A psychedelic substance is a psychoactive drug that’s the capability to alter cognition and perception in an individual. It is a huge matter of debate for quite a while that a psychedelic substance can cause the onset of mental illness in an addict. In fact, psychiatrists are prejudiced against the utilization of psychedelic drugs blaming its use for causing mental illnesses and developing suicidal tendencies. However, based on a new study, there is no correlation between psychedelic drug use and mental illness.
The authors of the analysis argue that the potential harms associated with these drugs are negligible and psychedelic drugs don’t cause addiction or compulsive use. It says that only 0.005 percent of emergency department visits in the United States are linked to psychedelic drugs. Based on the researchers, even in countries just like the Netherlands, where psilocybin (a psychedelic drug) mushrooms are widely available and used, the rates of serious injuries linked to a drug can be low.
The methodology
The analysis done by Johansen and Krebs used the annual data from National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), which compiles figures linked to substance psychedelic mushroom chocolate bars available California use and mental health from the random sample that’s representative of the U.S. civilian non-institutionalized population. The researchers collated data from respondents have been 18 years and older from survey years 2008-2011.
The investigators studied a sample comprising of 135,095 respondents, of whom 19,299 reported lifetime use of a psychedelic substance, including LSD, psilocybin, mescaline, or peyote. They certainly were all classic cases of serotonergic psychedelics. The authors then investigated 11 self-reported indicators of past year mental health issues, which included depression, anxiety disorders, and suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts.
The psychedelic users were found to be younger, male, white, unmarried, susceptible to carry out risky activities, and to possess used other drugs. They are even prone to report depression before the age of 18. Childhood depression, thought the researchers, could possibly be exactly why respondents tried psychedelic drugs. The analysis found that lifetime use of psychedelic substances wasn’t associated with any mental health problems. On the contrary, the lifetime psychedelic use was associated with a lower likelihood of past year inpatient mental health treatment in them.
But those with severe cases of addiction from drugs need certainly to choose detox, as its negative impacts from long-term abuse are similar to any other substance of abuse. Those looking for drug addiction treatment centers can decide from a bunch of treatment centers spread throughout the state.
Key takeaways
The analysis debunked several myths from yesteryear and figured psychedelic drugs don’t cause mental illness themselves. For example, previously, especially in the sixties, using psychedelic drugs was associated with “flashbacks” among addicts. But the authors said that folks who allegedly experienced so-called flashbacks were actually identified as having schizophrenia and they certainly were already obsessing about their drug experience.
