In a large international survey of over 6,600 adults with eating disorders or disordered eating, cannabis and psychedelics were rated as most helpful for improving eating disorder symptoms, while prescription antidepressants were seen as beneficial for overall mental health but not for eating disorder symptoms, except for fluoxetine in bulimia nervosa and lisdexamfetamine in binge-eating disorder. Alcohol, nicotine, and tobacco were rated as most harmful. The findings suggest that cannabis and psychedelics may alleviate eating disorder symptoms, supporting further research into these substances as potential treatments.
Among adults with eating disorders, about one in three reported having used a psychedelic drug at some point, and one in five had used one in the past year. Users tended to be younger, less likely to take prescription drugs or be hospitalized for their eating disorder, and more likely to use other non-prescription drugs and to have ADHD, PTSD, ASD, or substance misuse. Those with anorexia nervosa were less likely to report psychedelic use, while those with an undiagnosed eating disorder were more likely. Qualitative comments described profound transformation, increased connectedness, and new insights into illness, though a few reported bad trips or worsened symptoms. The findings suggest psychedelics may hold promise for this population and warrant clinical trials.