International Journal of Drug Policy
January 19, 2023
Søren Holm, Margit Anne Petersen, Oskar Enghoff et al.
18 citations
In a Danish online forum, users discuss psychedelic substances through five dominant frameworks: recreational, therapeutic, spiritual, scientific, and performance discourses. Analysis of 1,865 posts from 154 threads revealed that participants draw on and reproduce these shared frameworks when describing and negotiating their understandings and uses of psychedelics. The findings underscore the importance of a nuanced approach to user perceptions, suggesting that drug policy and practice should account for significant variation in motives and modalities of psychedelic use.
Medical anthropology
January 1, 2022
Margit Anne Petersen, Aja Smith, Dorthe Brogaard Kristensen et al.
12 citations
People pursue a good life not only by coping with crises but also by actively seeking improvement. In contemporary Denmark, three self-improvement practices—psychedelic micro-dosing, meditation and mindfulness, and fitness self-tracking—are compared using Foucault's concept of technologies of the self. These practices produce and reflect different notions of the self, yet all involve managing vulnerabilities by accepting, controlling, and balancing tensions between self-making and relation-making.
Anthropology of Consciousness
August 9, 2022
Margit Anne Petersen, Sarah Feldes, Victor Cova
7 citations
Ayahuasca ceremonies are revitalizing forms of sacredness in contemporary societies, particularly for individuals who feel called to lead them. Comparing facilitators in Peru, a Catholic society with Indigenous Amazonian populations and a tourism sector, and Denmark, a secular society where Ayahuasca is illegal, reveals tensions around the need to both justify and resist the rationalization of Ayahuasca. Drawing on Weber's concept of vocation and Durkheim's theory of the sacred, the article argues that shamanic vocations in differently modernized societies create pressures to navigate between legitimizing the practice and preserving its sacred, non-rational character.
Scientific reports
May 29, 2025
Sebastian Sattler, Suzanne Wood, Margit Anne Petersen et al.
In a nationwide survey of 11,299 adults in Germany, 5.0% reported having used psychedelics at some point in their lives, and 0.7% had used them in the past six months. Medium to high doses were more common than microdosing, and many respondents used multiple forms of psychedelics. Use varied across demographic groups: it was less likely among females and older individuals. Past six-month microdosing was less common in rural areas, while medium to high dosing was less prevalent among those with higher income or living with a partner. The findings suggest limited widespread use and highlight diverse usage patterns.
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
May 16, 2025
Oskar Enghoff, Margit Anne Petersen, Søren Holm et al.
People who have used psychedelics, whether therapeutically or non-therapeutically, and those who have never used them all strongly prefer online sources for information about psychedelics. Different groups show distinct patterns in where they get information and what types of content they access, indicating varied online social learning environments for consumption practices. Online content influences both current and potential future use, even as public attention increasingly focuses on psychedelic therapy. Public health institutions could use these online channels to engage with the psychedelic resurgence.