I’m not going to lie, there’s times during the festival season when your body is kicked into its ultimate survival mode and sometimes things ain’t pretty. After minimal sleep and a plethora of alcohol (and illicit substances, depending on the individual), your body is most likely screaming ‘HELP’ from the inside and is in desperate need of some TLC. From delirious hallucinations to having your head buried in a toilet on the Monday after, festival season can sometimes get the best of us so it’s important to nip the issue in the bud before we can let it happen again. I collated some of the most classic ‘post-festival symptoms’ and came up with some of the most renowned solutions or just some things that can make you feel a little more ‘human’ again.

1. Throwing up everywhere:

Whether it be a cheeky chunder in your best mates tent or a tactical vom in the porta-loo, throwing up can mean many different things. In terms of alcohol, 98% of the time you’ve drank too much to the point that your body can’t be fucked dealing with it anymore and the other 2% of the time, you’re just a pussy. When it comes to throwing up due to alcohol consumption, some people’s bodies take it heavier than others and we all have that one trash-bag friend who is practically rolling around in their own vomit. When it comes to drugs, spewing can mean all kinds of things. The classic ‘chemi-spew’ can be a harmless bodily response to nausea or it can also unfortunately mean that you’ve taken it a little too far with the pingas and having them come out your mouth again is your body’s way to rid the substance. Sometimes after a chemi-spew you may feel completely fine or you may feel worse – regardless, it’s wise to lay off the drugs for the remainder of the night.

Cures:
– Not drinking any more alcohol
– Not taking any more drugs
– Replacing sugars and electrolytes with sports drinks, vitamin waters, icypoles or fruit.
– Sleep it off… You will feel 100x better after a good nights sleep.
– Not eating anything that could potentially make you feel more nauseous.
– Brush yo’ fucking teeth!
– Have a shower – cleanliness usually makes one feel slightly better

 

2. Hallucinations

One minute you’re standing in the middle of the crowd having the best time and smashing pills like it’s 1997… Nek minnit you’re tripping kitties and thinking the Defqon.1 stage is going to eat you. Unless you’ve taken a hallucinogenic such as LSD, MDA, 2CB or Mushrooms and have intended to trip, hallucinating is not a symptom you should take lightly. Although your brain gets quite the battering on MDMA and starts to resemble a fried egg rather than a functioning organ, hallucinations usually indicate that you’ve either taken a little too much or that your drug-dealer is a sketchy cunt, in this instance you should find yourself a new dealer. I must stress that in this situation taking more drugs is the worst idea ever, you need to ride the trip out and seek medical help if you are feeling completely out of control.

Cures:
– Stay with trusted friends (preferably sober)
– Have medical help at hand
– Drink orange juice. Vitamin C has shown to reverse the effects of neurotoxicity and is likely to calm down the trip.
– Stay hydrated and keep your sugars up.
– Don’t stay alone
– Make yourself as comfortable as possible, listen to calming music if that helps.

#LYF

 

3. Depression

In a study conducted by the University Of Muzzing, a starling 95.2% of attendees at Defqon.1 2015 experienced emotions such as extreme sadness, worthlessness and overall depression for an average of 1.25 weeks after the festival concluded. Post festival depression is no joke and is one of the reasons why bananas are running low in supermarkets on Mondays and Tuesdays. For those who thrive on serotonin depleting substances can have an extra difficult time managing their mood over the next few weeks, it is important to know that it was your choice to take drugs and you should always weigh up the good feelings with the bad hangovers. Honouring the time you had without bursting into tears can be very difficult and it may take some time before you can watch the after-movie without crying like a little girl. Surrounding yourself with close friends and family is essential and changing your thought patterns to focus on the good times that lie ahead is also vital.

Cures:
– Eat bananas. All day, everyday. Eat bananas until you turn into a big stick of serotonin.
– 5HTP can help sooth a fried and depressed brain.
– Sleep, sleep and sleep.
– Watch movies that lift your spirits
– Keep yourself busy and surround yourself with people you like
– Start getting excited for the next festival and focus on that
– Do exercise, it releases endorphins- If you don’t like exercise then have sex instead, that also releases endorphins.

*Here’s a happy banana*

 

4. Sore body

A sore body is one of the most complained about post-festival symptoms to date! When you’re walking out of the gates and heading back home or to the campsite, you may start to feel all of the horrible aches and pains, whether it be in your gurning jaw or arms and legs. Non-stop dancing all day is undoubtedly a work-out and bendering is pretty much a sport, so festival goers, you are now crowned as the modern-day ‘athletes!’ Every athlete needs rejuvenation and care, so whether you’re training to dance from the Defqon.1 pre-party until Monday morning or you’re just more concerned about having the tightest and most refined muzz, this matter is one to be taken seriously!

Cures:
– MAGNESIUM: Magnesium loosens tight muscles, without it, muscles do not relax properly and cramps occur. Magnesium is important for flexibility, and with low amounts in your system, this can allow a buildup of lactic acid, causing pain and tightness in all the wrong places. Magnesium also allows the body to produce more Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF-1), which is a major contributor to the growth and strength of muscles, so if you’re looking to shred, then look no further than your new best m8 Magnesium.
– Training: All professional ravers need to train. Lifting weights is recommended.
– Eat plenty of protein
– Drink plenty of water
– Get plenty of rest the following days
– Always wear supportive and comfortable shoes.
– Treat yourself to a post-festival massage.

* Meet Magnesium: your new best mate*

5. Fear of ‘coming down’:

This is a classic experience that many ravers have after events. One minute you’re watching the end-show and having the best time in the world and the next thing you know you’re amongst the crowd on their way out of the venue – that sucks. The feeling of something unfortunately coming to an end brings up powerful emotions and can also indicate that your drug induced high is coming to an end. This feeling can spark many dangerous activities for ravers as they think that it’s wise to keep taking drugs until they are in that prime and fucked up state for another 8 hours, but oh how dangerous this can sometimes be, especially if you’ve been bashing your body with substances for the past 2 days. There’s no need to go all stupid and sometimes it’s better to accept that your high is over and it’s time to come back into the worlds reality.

Cures:
– Well… You could party on and bender, but we don’t encourage it
– Have a chilled out after-party with a few close friends and do something more low-key like have deep and meaningful conversations about life.
– Roll yourself up in a blanket and listen to trippy music until your body carks it and falls asleep
– Drink yourself silly until you pass out and forget about your comedown.
– Accept that you’ve had enough drugs to invigorate an entire city and move on with life.

*What happens when you bender a little too hard*

 

So, there you have it. We wish you all a very scat Monday and remind you to always put your safety first, no matter what your substance of choice is.