Psychedelics and sexual functioning: a mixed-methods study
Tommaso Barba, Hannes Kettner, Caterina Radu, Leor Roseman, Bruna Giribaldi, Joseph Peill, David Nutt, David Erritzøe, Robin Carhart-Harris
Scientific Reports February 7, 2024 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49817-4 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Combination of naturalistic study and controlled clinical trial Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Psilocybin Escitalopram |
| Topics | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Escitalopram Clinical psychology Sexual dysfunction Sexual desire Sexual orientation |
| Citations | 24 |
| Key findings | Naturalistic psychedelic use and psilocybin therapy were associated with improvements in sexual functioning and satisfaction, whereas escitalopram treatment was not. |
Abstract
Abstract Do psychedelics affect sexual functioning postacutely? Anecdotal and qualitative evidence suggests they do, but this has never been formally tested. While sexual functioning and satisfaction are generally regarded as an important aspect of human wellbeing, sexual dysfunction is a common symptom of mental health disorders. It is also a common side effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a first line treatment for depression. The aim of the present paper was to investigate the post-acute effects of psychedelics on self-reported sexual functioning, combining data from two independent studies, one large and naturalistic and the other a smaller but controlled clinical trial. Naturalistic use of psychedelics was associated with improvements in several facets of sexual functioning and satisfaction, including improved pleasure and communication during sex, satisfaction with one’s partner and physical appearance. Convergent results were found in a controlled trial of psilocybin therapy versus an SSRI, escitalopram, for depression. In this trial, patients treated with psilocybin reported positive changes in sexual functioning after treatment, while patients treated with escitalopram did not. Despite focusing on different populations and settings, this is the first research study to quantitively investigate the effects of psychedelics on sexual functioning. Results imply a potential positive effect on post-acute sexual functioning and highlight the need for more research on this.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on psilocybin, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study. Patients with moderate-to-severe, unipolar, treatment-resistant major depression | 2016 | Open-label feasibility trial | n = 12 |
| Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: six-month follow-up. Patients with severe, unipolar, treatment-resistant major depression | 2017 | Open-label trial | n = 20 |
| Pilot study of the 5-HT2AR agonist psilocybin in the treatment of tobacco addiction Psychiatrically healthy nicotine-dependent smokers | 2014 | Open-label pilot study | n = 15 |
| Quality of Acute Psychedelic Experience Predicts Therapeutic Efficacy of Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression Patients with treatment-resistant depression | 2018 | Clinical trial | n = 20 |
| Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of Psilocybin in 9 Patients With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Subjects with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) | 2006 | Controlled clinical trial |
Citations in the library
Cited by 20
- Effect of psilocybin versus escitalopram on depression symptom severity in patients with moderate-to-severe major depressive disorder: observational 6-month follow-up of a phase 2, double-blind, randomised, controlled trial EClinicalMedicine September 23, 2024
- Reduced Brain Responsiveness to Emotional Stimuli With Escitalopram But Not Psilocybin Therapy for Depression American Journal of Psychiatry May 7, 2025
- Uncovering Psychedelics: From Neural Circuits to Therapeutic Applications Pharmaceuticals January 19, 2025
- Perceived Impact of Psychedelics on Sexual, Gender, and Intimate Relationship Dynamics: A Mixed-Methods Investigation The Journal of Sex Research March 28, 2025
- A Scoping Review of Research in Naturalistic Studies with Psychedelics. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs June 28, 2025
and 15 more in the library
Cites 32
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study. The Lancet Psychiatry May 17, 2016
- Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression New England Journal of Medicine April 14, 2021
- The entropic brain: a theory of conscious states informed by neuroimaging research with psychedelic drugs Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2014
- Effects of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy on Major Depressive Disorder JAMA Psychiatry November 4, 2020
- REBUS and the Anarchic Brain: Toward a Unified Model of the Brain Action of Psychedelics Pharmacological Reviews June 20, 2019
and 27 more in the library