Psychedelic Use and Intimacy: A Systematic Review of Experimental and Naturalistic Research.

A systematic review of 19 studies on psychedelic drug use and intimacy found overwhelmingly positive effects in laboratory settings, including improved relationship satisfaction, connectedness, emotional disclosure, empathy, and reduced social anxiety. In studies relying on retrospective self-reports, six of ten identified positive experiences such as enhanced relationship quality and closeness, while four reported negative experiences including disconnection, social anxiety, relationship dissatisfaction, and distrust. The review highlights that more research is needed to determine ideal settings for use and long-term impacts on intimacy.

Study at a glance

Abstract

In recent years, the potential psychological benefits of psychedelic drugs have garnered increasing interest from academic and medical communities. We conducted a systematic review of literature examining the association between psychedelic drugs use and intimacy. The initial search yielded 5,902 studies, of which 19 met the inclusion criteria. Studies varied in methodology, including placebo-controlled experimental designs, quasi-experimental designs, and retrospective self-reports. Positive intimacy-related outcomes were reported in all nine laboratory setting studies, including relationship satisfaction, connectedness, emotional disclosure, empathy, and affiliation, as well as decreased social anxiety. Of the 10 studies that relied solely on retrospective self-report, six identified positive intimacy-related experiences including relationship quality, interconnection, empathy, and closeness. Four of these studies identified negative intimacy-related experiences, including disconnection, social anxiety, and relationship dissatisfaction and distrust. This systematic review demonstrates overwhelmingly positive effects of psychedelic drug use in research-controlled settings, but more research is needed to identify both the ideal settings for psychedelic drug use and the long-term impact of these drugs on intimacy.