An analysis of data from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health has found that individuals who reported using psychedelics at least once in their lives tended to experience less psychological distress. This association was strongest in single individuals but greatly diminished in those who were married, widowed, or divorced. The research was published in PLOS ONE.
Psychedelics are a class of psychoactive substances that alter perception, mood, and various cognitive processes. These substances often cause vivid visual and auditory hallucinations, an altered sense of time, and deep introspective experiences. Common psychedelics include LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), psilocybin (found in magic mushrooms), mescaline (derived from peyote and other cacti), and DMT (dimethyltryptamine), among others.
Historically, many cultures have used psychedelic substances for religious or spiritual purposes, seeking to gain deeper insights or connect with the divine. In contemporary times, there is a growing interest in their therapeutic potential, particularly for treating mental health issues such as depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and anxiety. Research indicates that psychedelics can significantly alter neural circuits that are typically rigid in adults, potentially ‘resetting’ brain activity patterns associated with certain psychological disorders.
Studies have also found a positive relationship between psychedelics and health. Promising results have been reported in using psychedelics to treat major psychological problems that were resistant to years of psychotherapy and pharmaceutical treatments.
Additionally, population studies report a link between the use of another drug, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or “ecstasy”), a stimulant drug (not a psychedelic), and better physical and mental health, as well as a lower incidence of negative social behaviors such as committing larceny or domestic violence.
Study author Sean M. Viña wanted to examine the relationship between the use of psychedelics, marital status, household size, and distress. He hypothesized that married individuals with experience of psychedelic use might experience less distress, that those living in larger households would experience more distress, and that the positive effects of psychedelics on distress would be lowest among individuals living in large households. He also considered MDMA use.
Viña analyzed data from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health. The National Survey of Drug Use and Health is an annual survey conducted in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, aiming to measure the prevalence of substance use and mental health issues in the United States.
This analysis used data on the level of distress in the past month (the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale), the use of classic psychedelics (participants reported whether they had ever used one of the following drugs: N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), the DMT-containing admixture ayahuasca, psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), mescaline, and the mescaline-containing cacti peyote), use of MDMA (“ecstasy”), marital status, household size, and a number of other demographic characteristics.
Results showed that married people had lower levels of distress compared to single and divorced individuals, but similar levels to those who were widowed. Divorced individuals had the highest levels of drug use across various substances including tobacco, cocaine, tranquilizers, inhalants, pain relievers, heroin, and marijuana. They also tended to have started drinking at an earlier age.
Individuals who reported using classic psychedelics tended to report experiencing less psychological distress. This association remained even after accounting for marital status and household size. However, the link between psychedelic use and reduced distress was strongest in individuals who were single and greatly diminished in married, widowed, and divorced individuals.
Individuals living in larger households tended to report more psychological distress, but this association was weaker among psychedelic users. However, if the person reporting ever using classic psychedelics was married, the association between a large household and psychological distress was amplified.
“The results confirm the predictions that LCPU [lifetime classic psychedelic use] exacerbates the negative consequences of household size for the heads of households who are married, widowed, and divorced. The results also suggest that larger households are associated with harm regardless of marital status, but the negative consequences decrease for single psychedelic users as the household size increases,” Viña concluded
“Widowed psychedelic users may experience some benefits from living with more people, but these benefits decrease as the household size becomes too large. In contrast, among married or divorced psychedelic users, the distress caused by household size worsens as the family sizes increase. Finally, for widowed psychedelic users, there is a negative association between household size and distress, but this association decreases at a decreasing rate.”
“These results can be explained by the increasing responsibilities that heads of households face as their families grow, which are then exacerbated by psychedelic use. On the other hand, single individuals may experience a diffusion of responsibility as their family sizes increase.”
The study sheds light on the complexities of the link between classic psychedelic use and psychological distress. However, it should be noted that the described marital status and household size data often depict individuals with different roles and statuses in their immediate social networks, which then explains the differences observed.
Additionally, the design of the study does not allow any cause-and-effect conclusions to be drawn from the data. Because of this, it remains unknown whether it is the use of classic psychedelics that leads to lower distress or if a life with lower distress and possibly less care increases the likelihood of using psychedelics. Other possibilities remain open as well.
The paper, “Diminished psychedelic returns on distress: Marital status and household size,” was authored by Sean M. Viña.
