Naturalistic psilocybin use is associated with persisting improvements in mental health and wellbeing: results from a prospective, longitudinal survey
In the largest prospective longitudinal survey to date of naturalistic psilocybin use (n=2,833 baseline; 657 at 2–3 months), participants reported sustained reductions in anxiety, depression and alcohol misuse and increases in cognitive flexibility, emotion regulation, spiritual wellbeing and adaptive personality traits after a planned psilocybin experience. A minority (11% at 2–4 weeks; 7% at 2–3 months) reported persisting negative effects such as mood fluctuations or depressive symptoms.
Authors
- Albert Garcia-Romeu
- Roland Griffiths
- Matthew Johnson
Published
Abstract
Introduction
The classic psychedelic psilocybin, found in some mushroom species, has received renewed interest in clinical research, showing potential mental health benefits in preliminary trials. Naturalistic use of psilocybin outside of research settings has increased in recent years, though data on the public health impact of such use remain limited.
Methods
This prospective, longitudinal study comprised six sequential automated web-based surveys that collected data from adults planning to take psilocybin outside clinical research: at time of consent, 2 weeks before, the day before, 1–3 days after, 2–4 weeks after, and 2–3 months after psilocybin use.
Results
A sample of 2,833 respondents completed all baseline assessments approximately 2 weeks before psilocybin use, 1,182 completed the 2–4 week post-use survey, and 657 completed the final follow-up survey 2–3 months after psilocybin use. Participants were primarily college-educated White men residing in the United States with a prior history of psychedelic use; mean age = 40 years. Participants primarily used dried psilocybin mushrooms (mean dose = 3.1 grams) for “self-exploration” purposes. Prospective longitudinal data collected before and after a planned psilocybin experience on average showed persisting reductions in anxiety, depression, and alcohol misuse, increased cognitive flexibility, emotion regulation, spiritual wellbeing, and extraversion, and reduced neuroticism and burnout after psilocybin use. However, a minority of participants (11% at 2–4 weeks and 7% at 2–3 months) reported persisting negative effects after psilocybin use (e.g., mood fluctuations, depressive symptoms).
Discussion
Results from this study, the largest prospective survey of naturalistic psilocybin use to date, support the potential for psilocybin to produce lasting improvements in mental health symptoms and general wellbeing.
Research Summary of 'Naturalistic psilocybin use is associated with persisting improvements in mental health and wellbeing: results from a prospective, longitudinal survey'
Introduction
Psilocybin is a naturally occurring serotonergic psychedelic found in many Psilocybe species and has a long history of ritual use. In recent decades, small clinical trials and pilot studies have suggested potential therapeutic benefits for mood, existential distress, and substance use disorders, and research in healthy volunteers has indicated possible improvements in psychological wellbeing and spiritual experiences. Concurrent cultural and policy shifts have led to increased naturalistic (non-research) use of psilocybin, but evidence on the public health impact of that use outside controlled settings remains limited. Nayak and colleagues conducted a prospective, longitudinal online survey study to add empirical data on contemporary naturalistic psilocybin use. The study aimed to characterise users and their dosing and setting, to assess prospective changes in mental health, personality, wellbeing, and functioning from before to after a planned psilocybin session, and to examine how pre-session mindset (e.g., absorption, State of Surrender, adverse childhood experiences) and elements of setting (e.g., presence of a sitter) related to acute subjective effects and persisting outcomes.
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Study Details
- Study Typeindividual
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- APA Citation
Nayak, S. M., Jackson, H., Sepeda, N. D., Mathai, D. S., So, S., Yaffe, A., Zaki, H., Brasher, T. J., Lowe, M. X., Jolly, D. R. P., Barrett, F. S., Griffiths, R. R., Strickland, J. C., Johnson, M. W., Jackson, H., & Garcia-Romeu, A. (2023). Naturalistic psilocybin use is associated with persisting improvements in mental health and wellbeing: results from a prospective, longitudinal survey. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1199642
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