Death Anxiety Among Users and Non-Users of Psychedelics.
Ana Cláudia Mesquita Garcia, Lucas Oliveira Maia, Everson Meireles, Denismar Alves Nogueira, Luís Fernando Tófoli
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs January 10, 2025 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2025.2451035 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 517 |
| Population | Brazilian adults (users and non-users of psychedelics) |
| Duration | April to June 2022 |
| Topics | Anxiety |
| Keywords | Death anxiety Psychedelics Psychometrics Validity Psychological research Mortality fears Spirituality |
| Citations | 8 |
| Key findings | Increased death anxiety is associated with never or almost never having used psychedelics, and death transcendence (especially creative and religious factors) is the constant variable explaining variation in death anxiety. |
Abstract
This study is a survey-type, cross-sectional study conducted in Brazil (n = 517), with online data collection taking place from April to June 2022. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the death anxiety in users and non-users of psychedelics. To this end, we also assessed the validity and reliability of the Death Anxiety Scale in Brazil. The following instruments were used for data collection: a questionnaire for sociodemographic characterization, Death Anxiety Scale, Death Transcendence Scale, and Spiritual Well-Being Scale. Our main results indicated the following: 1) increased death anxiety is associated with never or almost never having used psychedelics; 2) death transcendence, especially creative and religious factors, was the only constant variable in all the explanatory models of the variation in death anxiety; 3) there is a negative relationship between death anxiety and mystical and religious factors of death transcendence. We interpret these results as follows: it's not psychedelics that reduce death anxiety - psychedelics can favor the experience of transcending death. And it's the possibility of transcending death, (idea of continuity beyond physical death, taking both spiritual and symbolic forms) that helps reduce death anxiety. These findings offer valuable insights into the role of psychedelics in human mortality perception.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychological flexibility mediates the relations between acute psychedelic effects and subjective decreases in depression and anxiety. International sample of people who reported having used a psychedelic | 2020 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 985 |
| The Challenging Experience Questionnaire: Characterization of challenging experiences with psilocybin mushrooms Internet survey respondents reporting challenging experiences with psilocybin | 2016 | Questionnaire development and validation | |
| Psychedelics and Mental Health: A Population Study Adult population in the United States | 2013 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 130,152 |
| Ecstasy/MDMA attributed problems reported by novice, moderate and heavy recreational users Ecstasy users who participated in a WWW study of recreational drug use | 2002 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 282 |
| 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) used in a naturalistic group setting is associated with unintended improvements in depression and anxiety. Adults who used 5-MeO-DMT in a group setting with structured procedures | 2019 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 362 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Beyond prohibition: A public health analysis of naturalistic psychedelic use Journal of Psychedelic Studies July 3, 2025
- The Brazilian Version of the Mystical Orientation Scale Revised (MOSR-BR): An Exploratory Study. Journal of Religion and Health March 31, 2026
- Psychedelic Experiences and Finitude in Serious Illness: A Qualitative Synthesis Journal of Pain and Symptom Management March 27, 2026
- Confronting mortality: A meta-analysis and systematic review of psychedelic experiences and death anxiety Journal of Psychopharmacology March 9, 2026
- Intact neurophysiological markers of death denial in long-term ayahuasca users Psychopharmacology November 10, 2025
Cites 24
- Psilocybin occasioned mystical-type experiences: immediate and persisting dose-related effects. Psychopharmacology December 1, 2011
- Mystical-type experiences occasioned by psilocybin mediate the attribution of personal meaning and spiritual significance 14 months later Journal of Psychopharmacology May 30, 2008
- Psilocybin-occasioned mystical-type experience in combination with meditation and other spiritual practices produces enduring positive changes in psychological functioning and in trait measures of prosocial attitudes and behaviors Journal of Psychopharmacology October 11, 2017
- LSD-assisted psychotherapy for anxiety associated with a life-threatening disease: A qualitative study of acute and sustained subjective effects Journal of Psychopharmacology November 11, 2014
- Long-term follow-up of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for psychiatric and existential distress in patients with life-threatening cancer Journal of Psychopharmacology January 9, 2020
and 19 more in the library