Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 10, 2022
Nicolas G. Glynos, Jennifer Pierce, Alan K. Davis et al.
39 citations
In a survey of 354 North American adults with fibromyalgia, nearly 30% reported having used a psychedelic, most commonly LSD or psilocybin mushrooms. Most users rated their experience as neutral (59.4%) or positive (36.8%), and fewer than 3% reported negative effects on health or pain. Among the 12 participants who used a psychedelic specifically to treat chronic pain, 11 said their symptoms improved. Regardless of past use, most respondents believed psychedelics could help treat chronic pain and would join a clinical trial for such a treatment. The findings support further research into psychedelic-based therapies for fibromyalgia.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 2023
Daniel J. Kruger, Oskar Enghoff, Moss Herberholz et al.
24 citations
In a large online survey of 1,221 people who use psychedelics naturalistically, the most common source of information was their own experimentation and experiences (79.52%). Many also sought information from internet websites (61.67%), friends (61.02%), internet discussion forums (57.08%), books (57%), and peer-reviewed journal articles (54.55%). Few consulted their primary health care provider (4.83%). Scientific journals, psychedelic nonprofits, and university researchers were the most trusted sources; government agencies and pharmaceutical companies were the least trusted. Most participants felt popular media inaccurately stated psychedelics' benefits and risks and failed to distinguish between different types. The results indicate extensive information seeking outside mainstream health care.
JAMA Health Forum
June 17, 2022
Kevin F. Boehnke, Alan K. Davis, Jenna McAfee
20 citations
Oregon's 2020 decriminalization of psilocybin and other illicit substances mirrors the trajectory of cannabis liberalization over the past 25 years, driven by arguments for compassionate use, personal freedom, and frustration with federal drug policy. The authors argue that psychedelics are poised to follow a similar pattern, reinforced by FDA breakthrough therapy designations for psilocybin and MDMA. They caution that medical cannabis policies expanded access and industry power but failed to integrate cannabis into medical practice, track health outcomes, or promote safe use, leading to increased emergency department visits and highly concentrated products. Extrapolating to psychedelics, they find this lack of integration troubling because oversight by trained monitors in clinical trials likely decreases adverse reactions and enhances treatment success.
Psychedelic medicine (New Rochelle, N.Y.)
March 1, 2025
Daniel J. Kruger, Jacob S. Aday, Christopher W Fields et al.
19 citations
In an anonymous online survey of 1,221 people who reported past psychedelic use, most described adverse experiences: 74.3% felt frightened, 58.6% sadness, 54.3% body shaking or trembling, and 51.6% loneliness. About half reported some other adverse experience, and one in ten had adverse physical reactions. One-third knew someone arrested for possession or use of psychedelics; 8% reported that they or someone they know was the victim of inappropriate sexual contact by a psychedelic sitter, guide, or practitioner; and one-quarter knew someone who experienced a severe adverse event other than inappropriate sexual contact or arrest. The findings indicate that despite beneficial effects, psychedelic experiences can be challenging, distressing, or harmful, highlighting the need to prevent, identify, manage, and treat adverse events.
Frontiers in Pain Research
March 18, 2025
Jenna McAfee, Avinash Hosanagar, Vijay Tarnal et al.
18 citations
In a small open-label pilot trial, five people with fibromyalgia received two doses of psilocybin (15 mg and 25 mg) along with psychotherapy. The treatment was well-tolerated: there were temporary increases in blood pressure or heart rate during dosing that returned to normal, no serious adverse events, and four of five participants had short-lived headaches. One month after the second dose, participants reported large reductions in pain severity, pain interference, and sleep disturbance. One participant rated their symptoms as very much improved, two as much improved, and two as minimally improved. Recruitment stopped early due to generalizability concerns and changing FDA guidance, but the results suggest psilocybin-assisted therapy is safe for fibromyalgia and warrants larger trials.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
January 1, 2024
Nicolas G. Glynos, Jacob S. Aday, Daniel J. Kruger et al.
15 citations
A large global survey of 5,268 adults who had used psychedelics found that nearly three-quarters (70.9%) reported ceasing or decreasing use of at least one non-psychedelic substance afterward. Among those who had previously used specific substances, 60.6% decreased alcohol use, 55.7% decreased antidepressant use, and 54.2% decreased cocaine or crack use. Over a quarter said the decrease lasted 26 weeks or longer. However, 19.8% reported increased or initiated use of other substances, most commonly illicit opioids (14.7%) and cannabis (13.3%). Factors linked to decreased use included motivation to reduce substance use or self-treat a medical condition; increased use was associated with higher income and residing in Canada or the US.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 2023
Daniel J. Kruger, Nicolas G. Glynos, Christopher W Fields et al.
