Exploring the Role of Psychedelic Experiences on Wellbeing and Symptoms of Disordered Eating

Accumulating psychedelic research has demonstrated a potential for improving mental health and wellbeing, yet studies in the context of eating disorders (EDs) are limited. This study aims to explore the subjective effects of psychedelic experiences to gain insight into the benefits and risks for people with EDs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight adults aged 25–54 (mean age = 36.9), reporting to have had experiences with EDs and psychedelics in both naturalistic and clinical settings. Participants had multiple diagnoses and suffered chronic EDs, (mean age of onset = 13), diagnosed (N = 7) and undiagnosed (N = 1). Reports of cessation or the reduction of ED symptoms were unanimous and long-lasting for seven, with two participants reporting recovery attributed to psychedelic use. Two participants reported relapsing, attributed to environmental factors in the months following. Thematic analysis resulted in two superordinate themes, each comprising three subordinate themes. The first superordinate theme, ‘Exploring’ via the ‘gateway to healing’, illustrates mental, emotional, and transcendental elements of psychedelic experiences. The second superordinate theme, ‘Transformation’ and being ‘able to do the work’, illustrates cognitive and behavioural outcomes, with retrospective safety perceptions. These findings may provide more in-depth information on what benefits and experiences people with EDs can obtain from the use of psychedelic drugs and may inform more robust investigations of psychedelic-assisted therapy for the treatment of EDs.