ArticleHarm reduction journal2017
Psychoactive substances as a last resort-a qualitative study of self-treatment of migraine and cluster headaches.
Article in Harm reduction journal, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05477459 (Efficacy and Safety of Minidosing Lysergic Acid Diethylamide), which is not on this map. Cited by 27 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Efficacy and Safety of Minidosing Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) for Chronic Cluster Headache: a Randomized Placebo-controlled Study
Who cites it
27 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 92 citations in OpenAlex.
- Self-Reported Efficacy of Treatments in Cluster Headache: a Systematic Review of Survey Studies.Current pain and headache reports · 2022Pooled it
- A low dose of lysergic acid diethylamide decreases pain perception in healthy volunteers.Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) · 2021Trial
- Associations between psychedelic use and migraine history in Swedish twins.Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) · 2026Article
- Hallmarks of primary headache: part 3 - cluster headache.The journal of headache and pain · 2025Review
- Perspectives on Trauma Treatment, Self-Management Strategies, and Attitudes Toward Psychedelic Therapies in Individuals with Psychological Trauma Symptoms.Psychiatry and clinical psychopharmacology · 2025Article
- Mechanistic intersections between migraine and major depressive disorder.The journal of headache and pain · 2025Review
- Classic Psychedelics in Pain Modulation: Mechanisms, Clinical Evidence, and Future Perspectives.ACS chemical neuroscience · 2025Review
- Psychedelics for Cancer Pain and Associated Psychological Distress: A Narrative Review of a Potential Strategy.Cancer medicine · 2025Review
- Exploring the Potential of Psychedelics in the Treatment of Headache Disorders: Clinical Considerations and Exploratory Insights.Current pain and headache reports · 2025Review
- Preliminary safety and effectiveness of psilocybin-assisted therapy in adults with fibromyalgia: an open-label pilot clinical trial.Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- From taboo to treatment: The emergence of psychedelics in the management of pain and opioid use disorder.British journal of clinical pharmacology · 2024Review
- Psychotropic Drugs Reemerging as Headache Medicines.CNS drugs · 2024Article
- Use of Prescribed and Non-Prescribed Treatments for Cluster Headache in a Swedish Cohort.Brain sciences · 2024Article
- Using Social Media Data to Investigate Public Perceptions of Cannabis as a Medicine: Narrative Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2023Review
- Social media discourse and internet search queries on cannabis as a medicine: A systematic scoping review.PloS one · 2023Article
- Psychedelic replications in virtual reality and their potential as a therapeutic instrument: an open-label feasibility study.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2023Article
- Consumer-Generated Discourse on Cannabis as a Medicine: Scoping Review of Techniques.Journal of medical Internet research · 2022Article
- Psychedelics in the Treatment of Headache and Chronic Pain Disorders.Current topics in behavioral neurosciences · 2022Review
- Review
- Self-Medication for Chronic Pain Using Classic Psychedelics: A Qualitative Investigation to Inform Future Research.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundTreatment resistant cluster headache and migraine patients are exploring alternative treatments online. The aim of this study was to improve comprehension regarding the use of non-established or alternative pharmacological treatments used by sufferers of cluster headaches and migraines.
methodsA qualitative thematic analysis of the users' own accounts presented in online forum discussions were conducted. The forum boards https://shroomery.org/ , http://bluelight.org , and https://clusterbusters.org/ met the inclusion criteria and were used for the study.
resultsThe analysis resulted in six themes: a desperate need for effective treatments; the role of the forum-finding alternative treatments and community support; alternative treatment substances; dosage and regimens; effects and treatment results; and adverse effects. The results provide an insight into why, how, and by which substances and methods sufferers seek relief from cluster headache and migraines.
conclusionsThese patients are in a desperate and vulnerable situation, and illicit psychoactive substances are often considered a last resort. There appeared to be little or no interest in psychoactive effects per se as these were rather tolerated or avoided by using sub-psychoactive doses. Primarily, psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide, and related psychedelic tryptamines were reportedly effective for both prophylactic and acute treatment of cluster headache and migraines. Treatment results with cannabis were more unpredictable. No severe adverse events were reported, but it was observed how desperation sometimes spurred risky behavior when obtaining and testing various treatment alternatives. The forum discourse mainly revolved around maximizing treatment results and minimizing potential harms.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.