Down the Rabbit Hole: A Large-Scale Survey of Psychedelic Users’ Patterns of Use and Perceived Effects
Carrie Cuttler, Amanda Stueber, Jonathan J. Simone, Leah M. Mayo
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs January 29, 2025 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2025.2452226 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,486 |
| Population | U.S. adults who use psychedelics |
| Keywords | Acute effects Administration methods Intentions Psychedelics Substance use patterns Recreational drug use Hallucinogens Drug administration |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key findings | Psychedelic users predominantly take MDMA, LSD, DMT, and psilocybin orally for recreation, and while hallucinations and positive mood are common acute effects, distress about negative effects is low. |
Abstract
The ever-changing landscape surrounding legality and accessibility of psychedelics and their increasing popularity make it imperative to better understand the nature of psychedelic use by the general population. To this end, 1,486 eligible respondents (Mage = 29.58, 67.1% male) residing in the United States completed an online survey designed to assess the types of psychedelics used, methods of administration and dosing, frequency of use, intentions for use, context/environments in which they are used, perceived acute effects, frequency of those effects and distress about them, and their perceived residual effects and distress about them. Respondents predominantly endorsed using MDMA, LSD, DMT, and psilocybin. The predominant methods of administration were oral. Most reported using psychedelics for recreational purposes. The most endorsed acute effects were hallucinations, increased heart rate, positive mood, and visual tracers, while the most endorsed residual effects were headaches/migraine, dry mouth, nausea, hallucinations, and anxiety. Participants were most distressed by negative mood states, vomiting, and nausea when under the acute effects of psychedelics, but mean distress ratings were low. These results can help inform clinical trials, reform policy regarding legal access to psychedelics, and track changes in these metrics as sociocultural and legal landscapes continue to shift.