What is a sitter

A sitter is a clean person present when you (and others) are experiencing a Salvia Divinorum trip.

When you need a sitter

A sitter is absolutely essential if you are taking doses on which you may freak out, become confused, injure yourself, fall, set your house on fire, or do anything that might harm others. Have a sitter present if you are new to Salvia, are experimenting with a stronger form than you have used before, or are using a more powerful way of taking it. An experienced Salvia user who is chewing a pruim, may often choose to do it alone, and may be quite safe in doing so. But having a pleasant, sensible, sober sitter is an absolute must if you are trying vaporization, smoking extract enhanced leaves, or using pure salvinorin. Smoking leaves usually falls in between in terms of risk. Many people have done so without a sitter, but a sitter is never a bad idea. Use sound judgment.

What should a sitter know and do

The sitter must remember that no matter how crazy the tripper acts, Salvia Divinorum trips are short lived. Don't take the tripper to the emergency room (unless, of course, there is a true medical emergency). Keep the person safe and wait it out. If you can't keep the person safe, get help. Otherwise keep the matter private. Within an hour or so (usually much less) the tripper will be back to normal. It's very reassuring to hold onto this knowledge when things get messy. It helps to have done Salvia yourself before baby-sitting another person. Experience with other visionary materials may be only partially helpful. The sitter should know that Salvia is different from these. Touching to "ground the tripper" works for some trippers on some entheogens, but may be very threatening for someone on Salvia. If you plan on touching, clear it with the tripper BEFORE the trip starts.

The roles of a sitter

The sitter has three jobs:

The main job is to keep the tripper, and others who may be present, safe;

• This comes before all else. The main danger is accidental injury. Your job is to be a gentle guardian. Be as unobtrusive as possible, but remain alert in case the tripper should suddenly start moving about recklessly.
• Do not use physical force unless nothing else will do.
• Use of physical force may result in the tripper or you getting hurt. It could be misinterpreted as an assault.
• Never let Salvia be used if firearms, knives, or other dangerous objects are present.
• Take the tripper's car keys for safe keeping before the trip starts.
• Keep the tripper safe from falls, head banging, sharp objects, walking into walls, walking into furniture, walking through windows, wandering out into the street or other public areas, open flames, hot surfaces, and breakable objects.
• But let the tripper move about in a safe area. Do not grab or try to physically restrain him/her, unless absolutely necessary. Redirect. Speak softly. Gently take dangerous objects away.
• Use the minimum touching necessary (the confused tripper may think your touching is an assault or rape and react to the imagined danger).
• You may have to handle unexpected intrusions of strangers and other awkward social situations.

The second job of the sitter is to reassure;

• Often, simple repeated explanations may help a frightened tripper, e.g. "You're safe, and I won't let anything harm you." "You're just having a bad trip; you'll feel better in a few minutes." "Your name is........". I'm your friend ........"
• If speech is not called for, be silent.
• Silence is often less threatening to the confused tripper than trying to decipher what a sitter is saying.

The third job of the sitter is to help the tripper later recall the trip;

• There are several ways. Use a notebook and record all the tripper's odd doings and sayings.
• Later you can ask about these. This may help jog the person's memory about what was experienced.
• Another technique, if the tripper is not too far gone to talk during the trip, is to ask repeatedly "what are you experiencing now?"
• A notebook, or a tape recorder, can be used to record responses. Since some trippers will prefer that you remain silent and don't record, clear it with the tripper in advance.

Certainly the most cautious way for one to approach this substance is to work with the whole Salvia Divinorum