Psychedelics and Mental Health Treatment Seeking Among Asians and Hawaiians
Psychoactives September 4, 2025 DOI: 10.3390/psychoactives4030032 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractPsychedelic use relates to mental health treatment-seeking differently across racial groups. Among White individuals, psychedelic use is associated with a lower likelihood of seeking formal mental health care. In contrast, among Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHOPI) individuals, psychedelic use is linked to increased odds of accessing mental health services. These patterns suggest that psychedelics may serve culturally distinct roles in coping with psychological distress, influenced by structural stigma and perceptions of the formal treatment system. The analysis uses national survey data from 2008 to 2019 with over 458,000 respondents.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Cross-sectional analysis of survey data Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 458,372 |
| Population | Asians, Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders, and Non-Hispanic Whites in the United States |
| Keywords | Native hawaiians Psychology Gerontology Environmental health Medicine |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key finding | Psychedelic use is associated with lower formal treatment seeking among White individuals but increased treatment seeking among NHOPI individuals. |
Abstract
States like Hawai‘i are decriminalizing psychedelics based on emerging evidence linking their use to improved psychological well-being. Yet, in many cultural contexts, stigma surrounding mental illness may lead individuals to pursue non-traditional forms of healing, including psychedelics, in place of formal care. This study examines how psychedelic use relates to mental health treatment-seeking behaviors among Asians and Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders (NHOPIs). Using the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data from 2008 to 2019 (n = 458,372), the analysis compares Non-Hispanic Whites with Asian and NHOPI respondents to assess associations between MDMA and lifetime classic psychedelic use, psychological distress (K6 scale), and formal mental health service utilization. Nested logistic regression models conducted in Stata 18 indicate that psychedelic use among White individuals is associated with a lower likelihood of seeking formal treatment. In contrast, among NHOPI individuals, psychedelic use is associated with increased odds of accessing mental health care. These findings suggest that psychedelic use may serve culturally distinct roles in coping with distress, shaped by structural stigma and the perceived trustworthiness of formal treatment systems.