It seems like every day, there’s a new study about the use of psychedelic treatments for people with certain mental health disorders. However, it is just as important to study where treatment is not effective and, in fact, could make things worse.
This is what has been found in a new study on people with diagnoses of personality disorders, where nearly a third of people found that they responded negatively to using psychedelics. Even though there is no guarantee of a bad reaction, there is an elevated risk that people need to be aware of when considering using psychedelic substances if they do live with a personality disorder.
Elevated risks for those with personality disorders
The researchers analyzed anonymous surveys that comprised of people over 18 years of age who spoke English, Spanish, or Portuguese and had an intention to take a psychedelic drug in the near future. It also included both people who have tried a psychedelic substance before and those who had never tried it before. Interestingly, the inclusion of those with a personality disorder or psychotic disorder is often completely excluded from studies, meaning this is an important step in testing their reactions to certain psychedelic treatments.
A minimum of five surveys were taken before and after taking the drugs, which were analyzed along with a measure of the well-being of the participants pre- and post-psychedelic use.
The highest number of people who had a bad experience during and after psychedelic drug use were those who had been previously diagnosed with a personality disorder, at 31%, followed by those who had a history of psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia1.
How different mental health disorders respond
This is in contrast to those who have been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, and Eating Disorders, in which over two-thirds of respondents responded positively; and those diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, where no respondent had a negative experience, and three-quarters had a positive experience.
Learning about those who may not respond well to psychedelics is important for the future of potential treatment, improving the screening and safety of participants of studies and, eventually, patients who are being treated with psychedelic substances.
Tailoring treatment to the individual
Whereas this study was focused on the negative effects to try and address a gap in scientific and public knowledge, it is important to always consider each patient individually, weighing up the costs and benefits of any kind of treatment. Even though a third of those suffering from personality disorders had a negative reaction, that doesn’t mean that every person would, and some may even benefit from treatment.
Those considering psychedelic treatment should also remember that many medical professionals consider it essential to combine treatment with psychological support to maximize the positive response and mitigate risk, and in fact, it is vitally important to discuss any treatment with a medical professional.
References
- Marrocu, Alessia, et al. “Psychiatric Risks for Worsened Mental Health after Psychedelic Use.” Journal of Psychopharmacology, vol. 38, no. 3, 4 Mar. 2024, https://doi.org/10.1177/02698811241232548. ↩︎
