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LSD for addiction

Studies whose primary subject is both LSD and Addiction, with an evidence synthesis read across the most-cited and most recent of them.

State of the evidence

Synthesized

Synthesized from 18 studies in the library · AI-generated, grounded in the abstracts below

Found by searching the library for LSD, lysergic acid diethylamide, lysergide, Addiction, substance use disorder, dependence, then ranked by relevance.

The research on LSD for addiction is promising but preliminary. A 2025 meta-analysis of randomized trials found a small but statistically significant benefit of LSD for substance use disorders, and older trials and reviews point the same way, especially for alcoholism; large surveys also link past-year LSD use to lower odds of alcohol use disorder. However, most primary studies are old, small, and at serious risk of bias, long-term benefits may fade, and animal data do not support durable anti-relapse effects, so efficacy is not yet established.

Evidence by study

Direction is which way each study's own result points, not our rating of the study. All 25 matching studies were reviewed; the 18 that directly address the question are shown here.

What the directions mean
Supports:
the study found the intervention worked, or its hypothesis held.
Opposes:
it found the opposite, no benefit or a harm.
No effect:
no significant difference either way.
Mixed:
effects in both directions within the same study.
Unclear:
the abstract does not report a direction.
Study Design Sample size Direction Finding
Efficacy and Safety of LSD in the treatment of mental and substance use disorders: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis 682 Supports LSD was associated with a small but statistically significant effect on substance use disorders (SMD 0.19) with no observed heterogeneity, though 45% of studies did not report adverse events.
Therapeutic Use of LSD in Psychiatry: A Systematic Review of Randomized-Controlled Clinical Trials 2020 systematic review 567 Supports Across 11 randomized trials, LSD showed positive short-term reductions in psychiatric symptoms, mainly in alcoholism, though long-term benefits may diminish relative to controls.
The Relationship Between Psychedelic Use and Alcohol Use Disorder in a Nationally Representative Sample. 2025 observational cross-sectional study 139524 Supports Past-year LSD use was associated with lower odds of alcohol use disorder (aOR 0.70) and about 16% fewer AUD symptoms, while MDMA and ketamine were not significantly associated.
A systematic review and narrative summary of the therapeutic potential of classic serotonergic psychedelics for smoking cessation and reduction 2025 systematic review Supports Psilocybin, LSD, and ayahuasca showed preliminary therapeutic potential for smoking cessation, but all eight reviewed studies had serious risk of bias and weak designs.
The therapeutic effects of psychedelics for opioid use disorder: A systematic review of clinical studies. 2025 systematic review Unclear Few clinical studies used serotonergic psychedelics for opioid use disorder, most investigated ibogaine or ketamine, and the evidence was limited by weak designs, few double-blind trials, and high risk of bias.
Psilocybin and LSD have no long-lasting effects in an animal model of alcohol relapse 2020 preclinical animal study Opposes Neither high-dose nor microdosing regimens of psilocybin or LSD produced long-lasting reductions in relapse-like drinking; only sub-chronic psilocybin had a short-lived anti-relapse effect.
Adverse events associated with classic psychedelics and MDMA: a real-world population-based study using the WHO pharmacovigilance database (VigiBase) 2025 pharmacovigilance database analysis Opposes LSD reports were associated with significantly greater odds of reported alcohol abuse, substance use disorder, and substance dependence compared with acetaminophen and oxycodone controls.
The intensity of the psychedelic experience is reliably associated with clinical improvements: A systematic review and meta-analysis. 2025 meta-analysis Supports Intensity of mystical experience correlated positively with clinical improvement overall (r = .33), with a weaker association in addictions (r = .19) than in mood disorders (r = .41).
A Review of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) in the Treatment of Addictions: Historical Perspectives and Future Prospects 2015 review Supports Reviews LSD's history and pharmacology and concludes that further research into LSD's potential as a treatment for addictions is warranted.
Studying the Effects of Classic Hallucinogens in the Treatment of Alcoholism: Rationale, Methodology, and Current Research with Psilocybin 2013 review Supports Reviews direct and indirect support for classic hallucinogens such as psilocybin and LSD in treating addictions and discusses trial design for future randomized studies.
Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function. 2019 integrative review Supports Reports that early research showed promising results for addiction and end-of-life distress, and that naturalistic psychedelic use has been associated with positive mental health outcomes.
Psychedelic Drugs in Biomedicine 2017 review Supports Preclinical and pilot clinical data suggest psychedelics are promising treatments for addiction, depression, and anxiety, though mechanisms, safety, and efficacy remain open questions.
THE PSYCHEDELIC RENAISSANCE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF PSILOCYBIN AND LSD IN THE TREATMENT OF PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS 2026 systematic review Supports Synthesizes trial data showing significant therapeutic potential of psilocybin and LSD in substance use disorders as well as depression and existential distress.
Psychedelics: Alternative and Potential Therapeutic Options for Treating Mood and Anxiety Disorders 2022 review Supports Describes a second wave of psychedelic research focused on treating alcohol and tobacco addiction and mood and anxiety disorders.
Dark Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) 2018 review Supports Notes LSD is physiologically safe and nonaddictive and that promising results have been obtained in small pilot trials of psychedelics for addictions, while controlled confirmation is pending.
User perceptions of the benefits and harms of hallucinogenic drug use: A web-based questionnaire study 2010 cross-sectional survey 600 Supports Users reported less harm from LSD and psilocybin than from several other drugs and reported benefits including help with addictions, though some reported persisting perceptual symptoms.
The Past and Future of Psychedelic Science: An Introduction to This Issue 2019 review Supports Describes current rigorous psychedelic research including clinical studies of psilocybin for depression and addiction.
Psychedelics not linked to mental health problems or suicidal behavior: A population study 2015 observational cohort 135095 No effect Lifetime psychedelic use was not significantly associated with increased mental health problems, and the authors note psychedelics are not known to cause addiction or compulsive use.

