Those psi-effects can be really nasty if you're not prepared, but there's a solid approach that'll keep you safer. Start by visiting dr kryvenko at the icarus medical outpost - he'll hook you up with those essential psy-block tablets because they're specifically designed to counter the mental strain (and trust me, you'll need them). When you're approaching places like the duga array, you'll notice your vision getting wonky, that's actually your brain trying to warn you about increasing psi-levels.

Always keep 2-3 psy-blocks in your pack alongside regular medkits, and if you can get your hands on seva-class armor, that'll give you a nice 60% resistance boost (particularly useful for those black mountain expeditions).

Watch for those visual distortions like retinal fractals or weird shadows because they're actually indicating your sanity's about to take a hit. Remember to save before heading into high-intensity zones, and you might want to know that lab x-3's entrance is particularly nasty - you'll need at least three psy-blocks just to make it through (this is why many stalkers avoid it entirely until they're better equipped). Once you learn the emission patterns, you'll have a much easier time planning your routes.