survival horror thriller we can’t wait to see at Toronto After Dark!

8 (SOUTH AFRICA)
Toronto Premiere. Director – Harold Holscher

In this creepy new South African ghost story “8”, a young family tries to start a new life on a remote rural farm but they soon encounter the wrath of demonic forces that have existed on their property long since ancient times. Making full use of the stunning South African landscape, and packed with eerie moments, Toronto After Dark fans are in for a unique and haunting treat with 8!

MAKING MONSTERS (CANADA)
Canadian Premier. Director – Justin Harding & Rob Brunner

Former Toronto After Dark Winning short filmmaker Justin Harding (LATCHED) supersizes the fear with his terrifying feature debut, MAKING MONSTERS. What a couple famed for their scare-prank video channel are invited to a friend’s house in the countryside for a weekend getaway, a series of creepy events unfold. Soon the duo find themselves with the tables turned on them, as their lives spiral into a horrifying living nightmare.

Wood stars as a man Norval who travels to a remote cabin to reconnect with his estranged father Gordon. When Norval arrives, his Gordon treats him with hostility and things get progressively worse from there.

Stephen McHattie and Martin Donovan co-star. Toby Harvard wrote the script based on an idea Timpson, whose previous producing credits include Turbo Kid and The Greasy Strangler.

COME TO DADDY had its world premiere last month at the Tribeca Film Festival and will now get a theatrical release though no date has been set. We’ll keep you updated as more details become available. WATCH THE FIRST TEASER BELOW

33-year-old Nomveliso Nomasonto Modyi of the Mthayisi village near Mbizana, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, died suddenly while nine months pregnant. The bizarre “coffin birth” has left some people crying witchcraft after Nomveliso gave birth.

The mother of five bizarrely gave birth though ten days after her death with staff at the funeral parlour discovering the stillborn child in her coffin.

Shocked to find the body of the child in the coffin, Lindokuhle Funeral parlour owner Fundile Makalana has said that his staff have been left traumatized by the incident.

He told The Daily Dispatch:

“When we took the body from the mortuary tray to her coffin we discovered that there was a newly born baby between her legs.

We were so shocked and frightened that we did not even have time to look at the sex of the baby. I have been in the business for more than 20 years and I have never heard of a dead woman giving birth.

Even after birth the stomach area was still bloated.”

Both the stillborn infant and the mother were buried in one big coffin on Saturday.

The deceased woman’s mother‚ Mandzala Mdoyi‚ 76‚ said her daughter died suddenly after becoming short of breath at her home. She was nine months pregnant at the time.

Family spokesman Mbikelwa Mpithi said they would consult both medical experts and sangomas (South African traditional healers) to find out more about the birth after death.

Mourners who travelled from KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and the Eastern Cape to attend the funeral, left the event shocked.

SOURCES: Times Live South Africa, Dispatch Live, Wikipedia