Points of agreement

  • Reviews and older randomized trials consistently report short-term symptom reduction with LSD, particularly in alcoholism.
  • The 2025 meta-analysis quantifies a small but significant pooled effect of LSD on substance use disorders.
  • Large surveys associate naturalistic LSD use with lower odds of alcohol use disorder and no increase in mental health harms.
  • All sources agree the evidence base is old, small, methodologically weak, and in need of rigorous modern trials.

Conflicts

  • The animal relapse model found no durable anti-relapse effect of LSD or psilocybin, contrary to clinical and survey signals of benefit.
  • Pharmacovigilance reports link LSD to higher odds of reported substance abuse and dependence, opposite in direction to the survey and trial findings.
  • Some reviews describe benefits as established therapeutic potential while others stress that efficacy remains unconfirmed.

Gaps

  • Durability of benefit beyond short-term follow-up is unclear and may diminish.
  • Most primary trials predate contemporary standards, with limited blinding and randomization.
  • Dose-response for addiction outcomes is not established across the wide dose range used.
  • Little clinical evidence exists for opioids and other non-alcohol, non-tobacco substances.
  • Causal direction in survey and pharmacovigilance data cannot be determined.
Browse these studies in the library

Common questions

What does the research agree on about LSD for addiction?
  • Reviews and older randomized trials consistently report short-term symptom reduction with LSD, particularly in alcoholism.
  • The 2025 meta-analysis quantifies a small but significant pooled effect of LSD on substance use disorders.
  • Large surveys associate naturalistic LSD use with lower odds of alcohol use disorder and no increase in mental health harms.
  • All sources agree the evidence base is old, small, methodologically weak, and in need of rigorous modern trials.
Where do studies on LSD for addiction conflict?
  • The animal relapse model found no durable anti-relapse effect of LSD or psilocybin, contrary to clinical and survey signals of benefit.
  • Pharmacovigilance reports link LSD to higher odds of reported substance abuse and dependence, opposite in direction to the survey and trial findings.
  • Some reviews describe benefits as established therapeutic potential while others stress that efficacy remains unconfirmed.
What is still unknown about LSD for addiction?
  • Durability of benefit beyond short-term follow-up is unclear and may diminish.
  • Most primary trials predate contemporary standards, with limited blinding and randomization.
  • Dose-response for addiction outcomes is not established across the wide dose range used.
  • Little clinical evidence exists for opioids and other non-alcohol, non-tobacco substances.
  • Causal direction in survey and pharmacovigilance data cannot be determined.
How we analyze this

This synthesis reads the 15 most-cited and 10 most recent studies whose primary subject is LSD for addiction, up to 25 in all. The most-cited set anchors the established evidence, and the recent set surfaces work that is too new to have gathered citations yet.

