Psychedelics not linked to mental health problems or suicidal behavior: A population study.
In a nationally representative sample of 135,095 US adults (19,299 lifetime psychedelic users), lifetime use of LSD, psilocybin or mescaline was not associated with increased odds of past‑year serious psychological distress, mental‑health treatment, suicidal thoughts/plans/attempts, depression or anxiety after adjusting for sociodemographics, other drug use and childhood depression. The authors conclude psychedelics are unlikely to be independent risk factors for mental health problems and question the public‑health rationale for their prohibition.
Authors
- Johansen, P. Ø.
- Krebs, T. S.
Published
Abstract
A recent large population study of 130,000 adults in the United States failed to find evidence for a link between psychedelic use (lysergic acid diethylamide, psilocybin or mescaline) and mental health problems. Using a new data set consisting of 135,095 randomly selected United States adults, including 19,299 psychedelic users, we examine the associations between psychedelic use and mental health. After adjusting for sociodemographics, other drug use and childhood depression, we found no significant associations between lifetime use of psychedelics and increased likelihood of past year serious psychological distress, mental health treatment, suicidal thoughts, suicidal plans and suicide attempt, depression and anxiety. We failed to find evidence that psychedelic use is an independent risk factor for mental health problems. Psychedelics are not known to harm the brain or other body organs or to cause addiction or compulsive use; serious adverse events involving psychedelics are extremely rare. Overall, it is difficult to see how prohibition of psychedelics can be justified as a public health measure.
Research Summary of 'Psychedelics not linked to mental health problems or suicidal behavior: A population study.'
Introduction
Johansen and colleagues frame the study within the literature on classical serotonergic psychedelics (LSD, psilocybin, mescaline), noting these drugs share a primary action at the 5-HT2A receptor, produce similar subjective effects and show cross-tolerance. The authors summarise prior evidence that psychedelics are not known to cause organ damage, compulsive use or addiction, that serious acute injuries are rare, and that controlled trials and studies of religious use have not demonstrated lasting harms. They also outline the long history of non-medical and ritual use, growing therapeutic interest, and the contested nature of national and international prohibition, which has constrained research. Using a large, nationally representative dataset, the study sets out to re-examine whether lifetime use of classical psychedelics is associated with a range of past-year mental health problems. In particular, the investigators extend their earlier population analysis by including measures of suicidal thoughts, plans and attempts, and by adjusting for sociodemographics, other drug use and childhood depression to test whether psychedelic use is an independent risk factor for mental health problems at the population level.
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Study Details
- Study Typeindividual
- Journal
- Compounds
- Topics
- APA Citation
Johansen, P., & Krebs, T. S. (2015). Psychedelics not linked to mental health problems or suicidal behavior: A population study.. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 29(3), 270-279. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881114568039
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