Views on Using Psychoactive Substances to Self-Manage Functional Neurological Disorder: Online Patient Survey Results
Journal of Neuropsychiatry May 17, 2022 Matthew Butler, Mathieu Seynaeve, Abigail Bradley‐Westguard et al. 6 citations
Almost half of people with functional neurological disorder (FND) report having tried legal psychoactive substances—nicotine, alcohol, and cannabidiol—to manage their symptoms, finding them modestly effective. Fifteen percent have used illicit substances, mostly cannabis, reporting moderate effectiveness and minimal side effects. Many respondents (46%) would be willing to try medically supervised psychedelic therapy if proven safe and effective. The findings highlight that people with FND often seek alternative symptom management outside usual medical care and suggest that further research into novel treatments, including psychedelics, may be warranted.