trip sitter
nounEtymology Of trip (“period of drug-induced reverie”) + sitter (“one who watches or tends something”). Attested from the 20th century; see quotations below.
1
Medicine, Sciences A person who watches over a person who is using drugs.
Recreational drugs
- As a psychedelic researcher, she was a “trip sitter” the straight person charting drug trips and documenting the findings.1996 June 7, Kathleen McCloud, “‘Artists choice’ promotes idea of mentoring debuts lesser-known work”, in The Santa Fe New Mexican, page 6:
- 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.2009, Sean Williams, The Big Picture, page 30:
2 more examples
- Trip sitters are especially handy for your first few psychedelic experiences, or if you’re planning on taking a moderate to high dose.2019, Michelle Janikian, Your Psilocybin Mushroom Companion, page 83:
- 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 initiation2020, 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:
- Related terms
- trip sit