Psychedelic use linked to higher risk of schizophrenia

Psychedelic substances, once the mainstay of counterculture, are steadily blending into mainstream recreational and therapeutic activities across North America. But are they safe?

A recent in-depth study offers some sobering new insights. The investigation reveals a worrying association between the use of hallucinogens – a category that includes substances such as psilocybin, LSD, DMT (Ayahuasca), and MDMA (Ecstasy) – and a heightened risk of developing schizophrenia.

The comprehensive study was conducted by researchers at ICES, The Ottawa Hospital, the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Ottawa, and Bruyère Health Research Institute.

Although the positive therapeutic potential of psychedelics has garnered significant enthusiasm lately, the research team cautions that usually, such celebration outpaces thorough understanding of the associated risks.

Psychedelic use and schizophrenia

The analytic foundation of the study relied on over a decade’s health data of people aged 14 to 65 years living in Ontario, Canada.

The researchers monitored changes in hallucinogen-related emergency department (ED) visits and ensuing schizophrenia diagnosis rates.

The results were astonishing: Relative to the general population, an individual with a hallucinogen-related visit to the emergency department had a staggering 21-fold increase in the likelihood of developing schizophrenia.

Even after factoring in co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders, the risk remained 3.5 times higher.

Alarming data trends

The data, spanning from 2008 to 2021, also revealed another concerning trend. While the annual rates of ED visits associated with hallucinogen use were stable between 2008 and 2012, they saw a sudden 86% spike in the period from 2013 to 2021.

Within three years of an ED visit involving hallucinogens, 4% of individuals were diagnosed with schizophrenia.

In comparison, the diagnosis rate for the general population was a meager 0.15% within the same timeframe – a difference that equates to an alarming 21 times higher risk for the former group.

When stacked against the risk associated with alcohol and cannabis use, hallucinogens still didn’t fare well.

Individuals with ED visits due to psychedelic use were at 4.7 and 1.5 times higher risk of schizophrenia, respectively, compared to alcohol and cannabis.

Risks of psychedelic use

Despite the study’s potentially alarming findings, the study authors emphasized that their findings do not establish a causal link between hallucinogen use and schizophrenia and that much more information is needed about risks associated with different types and use patterns of hallucinogens.

“Our findings underscore a concerning link between hallucinogen use that requires care in the emergency room and increased risk of schizophrenia,” said Dr. Daniel Myran, a Canada Research Chair in Social Accountability at the University of Ottawa.

“While there is enormous enthusiasm for psychedelic-assisted therapy as a new mental health treatment, we need to remember how early and limited the data remains for both the benefits and the risks,” noted Myran.

This highlights the urgency for more studies and improved public health measures to better comprehend and mitigate these risks.

Screening and monitoring

In clinical trials of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, experts integrate safeguards like excluding individuals with a personal or family history of schizophrenia and close monitoring,.

However, the study authors warn about the potential risks of hallucinogen use outside of these controlled settings.

The study also highlights the need to identify those at higher risk of developing serious adverse events from hallucinogens, facilitating safe recruitment practices in future trials.

Psychedelic safety in clinical settings

The implications of this study are very critical both to public health and to policy development. As psychedelics become more accepted for therapeutic and recreational use, understanding the associated risks becomes increasingly crucial.

Initiatives for public health education should include specific education on the dangers of hallucinogen use – particularly in cases where there is known predilection to a mental health disorder.

This awareness can be created with targeted community outreach, evidence-based medical guidelines, and collaboration among healthcare providers and mental health specialists.

Another proactive strategy could be mental health checkups for patients before psychedelic therapy. This would allow experts screen for people with a greater risk of an adverse reaction.

The study is published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.

—–

Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates. 

Check us out on EarthSnap, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

—–