Association of Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder with Trait Neuroticism and Mental Health Symptoms.
Morgan Hadley, Alicia Halliday, James Stone
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 2025 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2023.2287081 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 415 |
| Population | Hallucinogen and other drug users who completed an online questionnaire |
| Topics | Anxiety LSD Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Flashbacks Visual disturbances Hppd Neuroticism Entheogens Mental Psychedelics hallucinogens |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | 39.7% of respondents reported Type I HPPD symptoms and 4.3% reported Type II HPPD symptoms, with no significant difference in neuroticism scores between those with and without HPPD, but Type II HPPD was associated with greater mental health symptoms and use of certain drugs. |
Abstract
Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD) is considered rare in hallucinogen users although there are conflicting reports about its incidence and prevalence. HPPD may be more common in those with trait neuroticism. In this study, we invited hallucinogen and other drug users to complete an online questionnaire about their use of hallucinogens, their experience of HPPD symptoms, and their trait neuroticism and mental health symptoms. We received 802 responses with 415 of these containing adequate data for further analysis. 39.7% of responders reported symptoms corresponding to Type I HPPD, and 4.3% reported symptoms corresponding to Type II HPPD. We found no significant difference between neuroticism scores for participants with or without HPPD. Individuals with Type II HPPD were more likely to report mental health symptoms including anxiety, obsessional thoughts, paranoia, hypochondria and panic attacks (p < .05). We also found that individuals with Type II HPPD were more likely to report the use of 25I-NBOMe, dextromethorphan, nitrous oxide and benzodiazepines (p < .05). 47.3% of participants had never tested their drugs, making the attribution of HPPD severity to specific drugs difficult. Further work into the development of HPPD is required, particularly with the rise of hallucinogens as potential treatments for depression and other mental illnesses.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on LSD for anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anxiety and depression symptoms in Brazilian sexual minority ecstasy and LSD users Young Brazilian adults who used ecstasy and/or LSD in the past 90 days and were not in... | 2017 | Cross-sectional study | n = 240 |
| Exploring the relationship between mental health, drug use, personality, and attitudes towards psilocybin-assisted therapy Young adults in the Australian Capital Territory | 2023 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 118 |
| Faces of HPPD: Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder Patient Survey Results and a Descriptive Analysis of Patient Demographics, Medical Background, Drug Use History, Symptoms, and Treatments Individuals diagnosed with hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD) from... | 2019 | Internet survey | n = 26 |