Neutral attitude toward the utilization of psychedelic therapy for depression in the United Kingdom population

Background

The global prevalence of depression is high, and there are concerns about the therapeutic effectiveness of current treatments. Research over the past two decades has led to a new class of alternative treatments termed ‘psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT).’ This study aimed to investigate the attitudes toward the application and use of psychedelic-assisted therapies in the United Kingdom population.

Methods

A cross-sectional design was employed to examine attitudes towards PAT for depression. Nine hundred and fifty-one participants (age range 18–87: male = 47.3 %, female = 51.9 %) were recruited as part of a representative UK sample; 393 of these were placed into a subsample based on their reported history with low mood requiring mental health treatment. Socio-demographics, previous drug use, subjective knowledge of psychedelics, previous experiences of treatment for depression, and personality were measured as possible predictors of attitudes.

Results

The average attitude toward PAT in the UK population was neutral with a slightly negative tendency. Previous drug experience and subjective knowledge of psychedelics showed weak but significant positive associations with attitudes. Participants who were young, male, and possessed a history of recreational drug use and higher subjective knowledge were more likely to hold positive attitudes towards PAT. A history of depression did not influence attitudes or moderate associations between individual characteristics and attitudes.

Conclusion

The UK public’s attitude toward PAT is neither strongly favourable nor unfavourable on average at the present time, potentially emanating from low domain knowledge and/or concern about the safety, efficacy, and social desirability of PAT. The neutrality of the UK’s attitudes underscores the importance of scientific research and medical communication to inform the public’s understanding of the risks and benefits of this novel class of mental health therapeutic.