The use of ketamine as a treatment for mood disorders continues to grow in popularity. However, the differences between individuals consuming ketamine within clinical settings and those self-medicating in casual, non-clinical settings has not been yet characterized. Using the 2023 Global Psychedelic Survey, this study aimed to examine the demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as the...
Background: Epidemiological data on psychedelic use in Italy is limited. In this study, Italian responders in the Global Psychedelic Survey 2025 were subanalyzed to describe patterns of use, motivations, subjective experiences, and health correlates. Methods: Adults (≥21 years) with lifetime psychedelic exposure, residing in or born in Italy or San Marino, were surveyed in a web-based,...
Psychedelics are being used globally in a variety of contexts, from recreational use to controlled clinical trials of therapeutic applications. Much of what is known about psychedelic user experiences comes from quantitative studies, while qualitative research is limited and has received comparatively less attention. Qualitative research, particularly personal narratives, can highlight the...
As psychedelic use increases and integrates with mainstream medicine, understanding the prevalence and nature of postpsychedelic adverse outcomes is critical. We investigated extended difficulties after psychedelic use via the Global Psychedelic Survey (GPS) 2025, which is a multilingual online survey of people who have used psychedelics. Data on the prevalence, characteristics, and...
While most psychedelic substances are considered to carry a relatively low risk of acute or long-term harm, co-use with other psychoactive substances may increase health and social harm. Using a large international survey of adults who use psychedelics, we sought to comprehensively characterize psychedelic co-use. We used data from the 2023 Global Psychedelic Survey, a web-based survey of...
People of Color have been under-included in psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) research. Researchers have argued that systemic issues resulting in harms to communities of color like the War on Drugs and recurrent exposure to discrimination in healthcare settings may reduce their willingness to engage in PAT research. However, there are no empirical data regarding People of Color's trust or...
Psychedelic substances have shown preliminary efficacy for several neuropsychiatric disorders and are currently being investigated for chronic pain conditions. However, few studies have investigated outcomes of naturalistic psychedelic use among individuals with chronic pain, and none have assessed psychedelic-related changes in substance use patterns in this population. In a cross-sectional...
Although several studies have well described the characteristics of people who use psychedelics alongside their motivations and beliefs, little research has examined the preferences surrounding the source of psychedelic substances. In an anonymous online survey, we collected data from 6,379 consumers of 11 different psychedelic substances from 85 different countries, exploring their preferences...
Despite psychedelic microdosing being a growing practice, the research on the topic is still in its infancy. While several studies have described the characteristics, motivations and practices of microdosers, the differences between individuals that only microdose and those that use both micro and macrodoses of psychedelics remain unexplored. In an online survey, we collected data of 6193...
Despite advancements in policies governing psychedelic substances globally, our understanding of real-world psychedelic use and its variations across international jurisdictions remains limited. We implemented the Global Psychedelic Survey (GPS) to capture information about psychedelic consumer characteristics, access, and usage patterns around the world. The GPS was administered online in...
Recent research suggests that psychedelics may have potential for the treatment of various substance use disorders. However, most studies to date have been limited by small sample sizes and neglecting to include non-North American and European populations. We conducted a global, cross-sectional online survey of adults (n = 5,268, 47.2% women) self-reporting past or current psychedelic use and...
This study aimed to develop and validate a short-form version of the AWE-S (AWE-SF) within psychedelic samples, to reduce participant burden while maintaining psychometric integrity. Across five studies, we first replicated the original six-factor structure of the AWE-S through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (Study 1), leading to the creation of the 12-item AWE-SF (Study 2-3). We...
Recent years have seen a resurgence in clinical interest in, and increased public acceptance of, psychedelic drugs in Canada. However, our understanding of how psychedelic drugs are currently used in Canada remains limited. We developed the Canadian Psychedelic Survey (CPS) to gather real-world evidence about psychedelic drug use in Canada. This study aimed to characterize CPS respondents;...
Alvita Sam, Alexander de Foe, Aspasia Stacey Rabba et al.
preprint
Background: Autistic adults are under-investigated in psychedelic research, despite speculated elevated likelihood of substance use for therapeutic and recreational purposes.Aims: This study explored contexts of naturalistic psychedelic use and wellbeing and mental health indicators in a group of Autistic adults using psychedelics for therapeutic purposes, and compared these with the broader...