Psychedelics and chronic pain: self-reported outcomes on changed substance use patterns and health following naturalistic psychedelic use

作者：Nicolas G. Glynos, Anne Baker, Jacob S. Aday, Daniel J. Kruger, Kevin F. Boehnke, Stephanie Lake, Philippe Lucas · 发表于：British Journal of Pain · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1177/20494637251319497 · 被引用次数：7 · 研究领域：Psychedelics and Drug Studies、Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques、Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis

Psychedelic substances have shown preliminary efficacy for several neuropsychiatric disorders and are currently being investigated for chronic pain conditions. However, few studies have investigated outcomes of naturalistic psychedelic use among individuals with chronic pain, and none have assessed psychedelic-related changes in substance use patterns in this population. In a cross-sectional survey of adults who reported using psychedelics to self-treat a chronic pain condition ( n = 466; 46.1% women), we investigated changed substance use patterns and self-reported outcomes on physical and mental health following use of a psychedelic. Most (86.3%; n = 391/453) indicated that they ceased or decreased use of one or more non-psychedelic substances “as a result of” psychedelic use, and 21.2% ( n = 83/391) indicated that the decrease in use persisted for more than 26 weeks after psychedelic use. Alcohol (71.1%; n = 226/318) and prescription opioids (64.1%; n = 100/156) had the highest proportions for ceased/decreased use. Illicit opioids (27.8%; n = 22/79) and cannabis (21.5%; n = 78/362) had the highest proportions for increased/initiated use. In multivariate regression modeling, having a motivation to reduce one’s substance use was positively associated with ceasing/decreasing substance use ( p < .001). Perceptions of health outcomes following psychedelic use were broadly positive, and psilocybin was reported to be the most effective substance for both physical and mental he...