Crisis Intervention Related to the Use of Psychoactive Substances in Recreational Settings - Evaluating the Kosmicare Project at Boom Festival

Abstract

Kosmicare project implements crisis intervention in situations related to the use of psychoactive substances at Boom Festival (Portugal). We present evaluation research that aims to contribute to the transformation of the project into an evidence-based intervention model. It relies on harm reduction and risk minimization principles, crisis intervention models, and Grof's psychedelic psychotherapy approach for crisis intervention in situations related to unsupervised use of psychedelics. Intervention was expected to produce knowledge about the relation between substance use and mental health impact in reducing potential risk related to the use of psychoactive substances and mental illness, as well as an impact upon target population's views of themselves, their relationship to substance use, and to life events in general. Research includes data on process and outcome indicators through a mixed methods approach, collected next to a sample of n=176 participants. Sample size varied considerably, however, among different research measures. 52% of Kosmicare visitors reported LSD use. Over 40% also presented multiple drug use. Pre-post mental state evaluation showed statistically significant difference (p<.05) confirming crisis resolution. Crisis episodes that presented no resolution were more often related with mental health outburst episodes, with psychoactive substance use or not. Visitors showed high satisfaction with intervention (n=58) and according to follow-up (n=18) this perception was stable over time. Crisis intervention was experienced as very significant. We discuss limitations and implications of evaluating natural setting based interventions, and the relation between psychoactive substance use and psychopathology. Other data on visitor's profile and vulnerability to crisis showed inconclusive.

The detection and prevention of unintentional consumption of DOx and 25x‐NBOMe at Portugal's Boom Festival

“…Boom is a biennial festival of psychedelic culture and in 2014 gathered almost 40,000 people from 150 different countries. Known and marked by its ecological and social awareness, Boom Festival organisers make significant investments in comprehensive prevention and harm reduction interventions that include, but not limited to, psychological crises intervention (Carvalho et al, ), harm reduction information booths and integrated drug‐checking services (Martins et al, ).…”

Constructing drug effects: A history of set and setting

“…Recent years have also seen a further increase of awareness to issues of set and setting within the drug culture. This can be recognized in the growing prevalence of psychedelic harm reduction services in international events such as The Boom Festival and Burning Man (Carvalho et al, 2014, Ruane, 2015 as well as in the growing presence of printed and online ''psychedelic manuals'' which offer guidelines for creating favorable set and setting conditions (e.g. Fadiman, 2011;Kilham, 2014).…”

Set and setting, psychedelics and the placebo response: An extra-pharmacological perspective on psychopharmacology

“…The principles of set and setting are discussed (not always under this term) in many contemporary books and websites dedicated to educating drug users who are interested in optimizing their drug experiences (Biebrman, 2014; Fadiman, 2011; Kilham, 2014; Oak et al, 2015). They are also used as the basis for the work of psychedelic support organizations which provide ‘psychedelic first aid’ to individuals in psychedelic emergency situations in the context of psytrance festivals (Carvalho et al, 2014; Ruane, 2015).…”