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Self-Integration after Recreational Psychedelic Use: Is it a Bulwark against Identity Disturbance?

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: As recreational psychedelics increase, it is important to understand possible consequences, like identity disturbance, and how they may be mitigated with harm-reduction techniques. For example, people may spend time in nature or engage in journaling after recreational use to “self-integrate.” The present study aimed to investigate differences in measures of well-being and identity disturbance between recreational psychedelic users and nonusers and explore the role of self-integration to promote positive identity. An online survey was answered by 63 people who had taken a psychedelic drug in the last year and 218 who had not. The psychedelic user group was significantly higher in well-being ( t (279) = 2.21, p = .028) and lower in identity loss ( t (279) = −2.13, p = .034). Within the psychedelic user group, correlations revealed positive relationships between well-being and consolidated identity ( r = .70), and integration behaviors with both ( r = .37; r = .26, respectively). Surprisingly, integration behaviors had no significant relationship with a lack of identity. These findings indicate that while self-integration may help consolidate psychological growth for people who have had positive psychedelic experiences, it is not protective against severe identity disturbance. Accordingly, recreational psychedelic use is considered risky and is cautioned against, especially for those facing mental health issues.

Source: Journal of Humanistic Psychology

DOI: 10.1177/00221678251369932

Authors: Jack Versace, James Rucker

Institutions: King's College London, University College London, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Language: English

Topic: Psychedelics and Drug Studies

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,650