There are ways to deal with this situation. Once the person gets past this point, they are home free, but they think that they are going to die and that's why it's a serious situation. It may not be enough to remember that they took the LSD and that that's why whatever is happening is happening. They are still petrified of dying. It also might not be of much help for the others to tell the person to surrender, go along with it, that it will be all right and that they are not alone in that thousands, if not millions of people have done this. If this kind of talk gets through to the person, then the crisis is over, but what if it doesn't?

The best way to escape this fear of death is to keep the mind occupied. Talking to the other people and telling them how you are feeling and what's happening is good, but the other people have to be quiet, understanding and listen. The person needs to talk and keep on talking about it, without the other people interrupting and pushing their viewpoints. If the other people have no idea of what the person is going through, the best thing they can do to help is be quiet and again, there has to be at least one person there who knows what's going on and knows how to behave in this situation.

Another good idea is for the person in fear of dying to concentrate on their breathing. As long as they know that they're breathing, then they know that they're alive. It's that simple. Once they get involved with their breathing or talking, it's like they are buying time in occupying their mind until the crisis passes and it will pass. The idea is similar to having a headache. The person can take aspirins, but until they start working, if the person thinks about the headache, it hurts. If they read a newspaper, their mind is occupied on what they're reading and not the headache. Reading the newspaper has bought the person time. By the time the person is finished with the newspaper, the headache might be gone.

If the person tripping is afraid that they will die because their body and the world will dissolve, it can be helpful if someone holds their hand. This gives the person a physical anchor and link to the reality that they're used to. It may be that the person wants both hands held. It might even be necessary for someone to hug and wrap their arms around the person. Whatever the person needs, they get. That's what the other people are there for, not for themselves, but to be of help to the person who is tripping, if help is needed. Anyone who doesn't understand that doesn't belong there at all. No one should ever push or pressure the person who is tripping, even if the person is not in trouble. Suggestions are fine, but pressure is out. The person tripping is the king that calls the shots. If they want the TV turned on, it goes on. If they want the channel changed, it gets changed. If they want the set off, it goes off. No arguments. That's the way it is. If they want a certain person to leave, the person leaves, without any feeling of being insulted. If they want that person to come back, the person comes back.

To be a guide for a person that takes LSD is not something that anyone can do, no matter how experienced they are with LSD. Timothy Leary put it this way on page 86 of his book The Politics of Ecstasy: "The training for this new profession of psychedelic guides will aim at producing the patience of a first-grade teacher, the humility and wisdom of a Hindu guru, the loving dedication of a minister-priest, the sensitivity of a poet and the imagination of a science fiction writer". How many psychiatrists or psychologists would even have a clue as to how to be an LSD guide? They are far too involved in their own ego games.

When the person tripping is feeling the terror of dying, it also doesn't hurt to pray. For the first time in the person's life, they will know what it really means to pray. They have never been so scared in their life and they are literally praying that they will be all right. In situations like this, in which the person is genuinely sincere and scared, the prayers do get answered, though it may not seem to be soon enough. It should be noted that most people will have a great trip and not run into this problem at all. It had to be mentioned, though, because a person thinking about taking LSD must be aware of all possibilities as best they can, pro or con and that is the only con. The connection between LSD, sex, religion, psychology and society will be dealt with in the next chapter.