Yes, being a professional trip sitter is actually a job.
Before getting on a plane, it’s a good idea to know the safety guidelines for air travel—buckle your seatbelt, know your exits, and in the unlikely event of an in-flight emergency, follow you crew’s instructions. Taking psychedelic drugs can be like air travel: People do it all the time, it’s usually fine, but when it’s not fine, it’s sometimes very bad. And that’s where a “sitter” comes in.
“On an airplane, you have attendants to go to in case something goes wrong,” said Grace, who works as a sitter. On an acid trip, it’s much the same. “People need to know that they’re safe and they’re OK.”
For $1,000, Grace and her partner P.J., who both asked that I change their names, will literally sit with you in your home while you go on a psychedelic voyage, which usually entails taking LSD, MDMA, or psilocybin mushrooms. They don’t procure or provide the drugs, they’re just there to make sure you have a safe experience.