Psychedelic Use, Microdosing, Motives, and Information and Product Sources Among Young Adults in the United States
Carla J. Berg, Darcey M. Mccready, Cassidy R. Loparco, Laura C. Schubel, Katelyn F. Romm, Shriya Thakkar, Jessica Williams, Patricia Cavazos‐rehg, Y. Tony Yang
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs June 19, 2026 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2026.2685527 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractAmong a sample of young adults with high rates of past-month cannabis use, lifetime and past-year psychedelic use were 27.7% and 11.9%, respectively, with psilocybin/amanita, MDMA, and LSD being most common. Nearly half used psychedelics only for nonmedical purposes. Of those who had ever used, 26.5% had microdosed. Older age, male sex, Black race, metropolitan residence, more depressive symptoms, and more adverse childhood events were linked to lifetime use. Microdosing was associated with not having children, more anxiety, and more adverse childhood events. Mental health symptoms and adverse childhood events were also tied to higher use motives, including expansion, mood enhancement, and symptom management.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,614 |
| Population | Young adults with high past-month cannabis use |
| Topics | Addiction |
| Keywords | Young adult Product mathematics Substance use Social psychology |
| Key finding | Mental health symptoms and adverse childhood events were associated with psychedelic use, microdosing, and higher use motives, even among those using exclusively for nonmedical purposes. |
Abstract
= 26.38, ~50% past-month cannabis use by design) completed an online survey. Multivariable regression assessed sociodemographics, mental health, and adverse childhood events (ACEs) in relation to: (1) past-year psychedelic use; and (2) among those reporting lifetime use: (a) lifetime microdosing and (b) use motives. Lifetime and past-year psychedelic use were 27.7% and 11.9% (commonly psilocybin/amanita, MDMA, and LSD); 48.8% used only for nonmedical purposes. Of those reporting lifetime use, 26.5% ever microdosed. Correlates of use-related outcomes varied: (1) lifetime use: older, male (vs female), Black (vs White), metropolitan/urban (vs rural), more depressive symptoms and ACEs; (2) microdosing: not having children, more anxiety symptoms and ACEs; (3) higher expansion motives: male, White (vs Asian), more anxiety symptoms and ACEs; (4) higher mood/social enhancement motives: more depressive symptoms; and (5) higher symptom management motives: male, Hispanic, more depressive symptoms and ACEs. Despite half using exclusively for nonmedical purposes, mental health symptoms and ACEs were associated with use, microdosing, and higher use motives. Understanding the role of mental health across sociodemographic groups is necessary to address possible adverse outcomes.