Between 2008 and 2019, there was a notable surge in reported lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) use among adults in the United States with past-year depression, as per a study published in JAMA Psychiatry. LSD, a potent semisynthetic hallucinogen, induces hallucinations and alterations to one’s sense of identity. Its study as a potential treatment for psychiatric and substance use disorders was halted in the mid-1970s when it became illegal in the US.
To assess the current trends in LSD use, researchers analyzed data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). The study involved 478,492 individuals surveyed between 2009 and 2019 regarding past-year major depression and past-year LSD use. Major depression was determined based on meeting 5 or more Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) major depressive episode criteria. Sociodemographic characteristics were also evaluated as covariates in logistic regression models.
The study population was 51.8% women, with 43.9% aged 50 years and older. Among them, 65.8% were White, 30.4% were college graduates, 35.0% earned $75,000 or more annually, and 52.6% were married. In 2008, 0.2% of respondents reported past-year LSD use. The prevalence of past-year LSD use in 2019 increased to 0.9% overall, with rates of 1.8% and 0.8% among those with and without past-year depression, respectively.
After adjusting for confounders, the overall increase in LSD use from 2008 to 2019 was significant (prevalence difference [PD], 0.7%; P <.05), as was the increase among those with (PD, 1.3%; P <.05) and without (PD, 0.6%; P <.05) past-year depression. However, adults with past-year depression were significantly more likely to report past-year LSD use (PD, 0.76%; P <.05) compared to those without depression.
Subgroup analyses revealed that the increase in past-year LSD use between 2008 and 2019 among individuals with past-year depression was significantly higher for respondents aged 18 to 25 years (PD, 3.3%; P <.05) and 26-34 years (PD, 2.7%; P <.05), as well as those earning less than $20,000 (PD, 1.9%; P <.05), $20,000 to $49,999 (PD, 1.5%; P <.05), and $50,000-$74,999 (PD, 1.3%; P <.05) annually.
The investigators also noted that in 2019, LSD use was most prominent among depressed adults who were men (2.4%), non-Hispanic White (2.2%), had some college education (2.1%), earned less than $20,000 annually (2.4%), and were aged 18 to 25 (4.9%) or 26 to 34 years (3.2%).
While these findings suggest a growing prevalence of LSD use over time, particularly among adults with depression, the study acknowledges potential bias due to reliance on self-reported data. The researchers suggest future investigations delve into the motivations behind LSD use and the relationship between nonmedical LSD use and depression.
