The Psych Behind Psychedelics: Exploring Hallucinogen Use as a Marker for Untreated Mental Health Disorders
Liyana Ahmed, Sanjana Konda, Latha Ganti
Health Psychology Research January 6, 2025 DOI: 10.52965/001c.127794 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study (secondary analysis of national survey data) Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Respondents to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), analyzed by age group |
| Key findings | Hallucinogen use was substantially more likely among people with mental illness or substance abuse issues, rose greatly during the pandemic alongside further mental health issues, and was associated with greater likelihood of abusing other illegal substances, primarily among younger people. The authors argue these correlations point to a need for better mental health services and indicate a widespread drug abuse problem. |
Abstract
Objective: Are individuals who use hallucinogens self-medicating their mental illness and are they more likely to abuse other illegal substances? Design, setting, participants Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), collected by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) database was queried for correlations with hallucinogen use. Using age group as a control variable, different variables were run through a crosstab in order to find significant data pointing to the implications of hallucinogen use.
Results: The data from the crosstab analysis showed three key findings about hallucinogen use: Those with mental illness or substance abuse issues were substantially more likely to use hallucinogens, the hallucinogen use greatly increased with the pandemic along with further mental health issues, and those who used hallucinogens were more significantly likely to abuse other illegal substances, primarily in a younger population.
Conclusion: The positive correlation between mental health issues and hallucinogen use emphasizes the need for better mental health services, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. The positive correlation between hallucinogen use and other drug use indicates the widespread drug abuse problem, especially within a younger population in which drugs pose a larger neurological threat.