Psychedelic drug use could reduce psychological distress, suicidal thinking, study suggests
“A history of psychedelic drug use is associated with less psychological distress and fewer suicidal thoughts, planning and attempts, according to new research from Johns Hopkins and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.”
In a national survey of over 190,000 U.S. adults, lifetime use of certain psychedelic drugs was associated with a 19 percent reduced likelihood of psychological distress within the past month, a 14 percent reduced likelihood of suicidal thinking within the past year, a 29 percent reduced likelihood of suicide planning within the past year and a 36 percent reduced likelihood of attempting suicide within the past year. These results were published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.The findings suggest that some nonaddictive psychedelic drugs, while illegal, may hold promise for depression, and that these psychedelics’ highly restricted legal status should be reconsidered to facilitate scientific studies, says study author Matthew W. Johnson, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins. While the study authors are not encouraging the illicit use of these substances, “these could be breakthrough medical treatments that we’ve been ignoring for the past 30 years,” Johnson says. “We need to carefully examine these cautiously and thoroughly.”
Original Article (Science Daily):
Sacred knowledge: how psychedelics shaped an academic’s life
Artwork Fair Use: Francesco from Lecco, Italia – Miyajima