A new study has turned down all the fears about any connection between psychedelic medications and higher risk of mental health problems.
The study was conducted by the researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
For the study, the researchers examined the data collected from the US National Health Survey between the periods 2008 and 2011. The data includes more than 130,000 adults who were randomly selected for the survey, including about 20,000 users of psychedelic drug. Upon in-depth analysis, the researchers found that those who used LSD or psilocybin mushrooms do not have a higher risk of mental health woes.
The study explains, “Generally, the psychedelic use does not appear to be mainly hazardous for health when compared to other activities that were considered to have been acceptable safety.”
Study author Pål-Ørjan Johansen, who is a clinical psychologist, said, “More than 30 million American adults have tried psychedelics and there hardly is any evidence of health troubles.”
Teri Krebs, neuroscientist and study co-author, said, “Drug experts consistently position LSD and psilocybin mushrooms as much less harmful to the individuals as well as to the society compared to alcohol and other controlled substances.”
According to the researchers, it is more likely an association exists between psychedelic drugs and improved mental health. They, however, acknowledge that few people are at an increased risk for mental health troubles in general and must ensure precautionary measures.
The findings of the study were published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.
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