Psychedelic use in individuals living with eating disorders or disordered eating: findings from the international MED-FED survey.

Sarah-Catherine Rodan; Noah Meez; Sophie Lloyd-Hurwitz; Miguel A Bedoya-Pérez; Anastasia Suraev; Natasha Sommer; Kayla Greenstien; Sarah Maguire; Iain S. Mcgregor

doi:10.1186/s40337-025-01328-5

Psychedelic use in individuals living with eating disorders or disordered eating: findings from the international MED-FED survey.

Sarah-Catherine Rodan, Noah Meez, Sophie Lloyd-Hurwitz, Miguel A Bedoya-Pérez, Anastasia Suraev, Natasha Sommer, Kayla Greenstien, Sarah Maguire, Iain S. Mcgregor

Journal of Eating Disorders July 24, 2025 DOI: 10.1186/s40337-025-01328-5 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract

Characteristics	Cross-sectional survey Qualitative Peer reviewed
Sample size	5,247
Population	Adults who self-reported a clinically diagnosed eating disorder or disordered eating causing significant distress
Topics	DMT LSD Psilocybin
Keywords	Arfid Anorexia nervosa Binge eating disorder Bulimia nervosa Eating disorders Psychedelic medicine Mental health research
Citations	2
Key findings	Psychedelic drugs were commonly used among adults with eating disorders, with users reporting transformative experiences, but a small number of adverse outcomes were also noted.

Abstract

There are few effective treatments for eating disorders (EDs), and new interventions are urgently needed. The MEDication and other drugs For Eating Disorders ("MED-FED") survey investigated the lived experience of adults with EDs regarding their prescription and non-prescription drugs use. Psychedelic drugs were highly rated in this survey for their impact on ED symptoms and general mental health. Here, we provide a more granular analysis of a subset of the data pertaining to psychedelic drug use from this survey. The MED-FED survey recruited adults who self-reported either a clinically diagnosed ED or disordered eating that was currently undiagnosed but causing significant distress. The demographics of recent and lifetime psychedelic users relative to non-users were examined, as well as their use of other prescription and non-prescription drugs, and co-morbid conditions. Qualitative analysis was used to examine themes emerging from open-ended comments around use of psychedelic drugs. Of the 5247 participants who completed the survey, 1699/5247 (32.4%) reported lifetime psychedelic use, with 1019/5247 (19.4%) having used in the last 12 months. Typical use involved infrequent consumption, once or twice per year, of psilocybin, LSD, 2-CB, or DMT. Those who reported recent psychedelic use were younger and less likely to currently use prescription drugs or to have been recently hospitalised for their ED. They were more likely to use other non-prescription drugs (e.g. cannabis, ketamine, stimulants) and to report co-morbid ADHD, PTSD, ASD, and substance misuse. Participants with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa were less likely to report psychedelic use, while those with an undiagnosed ED were more likely. Qualitative analysis of responses (n = 200) revealed themes of profound transformation, increased connectedness, and new insights into illness following psychedelic experiences. A handful of respondents reported benefits from microdosing. A few respondents reported adverse outcomes in their open-ended comments, including "bad trips" (n = 15) and worsened ED symptoms (n = 8) after psychedelic use. These findings provide a unique insight into psychedelic use among individuals with EDs. The results align with emerging evidence suggesting that psychedelics may be beneficial in this population, highlighting the need for further research, including clinical trials, to explore their efficacy and safety.

Comparable studies

Other cross-sectional and survey studies on DMT, most cited first.

Study	Year	Design	Participants
Survey of subjective "God encounter experiences": Comparisons among naturally occurring experiences and those occasioned by the classic psychedelics psilocybin, LSD, ayahuasca, or DMT Adults reporting a single most memorable God encounter experience, either nondrug or...	2019	Cross-sectional survey	n = 4,285
Survey of entity encounter experiences occasioned by inhaled N,N-dimethyltryptamine: Phenomenology, interpretation, and enduring effects. People who had a memorable entity encounter after taking N,N-dimethyltryptamine	2020	Survey	n = 2,561
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
The epidemiology of 5-methoxy- N, N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) use: Benefits, consequences, patterns of use, subjective effects, and reasons for consumption. Adults who use 5-MeO-DMT, recruited via internet-based advertisements; predominantly...	2018	Cross-sectional survey	n = 515
Dimethyltryptamine (DMT): Prevalence, user characteristics and abuse liability in a large global sample People who completed the Global Drug Survey online in 2012, many of whom have used drugs	2013	Cross-sectional survey	n = 22,289

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