PlainPill

Psychedelics

People mainly take Psychedelics for mood, energy. Based on 22 first-hand reports and 149 meta-analyses & systematic reviews in the medical literature. Ranked #528 of 1,974 overall.

26
User score
Mixed
23% positive14% mixed9% negative55% unclear

Of reports that state an outcome, 50% are positive.

Clinical research
AStrong research base
149
meta-analyses
104
RCTs
3,203
papers

What Psychedelics does, according to users

Of the people who reported each effect, the share who said it got better.

1 more with fewer than 3 reports
betterno changeworse

What the research says

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses from PubMed, with their published conclusions.

AStrong research base

3+ meta-analyses or systematic reviews and 10+ randomized controlled trials in humans. The grade measures how much human research exists — read the conclusions below for what it found.

Psychiatry Res · 2023 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
Psilocybin-assisted therapy for depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Conclusion: A review of open-label trials showed robust decreases in depressive symptoms following psilocybin administration. These findings provide preliminary evidence for antidepressant efficacy with psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy, however, further studies are needed to evaluate safety and efficacy and to optimize treatment protocols.

PubMed 37844352 ↗
BMJ · 2024 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
Efficacy of psilocybin for treating symptoms of depression: systematic review and meta-analysis

Conclusion: Treatment effects of psilocybin were significantly larger among patients with secondary depression, when self-report scales were used to measure symptoms of depression, and when participants had previously used psychedelics. Further research is thus required to delineate the influence of expectancy effects, moderating factors, and treatment delivery on the efficacy of psilocybin as an antidepressant.

PubMed 38692686 ↗
BMJ · 2021 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
Medical cannabis or cannabinoids for chronic non-cancer and cancer related pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials

Conclusion: Moderate to high certainty evidence shows that non-inhaled medical cannabis or cannabinoids results in a small to very small improvement in pain relief, physical functioning, and sleep quality among patients with chronic pain, along with several transient adverse side effects, compared with placebo. The accompanying BMJ Rapid Recommendation provides contextualised guidance based on this body of evidence. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: https://osf.io/3pwn2.

PubMed 34497047 ↗

Dosage people report

As stated by users — not a recommendation. Follow the label or your doctor.

one treatmentas reported
micro/macrodoseas reported
microdoseas reported

Reported side effects

How often each side effect came up across all reports.

other problems ×1mania ×1psychosis ×1

What users say

Verbatim quotes, shortened only — each links to the original discussion.

“Psychedelics can reset these bad habits often”
Source discussion ↗
“Therapeutic use of psychedelics might help”
Source discussion ↗
“LSD is okay, increases mood but gives me other problems”
Source discussion ↗
“psychedelics had 'cured' me but I realize now all they had done was send me into manic states”
Source discussion ↗
“Psychedelics wouldn’t be nootropics but they can definitely be great tools. They will teach you a lot about yourself.”
Source discussion ↗
Top discussions (5)

Other options for mood

User data from public discussions; research from PubMed. Information only, not medical advice — talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. Data updated October 2, 2026. How we rate