trip sitter

• trip-sitter

Of trip (“period of drug-induced reverie”) +‎ sitter (“one who watches or tends something”). Attested from the 20th century; see quotations below.

trip sitter (plural trip sitters)

1. (recreational drugs, medicine) A person who watches over a person who is using drugs.
   • 1996 June 7, Kathleen McCloud, “‘Artists choice’ promotes idea of mentoring debuts lesser-known work”, in The Santa Fe New Mexican, page 6:

     As a psychedelic researcher, she was a “trip sitter” the straight person charting drug trips and documenting the findings.

   • 2009, Sean Williams, The Big Picture, page 30:

     In some cases, a trip sitter may be a medical professional, such as nurses used in psychedelic research or a therapist who performs psychedelic psychotherapy. […] However, the most common trip sitter is a friend or family member whom the drug user trusts.

   • 2019, Michelle Janikian, Your Psilocybin Mushroom Companion, page 83:

     Trip sitters are especially handy for your first few psychedelic experiences, or if you’re planning on taking a moderate to high dose.

   • 2020, Iga Kender-Jeziorska, “Patterns of recreational drug use and harm reduction strategies among women a music festivals: The case of Hungary and Poland”, in J. Buxton, G. Margo, L. Burger, editors, The Impact of Global Drug Policy on Women, page 208:

     Of the 492 women declaring substance use at festivals, late alcohol initiation […] , late illicit drug initiation […] , and late festival initiation […] favoured testing their drugs. A similar correlation was observed for ensuring the presence of a trip-sitter: very weak association was observed for late alcohol initiation

A trip sitter does not use drugs while watching over another. Trip sitters are most often associated with the use of psychedelic or similarly psychoactive drugs. The trip sitter may watch to ensure safety, or on some occasions serve as an active guide to the user's experience.

• trip sit