Psychedelics may cause slight personality changes, but other factors play a big role
German college students who tried psychedelics for the first time showed slight increases in openness over a year. However, researchers say these minor personality shifts may simply reflect broader novelty-seeking behavior rather than the drugs themselves.
A German university study found that first-time psychedelic users exhibited slight alterations in personality traits, but other variables likely played a more significant role, according to research published in npj Mental Health Research. The findings, based on data from 9,351 students at Berlin universities, suggest modest shifts in Openness and reductions in Conscientiousness among those who tried psychedelics for the first time, as compared to non-users.
However, after accounting for factors like age, sex, income, mental health history, and past substance use, the evidence for these personality changes became less robust. While the study indicates small personality shifts following first-time psychedelic use, the researchers caution that the results do not clearly point to a causal relationship.
The findings, authored by Constantin Volkmann and colleagues, emphasize the need for further investigation into the long-term effects of psychedelic use and the potential influence of various contextual factors.
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