Keywords

Motives; Use patterns; Attitudes; Emotional breakthrough; Opinion

Abstract

Inquiry into psychedelics is undergoing a cultural and scientific revival, driven by their potential application as novel treatments for mood disorders, substance misuse, and end-of life-distress, but continued implementation in clinical and medical contexts necessitates extensive research. The present study utilizes self-reported data to examine psychedelics across three areas: student attitudes, patterns of use, and motives for use. It additionally explores the perceived importance of hallucinations in therapeutic contexts and focuses on psychological experiences of those with lifetime psychedelic use. The study aimed to deepen understanding of current literature surrounding psychedelics, specifically among university students. Participants were asked to complete the Attitudes on Psychedelics Questionnaire (APQ) which assessed opinions across various sub-scales and found those who had lifetime psychedelic experience (20.5%) reported more favorable opinions on legal use of, effects of, risk assessment of, and openness towards psychedelics. Common motives for use included enhancement, social incentives, self-expansion, and coping with anxiety and depression. Those with psychedelic experiences reported a higher assessment of the necessity of hallucinations than those with no lifetime experience. These findings contribute to understanding individual perspectives, subjective experiences, and patterns behind use while attempting to enhance ongoing discourse surrounding the role of hallucinatory experiences in psychedelic assisted therapy.

Thesis Completion Year

2025

Thesis Completion Semester

Summer

Thesis Chair

Meshesha, Lidia

College

College of Sciences

Department

Psychology

Thesis Discipline

Psychology

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus Access

None

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

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Rights Statement

In Copyright