Sign in Subscribe
Journal of Psychopharmacology

Lifetime Classic Psychedelic Use and Headaches: A Cross-Sectional Study

A cross-sectional study finds that lifetime psychedelic use is linked to a lower prevalence of frequent severe headaches, suggesting therapeutic potential.

Matt Hallowes

• 2 min read
Lifetime Classic Psychedelic Use and Headaches: A Cross-Sectional Study

Title & Introduction

  • Paper Title: Lifetime Classic Psychedelic Use and Headaches: A Cross-Sectional Study
  • Published In: Journal of Psychopharmacology
  • Publish date: March 12, 2025
  • Authors: Zusanna Bjurenfalk, Alva Cosmo, Otto Simonsson, Caroline Ran
  • Objective: To examine the relationship between lifetime use of classic psychedelics and the frequency of headaches in a large British cohort.
  • Importance: Provides new insights into the potential therapeutic benefits of psychedelics for headache disorders, particularly in reducing the frequency of severe headaches.

Summary & Takeaways

Key Takeaway: Individuals with a history of classic psychedelic use had a 25% lower likelihood of experiencing frequent severe headaches compared to non-users.

Practical Application:
The findings suggest that classic psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin may have long-term protective effects against chronic headache disorders and warrant further clinical investigation.

Key Background Information

  • Context: Cluster headaches and migraines are highly disabling conditions with limited effective treatments. Psychedelics have been historically reported to alleviate headache symptoms, but empirical evidence remains limited.
  • Hypothesis: Lifetime use of classic psychedelics is associated with a lower prevalence of frequent severe headaches.

Methodology

  • Study Design: Cross-sectional observational study using a large cohort dataset.
  • Participants: 11,419 individuals from the 1958 British National Child Development Study.
  • Intervention/Exposure: Self-reported lifetime use of classic psychedelics (LSD, psilocybin).
  • Controls: Adjustments for potential confounders, including demographic and health-related variables.
  • Duration: Retrospective analysis of lifetime psychedelic use and headache frequency.

Key Findings

Primary Outcomes:

  • Individuals with lifetime psychedelic use had 25% lower odds of reporting frequent severe headaches.
  • The association remained significant even after controlling for age, sex, mental health history, and substance use.
  • No significant relationship was found between non-psychedelic illicit drug use and headache frequency.

Secondary Outcomes:

  • Findings support historical reports of psychedelics alleviating migraine and cluster headaches.
  • Further research is needed to determine whether this association is causal or correlational.

Interpretation & Implications

  • Conclusion: The study provides evidence that classic psychedelics may be associated with a reduced risk of frequent severe headaches, though causality cannot be determined from observational data.
  • Implications: Future clinical trials should explore psychedelics as a potential treatment for chronic headache disorders.
  • Limitations: Self-reported psychedelic use and headache frequency may introduce recall bias. Additionally, the study design does not establish causality.

Researchers & Publication