Lifetime use of psychedelics is associated with better mental health indicators during the COVID-19 pandemic
Journal of Psychedelic Studies May 6, 2021 Federico Cavanna, Carla Pallavicini, Virginia Milano et al. 31 citations
During the COVID-19 pandemic, people who had used psychedelic drugs at least once in their lives reported higher positive affect and personality traits linked to resilience, such as greater openness and lower conscientiousness, compared to those who had not. Among 5,618 participants (average age 29, 72% female), 32% reported lifetime psychedelic use. The number of past psychedelic experiences predicted higher scores on a measure of plasticity. No evidence linked lifetime psychedelic use to impaired mental health indicators. Other psychoactive drugs showed opposite associations with mental health.