IT WAS EARLY evening at an Irish festival when a young couple were brought into our PsyCare tent. We operate these tents at as many festivals as we can, complete with mental health experts and volunteers, to support those who feel overwhelmed. It’s a place to go if you’re struggling, a space set apart from the noise: calm, softly lit and without judgement.

It was the couple’s first weekend festival and their first time taking MDMA (ecstasy). Unsure of the dosage, they had taken a much higher amount than intended. What began as a light, tingling sensation quickly turned into anxiety, confusion and fear.

Glastonbury Festival Aerial view. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

A PsyCare volunteer found the couple slumped by a fence, vomiting in the grass beside them. The volunteer then arranged for them to get assessed by medics and, once they were medically cleared, brought the couple back for monitoring and support.

Over several hours, they experienced waves of disorientation and intense emotions. In the calm environment of the PsyCare tent, away from the frenetic festival atmosphere, they were in our care until their symptoms eased. Afterwards, they said they would not have been able to cope in the wider festival setting without that support.

Situations like this arise at festivals more often than people might expect. For most people, festivals are about release, long days of music, connection and escape. We’re not there to condone the use of illegal substances, but, much like the HSE harm reduction approach, we recognise that drug use is part of the reality of a weekend like this, and we are there when it all becomes too much.

Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

And it can become challenging in an instant. For some,........

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