Culture & History

·

Study

Psychedelic Users More Likely to Change Religious Identity

Psychedelic Users More Likely to Change Religious Identity

Psilocybin mushrooms

What they found

People who used LSD or psilocybin were more likely to change religious identity, often leaving their childhood religion.

People who used LSD or psilocybin were more likely to change religious identity, often leaving their childhood religion.

How solid is it?

Early human

Early human

Human – observational/survey

Human – observational/survey

Evidence ladder: Lab dish → Animal → Early human → Strong human. Reviews summarize earlier research.

At a glance

Latin name

Compound

LSD, psilocybin

LSD, psilocybin

Published in

APA PsycNet

APA PsycNet

Covered in Shroom Scan

Section

PSILOCYBIN & LEGISLATION

PSILOCYBIN & LEGISLATION

As it ran in Shroom Scan

Spiritual Shifts

Spiritual Shifts

A large preregistered study found that people who used psychedelics like LSD or psilocybin were more likely to change their religious identity, often leaving their childhood religion or identifying as spiritual but unaffiliated. While psychedelics didn’t cause more change than other illicit substances, they may act as “meaning enhancers,” amplifying existing doubts or beliefs rather than steering people in a set direction.

A large preregistered study found that people who used psychedelics like LSD or psilocybin were more likely to change their religious identity, often leaving their childhood religion or identifying as spiritual but unaffiliated. While psychedelics didn’t cause more change than other illicit substances, they may act as “meaning enhancers,” amplifying existing doubts or beliefs rather than steering people in a set direction.

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