[pmoriarty]

If you look at every trip as a learning experience, even a bad trip doesn't have to be all bad.

Now, I wouldn't wish my own bad trips on anyone, but I've found I learned far, far more from them than I did my good trips, so in that sense they were actually beneficial.

Also, the term "bad trip" may be a misnomer. They might be more fittingly called "difficult trips" or "challenging trips". It is possible to draw meaning and even wisdom from such trips.

[Enginerrrd]

>If you look at every trip as a learning experience, even a bad trip doesn't have to be all bad.

For some, maybe even most, but it would be irresponsible to assume that it would be the case for everyone, and this is exactly the sort of blaming the victim of the bad trip for "doing it wrong" that I was talking about. Somehow it's their fault for having a bad trip, or for looking at it wrong and failing to "correctly" integrate it into their worldview.

Humans are a diverse group. That line of thinking just doesn't work from a clinical perspective.

[pmoriarty]

Blame was the last thing on my mind when I wrote my comment. I was merely trying to provide some suggestions that would maximize the odds of having a productive experience and good integration afterwards.

Yes, things could go wrong even if one takes every reasonable precaution, is in the best frame of mind, etc. That's why having helped from experienced people you can trust is a good idea, but even that offers no guarantees.

There are no guarantees in life for anything. You could break your neck climbing a ladder to change a lightbulb. People can and do suffer severe accidents (including severe brain damage) skiing, driving, or crossing the street.

Yes, you should be aware of the risks and look both ways when crossing the street, but you could still suffer some accident even then. For some the risky activity is worth it, for others not. For those who think it is, it's helpful to educate oneself and take reasonable precautions. No blame necessary or intended.