French psychiatric caregivers' perceptions of psychedelics: A national survey.
Anne Buot, Jean-Del Burdairon, Luc Mallet, Raphaël Gaillard, Benjamin Rolland, Lucie Berkovitch
L'Encephale October 16, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.encep.2026.06.015 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional online survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 298 |
| Population | French mental health professionals, primarily psychiatrists and psychologists working in public hospitals |
| Topics | Ketamine |
| Keywords | Kétamine Mental health Psychedelic drugs Psychiatrie Représentation Santé mentale Substances psychédéliques |
| Key findings | French psychiatry caregivers showed moderate but cautious openness toward therapeutic psychedelics: 53% rated the therapeutic benefit-risk ratio favorably, while 61% rated recreational use as dangerous. Favorable therapeutic views were associated with male gender, personal psychedelic experience, and clinical practice with ketamine; in a clinician subgroup, only ketamine practice remained significant. Personal experimentation was the only predictor of more positive attitudes toward recreational use. |
Abstract
The use of psychedelic substances such as LSD, psilocybin, and dimethyltryptamine is currently being re-evaluated for their therapeutic potential in psychiatry. While international clinical research had started in the 2010s, France only initiated its first psychedelic trials in 2024. This study aimed to explore the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of French mental health professionals regarding the use of psychedelics in clinical and recreational settings. An anonymous online survey was conducted between December 2023 and January 2024 among psychiatry caregivers in France. The questionnaire included 19 items across five sections: demographic information, knowledge of psychedelics, perception of their therapeutic and recreational use, and personal experimentation with psychoactive substances. Data was analyzed using linear and ordinal regressions, controlling for age, gender, profession and experience with ketamine. A total of 298 respondents participated, primarily from public hospitals. Most were psychiatrists (41.4%) or psychologists (20.4%). About 88% had heard of medical studies on psychedelics, with high awareness of psilocybin and ketamine use in treatment-resistant depression. However, awareness of other therapeutic indications was limited. Fifty-three percent rated the therapeutic benefit-risk ratio of psychedelics as favorable, whereas 61% rated recreational use as dangerous. Favorable perception of therapeutic use was associated with male gender, personal experience with psychedelics, and clinical practice with ketamine. However, in a subgroup of clinicians (psychiatrists, residents, nurses) only clinical practice with ketamine remained significantly associated with favorable opinions. Personal experimentation was the only predictor of more positive attitudes toward recreational use. The results indicated a moderate but cautious openness among French psychiatry caregivers towards therapeutic psychedelics, less enthusiastic than in other international surveys. Their opinions were strongly influenced by personal and clinical experience. A notable finding was the clear separation caregivers made between therapeutic and recreational contexts. French psychiatry caregivers are aware of the growing interest in psychedelics and express moderate support for their medical use. Clinical practice with ketamine appears to play a pivotal role in shaping favorable attitudes. As France embarks on clinical trials with psychedelics, caregiver perspectives are likely to evolve, warranting further surveys in the coming years.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on ketamine, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-Year Trends in Use of Hallucinogens and Other Adjunct Drugs among UK Dance Drug Users People who use drugs in dance contexts | 2006 | Repeated-measures cross-sectional survey | |
| Preliminary analysis of positive and negative syndrome scale in ketamine-associated psychosis in comparison with schizophrenia Healthy subjects, ketamine abusers, and schizophrenia patients | 2014 | Cross-sectional study | n = 998 |
| Ketamine as a primary predictor of out-of-body experiences associated with multiple substance use Online survey respondents | 2011 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 192 |
| Self-reported prevalence of dependence of MDMA compared to cocaine, mephedrone and ketamine among a sample of recreational poly-drug users Global non-treatment-seeking sample of last year users of MDMA, cocaine, mephedrone,... | 2014 | Cross-sectional survey | |
| Near-Death States Reported in a Sample of 50 Misusers Previous ketamine misusers who reported a ketamine-related near-death experience | 2010 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 50 |