10 citations
People who use psychedelics and have higher education, lower age, greater frequency of use, male gender, White/Caucasian identity, higher income, and experience with more types of psychedelics tend to know more about legal status, active compounds, and therapeutic efficacy. A survey of 1,435 participants recruited at a psychedelic advocacy event and online showed overall high knowledge, but gaps remain, highlighting the need for targeted education and harm reduction outreach, especially in under-represented communities.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
September 19, 2024
Anne Baker, Niloufar Pouyan, Julie Barron et al.
9 citations
A survey of 107 people who provide psychedelic support services outside clinical trials found that 40.2% held a full or in-progress license and 44.9% lacked a relevant graduate degree. Almost all practitioners pre-screened clients, offered preparation, integration, and trip-sitting, and used primarily non-directive approaches. Clients most often consumed psilocybin for conditions similar to those in clinical research. Practitioners perceived mostly positive symptom changes, though a small proportion reported worsened personality disorder symptoms. Further research on naturalistic psychedelic-assisted therapy is needed.
The Journal of Sex Research
March 28, 2025
Daniel J. Kruger, Eirini K. Argyri, Justin K. Mogilski et al.
7 citations
A survey of 581 participants found that most (70.2%) reported psychedelic experiences affected their sexuality or sexual experiences, with 65.4% noting short-term effects and 52.8% reporting long-term effects. Psychedelic experiences were more often associated with enhanced relationship quality, attraction to partners, and sexual activities than with diminished ones. About 10% reported influences on gender identity or expression, citing increased authenticity and openness. One-quarter of women and one-eighth of men reported heightened same-sex attraction after use. More participants reported being polyamorous or in open relationships after psychedelic experiences than before. Effects were linked to larger doses, more frequent use, younger age, and identifying as a woman or gender diverse.
British Journal of Pain
February 11, 2025
Anne Baker, Stephanie Lake, Philippe Lucas et al.
7 citations
Most people with chronic pain who use psychedelics to self-treat report ceasing or decreasing their use of other substances, especially alcohol and prescription opioids. In a survey of 466 adults, 86.3% said they stopped or reduced at least one non-psychedelic substance because of psychedelic use, with 21.2% reporting the decrease lasted over 26 weeks. Alcohol (71.1%) and prescription opioids (64.1%) were most often decreased or stopped. Illicit opioids (27.8%) and cannabis (21.5%) were more likely to be increased or initiated. Psilocybin was rated the most effective psychedelic for physical and mental health symptoms. Findings suggest potential benefits and risks of naturalistic psychedelic use for chronic pain.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
April 22, 2025
Nicolas G. Glynos, Mallet R Reid, Jacob S. Aday et al.
4 citations
People of Color have been underrepresented in psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) research, and some have suggested that systemic harms like the War on Drugs and discrimination in healthcare might reduce their willingness to participate. A large-scale survey of people using psychedelics in North America compared 3,547 White people, 448 People of Color, and 377 Multiracial people. A lower proportion of People of Color used psychedelics with a trained provider, but equal proportions had disclosed psychedelic use to primary care providers, were equally motivated to use psychedelics with a trained provider, used psychedelics for similar issues, and reported similar effectiveness. The findings suggest that lack of trust may not fully explain underrepresentation, and other barriers should be investigated.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 2023
Daniel J. Kruger, Julie Barron, Moss Herberholz et al.
4 citations
In a survey of 1,221 people who use psychedelics outside clinical settings, three-quarters supported decriminalization and legalization. Participants strongly favored allowing individuals to legally grow and possess psychedelic plants and fungi for personal use. Support was higher for natural over synthetic substances, for self-production and consumption over gifting, and for gifting over sales. Administration with therapeutic support was preferred over use without it. Participants worried about pharmaceutical-style policies, including patents on both natural and synthetic psychedelics. Most respondents lived in Michigan, but geographical differences were small. People who identified as psychedelic guides, educators, or therapists differed slightly but extensively from others. The authors suggest policymakers consider these preferences to ensure safe and equitable access and appropriate medical support.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
February 5, 2025
Daniel J. Kruger, Jeff Albrecht, Jacob S. Aday et al.
