Set is your state of mind going in; setting is the place, the people and the circumstances. With any psychedelic both shape the experience. With a strong strain such as Hollandia they matter more, because you have less room to steer once the effects are strong.
In a large survey of people describing their most difficult psilocybin experience, the risk of dangerous behaviour rose with the dose and with the absence of physical comfort and social support (Carbonaro et al., 2016). Those are exactly the things good preparation controls.
Set: your state of mind
- Choose a stable period. Not during a crisis, a breakup, a loss or a week of heavy stress. Strong truffles tend to amplify what is already there.
- Know why you are doing it. Curiosity, a day in nature, music: any reason is fine, as long as you know it and it is your own choice. Being talked into a strong strain by a group is a poor start.
- Expect a difficult phase. Many strong sessions contain one. Knowing in advance that it passes makes it easier to let it pass.
- Sleep and eat normally the days before. Arriving exhausted or hungover makes the body load heavier.
Setting: the place
A quiet home you know well is the most forgiving setting for a strong dose. Nature works for many people, but at a high dose walking, orienting and dealing with strangers become hard.
- A room where you can lie down, with blankets, water and a toilet nearby.
- Light you can dim and music you can change easily. Prepare a calm playlist in advance.
- No obligations, no visitors, no phone calls. Put the phone on silent or away.
- Fruit, juice or something sweet for later, and an easy meal for afterwards.
- Avoid crowds, festivals, busy streets and water (swimming, boats, canals).
The sitter
For a first Hollandia session, and for any dose above half a pack, have a sitter: someone who stays sober, knows what you took and how much, and can stay for the whole session. A good sitter talks calmly and little, does not try to fix the experience, keeps the setting quiet, and knows when to call for help.
If you take Hollandia in a group, at least one person should not take anything. Several people peaking at once can tip each other into anxiety.
The day itself
- Plan a full free day and a quiet next morning.
- Eat a light meal three to four hours before.
- Weigh your dose and agree with your sitter that you will not take more.
- Put car keys away. Driving after truffles is illegal in the Netherlands and dangerous everywhere.
- Leave alcohol and cannabis out of it. Cannabis in particular can make a strong trip overwhelming within minutes.
- Note the time you took the truffles.
When it gets difficult
Most difficult moments pass within 20 to 60 minutes, and they pass faster when nobody fights them.
- Tell yourself, or the person you are with, that this is the truffles and that it will wear off.
- Change one thing: another room, less light, different music, fresh air at an open window.
- Sit or lie down and breathe slowly, with a longer out-breath than in-breath.
- Something sweet to eat or drink helps some people feel more grounded. It does not end the trip.
- A sitter stays close, keeps it simple and does not leave the person alone.
Call 112 if someone has trouble breathing, has a seizure, loses consciousness, is injured, or is a danger to themselves or others. Tell the ambulance staff what was taken; in the Netherlands they have a duty of confidentiality. For questions without an emergency, the Drugs Infolijn of the Trimbos Institute is on 0900-1995.
Afterwards
Expect to be tired and not fully sober for some hours after the main effects fade. Do not drive that evening. Many people find it useful to talk about the session or write it down the next day. If unsettling feelings or perceptual changes linger for days, talk to your doctor or contact the Drugs Infolijn.
Read the safety page for who should not take truffles and which combinations are dangerous.