The Psych Behind Psychedelics: Exploring Hallucinogen Use as a Marker for Untreated Mental Health Disorders
# Objective Are individuals who use hallucinogens self-medicating their mental illness and are they more likely to abuse other illegal substances? # Design, setting, participants Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), collected by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Servi...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Open Medical Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Health Psychology Research |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.52965/001c.127794 |
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| _version_ | 1825199950145781760 |
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| author | Liyana Ahmed Sanjana Konda Latha Ganti |
| author_facet | Liyana Ahmed Sanjana Konda Latha Ganti |
| author_sort | Liyana Ahmed |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | # Objective
Are individuals who use hallucinogens self-medicating their mental illness and are they more likely to abuse other illegal substances?
# Design, setting, participants
Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), collected by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) database was queried for correlations with hallucinogen use. Using age group as a control variable, different variables were run through a crosstab in order to find significant data pointing to the implications of hallucinogen use.
# Results
The data from the crosstab analysis showed three key findings about hallucinogen use: Those with mental illness or substance abuse issues were substantially more likely to use hallucinogens, the hallucinogen use greatly increased with the pandemic along with further mental health issues, and those who used hallucinogens were more significantly likely to abuse other illegal substances, primarily in a younger population.
# Conclusion
The positive correlation between mental health issues and hallucinogen use emphasizes the need for better mental health services, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The positive correlation between hallucinogen use and other drug use indicates the widespread drug abuse problem, especially within a younger population in which drugs pose a larger neurological threat. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-58cd09fd8afb4b888de753715826f631 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2420-8124 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Open Medical Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Psychology Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-58cd09fd8afb4b888de753715826f6312025-02-08T00:11:44ZengOpen Medical PublishingHealth Psychology Research2420-81242025-01-0113The Psych Behind Psychedelics: Exploring Hallucinogen Use as a Marker for Untreated Mental Health DisordersLiyana AhmedSanjana KondaLatha Ganti# Objective Are individuals who use hallucinogens self-medicating their mental illness and are they more likely to abuse other illegal substances? # Design, setting, participants Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), collected by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) database was queried for correlations with hallucinogen use. Using age group as a control variable, different variables were run through a crosstab in order to find significant data pointing to the implications of hallucinogen use. # Results The data from the crosstab analysis showed three key findings about hallucinogen use: Those with mental illness or substance abuse issues were substantially more likely to use hallucinogens, the hallucinogen use greatly increased with the pandemic along with further mental health issues, and those who used hallucinogens were more significantly likely to abuse other illegal substances, primarily in a younger population. # Conclusion The positive correlation between mental health issues and hallucinogen use emphasizes the need for better mental health services, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. The positive correlation between hallucinogen use and other drug use indicates the widespread drug abuse problem, especially within a younger population in which drugs pose a larger neurological threat.https://doi.org/10.52965/001c.127794 |
| spellingShingle | Liyana Ahmed Sanjana Konda Latha Ganti The Psych Behind Psychedelics: Exploring Hallucinogen Use as a Marker for Untreated Mental Health Disorders Health Psychology Research |
| title | The Psych Behind Psychedelics: Exploring Hallucinogen Use as a Marker for Untreated Mental Health Disorders |
| title_full | The Psych Behind Psychedelics: Exploring Hallucinogen Use as a Marker for Untreated Mental Health Disorders |
| title_fullStr | The Psych Behind Psychedelics: Exploring Hallucinogen Use as a Marker for Untreated Mental Health Disorders |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Psych Behind Psychedelics: Exploring Hallucinogen Use as a Marker for Untreated Mental Health Disorders |
| title_short | The Psych Behind Psychedelics: Exploring Hallucinogen Use as a Marker for Untreated Mental Health Disorders |
| title_sort | psych behind psychedelics exploring hallucinogen use as a marker for untreated mental health disorders |
| url | https://doi.org/10.52965/001c.127794 |
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