Subscribe
The latest psychology and neuroscience discoveries.
My Account
  • Mental Health
  • Social Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Neuroscience
  • About
No Result
View All Result
PsyPost
PsyPost
No Result
View All Result
Home Exclusive Psychopharmacology

Scientists say psychedelic drugs like LSD are much less harmful than alcohol

by Eric W. Dolan
March 5, 2015
in Psychopharmacology
Photo credit: LordToran

Photo credit: LordToran

Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
Stay on top of the latest psychology findings: Subscribe now!

The use of psychedelic drugs does not increase a person’s risk of developing mental health problems, according to new research published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.

Norwegian clinical psychologist Pål-Ørjan Johansen and neuroscientist Teri Suzanne Krebs said the findings show that most of the claims about the harms from psychedelic drugs like LSD, “magic” psilocybe mushrooms, and mescaline-containing cacti are unfounded.

“There is little evidence linking psychedelic use to lasting mental health problems. In general, use of psychedelics does not appear to be particularly dangerous when compared to other activities considered to have acceptable safety,” the researchers wrote in the study.

“Concern about psychedelic use seems to have been based on media sensationalism, lack of information and cultural biases, rather than evidence-based harm assessments.”

The study was based on 135,095 American adults who participated in the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The researchers found no association between psychedelic drug use and psychological distress, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts. Those who used psychedelics were actually less likely to need mental health treatment than those who didn’t use the drugs.

“Over 30 million US adults have tried psychedelics and there just is not much evidence of health problems,” Johansen said in a news release.

A previous study conducted by Johansen and Krebs found no link between psychedelic use and serious psychological distress, receiving or needing mental health treatment, or symptoms of eight psychiatric diagnoses, including major depression, anxiety disorders, mania and psychosis, or visual hallucinations.

“Drug experts consistently rank LSD and psilocybin mushrooms as much less harmful to the individual user and to society compared to alcohol and other controlled substances,” Krebs added.

The major side effects of psychedelic drugs are psychological, rather than physiological. The drugs are not addictive, but can produce unpleasant or even horrifying experiences known as “bad trips.”

“Given the design of our study, we cannot exclude the possibility that use of psychedelics might have a negative effect on mental health for some individuals or groups, perhaps counterbalanced at a population level by a positive effect on mental health in others,” Johansen said.

Nevertheless, most of the research on psychedelic drugs has found them to have positive psychological benefits. Another study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology in January found that psychedelic use was associated with reduced psychological distress and suicidality. Research has found that psilocybin inhibits the processing of negative emotions in the brain, produces long-lasting elevations in mood among healthy volunteers, and can even help defeat addictions. Another study found that LSD can have lasting psychological benefits in patients with a life-threatening illness.

“With these robust findings, it is difficult to see how prohibition of psychedelics can be justified as a public health measure,” Johansen argued. Krebs added that the prohibition of psychedelics is also a human rights issue: “Concerns have been raised that the ban on use of psychedelics is a violation of the human rights to belief and spiritual practice, full development of the personality, and free-time and play.”

TweetSendScanShareSendPinShareShareShareShareShare

RELATED

Use of mescaline may facilitate unintended improvements in several psychiatric conditions, study suggests
Ayahuasca

Many ayahuasca users report challenging experiences—yet some are linked to better mental health

July 4, 2025

Are challenging ayahuasca experiences always harmful? Not necessarily, finds a new global survey. While some effects predict poorer mental health, others like visual distortions are linked to positive outcomes, highlighting the crucial role of context and individual vulnerability.

Read moreDetails
Taking medicinal cannabis oil for insomnia does not impair cognition on the following day
Cannabis

Cannabis oil might help with drug-resistant epilepsy, study suggests

July 2, 2025

Nineteen patients with drug-resistant epilepsy experienced seizure freedom after cannabis oil treatment, with a median seizure-free duration of 245 days. Five remained seizure-free for over a year, and most reported improved quality of life and reduced seizure frequency.

Read moreDetails
Psychedelic compound blurs boundary between self and others in the brain, study finds
Ayahuasca

Psychedelic compound blurs boundary between self and others in the brain, study finds

July 2, 2025

A recent study found that a DMT/harmine formulation blurs the brain’s distinction between self and other faces, disrupting self-referential processing while preserving recognition of familiar faces, suggesting a neural basis for psychedelic-induced ego dissolution.

Read moreDetails
Researchers identify neural mechanism behind memory prioritization
MDMA

New study reveals how MDMA rewires serotonin and oxytocin systems in the brain

June 30, 2025

Researchers found that MDMA reduces anxiety and enhances social behavior in zebrafish by altering key neurochemical systems. The drug suppressed serotonin signaling, boosted oxytocin receptor expression, and modulated brain signaling proteins involved in emotional regulation.

Read moreDetails
Stimulant medication improves working memory of children with ADHD, study finds
ADHD

New study exposes gap between ADHD drug use and safety research in children

June 30, 2025

A nationwide Finnish study shows that children with ADHD stay on medication for over three years on average. Yet, controlled safety data for these medications in children exists for only one year, highlighting a gap in long-term evidence.

Read moreDetails
Regular psychedelic users exhibit different brain responses to self-related thoughts, study finds
Neuroimaging

Regular psychedelic users exhibit different brain responses to self-related thoughts, study finds

June 28, 2025

A new study suggests that regular users of psychedelics may process self-related thoughts differently at both psychological and brain levels, revealing altered patterns of brain activity during self-reflection compared to non-users who intend to try psychedelics.

Read moreDetails
Can Acacia catechu and Scutellaria baicalensis extracts enhance brain function?
Dementia

Ashwagandha extract boosts memory and cognition in people with mild cognitive impairment, study finds

June 27, 2025

Researchers found that a standardized extract of ashwagandha improved memory, attention, and spatial reasoning in adults with mild cognitive impairment, outperforming a placebo in a two-month clinical trial with no reported side effects.

Read moreDetails
Psychedelic use linked to increased risk of unusual visual experiences
Ayahuasca

Study links moderate awe in psychedelic ayahuasca journeys to better well-being

June 21, 2025

A new study published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs suggests that while awe can be transformative during ayahuasca retreats, there’s a limit. Experiences marked by excessive vastness were linked to lower well-being, challenging assumptions about awe’s universal benefits.

Read moreDetails

SUBSCRIBE

Go Ad-Free! Click here to subscribe to PsyPost and support independent science journalism!

STAY CONNECTED

LATEST

Being adopted doesn’t change how teens handle love and dating

Probiotics show promise for reducing hyperactivity in young children with autism and ADHD

Number of children affected by parental substance use has surged to 19 million, study finds

National narcissism linked to emotional impairments and dehumanization, new study finds

Personality may be a key factor connecting negative parenting experiences to adult challenges

New research reveals emotional control deficits in generalized anxiety disorder

People with higher cognitive ability have weaker moral foundations, new study finds

Positive attitudes toward AI linked to more prone to problematic social media use

         
       
  • Contact us
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms and Conditions
[Do not sell my information]

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

Subscribe
  • My Account
  • Cognitive Science Research
  • Mental Health Research
  • Social Psychology Research
  • Drug Research
  • Relationship Research
  • About PsyPost
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy