DMNW’s Guide To Preventing A Trip To The First Aid Tent

Issue: Claustrophobia & Panic Attacks & Anxiety

Tips: Music Festivals bring up a lot of emotions – good and bad. Recreational drugs and alcohol can make you much more prone to emotions – panic attacks, claustrophobia, and anxiety in particular. If you have never experienced any of these at a festival, consider yourself very lucky. These issues often get laughed at, but can be absolutely terrifying for the person experiencing these problems and also for their friends or people around them. These are the hardest to prevent, as they usually appear within seconds with little notice, but here is some general knowledge that could help you if you find yourself in the situation.

• If you suffer from anxiety or panic attacks in your normal life, stay far away from alcohol and recreational drugs. They will increase your regular symptoms exponentially. Just because your friends are doing it doesn’t mean you have to.
• Often, this is not a job for first aid attendants but for the trained professionals in the sanctuary or safe havens. So regardless if you are prone to anxiety or panic attacks, learn where these places are located.
• If you feel one of these issues arising – tell a friend, get out of the crowd ASAP, focus on deep breathing, and take a seat in a less hectic area. Try to remember that these feelings are only temporary and you will feel normal soon.
• If you see someone in a crowd having a panic attack – be a homie and assist them out of the crowd! Again, this can be really frightening so just be a homie in general.

Issue: Consent

Tips: Nobody enjoys talking about it, but it needs to be mentioned. Every year at every festival, there are numerous reports of rape and unconsented sexual behaviour. This is straight up not okay. Yes, we are aware that “consent” is not an injury, but we want everyone to be safe and happy, and this falls under that umbrella. These are just some friendly reminders for EVERYONE.

• Remember consent is given, not taken.
• Having consent means every member is 100% stoked on everything that is happening.
• No means no. The following also mean no: silence, “Let’s slow down,” “Can we stop?,” “I’m too messed up right now.” These all mean NO.
• Always ask first: “May I touch your sparkly shirt?” or “Hey! Is it cool if I hold your hand?”
• Keep an eye out for your friends. You might notice something that they don’t.

Okay beautiful humans, there you have it. Incorporate some, or all, of these guidelines into your festival experience, and you should come out unscathed and ready for the next! If we can give you one last piece of advice to surviving music festivals, let it be this… REMEMBER IT IS A MARATHON NOT A SPRINT. Partying 3 or 4 nights in a row is actually insane and takes a huge toll on our bodies. Don’t start the weekend off at a sprint, but rather maintain a consistent jog the entire weekend. Remember to take the time to care for yourself and the others around you. One last thing – appreciate those First Aid staff that keep us hooligans partying.

How do you make sure you and your crew can make it through the weekend? Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook page!