A recent study has found that some autistic adults report lasting improvements in their mental health and social lives after using psychedelic drugs. The research, published in the journal Psychopharmacology, revealed that a significant number of autistic individuals attributed reductions in distress and social anxiety, along with increased social engagement, to a single, impactful psychedelic experience. However, the study also highlighted that a minority of participants experienced negative effects, emphasizing the need for caution and further research in this area.
There is a growing interest in the potential of psychedelic drugs to treat various mental health conditions, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, in the general population. Autism spectrum disorder, a developmental condition characterized by challenges in social interaction and communication, as well as repetitive behaviors, often co-occurs with mental health difficulties. Autistic individuals are known to experience higher rates of anxiety, depression, and loneliness, and often report a lower quality of life compared to non-autistic people.
While psychedelics are being explored as therapies for mental health in broader populations, there is very little scientific understanding of how these substances affect autistic individuals specifically. Some anecdotal accounts suggested that psychedelics might be helpful for autistic people, potentially by improving their understanding of themselves and their emotions, but rigorous research was lacking. The new study aimed to investigate the experiences of autistic adults who have used psychedelics and to understand if they perceived any changes in their mental health and social abilities as a result.
To conduct their investigation, the researchers used an online survey to gather information from adults who identified as autistic. Participants were recruited through advertisements on social media platforms, online forums related to psychedelics and autism, and by collaborating with an organization called the Autistic Psychedelic Community. The advertisements were carefully worded to encourage participation from individuals with both positive and negative psychedelic experiences. To be included in the study, participants had to be at least 18 years old, fluent in English, and either have a formal diagnosis of autism from a healthcare professional or self-identify as autistic. They also needed to have used a psychedelic substance at least once in their lives.
A total of 284 people completed the survey. For their analysis, the researchers focused on 233 participants who reported that their most ‘impactful’ psychedelic experience involved a classic psychedelic drug, such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) or psilocybin (the active compound in magic mushrooms). The other participants who were excluded from the main analysis had reported that their most impactful experience was with substances like MDMA, cannabis, or ketamine.
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