Psychoactives
May 12, 2026
Sean M. Viña
While prior research links psychedelic use to improved psychological outcomes, less is known about whether psychedelic exposure relates to engagement with formal mental health care when treatment is recognized as needed. Using publicly available, de-identified pooled data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2008–2019), this study examines whether lifetime psychedelic use is...
Research Square
February 25, 2026
Sean M. Viña
Abstract While prior research links psychedelic use to improved psychological outcomes, less is known about whether psychedelic exposure relates to engagement with formal mental health care when treatment is recognized as needed. Using pooled data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2008–2019), this study examines whether lifetime psychedelic use is associated with missed needed...
Research Square
January 14, 2026
Sean M. Viña
Abstract While prior research suggests that healthcare context shapes the mental health correlates of psychedelic use, it remains unclear whether education can mitigate these disparities—particularly across racial and ethnic groups. This study examines whether educational attainment moderates the association between lifetime psychedelic use, health insurance context (public vs. private), and...
Discov Ment Health
November 27, 2025
Sean M. Viña
A community-centered approach to psychedelics.
Psychedelic Medicine
April 22, 2025
Sean M. Viña
6 citations
Objective: Prior research has found an association between psychedelic use and reduced stigma attached to mental illness. However, whether psychedelics alleviate stigma-related distress remains unclear. Since stigma impacts different groups uniquely, any moderating effect of psychedelics on stigma-related distress is likely to vary across subpopulations. This study addresses two main questions:...
Drug Science Policy and Law
April 1, 2025
Sean M. Viña
4 citations
Although there is growing support for the protective effects of psychedelics on mental health, recent evidence finds racial and ethnic minorities gain fewer benefits. This paper aims to test whether the disparate mental health outcomes associated with psychedelic use extend across multiple racial and ethnic groups, including non-Hispanic Whites, Blacks, Asians, and Hispanics. In order to...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
2025
Sean M. Viña
12 citations
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...
J Psychoactive Drugs
November 7, 2024
Sean M. Viña
6 citations
Psychedelic use has been increasingly accepted socially and legally. However, there is a gap in understanding how religion can influence the relationship between psychedelics and mental health. This study aims to explore this relationship by examining the impact of lifetime classic psychedelic use (LCPU), religious attendance, and religious salience on monthly psychological distress, using the...
PLoS One
March 7, 2024
Sean M. Viña
14 citations
Although the use of psychedelics to impact health has seen growth, little research has tested the effects of culture conditions on the relationship. More specifically, how does marital status and family size affect the relationship between psychedelics and health? This study tests the relationship between Lifetime Classic Psychedelic Use (LCPU), marital status, and household size (number of...
Research Square
Sean M. Viña
Abstract Background: Due to increasing cultural and legal acceptance of psychedelics, there is a need to understand their potential influence on formal mental health care. This paper examines the connection between psychedelics, distress, and treatment utilization. Are psychedelic users less likely to use formal mental health care? Methods This study tests the relationship between psychedelics...