Psychedelic drugs such as magic mushrooms, ayahuasca, or the peyote cacti we talked about yesterday are used for various purposes. Some use them to delve deep into their soul, others because they benefit from them emotionally, and some simply want to experience an intense visual trip.
The same applies, incidentally, to non-psychedelic drugs, such as alcohol. Yet there are some major differences: research published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology shows that psychedelic drugs do not increase the risk of developing mental health problems, unlike alcohol, for example.
Magic mushrooms vs. alcohol
Norwegian clinical psychologist Pål-Ørjan Johansen and neuroscientist Teri Suzanne Krebs stated that the findings demonstrate that most claims regarding the harm caused by psychedelic substances such as LSD, magic mushrooms, truffles, and mescaline-containing cacti are unfounded. “There is little evidence linking psychedelic use to long-term mental health problems. In general, the use of psychedelics does not appear to be particularly dangerous compared to other activities considered acceptable,” the researchers wrote—clearly referring to drugs such as alcohol.
“Concerns about psychedelic use appear to be based on media sensationalism, lack of information, and cultural biases, rather than on evidence-based harm assessments.” The specific study was based on 135,095 U.S. adults who participated in the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The researchers found no link between psychedelic drug use and psychological distress, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, plans, or attempts. Quite the opposite, in fact. People who used psychedelics were less likely to receive treatment for mental health problems than those who did not use these substances.
‘No link to mental health issues’
“More than 30 million American adults have tried psychedelics, and there is simply almost no evidence of health problems,” Johansen said in a press release. The study is supported by many new studies, as well as existing ones. An earlier study conducted by Johansen and Krebs also found no link between psychedelic use and severe psychological distress, the need for mental health treatment, or symptoms of eight psychiatric diagnoses, including depression, anxiety disorders, mania, and psychosis, or visual hallucinations (though the latter is likely present during the trip…).
"Drug experts consistently view LSD and psilocybin mushrooms as far less harmful to the individual user and to society than alcohol and other regulated substances," Krebs added. But… as always, there is, of course, a caveat. "Given the design of our study, we cannot rule out the possibility that the use of psychedelics may have a negative effect on mental health for some individuals or groups, perhaps offset at the population level by a positive effect on mental health in others," said Johansen.
