Comparing Substance Use Consequences between Serotonergic Psychedelics, MDMA, and other Drugs of Abuse Among United States Adults with History of Psychiatric Illness
International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction April 1, 2025 Joshua C. Black, Nicole Schow, Hannah L. Burkett et al. 3 citations
Among US adults with a history of anxiety, major depression, PTSD, or bipolar disorder, past use of serotonergic psychedelics or MDMA is more common than in the general population—for example, 9.2% of those with bipolar disorder report such use versus 2.6% overall. Using a validated screening tool, psychedelic use was linked to higher scores indicating more severe substance use disorder risk, even after accounting for other drug use. However, the increase in risk was smaller than that associated with opioids or stimulants. The authors suggest that managing substance use disorder risks in psychedelic-assisted therapy may require different approaches than those used for other drugs.