Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)Opioid Use Disorder (OUD)Substance Use Disorders (SUD)MDMAPsilocybin

Persisting Reductions in Cannabis, Opioid, and Stimulant Misuse After Naturalistic Psychedelic Use: An Online Survey

This cross-sectional survey study (n=444) analyzed self-reported cases of reduced substance abuse disorder after using psychedelics and found that that the number of responders who fulfilled the criteria for their disorder dropped by 59% thereafter. Greater psychedelic dose, insight, mystical-type effects, and personal meaning of experiences were associated with a greater reduction in drug consumption, and most respondents claimed lasting improvements for over 1 year after using a psychedelic.

Authors

  • Albert Garcia-Romeu
  • Roland Griffiths
  • Matthew Johnson

Published

Frontiers in Psychiatry
individual Study

Abstract

Background

Observational data and preliminary studies suggest serotonin 2A agonist psychedelics may hold potential in treating a variety of substance use disorders (SUDs), including opioid use disorder (OUD).

Aims

The study aim was to describe and analyze self-reported cases in which naturalistic psychedelic use was followed by cessation or reduction in other substance use.

Methods

An anonymous online survey of individuals reporting cessation or reduction in cannabis, opioid, or stimulant use following psychedelic use in non-clinical settings.

Results

Four hundred forty-four respondents, mostly in the USA (67%) completed the survey. Participants reported 4.5 years of problematic substance use on average before the psychedelic experience to which they attributed a reduction in drug consumption, with 79% meeting retrospective criteria for severe SUD. Most reported taking a moderate or high dose of LSD (43%) or psilocybin-containing mushrooms (29%), followed by significant reduction in drug consumption. Before the psychedelic experience 96% met SUD criteria, whereas only 27% met SUD criteria afterward. Participants rated their psychedelic experience as highly meaningful and insightful, with 28% endorsing psychedelic-associated changes in life priorities or values as facilitating reduced substance misuse. Greater psychedelic dose, insight, mystical-type effects, and personal meaning of experiences were associated with greater reduction in drug consumption.

Conclusions

While these cross-sectional and self-report methods cannot determine whether psychedelics caused changes in drug use, results suggest the potential that psychedelics cause reductions in problematic substance use, and support additional clinical research on psychedelic-assisted treatment for SUD.

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Research Summary of 'Persisting Reductions in Cannabis, Opioid, and Stimulant Misuse After Naturalistic Psychedelic Use: An Online Survey'

Introduction

Garcia-Romeu and colleagues situate their study within rising public-health concerns about cannabis, opioid, and stimulant misuse, noting that available treatments often produce limited long-term abstinence and that there are no approved pharmacotherapies for cannabis and stimulant use disorders. Earlier clinical and epidemiological studies as well as anecdotal reports have implicated serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) agonist psychedelics (for example LSD, psilocybin, and ayahuasca) in reductions in substance misuse, with the strongest randomized evidence historically for LSD in alcoholism and emerging pilot data for psilocybin in stimulant use disorders. The authors argue that naturalistic reports of substantial reductions in other drug use following psychedelic experiences have not been systematically documented for cannabis, opioids, and stimulants, creating a gap in the literature relevant to designing clinical interventions. The present study therefore aimed to characterise instances in which individuals reported lasting reductions or cessation of problematic cannabis, opioid, or stimulant use after taking a serotonin 2A agonist psychedelic in non-clinical settings. The investigators hypothesised that greater improvements in substance misuse would be associated with stronger mystical-type and insight experiences during the psychedelic session, consistent with prior clinical observations linking acute subjective effects to longer-term benefit. This work was framed as purposive, descriptive research to inform future clinical trials rather than as a test of causal efficacy.

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Study Details

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