Adverse effects of psychedelics: From anecdotes and misinformation to systematic science.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review synthesizing existing literature without systematic review methodology
PubMed 35107059 · doi:10.1177/02698811211069100
What was done
This narrative review synthesized existing evidence on the potential medical and psychological harms of classic psychedelics. The authors evaluated adverse outcomes including toxicity, overdose risk, abuse liability, and psychiatric risks to differentiate scientifically supported adverse effects from anecdotal reports and misinformation.
What was found
The abstract reports no quantitative data or specific numerical risk estimates. The authors concluded qualitatively that medical risks are typically minimal and that many common negative perceptions regarding psychological risks lack empirical support, noting that the majority of reported adverse effects are rarely observed in regulated medical settings.
Why it matters
As clinical interest in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy expands, distinguishing evidence-based risks from historical stigma helps guide clinical trial safety protocols and regulatory policy.
Limits
The paper is a non-systematic narrative review providing no quantitative meta-analytic estimates, search criteria, study counts, or risk stratification for specific clinical populations or unsupervised recreational contexts.
Cited by
- supports There is no evidence that people get addicted to psilocybin or LSD, and their abuse potential is extremely slight.