Exploring the potential psychological predictors associated with changes in depression, anxiety, and well-being following naturalistic psychedelic use.
Felipe M Herrmann, Grant Jones, Daniel M Low, James M Zech, Robin L Carhart-Harris, Hannes Kettner
Journal of psychiatric research November 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.09.007 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractIncreases in meaning in life, agreeableness, mindfulness, and extraversion are the psychological changes most strongly linked to future improvements in well-being after naturalistic psychedelic use. Increases in mindfulness, emotional stability, and extraversion are most associated with later reductions in anxiety, while increased self-esteem is most tied to decreased depression. Mindfulness was the only variable ranking among the top three predictors for all three outcomes—well-being, anxiety, and depression. These differing psychological changes may explain the mental health benefits observed after psychedelic use.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Prospective online survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 161 |
| Population | Adults reporting naturalistic psychedelic use |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Psychedelics Hallucinogens Entheogens Psychotropic substances Mental health |
| Key finding | Increases in meaning in life, agreeableness, mindfulness, and extraversion were most strongly associated with future increases in well-being; increases in mindfulness, emotional stability, and extraversion with future decreases in anxiety; and increases in self-esteem with future decreases in depression. |
Abstract
Although research shows that psychedelic use may lead to improvement in mental health and well-being, the underlying changes in psychological predictors associated with these improvements remain unclear. 161 participants were recruited in a prospective online survey assessing naturalistic psychedelic use. We used lasso regression to assess how 19 distinct changes in psychological variables (e.g., meaning in life, mindfulness) were linked to future changes in depression, anxiety, and well-being changes. We found increases in meaning in life (β = 0.229, 95 % CI [0.101, 0.357], p < 0.01), agreeableness (β = 0.193, [0.077, 0.361], p < 0.05), mindfulness (β = 0.174, [0.022, 0.383], p < 0.05), and extraversion (β = 0.135, [0.002, 0.246], p = 0.046) to be the variables most strongly associated with future increases in well-being. Increases in mindfulness (β = -0.347, [-0.481, -0.220], p < 0.001), emotional stability (β = -0.158, [-0.279, -0.020], p < 0.05), and extraversion (β = -0.147, [0.022, 0.383], p < 0.05) were the most strongly associated with future decreases in anxiety. Lastly, increases in self-esteem (β = -0.216, [-0.365, -0.056], p < 0.05) were most strongly associated with changes in depression. Changes in mindfulness and emotional stability were also associated with depression; however, they were not significant. Mindfulness was the sole predictor that ranked within the top three across all outcomes. These findings suggest that these differing predictors may underpin the observed psychological improvements following naturalistic psychedelic use.