Neue Studie verknüpft den psychedelischen Einsatz zur Erholung der psychischen Gesundheit in Krisenzeiten | Im Gegensatz zu anderen Gruppen von Drogenkonsumenten wurde die psychische Gesundheit der Gruppe mit denen von Personen vergleichbar, die nie illegale Drogen eingesetzt hatten.

From the article: A new longitudinal study involving more than 240,000 individuals in the United Kingdom suggests that people who used both psychedelics and cannabis during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced average improvements in symptoms of anxiety and depression over time. Unlike other groups of drug users—who tended to report persistently worse mental health—this group’s mental health scores became comparable to those of individuals who had never used illicit drugs. The findings have been [published](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02698811251346729) in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.

Psychedelics are a class of substances that alter perception, mood, and cognitive processes. Classic psychedelics include psilocybin (the active compound in magic mushrooms), lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and dimethyltryptamine (DMT). These substances are known for producing intense alterations in consciousness, including visual and auditory hallucinations, shifts in thought patterns, and changes in self-perception. Unlike more commonly used substances such as alcohol or cannabis, psychedelics are often used less frequently and in settings intended to foster introspection or emotional insight.

Research in recent years has reignited interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelics. Clinical trials have explored their effects on conditions such as major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorders. Some studies have also suggested that psychedelics may help people cope with stress or improve emotional resilience when used outside clinical settings. However, most evidence has come from small, controlled trials, while data on real-world, long-term use has remained limited.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted daily life and mental well-being, creating a natural context in which to study how people coped with stress—including through drug use. Although overall drug consumption decreased in some cases, many individuals began using or increased their use of drugs like cannabis and psychedelics as a way of managing distress. However, most prior research focused on alcohol, tobacco, or cannabis and often grouped all other substances together, making it difficult to understand how different types of drugs might relate to mental health outcomes.

The new study, led by Maria Bălăeţ—now head of the Altered States, Evolution and Technology Laboratory (ASET LAB) at King’s College London and formerly of Imperial College London—sought to understand how specific patterns of drug use were associated with mental health symptoms before and during the pandemic. The study is part of the Great British Intelligence Test, a citizen science initiative supported by the BBC and designed to examine links between lifestyle, cognition, and health.

Psychedelics have definitely been hugely beneficial for me with a lot of things. Can’t go into it just recreationally, but used with intention there’s a lot of lasting benefits. 

Pretty much everyone who has taken psychadelics advocates taking them at least once (unless you hit a bad one or have a history of severe mental health issues).

 The evidence is pretty compelling they are effective at rewiring the brain in a positive manner 

##There’s a hypothesis going around in the Psychedelic Drug Therapy scene that goes something like this:

>Even the recreational use of psychedelics (like LSD, magic mushroom, MDMA, etc) is potentially helpful in people that wouldn’t be considered as having any mental health issues. One might argue that it can actually help prevent/minimize that they even happen when used appropriately in a recreational setting.