ArticleJournal of affective disorders2023
Prevalence and associations of challenging, difficult or distressing experiences using classic psychedelics.
Article in Journal of affective disorders, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 64 papers, 2 of them syntheses 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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
64 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- The Ethnopharmacological Use of Mescaline for Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Pooled it
- Keeping the promise: a critique of the current state of microdosing research.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2024Pooled it
- Effects of psychedelic use on authoritarian attitudes revisited.Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) · 2026Trial
- Naturalistic psychedelic therapy: The role of relaxation and subjective drug effects in antidepressant response.Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) · 2024Trial
- Clinical Characteristics of Emergency Visits Related to Recreational Psychedelic Use.Community mental health journal · 2026Article
- Review
- Relationship Between Naturalistic Psychedelic Use and Grandiose Narcissism: An Online Cross-Sectional Study.International journal of psychology : Journal international de psychologie · 2026Article
- The helioscope effect: A new framework for evaluating trauma-related memory processing in psychedelic experiences.Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) · 2026Article
- Extended difficulties after psychedelic experiences: Prevalence and associations in a global, multilingual sample.Research square · 2026Article
- Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms following psychedelic use: a naturalistic survey study.Psychological medicine · 2026Article
- Difficulties following naturalistic psychedelic use and associations with adverse childhood experiences.The International journal on drug policy · 2026Article
- Classifying Psychedelic-Related Complications.Current topics in behavioral neurosciences · 2026Review
- Informed Consent in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy.Current topics in behavioral neurosciences · 2026Review
- Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration: A Transtheoretical Model for Clinical Practice.Current topics in behavioral neurosciences · 2026Review
- Priorities for public health preparedness for psychedelics: education, workforce readiness, and strategic information needs in a rapidly changing landscape.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Guiding Through Challenging Psychedelic Experiences and "Bad Trips".Current topics in behavioral neurosciences · 2026Article
- Pharmacological Properties of Psychedelics with a Special Focus on Potential Harms.Current topics in behavioral neurosciences · 2026Review
- Traumatic Psychedelic Experiences.Current topics in behavioral neurosciences · 2026Review
- Managing Psychological Challenges in the Subacute ("Afterglow") Window of Psychedelic Drug Effects.Current topics in behavioral neurosciences · 2026Review
- Level of preparedness to use psilocybin among individuals seeking psychedelic risk reduction: a retrospective study of a pilot psychiatric consultation service.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
4 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Previous studies have investigated challenging, difficult, or distressing classic psychedelic experiences, but little is known about the prevalence and associations of such experiences. Using nationally representative data of the US adult population (N = 2822), this study examined the prevalence and associations of challenging, difficult, or distressing experiences using classic psychedelics, in a subsample of respondents who reported lifetime classic psychedelic use (n = 613). Of the 613 respondents who reported lifetime classic psychedelic use, the majority of them (59.1 %) had never had a challenging, difficult, or distressing experience using a classic psychedelic, but 8.9 % of respondents reported functional impairment that lasted longer than one day as a result of such experiences. Notably, 2.6 % reported seeking medical, psychiatric, or psychological assistance in the days or weeks following their most challenging, difficult, or distressing classic psychedelic experience. In covariate-adjusted regression models, co-use of lithium, co-use of other mood stabilizers, and six set and setting variables (no preparation, disagreeable physical environment, negative mindset, no psychological support, dose was too large, major life event prior to experience) were associated with the degree of difficulty; and co-use of lithium, co-use of other mood stabilizers, and three set and setting variables (negative mindset, no psychological support, major life event prior to experience) were associated with overall risk of harm. In summary, this study provides insight into the prevalence and associations of challenging, difficult, or distressing classic psychedelic experiences. The findings broadly correspond with findings from previous studies and can inform harm reduction efforts and future experimental research designs.
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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.