People who land in the ER for psychedelic use are at significantly higher risk of schizophrenia, according to an eye-opening new study.
Canadian researchers tracked more than 9.2 million people in Ontario for 13 years, finding that those with a hallucinogen-related emergency had a 3.5-fold increase in the risk of schizophrenia when taking into account their substance use and mental health.
About 1% of Americans are affected by schizophrenia. The chronic and severe brain disorder, which affects the way a person thinks, feels and behaves, is often diagnosed in the late teens to early 30s.
Within three years of an ER visit involving a hallucinogen such as psilocybin, LSD, ayahuasca and ecstasy, 4% were diagnosed with schizophrenia compared to 0.15% of the general population, new research found.
People who visit the ER for a hallucinogenic problem are at much higher risk for a diagnosis of schizophrenia than people who go to the ER for alcohol or marijuana use.
The researchers noted that psychedelics have grown in popularity across North America for recreational and therapeutic use, with celebrities such as Kristen Bell and Aaron Rodgers publicly sharing their experiences.
Nine percent of US adults aged 19 to 30 reported taking a hallucinogen in 2023, up from 5% in 2017 and 3% in 2012.
Four percent of adults 35 to 50 admitted to taking a hallucinogen in 2023, up from 2% in 2021 and less than 1% in 2017 and 2012.
Amid this growth, annual rates of ER visits in Ontario involving hallucinogens increased by 86% between 2013 and 2021 after being stable between 2008 and 2012.
Researchers say people with an underlying susceptibility to psychosis or schizophrenia may need to avoid psychedelics.
“Clinical trials of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy have safeguards in place, such as excluding individuals with a personal or family history of schizophrenia and close monitoring while participants are using hallucinogens,” said Dr. Daniel Myran, a Canada Research Chair in Social Responsibility at the University of Ottawa. . “Our findings provide a timely caution regarding the potential risks of hallucinogen use outside of trial settings.”
The study authors stress that their results — published Wednesday in the journal JAMA Psychiatry — do not establish a causal link between hallucinogen use and schizophrenia.
More information is needed about the risks associated with different types of hallucinogens and their patterns of use.
“While there is great enthusiasm for psychedelic-assisted therapy as a new mental health treatment, we must remember how early and limited the data remain on both benefits and risks,” Myran said.
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