TY - JOUR

T1 - The use of classic psychedelics among adults

T2 - a Danish online survey study

AU - Søgaard Juul, Tobias

AU - Ebbesen Jensen, Mathias

AU - Fink-Jensen, Anders

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Nordic Psychiatric Association.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Background: Clinical studies report preliminary therapeutic effects of classic psychedelic drugs in several psychiatric conditions and international drug trends show increased use of these compounds. However, the epidemiology of classic psychedelic drug use in Scandinavian countries remains sparsely investigated. To this end, we investigated the patterns of use and the subjectively perceived acute and persisting effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and mescaline, among Danish adults. Methods: An anonymous online survey with 152 items was conducted using the secure survey web application REDCap. Results were presented descriptively and as comparisons between psychedelic drugs. Results: Five-hundred participants (30.0% female, mean age 34.5 years) were included. Classic psychedelics were mostly used with therapeutic (28.0%) or spiritual (27.2%) intentions. Sixty-seven per cent used classic psychedelics once a year or less. Most participants (56.4%) preferred using psilocybin. Classic psychedelic use was for some individuals, associated with hazardous use of alcohol (39.4%). Among participants with a psychiatric treatment history, 80.9% reported subjective improvements in symptoms following classic psychedelic use. Participants’ most memorable experiences were moderate-to-strong mystical-type experiences (MEQ30 mean ± SD 3.4 ± 1.0; range 1–5) and had positive persisting effects on well-being (mean ± SD 2.1 ± 1.0), social relationships (mean ± SD 1.7 ± 1.2), meaning of life (mean ± SD 1.9 ± 1.1), and mood (mean ± SD 1.8 ± 1.1); range −3 to 3. DMT users experienced significantly greater subjective positive effects. Conclusions: Classic psychedelics were mostly used therapeutically or spiritually and had self-reported positive persisting effects, but were also associated with hazardous use of alcohol, among Danish adults. DMT was associated with significantly greater positive effects compared to LSD and psilocybin.

AB - Background: Clinical studies report preliminary therapeutic effects of classic psychedelic drugs in several psychiatric conditions and international drug trends show increased use of these compounds. However, the epidemiology of classic psychedelic drug use in Scandinavian countries remains sparsely investigated. To this end, we investigated the patterns of use and the subjectively perceived acute and persisting effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and mescaline, among Danish adults. Methods: An anonymous online survey with 152 items was conducted using the secure survey web application REDCap. Results were presented descriptively and as comparisons between psychedelic drugs. Results: Five-hundred participants (30.0% female, mean age 34.5 years) were included. Classic psychedelics were mostly used with therapeutic (28.0%) or spiritual (27.2%) intentions. Sixty-seven per cent used classic psychedelics once a year or less. Most participants (56.4%) preferred using psilocybin. Classic psychedelic use was for some individuals, associated with hazardous use of alcohol (39.4%). Among participants with a psychiatric treatment history, 80.9% reported subjective improvements in symptoms following classic psychedelic use. Participants’ most memorable experiences were moderate-to-strong mystical-type experiences (MEQ30 mean ± SD 3.4 ± 1.0; range 1–5) and had positive persisting effects on well-being (mean ± SD 2.1 ± 1.0), social relationships (mean ± SD 1.7 ± 1.2), meaning of life (mean ± SD 1.9 ± 1.1), and mood (mean ± SD 1.8 ± 1.1); range −3 to 3. DMT users experienced significantly greater subjective positive effects. Conclusions: Classic psychedelics were mostly used therapeutically or spiritually and had self-reported positive persisting effects, but were also associated with hazardous use of alcohol, among Danish adults. DMT was associated with significantly greater positive effects compared to LSD and psilocybin.

KW - lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)

KW - N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT)

KW - psilocybin

KW - Psychedelics

KW - survey

U2 - 10.1080/08039488.2022.2125069

DO - 10.1080/08039488.2022.2125069

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36173202

AN - SCOPUS:85139230143

VL - 77

SP - 367

EP - 378

JO - Nordisk Psykiatrisk Tidsskrift

JF - Nordisk Psykiatrisk Tidsskrift

SN - 0803-9496

IS - 4

ER -