Mental Health And Substance Abuse

Hallucinogens or psychedelics have a long history of being known for exacerbating mental health problems and increasing suicide risk. Today that’s come under question, especially as multiple studies show that hallucinogens may actually reduce risk of suicide in (previously) suicidal persons.

However, in both cases, we still need more data and a better understanding of how hallucinogens work on an individual level in order to make safe judgement calls.

In 2022, an estimated 49,449 Americans died of suicide. In 2012, 12.3 million adults seriously thought about suicide and 3.5 million adults made a plan to do so. Suicide dramatically impacts every aspect of our lives – so it’s important to understand the risks before you start taking drugs of any kind. Hallucinogens are no worse than any other drug, however, it is still critical that you be aware of the risks and that you have the information to use or make decisions safely.

Do Hallucinogens Increase Risk of Suicide?

The short answer is, there is no statistically significant data showing an increase in risk of suicide for persons who take hallucinogens. The long answer is that hallucinogens interact with the brain in complex ways and on an individual level, may be extremely harmful to mental health and stability, which may exacerbate or worsen existing mental health problems.

However, for the general population, hallucinogens show no direct correlation to an increase in risk of suicide. For example, a study profiling the hallucinogen usage of persons taking ayahuasca, a psychedelic drug used in religious rituals in the Amazon Rainforest, found no significant differences in mental health or mindset between persons who took the drug regularly for rituals. In fact, there were also no statistically significant differences between persons who started the study having used just once and those who had used 5+ times – and the study followed up on a yearly basis for two years. Instead, the only statistically significant differences were regular ayahuasca users were less likely to avoid dangerous or potentially harmful activities because they were less likely to worry about the results of those activities, were less likely to experience shyness, and were more likely to be dependent on getting to feel good out of an interaction or activity. With over 200 people profiled, there were no significant changes in mental health or in suicidal ideation or depression.

A similar study tracking the results of peyote on Native populations showed that 70,000 individuals using the drug were unlikely to experience statisticially different mental health norms than control groups not using the drugs.

People With Mental Health Problems Are More Likely to Use Drugs

While hallucinogens are unlikely to cause increases in risk of suicidal ideation or depression, people with suicidal ideation and depression are more likely to use drugs. This means that populations using hallucinogens are more likely to be vulnerable to suicide or suicidal ideation because they have a mental health disorder. That’s in part because many people use drugs and alcohol to self-medicate and to feel better. That’s especially true after multiple studies were picked up by the news showing that psychedelics can actually help people to relieve symptoms of suicidal ideation and decrease suicide risk. More people opt to self-medicate and then use psychedelics as a means of temporarily feeling better.

Self-medication is always dangerous because it means that people look for quick ways to feel better. This means they don’t treat underlying symptoms. Often, drug and alcohol use also exacerbates symptoms. Sometimes that’s by causing shifts in hormone and neurotransmitter production in the brain, reducing your ability to feel and process emotions properly or creating unhealthy reliance on drugs. Often, it also results in isolation and alienation from friends and family, pushing you further away from support networks and healthy coping mechanisms. That’s less true with psychedelics than with drugs like heroin or heavy alcohol use. However, hallucinogen use can still take the place of healthy coping mechanisms like exercise and eating well – resulting in reduced mental and physical health and worse coping mechanisms.

According to one study, almost 1 in 10 persons taking hallucinogens experienced major depressive episodes. However, the most significant factor contributing to those depressive episodes were significant trauma, typically before the age of 16. During the study, almost no one developed depressive episodes or suicidal ideation close enough to taking hallucinogens for the two to be linked. In fact, most people developed these episodes before taking hallucinogens with a smaller number of people developing them 3-5 years after starting hallucinogen use.