LSDPsilocybin

Sustained, multifaceted improvements in mental well-being following psychedelic experiences in a prospective opportunity sample

In a prospective naturalistic study of volunteers intending to take psychedelics (N=654 at baseline), 14 well‑being measures clustered into three factors labelled “Being well”, “Staying well” and “Spirituality”. The study found robust, selective increases in Being well and Staying well (but not Spirituality) following the psychedelic experience that remained statistically significant up to two years' follow‑up, despite high attrition.

Authors

  • Robin Carhart-Harris
  • David Erritzoe
  • Mendel Kaelen

Published

Frontiers in Psychiatry
individual Study

Abstract

In the last 15 years, psychedelic substances, such as LSD and psilocybin, have regained legitimacy in clinical research. In the general population as well as across various psychiatric populations, mental well-being has been found to significantly improve after a psychedelic experience. Mental well-being has large socioeconomic relevance, but it is a complex, multifaceted construct. In this naturalistic observational study, a comprehensive approach was taken to assessing well-being before and after a taking a psychedelic compound to induce a “psychedelic experience.” Fourteen measures of well-being related constructs were included in order to examine the breadth and specificity of change in well-being. This change was then analysed to examine clusters of measures changing together. Survey data was collected from volunteers that intended to take a psychedelic. Four key time points were analysed: 1 week before and 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 2 years after the experience (N = 654, N = 315, N = 212, and N = 64, respectively). Change on the included measures was found to cluster into three factors which we labelled: 1) “Being well”, 2) “Staying well,” and 3) “Spirituality.” Repeated Measures Multivariate Analysis of Variance revealed all but the spirituality factor to be improved in the weeks following the psychedelic experience. Additional Mixed model analyses revealed selective increases in Being Well and Staying Well (but not Spirituality) that remained statistically significant up to 2 years post-experience, albeit with high attrition rates. Post-hoc examination suggested that attrition was not due to differential acute experiences or mental-health changes in those who dropped out vs. those who did not. These findings suggest that psychedelics can have a broad, robust and sustained positive impact on mental well-being in those that have a prior intention to use a psychedelic compound. Public policy implications are discussed.

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Research Summary of 'Sustained, multifaceted improvements in mental well-being following psychedelic experiences in a prospective opportunity sample'

Introduction

Mental well-being is described as a broad, multidimensional construct encompassing both positive mood (hedonia) and effective functioning (eudaimonia). Mans and colleagues frame well-being as a public-health relevant outcome distinct from the absence of psychopathology, noting that previous clinical and naturalistic studies have reported rapid and sustained improvements in well-being after single or few doses of classic psychedelics (e.g., LSD, psilocybin, DMT). However, the authors identify a gap: well-being is measured with many diverse self-report scales and it is unclear which specific facets of well-being are most sensitive to change following a psychedelic experience. The current study aimed to address this gap by prospectively assessing a broad set of well-being–related measures in people who intended to use a psychedelic in a naturalistic setting. The investigators sought to (1) determine which facets of well-being change together after a psychedelic experience by using dimension reduction, and (2) test whether any observed changes persisted up to approximately 2 years. The overarching hypothesis was that psychedelic experiences would produce comprehensive improvements across multiple facets of well-being.

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Study Details

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