Reported effects of psychedelic use on those with low well-being given various emotional contexts
In an online survey of 1,967 psychedelic users the authors report that LSD and psilocybin were most often taken at home while MDMA was common at parties, and that use typically occurred in or shifted to a positive mood. Crucially, people with low psychological well‑being — and those higher in neuroticism — were more likely to report positive mood changes after LSD, psilocybin or MDMA, though higher neuroticism also predicted greater likelihood of negative side‑effects.
Authors
- Patrick Dolder
- Kim Kuypers
- Nathalie Mason
Published
Abstract
Background
It has been suggested that the outcome of the psychedelic experience is dependent on set and setting. While scientific research into the therapeutic potential of psychedelics is growing, it is clear that in clinical populations an optimal set and setting will not always be attainable. It was aimed to assess under which emotional and environmental circumstances psychedelic users use psychedelics, and the outcome of use given clinical characteristics, defined as low well-being and higher rates of neuroticism.
Methods
Online respondents (N = 1967) provided information about their psychedelic use, environment they consume the substance in (setting), and mood state pre/post-substance (set). Based on subjective mental well-being, respondents were separated into two groups, those with low (N = 643), and those with normal well-being (N = 1324). Personality traits, with a particular focus on neuroticism, were also assessed.
Results
Findings showed that psychedelics such as lysergic acid diethylamide and psilocybin were most commonly used at home and methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in a party/festival setting. In most instances, all substances were used when individuals were in a positive mood, and this remained in general positive, or, when not initially positive, shifted to positive, after use. Individuals with low well-being were more likely to experience a positive mood change after use of lysergic acid diethylamide, psilocybin or MDMA than individuals with normal well-being. Furthermore, as neuroticism scores increased, so did likelihood of positive mood change, as well as likelihood of experiencing negative side effects.
Conclusion
It is demonstrated that psychedelics are used in varying emotional states and environmental settings. Importantly in the light of future clinical studies with patients, individuals with low psychological well-being and higher scores of neuroticism report consuming such substances with positive outcomes.
Research Summary of 'Reported effects of psychedelic use on those with low well-being given various emotional contexts'
Introduction
Mason and colleagues frame the study within renewed clinical interest in psychedelics (classic psychedelics such as LSD, psilocybin, and DMT-containing ayahuasca, and empathogens such as MDMA) and the long-standing idea that non-pharmacological factors—"set" (internal state, mood, expectations, personality) and "setting" (physical and social environment)—substantially influence acute and longer-term outcomes. Earlier work indicates that trait factors (for example, neuroticism) and pre-administration mood may shape the acute experience, but clinical trials typically enrol highly screened participants and thus may not capture how substances perform across the range of psychological states found in real-world or clinical populations. The study therefore aimed to characterise when and where recreational users take specific psychedelic substances, and to examine mood outcomes after use in relation to two clinical characteristics: low psychological well-being (measured with the WHO-5 index) and personality, with a focus on neuroticism. The researchers sought to determine (1) common settings and pre-use mood states for LSD, psilocybin, MDMA and ayahuasca, and (2) whether people with low well-being and/or higher neuroticism report different acute mood changes or rates of unwanted effects after use. The authors position this work as complementary to clinical trials by drawing on a larger, naturalistic sample of users.
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Study Details
- Study Typeindividual
- Journal
- Compounds
- Topics
- Authors
- APA Citation
Mason, N. L., Dolder, P. C., & Kuypers, K. P. (2020). Reported effects of psychedelic use on those with low well-being given various emotional contexts. Drug Science, Policy and Law, 6. https://doi.org/10.1177/2050324519900068
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Solaja, I., Haldane, K., Mason, N. et al. · Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews (2024)
Soares, C. M., Leite, A., Pinto, M. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2022)
Kiraga, M. K., Mason, N. L., Uthaug, M. V. et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2021)
Mans, K., Kettner, H., Erritzoe, D. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2021)
Qiu, T. T., Minda, J. P. · Psyarxiv (2021)
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