Psychedelic use in individuals living with eating disorders or disordered eating: findings from the international MED–FED survey
Abstract Background There are few effective treatments for eating disorders (EDs), and new interventions are urgently needed. The MEDication and other drugs For Eating Disorders (“MED–FED”) survey investigated the lived experience of adults with EDs regarding their prescription and non-prescription...
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BMC
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Journal of Eating Disorders |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-025-01328-5 |
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| author | Sarah-Catherine Rodan Noah Meez Sophie Lloyd-Hurwitz Miguel A. Bedoya-Pérez Anastasia Suraev Natasha Sommer Kayla Greenstien Sarah Maguire Iain S. McGregor |
| author_facet | Sarah-Catherine Rodan Noah Meez Sophie Lloyd-Hurwitz Miguel A. Bedoya-Pérez Anastasia Suraev Natasha Sommer Kayla Greenstien Sarah Maguire Iain S. McGregor |
| author_sort | Sarah-Catherine Rodan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background There are few effective treatments for eating disorders (EDs), and new interventions are urgently needed. The MEDication and other drugs For Eating Disorders (“MED–FED”) survey investigated the lived experience of adults with EDs regarding their prescription and non-prescription drugs use. Psychedelic drugs were highly rated in this survey for their impact on ED symptoms and general mental health. Here, we provide a more granular analysis of a subset of the data pertaining to psychedelic drug use from this survey. Methods The MED–FED survey recruited adults who self-reported either a clinically diagnosed ED or disordered eating that was currently undiagnosed but causing significant distress. The demographics of recent and lifetime psychedelic users relative to non-users were examined, as well as their use of other prescription and non-prescription drugs, and co-morbid conditions. Qualitative analysis was used to examine themes emerging from open-ended comments around use of psychedelic drugs. Results Of the 5247 participants who completed the survey, 1699/5247 (32.4%) reported lifetime psychedelic use, with 1019/5247 (19.4%) having used in the last 12 months. Typical use involved infrequent consumption, once or twice per year, of psilocybin, LSD, 2-CB, or DMT. Those who reported recent psychedelic use were younger and less likely to currently use prescription drugs or to have been recently hospitalised for their ED. They were more likely to use other non-prescription drugs (e.g. cannabis, ketamine, stimulants) and to report co-morbid ADHD, PTSD, ASD, and substance misuse. Participants with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa were less likely to report psychedelic use, while those with an undiagnosed ED were more likely. Qualitative analysis of responses (n = 200) revealed themes of profound transformation, increased connectedness, and new insights into illness following psychedelic experiences. A handful of respondents reported benefits from microdosing. A few respondents reported adverse outcomes in their open-ended comments, including “bad trips” (n = 15) and worsened ED symptoms (n = 8) after psychedelic use. Conclusions These findings provide a unique insight into psychedelic use among individuals with EDs. The results align with emerging evidence suggesting that psychedelics may be beneficial in this population, highlighting the need for further research, including clinical trials, to explore their efficacy and safety. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b86a1681342b4ccf8526871e00669ad7 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2050-2974 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Eating Disorders |
| spelling | doaj-art-b86a1681342b4ccf8526871e00669ad72025-08-20T04:01:47ZengBMCJournal of Eating Disorders2050-29742025-07-0113112310.1186/s40337-025-01328-5Psychedelic use in individuals living with eating disorders or disordered eating: findings from the international MED–FED surveySarah-Catherine Rodan0Noah Meez1Sophie Lloyd-Hurwitz2Miguel A. Bedoya-Pérez3Anastasia Suraev4Natasha Sommer5Kayla Greenstien6Sarah Maguire7Iain S. McGregor8Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, Brain and Mind Centre, University of SydneyLambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, Brain and Mind Centre, University of SydneyLambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, Brain and Mind Centre, University of SydneyLambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, Brain and Mind Centre, University of SydneyFaculty of Science, School of Psychology, The University of SydneyLambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, Brain and Mind Centre, University of SydneyFaculty of Medicine and Health, The University of SydneyFaculty of Medicine and Health, Central Clinical School, InsideOut Institute for Eating Disorders, The University of SydneyLambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, Brain and Mind Centre, University of SydneyAbstract Background There are few effective treatments for eating disorders (EDs), and new interventions are urgently needed. The MEDication and other drugs For Eating Disorders (“MED–FED”) survey investigated the lived experience of adults with EDs regarding their prescription and non-prescription drugs use. Psychedelic drugs were highly rated in this survey for their impact on ED symptoms and general mental health. Here, we provide a more granular analysis of a subset of the data pertaining to psychedelic drug use from this survey. Methods The MED–FED survey recruited adults who self-reported either a clinically diagnosed ED or disordered eating that was currently undiagnosed but causing significant distress. The demographics of recent and lifetime psychedelic users relative to non-users were examined, as well as their use of other prescription and non-prescription drugs, and co-morbid conditions. Qualitative analysis was used to examine themes emerging from open-ended comments around use of psychedelic drugs. Results Of the 5247 participants who completed the survey, 1699/5247 (32.4%) reported lifetime psychedelic use, with 1019/5247 (19.4%) having used in the last 12 months. Typical use involved infrequent consumption, once or twice per year, of psilocybin, LSD, 2-CB, or DMT. Those who reported recent psychedelic use were younger and less likely to currently use prescription drugs or to have been recently hospitalised for their ED. They were more likely to use other non-prescription drugs (e.g. cannabis, ketamine, stimulants) and to report co-morbid ADHD, PTSD, ASD, and substance misuse. Participants with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa were less likely to report psychedelic use, while those with an undiagnosed ED were more likely. Qualitative analysis of responses (n = 200) revealed themes of profound transformation, increased connectedness, and new insights into illness following psychedelic experiences. A handful of respondents reported benefits from microdosing. A few respondents reported adverse outcomes in their open-ended comments, including “bad trips” (n = 15) and worsened ED symptoms (n = 8) after psychedelic use. Conclusions These findings provide a unique insight into psychedelic use among individuals with EDs. The results align with emerging evidence suggesting that psychedelics may be beneficial in this population, highlighting the need for further research, including clinical trials, to explore their efficacy and safety.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-025-01328-5Eating disorderPsychedelicAnorexia nervosaBulimia nervosaBinge eating disorderARFID |
| spellingShingle | Sarah-Catherine Rodan Noah Meez Sophie Lloyd-Hurwitz Miguel A. Bedoya-Pérez Anastasia Suraev Natasha Sommer Kayla Greenstien Sarah Maguire Iain S. McGregor Psychedelic use in individuals living with eating disorders or disordered eating: findings from the international MED–FED survey Journal of Eating Disorders Eating disorder Psychedelic Anorexia nervosa Bulimia nervosa Binge eating disorder ARFID |
| title | Psychedelic use in individuals living with eating disorders or disordered eating: findings from the international MED–FED survey |
| title_full | Psychedelic use in individuals living with eating disorders or disordered eating: findings from the international MED–FED survey |
| title_fullStr | Psychedelic use in individuals living with eating disorders or disordered eating: findings from the international MED–FED survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Psychedelic use in individuals living with eating disorders or disordered eating: findings from the international MED–FED survey |
| title_short | Psychedelic use in individuals living with eating disorders or disordered eating: findings from the international MED–FED survey |
| title_sort | psychedelic use in individuals living with eating disorders or disordered eating findings from the international med fed survey |
| topic | Eating disorder Psychedelic Anorexia nervosa Bulimia nervosa Binge eating disorder ARFID |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-025-01328-5 |
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