A study qualifies only when LSD for addiction or a known alias appears in its title or keywords, so broad reviews that mention it only in passing are left out. Each study is read from its abstract, strongest evidence first, and the summary reports the direction of the results along with any conflicts and gaps.

The full method, including what a person does and does not review, is on the methods page.

Ask your own question in the Research Synthesis Tool

59 articles · 16 from the last two years · 281,911 participants across 19 studies reporting sample size

Common study designs

review 19 systematic review 7 cross-sectional survey 3 theoretical or philosophical paper 3 systematic review and meta-analysis 2

Research volume by year

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56 studies whose primary subject is LSD for addiction since 2010

Studies about LSD for addiction per year, 2010 to 2026, peaking at 11 in 2025 Bar chart: one bar per year, taller where more studies were published that year. 0 10 20 2010 2015 2020 2025
2026 is partial
Show the numbers
Studies about LSD for addiction per year, 2010 to 2026, peaking at 11 in 2025
Year Studies
2010 1
2011 0
2012 0
2013 1
2014 0
2015 2
2016 1
2017 2
2018 2
2019 5
2020 6
2021 4
2022 7
2023 5
2024 5
2025 11
2026 4

Research

Synthesize the evidence →

720. Unraveling anxiolytic and anti-addictive properties of lysergic acid diethylamide in a model of alcohol use disorder

The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology September 9, 2026 Todd M Solomon, Robert Barrow, Daniel R Karlin et al.

Abstract Background Effective and well-tolerated pharmacotherapies for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), which is one of the most common psychiatric disorders, are needed. Aims & Objectives To determine the dose-response relationship of MM120 (lysergide D-tartrate) in adults with moderate to severe GAD. Method This phase 2b, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study...

DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyag040.492 (opens in new tab)

Synthetic Drugs and Behavioural Addictions: LSD, MDMA and Digital Toxicity

June 1, 2026 Sharda More-Pol

The emergence of contemporary psychological stressors, synthetic psychoactive substance abuse, and non-substance behavioral dependency networks presents critical investigative challenges within public healthcare and classical toxicology (Agadatantra), traditionally analyzed through the concepts of Madya (intoxicants), Mada (intoxication), and severe cognitive perversion (Prajñāparādha). This...

DOI: 10.63247/ayurveda360.cfa.agadatantra.c011 (opens in new tab) Lysergic acid diethylamide MDMA Cognition Parallels +5

New psychoactive substances (designer drugs): an approach to classification

Neurology Bulletin March 23, 2026 Azat R. Asadullin, Elvina A. Akhmetova, Ilia S. Efremov et al.

BACKGROUND: Substance use disorders remain a global public health problem. In recent decades, the drug market has undergone substantial changes, with traditional drugs increasingly replaced by new psychoactive substances characterized by high toxicity and strong addictive potential. Their distribution via the Internet and social media impedes control and increases risks to public health. AIM:...

DOI: 10.17816/nb689708 (opens in new tab) Addiction Lysergic acid diethylamide MDMA Psilocybin +10

THE PSYCHEDELIC RENAISSANCE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF PSILOCYBIN AND LSD IN THE TREATMENT OF PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS

International Journal of Innovative Technologies in Social Science January 23, 2026 Jakub Klepacz, Radosław Swędrak, Marzena Swojnóg et al.

The escalating global burden of mental health disorders, coupled with the stagnation of innovation in traditional monoaminergic pharmacotherapy (e.g., SSRIs), has precipitated a critical need for novel therapeutic paradigms. This article presents a comprehensive systematic review of the so-called "Psychedelic Renaissance," focusing on the clinical resurgence of classical serotonergic...

