Naturalistic Use of Mescaline Is Associated with Self-Reported Psychiatric Improvements and Enduring Positive Life Changes.

Most people who used mescaline in natural settings reported lasting improvements in depression, anxiety, PTSD, and substance use disorders, with 68–86% of those with a history of these conditions noting subjective improvement after their most memorable experience. Those who improved reported stronger acute mystical-type, psychological insight, and ego dissolution effects (Cohen's d 0.7–1.5). For 35–50% of respondents, the mescaline experience ranked among the top five most spiritually significant or meaningful events of their lives. Psychological insight during the experience was linked to higher odds of improvement in depression, anxiety, and alcohol and drug use disorders. The authors call for controlled clinical trials to confirm these preliminary findings.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Mescaline is a naturally occurring psychoactive alkaloid that has been used as a sacrament by Indigenous populations in spiritual ritual and healing ceremonies for millennia. Despite promising early preliminary research and favorable anecdotal reports, there is limited research investigating mescaline's psychotherapeutic potential. We administered an anonymous online questionnaire to adults (N = 452) reporting use of mescaline in naturalistic settings about mental health benefits attributed to mescaline. We assessed respondents' self-reported improvements in depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and alcohol and drug use disorders (AUD and DUD). Of the respondents reporting histories of these clinical conditions, most (68-86%) reported subjective improvement following their most memorable mescaline experience. Respondents who reported an improvement in their psychiatric conditions reported significantly higher ratings of acute psychological factors including mystical-type, psychological insight, and ego dissolution effects compared to those who did not report improvements (Cohen's d range 0.7 - 1.5). Many respondents (35-50%) rated the mescaline experience as the single or top five most spiritually significant or meaningful experience(s) of their lives. Acute experiences of psychological insight during their mescaline experience were associated with increased odds of reporting improvement in depression, anxiety, AUD and DUD. Additional research is needed to corroborate these preliminary findings and to rigorously examine the efficacy of mescaline for psychiatric treatment in controlled, longitudinal clinical trials.