Health Benefits and Positive Acute Effects of Psilocybin Consumption: A Quantitative Textual Analysis of User Self-Reported Data

Psilocybin use is growing globally, and recent research shows promise for treating mental disorders. Analyzing 846 public online self-reports with textual analysis software, five clusters emerged describing mental experiences, cognitive processes, somatic experiences, perceptual alterations, and context of administration. The findings reinforce that psilocybin experiences commonly involve somatic and visual changes, feelings of connectedness and oneness with the world, the importance of setting, beneficial mystical experiences, and the phenomenon of ego dissolution. Understanding these circumstances may guide clinical use and harm reduction.

Study at a glance

Abstract

There has been growth in the use of psychedelics by the global population in recent years. In addition to recreational and ritualistic use, recent research into psychedelics has brought advances for treating mental disorders. Understanding the specific circumstances in which psilocybin leads to positive outcomes may have important implications for the future of its clinical use and for harm reduction initiatives. This study aimed to investigate the positive effects from the consumption of psilocybin through public online self-reports. We sought to investigate health benefits promoted by the consumption of the substance, positive acute effects, and contextual details of these experiences. We analyzed 846 reports with the assistance of the IRaMuTeQ textual analysis software, adopting the procedures of Descending Hierarchical Classification, Correspondence Factor Analysis, and Specificities Analysis. The texts were grouped in 5 clusters, describing the content of mental experiences, cognitive processes, somatic experiences, perceptual alterations, and context of administration. The findings of this study reinforce central axes of the psychedelic experience, such as the presence of somatic and visual alterations, connectedness and feeling one with the world and effects of setting, as well as the beneficial character of mystical experiences this substance promotes, and the importance of the ego-dissolution phenomenon.