People with cluster headache in the Netherlands use illicit drugs more often than the general population: 31.7% reported lifetime use compared to 23.8% in matched controls. Among psilocybin mushroom users, 56% reported a reduction in attack frequency, and 46% reported shorter attacks. Lysergic acid diethylamide users reported frequency reduction in 60% of cases, and heroin users in 50%. Amphetamine users reported shorter attacks in 36% of cases. The authors suggest the higher drug use may reflect genuine symptom relief, placebo effects, personal conviction, or a shared biological basis between cluster headache and addictive behaviors.
Vivid dream experiences are common among intensive care unit (ICU) patients and often carry a negative emotional impact. In a retrospective survey of 80 adults previously admitted to the ICU for at least four days or due to COVID-19, 79% reported dream experiences, with 73% describing them as life-like, 49% associating them with negative emotions, and 54% saying the dreams affected them even after waking. Dream content frequently related to the ICU admission. Younger age and longer ICU stay were linked to vivid dreams. Many participants also experienced delirium or perceptual disturbances, and some had difficulty distinguishing these from dreams. The findings suggest that providing anticipatory support may help patients process these experiences during recovery.