Summary of the Study: Psychedelics, Cannabis, and Mental Health
This article discusses a large, longitudinal study investigating the relationship between psychedelic and cannabis use and mental health, specifically anxiety and depression. Here’s a breakdown of the key findings and considerations:
Key Findings:
Improvement in Psychedelics/Cannabis Users: Individuals who used both psychedelics and cannabis showed improvements in mental health (anxiety and depression) over a two-year period, becoming comparable to those who had never used drugs (“drug naive”).
Normalization, Not Just Improvement: The study suggests a normalization of mental health within this group, meaning they moved towards the average mental health level of the general population.
Context Matters: the improvements coincided with a shift from the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic (a period of global crisis and worse mental health for the group) to a more stable period afterward. The researchers believe the context surrounding drug use is crucial.
Distinct from Cannabis-only: Cannabis-only users did not show the same average improvements.This suggests psychedelics may have a unique effect.
Study Strengths:
Large & Diverse Sample: Over 240,000 participants provided robust data.
Longitudinal Design: Tracking changes over time is more reliable than a single snapshot.
Ecological Validity: Participants where recruited for an intelligence study, reducing bias towards positive drug experiences.
limitations & Cautions:
Correlation,Not Causation: The study cannot prove that psychedelics cause improvements. Other factors could be at play.
Regression to the Mean: Extreme scores naturally tend to move towards the average over time.
Self-Selection Bias: People already improving might be more likely to use psychedelics.
Missing Data: the study lacked data on dosage, “set and setting” (context of use), and co-occurring treatments (therapy, medication).
Future Research:
The researchers plan to investigate:
timing & Frequency of Use: When and how frequently enough psychedelics are used.
Context of Use: the psychological and environmental factors surrounding use.
Interactions with Other substances: How psychedelics interact with cannabis and other drugs.
* Cognition & Creativity: the relationship between naturalistic drug use and cognitive abilities.
the study offers intriguing evidence that psychedelic use, notably in combination with cannabis, may be associated with positive mental health changes, especially during and after periods of collective stress. Though, the researchers emphasize the need for further investigation to understand the complex relationship and avoid drawing definitive conclusions about cause and effect.
