Psychedelics not linked to mental health problems or suicidal behavior: A population study

A large study of 135,095 randomly selected US adults, including 19,299 who had used psychedelics such as LSD, psilocybin, or mescaline, found no link between lifetime psychedelic use and mental health problems. After adjusting for sociodemographics, other drug use, and childhood depression, there were no significant associations with past-year serious psychological distress, mental health treatment, suicidal thoughts, plans, or attempts, depression, or anxiety. Psychedelic use was not an independent risk factor for mental health issues. Serious adverse events are extremely rare, and psychedelics are not known to harm organs or cause addiction. The authors argue that prohibiting psychedelics as a public health measure is difficult to justify.

Study at a glance

Abstract

A recent large population study of 130,000 adults in the United States failed to find evidence for a link between psychedelic use (lysergic acid diethylamide, psilocybin or mescaline) and mental health problems. Using a new data set consisting of 135,095 randomly selected United States adults, including 19,299 psychedelic users, we examine the associations between psychedelic use and mental health. After adjusting for sociodemographics, other drug use and childhood depression, we found no significant associations between lifetime use of psychedelics and increased likelihood of past year serious psychological distress, mental health treatment, suicidal thoughts, suicidal plans and suicide attempt, depression and anxiety. We failed to find evidence that psychedelic use is an independent risk factor for mental health problems. Psychedelics are not known to harm the brain or other body organs or to cause addiction or compulsive use; serious adverse events involving psychedelics are extremely rare. Overall, it is difficult to see how prohibition of psychedelics can be justified as a public health measure.