Exploring self-reported health behavior change following naturalistic psychedelic use
Laura C. Carvalho, Jorge Encantado, Arlen C. Moller, Talea Cornelius, Natasza Marrouch, Matthew Johnson, Albert Garcia‐romeu, Diogo Veiga, Pedro J. Teixeira
Journal of Health Psychology December 31, 2025 DOI: 10.1177/13591053251392867 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 271 |
| Population | Adults who reported on their most impactful psychedelic experience |
| Keywords | Causality physics Contemplation Health behavior Health psychology Computer-assisted web interviewing Behaviour change Clinical psychology Developmental psychology Illness behavior Behavior change methods Naturalistic observation |
| Key findings | Higher perceived meaningfulness and having a set intention were significantly associated with overall healthy behavior change following a psychedelic experience. |
Abstract
Health-related behaviors are essential determinants of health and well-being, yet unhealthy patterns persist globally. Psychedelics may represent an innovative tool for facilitating positive behavior change. This study investigated retrospective health-related behavior changes attributed to past psychedelic experiences. An online survey was completed by 271 adults who reported on the characteristics of their most impactful psychedelic experience and associated changes across 74 behaviors, including physical activity, and time spent in nature. The most frequently reported changes were in contemplative practices (63%), time spent in nature (55%), and personally meaningful social activities (54%). The majority of changes were reported in a healthy direction. Higher ratings of perceived meaningfulness and having a set intention emerged as significantly associated with overall healthy change. While causality cannot be inferred, these findings highlight the potential of psychedelic experiences as catalysts for health-related behavior change and underscore the role of intention and perceived meaningfulness as candidate mechanisms.