Utilizing Psychedelics to Enhance Well-Being: A Systematic Review
Samuel Thomson, Nikos Thomacos
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs March 31, 2025 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2025.2484380 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Randomized Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 949 |
| Population | Healthy individuals |
| Interventions | Psilocybin Ayahuasca LSD 5-MeO-DMT |
| Topics | Ayahuasca LSD Mescaline Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Flourishing Clinical psychology Hallucinogen Psychotherapist |
| Citations | 11 |
| Key findings | Psychedelic consumption is consistently related to enduring enhancements in the five elements of well-being as defined by PERMA theory in healthy individuals. |
Abstract
Psychedelic-assisted therapy is gaining recognition for its potential to enhance human functioning. While most research has focused on psychedelic' therapeutic use for mental illness, this review applies the PERMA Theory of Well-Being to systematically examine their role in enhancing well-being in healthy individuals. The final search of five academic databases was conducted on February 4, 2024, including studies published from 1994. After applying the inclusion criteria (controlled or naturalistic experimental design with an outcome measurement at least 7 days post-consumption), 19 studies were included. Encompassing 949 participants, two studies involved 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT), seven ayahuasca, two lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and eight psilocybin. Results consistently indicate psychedelic consumption is related to enduring enhancements in PERMA's five elements of well-being, including positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. While discussion of adverse effects was frequently absent, no serious adverse effects were reported in six studies. Future research should address the limitations of the included studies by conducting larger-scale, longitudinal randomized controlled trials that incorporate a comprehensive assessment of well-being. Nevertheless, the findings of this systematic review call for a paradigm shift, moving beyond a disease-focused lens to recognizing psychedelics' capacity to enhance well-being in healthy individuals, ultimately fostering human flourishing.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on mescaline, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Risk assessment of ritual use of oral dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and harmala alkaloids Humans (ritual ayahuasca use) | 2006 | Systematic review | |
| Drug–drug interactions involving classic psychedelics: A systematic review | 2023 | Systematic review | |
| Psychedelic‐assisted treatment for substance use disorder: A narrative systematic review Participants in studies of psychedelic-assisted treatment for alcohol, tobacco, and... | 2025 | Systematic review | n = 2,035 |
| The immunomodulatory effects of classical psychedelics: A systematic review of preclinical studies Preclinical animal and in vitro studies | 2024 | Systematic review | |
| Drug-drug interactions between classic psychedelics and psychoactive drugs: a systematic review Humans | 2023 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 12
- Acute effects of psilocybin on the dynamics of gaze fixations during visual aesthetic perception. Scientific Reports July 9, 2025
- Psychedelics in functional disorders: A scoping review Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry February 10, 2026
- Beyond symptom reduction: DMT improves anxiety, life satisfaction, and quality of life in healthy volunteers and patients with depression Journal of Psychopharmacology July 8, 2026
- Psychedelics and longevity: implications for lifespan, healthspan and functional aging Longevity July 5, 2026
- Psychedelic Use and Psychological Healing Among Gender Exploring Clients: Clinicians’ Perspectives Women & Therapy May 12, 2026
and 7 more in the library
Cites 72
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance Psychopharmacology July 7, 2006
- Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 23, 2012
- Human hallucinogen research: guidelines for safety. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 1, 2008
- REBUS and the Anarchic Brain: Toward a Unified Model of the Brain Action of Psychedelics Pharmacological Reviews June 20, 2019
and 67 more in the library