Altered states, authentic selves: Trans individual’s experiences with psychedelics and their implications for Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy
International Journal of Transgender Health June 8, 2026 Tiana Bartholomaeus, Samantha J. Brown, Annette Brömdal et al.
An analysis of 225 Reddit posts from trans individuals describes how psychedelic experiences can both help and harm. Psychedelic-induced altered states can lead to self-acceptance, gender euphoria, and gender realization, and psychological release during trips can facilitate a journey of self-acceptance. These experiences can function as a catalyst for change but can also simultaneously support and exacerbate gender dysphoria. The findings highlight a duality in psychedelics for trans people, with both healing qualities (e.g., gender euphoria, self-acceptance) and harming qualities (e.g., exacerbated dysphoria and grief). Clinical applications should consider this duality to inform responsive and affirming psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy protocols.