Religion, Psychedelics, Risky Behavior, and Violence.
Journal of psychoactive drugs January 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2024.2346132 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractLifetime classic psychedelic use and religious participation are each independently linked to a lower likelihood of committing violent assault. The protective association between risky behavior and violence is weaker among people who consider religion highly salient in their lives. Among those who have used psychedelics, the link between risky behavior and violence is smallest for individuals with strong religious salience. Both religious attendance and personal religious significance appear to work together in shaping this relationship.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 282,768 |
| Population | Respondents to the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) from 2015 to 2019 |
| Keywords | Distress Mental health Psychedelics Religion |
| Citations | 12 |
| Key finding | Lifetime classic psychedelic use and religious salience are independently associated with reduced violence, and the combination of psychedelic use and high religious salience shows the strongest protective association between risky behavior and violence. |
Abstract
Research has found that psychedelic use is associated with positive behavioral changes, however research has yet to explore the relationship between socio-cultural conditions on this relationship. This paper intends to fill this gap by testing the effects of religious participation and beliefs on the relationship between psychedelic use and behaviors. This study examines the relationship between Lifetime Classic Psychedelic Use (LCPU), different aspects of religion (such as salience and attendance), and the likelihood of committing a violent assault. The analysis uses pooled data from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) from 2015 to 2019, with a sample size of 282,768. Binary logistic regression models conducted in Stata 17 reveal that LCPU and religion (salience and influence) are independently associated with reduced violence. Additionally, two-way interactions indicate that the association between risky behavior and violence is smaller among individuals with high levels of religious salience. Furthermore, a three-way interaction suggests that the association between risky behavior and violence is smaller for those who have used psychedelics, with the largest effect observed among individuals with high religious salience. These results show that religious factors can influence the relationship between psychedelic use and behaviors, with both attendance and salience operating simultaneously.