Psilocybin’s impact on mental wellbeing varies by race, study finds

A new study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders has revealed that the potential benefits of using psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychedelic substance found in certain mushrooms, may not be experienced equally across all racial and ethnic groups. Researchers discovered that while both White individuals and People of Color experienced improvements in mental health after using psilocybin in natural settings, some of these positive changes, particularly in spiritual wellbeing and mental flexibility, appeared less pronounced and enduring for People of Color.

Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychedelic substance found in over 200 species of mushrooms, often referred to as “magic mushrooms.” It is known for its ability to alter perception, mood, and thought processes, leading to experiences that can range from profound spiritual insights to intense emotional shifts. Historically, various cultures have used psilocybin-containing mushrooms in rituals and healing practices. In recent years, scientific interest in psilocybin has surged due to its potential therapeutic applications for mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and addiction.

The motivation behind this particular study stems from a recognized gap in current psychedelic research. While studies have shown promising mental health benefits of psilocybin, the vast majority of participants in these studies have been White individuals. This lack of diversity raises concerns about whether the findings are broadly applicable to all populations. The researchers wanted to investigate if the effects of psilocybin, especially in natural, non-clinical settings where most people use it, might differ for People of Color compared to White individuals.

To conduct their study, researchers employed a longitudinal survey design, meaning they followed the same group of individuals over a period of time, collecting data at multiple points. The study timeline consisted of six distinct phases. Initially, a large group of over 8,000 individuals provided informed consent to participate (Time 1). From this initial group, a subset of nearly 3,000 participants completed a baseline survey two to three weeks before their planned psilocybin experience (Time 2). This initial survey served as the starting point for tracking changes in mental health measures over time.

Just one day before their psilocybin experience (Time 3), around 1,800 participants completed another survey to capture their mindset and intentions leading into the experience. Data collection continued shortly after the psilocybin use, with approximately 1,500 participants completing a survey one to three days post-experience (Time 4) to assess immediate subjective effects and the setting of the experience.

Follow-up surveys were then administered at two later time points: two to four weeks post-experience (Time 5, with around 1,200 participants) and two to three months post-experience (Time 6, with around 650 participants). These later surveys aimed to understand the longer-term impacts of psilocybin use on mental health and wellbeing.

Across these time points, participants completed questionnaires measuring depression, anxiety, spiritual wellbeing, emotion regulation, and mental flexibility. The researchers then analyzed this data to compare the changes in these measures between White participants and Participants of Color across the different time points, focusing particularly on whether the effects of psilocybin differed between these groups over time.

The study’s findings revealed that while both White participants and Participants of Color experienced some positive changes after using psilocybin, the nature and duration of these changes varied. Both groups showed similar reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms throughout the study period.

However, when looking at spiritual wellbeing and mental flexibility, the researchers observed a divergence over time. Initially, at Time 5 (two to four weeks post-experience), both groups showed improvements in spiritual wellbeing and mental flexibility. However, by Time 6 (two to three months post-experience), the sustained improvements in spiritual wellbeing were less pronounced for Participants of Color, and the increase in mental flexibility was no longer statistically significant for this group, unlike for White participants who maintained these benefits.

Furthermore, the study found that White participants experienced a reduction in expressive suppression, a measure of emotional regulation, after psilocybin use, particularly at the later time points (Time 5 and Time 6), while Participants of Color did not exhibit this change. In terms of the subjective experience, Participants of Color were more likely to set intentions before their psilocybin experience and reported a greater sense of time speeding up during the experience, and slightly stronger mystical experiences, primarily assessed at Time 4, shortly after the psilocybin use.

These findings suggest that while psilocybin may offer some mental health benefits across racial groups, there might be differences in the persistence and nature of these benefits, particularly in areas like spiritual wellbeing, mental flexibility, and emotional expressiveness, highlighting the complex interplay of race and ethnicity with psychedelic experiences and outcomes over time.

This study has limitations including the reliance on self-reported online survey data which could not be independently verified. The participants were self-selected, meaning they may not represent the broader population of psilocybin users, and their responses might be influenced by biases. Additionally, the relatively small number of Participants of Color in the study limits the statistical power and the ability to explore differences within diverse racial and ethnic groups.

“With increasing recreational psychedelic use, and growing interest in the development of psychedelic therapies for mental healthcare, more data will be needed to inform the differential effects of psychedelics in individuals from diverse backgrounds and how their use as mental health interventions may be optimized in culturally appropriate ways,” the researchers concluded. “In particular, it will be critical to increase our understanding of how public perceptions around psychedelics and sociocultural factors such as health and criminal justice disparities may influence psychedelics’ utility and outcomes both in naturalistic and clinical settings. Ultimately, this can lead us to more balanced and effective public policies and clinical implementation strategies to benefit People of Color equitably and maximally reduce public health risks associated with psychedelic use.”

The study, “Examining differences in the effects and contexts of naturalistic psilocybin use for White participants vs. Participants of Color: A longitudinal online survey study,” was authored by Grant Jones, Matthew X. Lowe, Sandeep Nayak, Nathan Sepeda, Hannes Kettner, Robin Carhart-Harris, Heather Jackson, and Albert Garcia-Romeu.