Self-reported negative outcomes of psilocybin users: A quantitative textual analysis
Bheatrix Bienemann, Nina Stamato Ruschel, Maria Luiza Pesse Campos, Marco Aurélio Negreiros, Daniel C Mograbi
PLoS One February 21, 2020 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229067 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 346 |
| Population | Users who self-reported psilocybin experiences on an online platform |
| Intervention | Psilocybin |
| Topics | Addiction Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Hallucinogen Clinical psychology |
| Citations | 81 |
| Key findings | Bad trips were more frequent in female users and associated with thinking distortions; multiple doses or combination with other substances linked to long-term negative outcomes, while single high doses linked to medical emergencies. |
Abstract
Psilocybin, a substance mainly found in mushrooms of the genus psilocybe, has been historically used for ritualistic, recreational and, more recently, medicinal purposes. The scientific literature suggests low toxicity, low risk of addiction, overdose, or other causes of injury commonly caused by substances of abuse, with growing interest in the use of this substance for conditions such as treatment-resistant depression. However, the presence of negative outcomes linked to psilocybin use is not clear yet. The objective of this study is to investigate the negative effects of psilocybin consumption, according to the users' own perception through self-reports extracted from an online platform. 346 reports were analyzed with the assistance of the IRAMUTEQ textual analysis software, adopting the procedures of Descending Hierarchical Classification, Correspondence Factor Analysis and Specificities Analysis. The text segments were grouped in 4 main clusters, describing thinking distortions, emergencies, perceptual alterations and the administration of the substance. Bad trips were more frequent in female users, being associated with thinking distortions. The use of multiple doses of psilocybin in the same session or its combination with other substances was linked to the occurrence of long-term negative outcomes, while the use of mushrooms in single high doses was linked to medical emergencies. These results can be useful for a better understanding of the effects of psilocybin use, guiding harm-reduction initiatives.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on psilocybin for addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychedelic therapy for smoking cessation: Qualitative analysis of participant accounts Participants who completed a psilocybin-facilitated smoking cessation pilot study | 2018 | Qualitative follow-up study using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis | n = 12 |
| Reports of self-compassion and affect regulation in psilocybin-assisted therapy for alcohol use disorder: An interpretive phenomenological analysis. non-Hispanic White cisgender men and women with alcohol use disorder | 2023 | Qualitative study | n = 13 |
| A phenomenological analysis of the subjective experience elicited by ibogaine in the context of a drug dependence treatment Patients with substance-related disorders | 2017 | Qualitative study | n = 22 |
| Hallucinogenic drugs attenuate the subjective response to alcohol in humans Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and/or psilocybin users | 2000 | Retrospective structured interview study | n = 22 |
| Self-reported experiences and perspectives on using psychedelics to manage opioid use among participants of two Reddit communities. Posts from Reddit subreddits r/OpiatesRecovery and r/Methadone | 2025 | Qualitative study | n = 151 |