3 citations
Motivations for using psychedelic drugs shift substantially from first use to later use. Initially, people typically use psychedelics for recreation or exploration, but over time use becomes more motivated by therapeutic or personal growth reasons, such as managing mental health conditions, spiritual growth, connecting with nature, improving creativity, and addressing trauma. These findings come from a large sample of 1,221 participants reporting naturalistic psychedelic use. The study is limited by its retrospective design but is the first to demonstrate that motivations change over time, with initial curiosity and recreation giving way to self-improvement goals like enhancing relationships and health.
American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
January 1, 2026
Jacob S. Aday, Robin Carhart-Harris, Kevin F. Boehnke
2 citations
Psilocybin, a hallucinogen found in certain mushrooms, demonstrated significant therapeutic potential in a study involving 200 participants with treatment-resistant depression. After just three doses, 60% reported substantial symptom relief lasting up to six months. In comparison, traditional antidepressants typically show around 30% effectiveness. The findings suggest that psychedelics like psilocybin could revolutionize psychiatry by addressing the underlying pathogenesis of mental health disorders. This breakthrough highlights the need for more exploration into psychedelics and their implications for clinical psychology and medicine.
Research Square
April 8, 2026
Oliver Robinson, David Luke, Jules Evans et al.
1 citation
In a large global online survey of 6,476 people who have used psychedelics, nearly half (48.3%) reported at least one difficulty lasting 24 hours or more, and 9.9% experienced difficulties for over a year. The most common difficulties were existential struggle (36.6%), depression (34%), and derealization (29.4%). Existential struggle was rated as the most severe difficulty but also the one most linked to healing. Clinically relevant disruptive difficulties lasting at least a month and disrupting daily life were reported by 8% of participants and were associated with younger age, lower income, lack of family support, lower emotional stability, higher pre-existing anxiety or depression, and using psychedelics to treat mental health conditions. The findings highlight the need for education on risks and benefits, safety guidelines, and support services.
Harm Reduct J
November 25, 2025
Daniel J. Kruger, Gina Mersereau, Ashley Sullivan et al.
1 citation
Psilocybin is the most recommended psychedelic for first-time users, favored for its moderate intensity, dose-dependent effects, precise dosing, and short duration. Cannabis and MDMA/MDA are also recommended by about half and a third of experienced users, respectively. Substances like ayahuasca, DMT, 5-MeO-DMT, and Salvia divinorum are not recommended due to high intensity and safety risks. Mixing psychedelics with alcohol, stimulants, antidepressants, or narcotics is advised against. Additional advice includes embracing the experience, learning about the substance, and setting intentions.
PsyArXiv
September 4, 2025
Jacob S. Aday, Robin Carhart-Harris, Kevin F. Boehnke
1 citation
preprint
Classic psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin, LSD, and ayahuasca are being explored as treatments for many health conditions, but predicting how individuals will respond is difficult. Age may be an important but underappreciated factor that moderates these responses. Older adults have unique disease processes for neuropsychiatric disorders and require special treatment considerations. Differences in life circumstances, body physiology, use of multiple medications, weight, and brain biology may create distinct risks and opportunities for older adults. A consistent trend in the literature is that psychedelic drug effects become blunted across the lifespan, a finding that has been overlooked.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
May 1, 2025
Niloufar Pouyan, Jacob S. Aday, Steven E. Harte et al.
1 citation
People with treatment-resistant conditions often see their illness as part of their identity. The pictorial representation of illness and self measure (PRISM) gauges this self-condition enmeshment. In a survey of 297 individuals who used psychedelics therapeutically on their own, most reported symptom improvement: 95.4% with depression, 98.36% with posttraumatic stress disorder, and 94.87% with anxiety. PRISM scores dropped significantly after the most salient psychedelic experience, indicating reduced identification with the condition. The decrease in PRISM scores correlated with symptom improvement across all conditions. PRISM appears useful for tracking how psychedelics affect self-perception across diagnoses, though limitations include convenience sampling, potential positive bias, and retrospective reporting.
Drugs
June 4, 2026
Kevin F. Boehnke, Niloufar Pouyan, Jacob S. Aday
Chronic pain is common, costly, and often poorly treated by existing therapies. Classic serotonergic psychedelics—psilocybin, LSD, ayahuasca, DMT, and mescaline—have re-emerged as potential tools for chronic pain, administered alone or within psychedelic-assisted therapy. This review examines mechanisms relevant to pain, including effects on neuroplasticity, inflammation, brain network dynamics, and psychological processes like pain acceptance and cognitive flexibility. Observational studies and early-phase clinical trials show preliminary signals of benefit for fibromyalgia, migraine, cluster headache, and other chronic pain syndromes. The field is limited by small sample sizes, functional unblinding, and a lack of large, well-controlled randomized trials. The authors outline methodological priorities and future research directions needed to rigorously evaluate these compounds for chronic pain.
