Can Psychedelics Cause Bad Trips? | Are Psychedelics Mentally Dangerous?
Channel: Real Talk Philosophy
Date: 20/07/2021

--Transcript--
Research on psychedelic use in the 1960s did find some adverse mental health effects. Researchers found that 0.4 - 1.2 per 1000 research participants showed psychotic reactions lasting more than 48 hours. They described “Fear, a prolonged sense of dread, or full panic.” But, these researchers found no evidence that psychedelics cause long-term negative effects to mental health

Modern studies have more stringent policies when it comes to participation selection in psychedelic trials. Clinical studies screen out anyone at risk of bipolar, schizophrenia, and other psychotic disorders.  Therefore, there are far fewer cases of negative mental health effects. But it is difficult to scientifically prove how the substances affect people with bipolar, schizophrenia, or other psychotic disorders.

Using 2001–2004 data drawn from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), Krebs and Johansen (2013) recently evaluated possible associations between lifetime use of psychedelics and current mental health in the U.S. adult population. In a large sample of respondents, 13.4% reported lifetime psychedelic use. No significant associations were found between lifetime use of any psychedelic or past-year use of LSD and increased rate of any mental health outcome. Surprisingly, in several cases, the use of psychedelics was associated with a lower rate of mental health disorders.

Many psychonauts stress the importance of set and setting. Others have expanding this to SSSD: 

- Set-up
- Setting
- Safety
- Dosage

If these conditions are suboptimal, it has been reported that there will be a higher likelihood of unwanted, perhaps traumatic, psychedelic effects. 

A study at Johns Hopkins in 1993 collated the experiences of people who reportedly had ‘bad trips with psilocybin’. 
Only 2.1% of the participants used psychedelics in a setting that resembled a controlled clinical environment.  

And of these people who reportedly had ‘bad trips with psilocybin’. 
- 39% of participants reported the bad trip as in their top 5 most challenging experiences of their lifetime.
 - 11% reported putting themselves at risk of physical harm
- 7.6% had sought treatment for one or more psychological symptoms which they attributed to the challenging psilocybin experience. 
- 2.6% reported behaving in an aggressive manner,
- 2.7% got medical help

Very interestingly though, 
- 84% said they had benefited from the challenging parts
- 46% said they would repeat the experience
- 34% of participants still ranked their bad trips as in their top 5 meaningful life events


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