Self-medication with psychedelics: a scoping review and narrative synthesis of review-level evidence
Exploratory Research in Clinical and Social Pharmacy February 4, 2026 Shreya Shiju, Rohan Tirumala, Elliot Marseille
People are increasingly using psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD without medical supervision to treat health conditions, a practice called self-medication. A review of existing reviews found that individuals most often use these substances for cluster headache and chronic pain, frequently in microdosed regimens. About 40% of users achieved full remission of symptoms, and 70% reported preventive benefit. Adverse effects were rare and brief. Motivations for self-use included coping, desperation, and dissatisfaction with conventional care. The evidence remains limited by scarce and heterogeneous data, and more rigorous research is needed.