Perceived changes in mental health and social engagement attributed to a single psychedelic experience in autistic adults: results from an online survey.
Psychopharmacology February 1, 2025 Jack Stroud, Charlotte Rice, Aaron Orsini et al. 8 citations
The majority of autistic participants who completed an online survey reported that their most impactful psychedelic experience reduced psychological distress (82%) and social anxiety (78%) and increased social engagement (70%). A substantial minority (20%) reported undesirable effects such as increased anxiety, with some describing the experience as among the most negatively impactful of their lives. The only substantial predictor of reduced distress was increased psychological flexibility. The findings come from a non-experimental design with biased sampling, so caution is warranted.