Study: Majority of American Psychiatric Association Members Believe Psychedelics Show Promise in Treating Psychiatric Conditions

A study published in September in the journal Psychedelic Medicine found a majority of respondents – randomly selected American Psychiatric Association (APA) members – moderately or strongly believed that hallucinogens show promise in treating psychiatric conditions (80.9%) and substance use disorders (60.8%).

A majority of those surveyed also moderately or strongly supported research into hallucinogens‘ therapeutic potential for psychiatric conditions (93.9%) and substance use disorders (88.6%), as well as federal funding of associated clinical trials – 84.7% and 80.9%, respectively.

The survey was a follow-up to a 2016 survey which found 50.4% of respondents reporting moderate or strong intentions to incorporate hallucinogen-assisted therapy into their practice.

“Our data reveal a striking positive shift in attitudes toward the therapeutic potential of hallucinogens among American psychiatrists since 2016, with a majority of responding psychiatrists planning to incorporate hallucinogen-assisted therapy into their practice if regulatory approval is granted.” — “American Psychiatrists’ Opinions About Classic Hallucinogens and Their Potential Therapeutic Applications: A 7-Year Follow-Up Survey,” Psychedelic Medicine, Sept. 19, 2023

The survey was sent to 1,000 randomly selected American Psychiatric Association members, including 250 resident-fellows and 750 attending psychiatrists, in late 2022 and early 2023, and had a 13.1% response rate.