Journal of Psychiatric Research
June 2, 2026
Daniel J. Kruger, Audrey Czerew, Leigh Farquhar et al.
The research priorities of people who have used psychedelics differ from those of institutional researchers. An online survey of 1192 U.S. adults who reported past psychedelic use identified seven major domains for future research: therapeutic efficacy, best practices for non-clinical use, safety and adverse experiences, broader understanding including indigenous traditions, non-medical outcomes like creativity and spiritual awakening, best practices for therapy, and best practices for research. Institutional researchers emphasized molecular, neurological, and clinical topics, while users prioritized non-clinical use and societal and cultural issues.
Scientific Reports
April 15, 2026
Jacob S. Aday, Nicolas G. Glynos, Anne Baker et al.
A new questionnaire, the Psychedelic-related Major Life Changes Questionnaire (P-MLCQ), was developed to capture major life changes following psychedelic use that standard clinical measures miss. In a survey of 581 people who used psychedelics naturally, 83% reported at least one major life change influenced by their use, averaging 3.29 changes per person. The most common changes were in goals (54%), values (54%), and religion or spirituality (49%). These changes were rated highly positively on average. More frequent psychedelic use over the past five years was linked to more reported life changes. Women were 21% more likely than men to report changes, while older age and higher education were associated with fewer changes. The authors note that results may be influenced by positive bias and need replication in representative samples.
Progress in Neuro-psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry
February 8, 2026
Michael J. Haupt, Savannah Pointe, Kevin F. Boehnke et al.
Ayahuasca, a psychedelic plant brew with centuries of traditional use in Central and South America, has drawn increased drug tourism and scientific interest for potential health benefits. A systematic review of 18 prospective studies found long-term changes in wellbeing, depression, psychiatric symptoms, substance misuse, cognitive flexibility, personality, and prosocial behavior among mostly unselected volunteers at retreat centers. While population-level mental health improvements were noted, some participants experienced persisting psychiatric complications. No prospective studies examined physical health conditions, though one reported decreased physical pain and another lasting neurometabolic changes in the posterior cingulate cortex. Limitations include small samples, unstandardized dosages, and lack of control groups.
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
February 1, 2026
Mallet R Reid, Jonathan Song, Kevin F. Boehnke et al.
People of color have been significantly underincluded in psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) research, despite facing challenges commonly addressed in PAT and often more severe symptoms. A systematic review of the past 10 years of psilocybin, MDMA, and LSD clinical trials in the United States (N = 27) found that only 3 out of 27 studies (11.11%) incorporated community-engaged research (CEnR) practices. In the rare instances CEnR was integrated, researchers used community consultation, which involves relatively little engagement with community members. The authors recommend incorporating five CEnR principles to improve representation in PAT trials: mapping and engaging local stakeholders, leveraging existing university-hospital infrastructures, co-designing research and outreach initiatives, securing dedicated CEnR resources, and establishing mechanisms for ongoing evaluation.
Universität Zürich, ZORA
May 1, 2025
Niloufar Pouyan, Jacob S. Aday, E Harte, Steven et al.
After naturalistic psychedelic use, people with depression, PTSD, or anxiety reported reduced identification of their identity with their illness, as measured by the pictorial representation of illness and self measure (PRISM). Among 297 individuals, the majority in each condition reported symptom improvement: 95.4% with depression, 98.36% with PTSD, and 94.87% with anxiety. PRISM scores significantly decreased after the most salient psychedelic experience, and larger reductions in self-condition enmeshment were associated with greater symptom improvement. The findings suggest PRISM can detect changes in self-perception across conditions, though limitations include retrospective reporting and unclear dosing.
November 4, 2024
Jacob S. Aday, Jenna McAfee, Deirdre A. Conroy et al.
preprint
In a small open-label proof-of-concept trial, five adults with fibromyalgia received two doses of psilocybin (15 mg and 25 mg) two weeks apart, along with psychotherapy sessions. No serious adverse events occurred; transient blood pressure or heart rate elevations during dosing resolved by the end of treatment, and four of five participants had temporary headaches. One month after the second dose, participants reported clinically meaningful improvements in pain severity, pain interference, and sleep disturbance. One participant rated their symptoms as very much improved, two as much improved, and two as minimally improved. Improvements were also seen in fibromyalgia symptoms, anxiety, and fatigue. The findings suggest psilocybin-assisted therapy is well-tolerated and warrants larger randomized controlled trials.