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Psychedelic Use and Mental Health Diagnosis Shape Attitudes Toward Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy

Year: 2026
Type: conference-abstract
Abstract: Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) has gained renewed scientific attention as trials of psilocybin, MDMA, and related compounds report improvements in depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorders. Public attitudes and clinician willingness may affect future adoption, but factors associated with these attitudes remain incompletely understood. This cross-sectional study assessed whether attitudes toward PAT and daily prescription medications differed by prior psychedelic use, self-reported mental health diagnosis, and healthcare-worker status. Adults aged 21 years or older were recruited through social media and text messages to complete an anonymous online convenience survey. Ninety-nine respondents were included. Measures included lifetime psychedelic use, diagnosis status, healthcare-worker status, attitudes toward daily medication, interest in alternatives to daily medication, willingness to recommend research-supported PAT, and support for therapeutic legalization. Independent-samples 𝑡 tests and Fisher exact tests were used for group comparisons. Respondents with prior psychedelic use (𝑛 = 34) reported greater willingness to recommend PAT than those without prior use (𝑛 = 65; mean, 3.65 vs 2.40; 𝑃 = .0017) and greater support for therapeutic legalization (mean, 8.79 vs 7.61; 𝑃 = .0018). Respondents with a self-reported mental health diagnosis (𝑛 = 56) reported greater willingness to recommend PAT than those without a diagnosis (𝑛 = 43; mean, 3.88 vs 2.02; 𝑃 < .001). Interest in alternatives to daily medication was similarly high across diagnosis groups (mean, 4.16 vs 4.18; 𝑃 = .925). Healthcare-worker status was not associated with measured attitudes. Prior psychedelic use and self-reported mental health diagnosis were associated with greater willingness to recommend research-supported PAT; prior use was also associated with greater support for therapeutic legalization. The small, nonrandom convenience sample and self-reported measures limit generalizability and preclude causal inference. Larger studies should assess how education, clinical exposure, and counseling influence informed engagement with PAT.
Source: RVU Elevate
DOI: 10.82451/k51387
Language: English
Field: Psychology
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7225205185
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