DOI: 10.31435/ijitss.1(49).2026.4582 (opens in new tab) Psilocybin Serotonergic Lysergic acid diethylamide Addiction +10

Adverse events associated with classic psychedelics and MDMA: a real-world population-based study using the WHO pharmacovigilance database (VigiBase)

Psychiatry Research December 29, 2025 Omer A. Syed, Sean M. Nestor, Muhammad Ishrat Husain et al. 1 citation

Psychedelic use has greatly increased within clinical and recreational settings over recent years. While demonstrating a favorable safety profile within certain clinical populations, little empirical research has explored safety of psychedelic use within real-world samples. Using the World Health Organization (WHO) VigiBase, a comprehensive global pharmacovigilance database with voluntary...

DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2025.116929 (opens in new tab) Psilocybin MDMA Mescaline Ecstasy +13

Assessing The Readiness of Psychiatrists in Louisiana to Incorporate Psilocybin into Clinical Practice—Lessons Learned from a State Underrepresented in Clinical Psychedelic Research

Psychedelic Medicine December 19, 2025 Amanda Husein, Madalynn Traylor, M. Frances Vest et al.

Background: Psilocybin has been granted breakthrough therapy status in the United States, speeding its advancement from research to clinical care. Due to the controversial nature of psilocybin, psychiatrists may not be fully prepared to incorporate it into clinical practice. The current study aimed to evaluate the opinions toward psilocybin among practicing psychiatrists in Louisiana. Louisiana...

DOI: 10.1177/28314425251381806 (opens in new tab) Psilocybin Lysergic acid diethylamide Addiction Generalizability theory +4

The Relationship Between Psychedelic Use and Alcohol Use Disorder in a Nationally Representative Sample.

Journal of Psychoactive Drugs November 9, 2025 James M Zech, Jérémie Richard, Grant Jones

Psychedelic-assisted interventions are emerging as potential treatments for substance use disorders, including alcohol use disorder (AUD). While recent randomized controlled trials suggest efficacy for certain psychedelics and related compounds in treating AUD, the impact of naturalistic psychedelic use on problematic alcohol consumption remains underexplored. This study examines associations...

DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2025.2583967 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) LSD MDMA Ketamine Psilocybin +2

A systematic review and narrative summary of the therapeutic potential of classic serotonergic psychedelics for smoking cessation and reduction

Journal of Psychopharmacology July 11, 2025 Diana Glenn, Seung Hee Choi, Rick S. Zimmerman 1 citation

Background: Classic serotonergic psychedelics are 5-HT2A partial agonists that induce non-ordinary states of consciousness. Many have demonstrated anti-addictive properties; however, their impact on smoking behaviors remains under-researched. This review provides a synthesis of the therapeutic potential of these compounds in promoting smoking cessation and reduction. Methods: A systematic...

DOI: 10.1177/02698811251353251 (opens in new tab) Psilocybin Lysergic acid diethylamide Addiction Mescaline +7

Efficacy and Safety of LSD in the treatment of mental and substance use disorders: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Psychiatry Research July 5, 2025 Maria Helha Fernandes-Nascimento, Priscila Weber, André Brooking Negrão 4 citations

LSD (lysergic Acid Diethylamide), a psychedelic compound, has been investigated in recent studies for the treatment of mental disorders. We analyzed the efficacy and safety of LSD in the treatment of mental disorders and substance use disorders in adult patients. We searched Embase, PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library, CENTRAL, BVS, EBSCO, Epistemonikos, and the grey literature for...

DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2025.116622 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) LSD Lysergic acid diethylamide Psychedelics Substance use disorders +1

The therapeutic effects of psychedelics for opioid use disorder: A systematic review of clinical studies.

Psychiatry Research June 1, 2025 Jeremy Weleff, Alejandra Pulido-Saavedra, Ardavan Mohammad Aghaei et al. 4 citations

Opioid-related overdose deaths have reached record high levels, and novel treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD) are needed. The three United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications for OUD function primarily at the mu-opioid receptor. While these remain the gold-standard treatment for OUD, they have shortcomings and treatment options separate from the opioid receptor...

DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2025.116446 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) Ayahuasca Ketamine LSD Noribogaine +8

Clinical trials

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