Background Recent survey data indicate that some people report long-term improvement in color vision deficiency (CVD), also known as color blindness, following use of psychedelics such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin. However, there are no objective data reported in the medical literature quantifying the degree or duration of CVD improveme...
There are neurophysiological and phenomenological overlaps between psychedelic and meditative states, but there is little evidence on how exposure to psychedelics might be associated with meditation-related variables. We assessed lifetime classic psychedelic use, ego dissolution during one's most intense experience using a classic psychedelic, and exposure t...
Although certain psychedelic agents may soon gain federal approval for use in treating specific psychiatric conditions, the utilization of such therapies in clinical practice will depend largely on the attitudes of healthcare providers. Therefore, this study assesses the current attitudes, knowledge, exposure, and acceptance of psychedelics and psychedelic-a...
This study sought to investigate the effects of different substances on nature relatedness (NR) in the general population. An online cross-sectional survey done in Brazil investigated use of ayahuasca/DMT, mushrooms, LSD, MDMA/ecstasy, cocaine, cannabis, and alcohol. NR was assessed using the short-form version of the nature related scale (NR-6). One-way ana...
Identifying gaps and strengths in psychedelic-related knowledge is key to developing effective, evidence-based education to inform appropriate use of and harm reduction practices for psychedelics in the naturalistic use landscape. The current study piloted an assessment instrument with questions on legal status, therapeutic potential, and side effects of psy...
There is a surge of interest in psychedelics, including new stakeholders and greater media attention. There is a need to examine the information-seeking behavior of people using psychedelics naturalistically, given the importance of preparation and harm-reduction. We examined sources of information for people using psychedelics naturalistically, and the degr...
OBJECTIVES: People with bipolar disorder (BD) spend more time depressed than manic/hypomanic, and depression is associated with greater impairments in psychosocial functioning and quality of life than mania/hypomania. Emerging evidence suggests psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in "magic mushrooms," is a promising treatment for unipolar depression. Clini...
Background: Psilocybin, the primary psychoactive component of psychedelic ‘magic mushrooms’, may have potential for treating depressive symptoms, and consequent applications for bipolar disorder (BD). Knowledge of the risks and benefits of psilocybin in BD is limited to case studies. Aim: To support the design of clinical trials, we surveyed experiences of p...
Mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety are major contributors to the overall global health burden. COVID-19 has further aggravated mental health disorders and also increased substance abuse due to lockdowns1. The Global Burden of Disease reported that the pandemic has led to a 27.6% increase in cases of major depressive disorder (MDD) and a 2...
BackgroundPsychedelics are receiving renewed attention within Western medicine as they represent potential treatments for many difficult-to-treat mental health disorders. However, psychedelic science is limited in its focus and inclusion of racial and ethnic minorities. Hence, this study examines whether race and ethnicity moderate the associations that natu...
Background: Psilocybin is being studied for depression, but little is known about how it interacts with common antidepressants. Limited data suggests that psilocybin’s effects may be diminished by serotonergic antidepressants acutely and even after a medication washout period. Aims: To learn the extent to which serotonergic antidepressants may diminish psilo...
Background: Psilocybin is being studied for depression, but little is known about how it interacts with common antidepressants. Limited data suggests that psilocybin’s effects may be diminished by serotonergic antidepressants acutely and even after a medication washout period. Aims: To learn the extent to which serotonergic antidepressants may diminish psilo...
Psychedelic compounds have been linked to salutary mental health outcomes in both naturalistic and clinical settings; however, current research on psychedelics suffers from a lack of inclusion and focus on racial and ethnic minorities. Thus, the goal of our study was to assess whether race and ethnicity moderate the associations that naturalistic lifetime MD...
In 1967, concerns about the carcinogenic potential of psychedelics arose after a study reported chromosomal damage in human leukocytes following in vitro lysergic acid (LSD) exposure. Worries were further heightened by subsequent reports of leukemia and other cancers in LSD users. Additional investigations of psychedelics' effects on chromosomes were publish...
BackgroundClinical studies report preliminary therapeutic effects of classic psychedelic drugs in several psychiatric conditions and international drug trends show increased use of these compounds. However, the epidemiology of classic psychedelic drug use in Scandinavian countries remains sparsely investigated. To this end, we investigated the patterns of us...
Absenteeism from work due to illness, and related costs, has increased steadily during the past decades. In recent years, there has been a reemergence of research on the therapeutic effects of classic psychedelics showing associations with both physical and mental health. However, the association between classic psychedelics and sick leave remains unknown. T...
AimsInformation on time trends in use of different plant-based hallucinogens is lacking. The current study used nationally representative U.S. data to assess overall and age-specific time trends in the prevalence of lifetime and 12-month use of plant-based hallucinogens and dissociative agents.MethodsParticipants were respondents aged ≥ 12 years (N = 1,006,0...
Introduction Psilocybin is a psychedelic drug found in mushrooms, often referred to as magic mushrooms due to its visual and auditory hallucinations effects upon ingestion. It is a Schedule I drug per DEA, and the FDA has not approved psilocybin for medicinal purposes. However, recent studies have shown promising therapeutic use to treat depression. Objectiv...
Both psychedelic drug experiences and near-death experiences can occasion changes in perspectives on death and dying, but there have been few direct comparisons of these phenomena. This study directly compared psychedelic occasioned and non-drug experiences which altered individuals' beliefs about death. Individuals who reported an experience that altered th...
BackgroundEvidence points to an incongruence between international drug policy and expert opinion about safety, abuse potential, and therapeutic potential of specific drugs. However, no prior studies have directly explored psychiatrists' attitudes about the current drug schedule. Therefore, we examined whether American psychiatrists' perceptions of four psyc...
