Personality traits explain the relationship between psychedelic use and less depression in a comparative study
(2024) In Scientific Reports 14(1).- Abstract
Interest in psychedelics is increasing due to the potential for improved mental health and quality of life. However, adverse effects on mental health are still a concern. Personality traits have been suggested to both influence the psychedelic experience and mental health, and even be changed by psychedelic use. The present study describes for the first time a national sample of Swedish psychedelic users (n = 400) compared to a sex and age-matched control-group of non-users (n = 400) regarding mental health variables (depression, insomnia, problematic alcohol and drug use, and dissociation) and personality (Big Five). Data was collected in an online survey including individuals from 16 years of age who had at least one psychedelic... (More)
Interest in psychedelics is increasing due to the potential for improved mental health and quality of life. However, adverse effects on mental health are still a concern. Personality traits have been suggested to both influence the psychedelic experience and mental health, and even be changed by psychedelic use. The present study describes for the first time a national sample of Swedish psychedelic users (n = 400) compared to a sex and age-matched control-group of non-users (n = 400) regarding mental health variables (depression, insomnia, problematic alcohol and drug use, and dissociation) and personality (Big Five). Data was collected in an online survey including individuals from 16 years of age who had at least one psychedelic experience. The main results reported psychedelic users as less depressed (Patient Health Questionnaire-9; PHQ-9) (d = − 0.29) and having more use of drugs (Drug Use Disorders Identification Test; DUDIT) (d = 1.27). In the Big Five personality traits, openness differed notably (d = 1.72), and the between-group effects in PHQ-9 were explained by lower neuroticism. Our findings reveal that psychedelic users report less depression and higher drug use, and this is partly due to personality traits. These results have implications on how we view psychedelic users and the use of psychedelic drugs.
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- author
- Sjöström, David K. LU ; Claesdotter-Knutsson, Emma LU and Kajonius, Petri J. LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024-12
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Drug use, Mental health, Personality traits, Psychedelics
- in
- Scientific Reports
- volume
- 14
- issue
- 1
- article number
- 10195
- publisher
- Nature Publishing Group
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:38702496
- scopus:85192109244
- ISSN
- 2045-2322
- DOI
- 10.1038/s41598-024-60890-1
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 953084a7-0b0c-434d-ae16-53b49028126d
- date added to LUP
- 2024-05-20 14:42:51
- date last changed
- 2024-05-21 03:00:04
@article{953084a7-0b0c-434d-ae16-53b49028126d,
abstract = {{<p>Interest in psychedelics is increasing due to the potential for improved mental health and quality of life. However, adverse effects on mental health are still a concern. Personality traits have been suggested to both influence the psychedelic experience and mental health, and even be changed by psychedelic use. The present study describes for the first time a national sample of Swedish psychedelic users (n = 400) compared to a sex and age-matched control-group of non-users (n = 400) regarding mental health variables (depression, insomnia, problematic alcohol and drug use, and dissociation) and personality (Big Five). Data was collected in an online survey including individuals from 16 years of age who had at least one psychedelic experience. The main results reported psychedelic users as less depressed (Patient Health Questionnaire-9; PHQ-9) (d = − 0.29) and having more use of drugs (Drug Use Disorders Identification Test; DUDIT) (d = 1.27). In the Big Five personality traits, openness differed notably (d = 1.72), and the between-group effects in PHQ-9 were explained by lower neuroticism. Our findings reveal that psychedelic users report less depression and higher drug use, and this is partly due to personality traits. These results have implications on how we view psychedelic users and the use of psychedelic drugs.</p>}},
author = {{Sjöström, David K. and Claesdotter-Knutsson, Emma and Kajonius, Petri J.}},
issn = {{2045-2322}},
keywords = {{Drug use; Mental health; Personality traits; Psychedelics}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1}},
publisher = {{Nature Publishing Group}},
series = {{Scientific Reports}},
title = {{Personality traits explain the relationship between psychedelic use and less depression in a comparative study}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-60890-1}},
doi = {{10.1038/s41598-024-60890-1}},
volume = {{14}},
year = {{2024}},
}