Exploring practitioners' perceptions of health behavior changes associated with psychedelic experiences.
Laura C. Carvalho, Jorge Encantado, Michiel van Elk, Arlen C. Moller, Talea Cornelius, Christopher Timmermann, Diogo Veiga, Pedro J. Teixeira
Sci Rep November 25, 2025 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-25818-3 via PubMed Central
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractPsychedelic experiences may help people adopt healthier behaviors like improved diet, more exercise, and regular meditation, according to a survey of 96 practitioners working in legal and underground settings. Practitioners reported perceived positive changes in clients' contemplative practices (61.4%), time in nature (60.1%), eating patterns (56.9%), and diet and nutrition (56%). The findings suggest that practitioners often see psychedelic experiences as linked to beneficial health behavior changes, though further research is needed to confirm these results and understand their long-term sustainability.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Retrospective survey-based study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 96 |
| Population | Psychedelic practitioners working in legal and underground contexts |
| Key finding | Practitioners perceived that psychedelic experiences were associated with positive changes in health behaviors, especially contemplative practices and time spent in nature. |
Abstract
In addition to evidence supporting the use of psychedelics in treating alcohol and tobacco misuse, emerging research suggests that psychedelic experiences may also facilitate beneficial changes in other health behaviors, such as diet, exercise, and meditation. This retrospective, survey-based study explored perceived health behavior changes following psychedelic experiences, from the perspective of 96 psychedelic practitioners, working in both legal and underground contexts. Practitioners reported on perceived changes in their clients' or patients' behaviors, including physical activity, diet and nutrition, contemplative practices, and time spent in nature, as well as on their own behavior changes, and potential mechanisms underlying these changes. Behaviors with the highest proportion of clients perceived as having changed in a positive direction included contemplative practices (61.4%), time spent in nature (60.1%), eating patterns (56.9%), and diet and nutrition (56%). These findings suggest that practitioners often perceive psychedelic experiences as associated with positive health behavior change. Future research is needed to validate these findings, explore the extent and mechanisms of potential changes, and assess whether such effects are sustained over the long-term. Understanding these effects may help inform future behavior change interventions and public health policy.