Psychedelic Use and Intimacy: A Systematic Review of Experimental and Naturalistic Research.
Journal of psychoactive drugs October 21, 2025 Anna Bradford, Ethan Freedman, Rachel E Dinero 1 citation
A systematic review of 19 studies on psychedelic drug use and intimacy found overwhelmingly positive effects in laboratory settings, including improved relationship satisfaction, connectedness, emotional disclosure, empathy, and reduced social anxiety. In studies relying on retrospective self-reports, six of ten identified positive experiences such as enhanced relationship quality and closeness, while four reported negative experiences including disconnection, social anxiety, relationship dissatisfaction, and distrust. The review highlights that more research is needed to determine ideal settings for use and long-term impacts on intimacy.