01 Apr Survey Identifies Impact of Psychedelics on Sexual, Gender, and Intimate Relationships

Editor’s note: Psychedelics are not FDA approved and may have significant and lasting side effects. Please use caution if you decide to use them. Psychedelics should not be used during pregnancy or around children. MedicalResearch.com is not endorsing the use of psychedelics for any reason at this time.

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Dr. Kruger

Daniel J. Kruger, PhD
Research Associate Professor
Research Scientist
Psychology, Public Health
Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
University at Buffalo, State University of New York

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?

Response: There is a lot of excitement about psychedelics now, including a boom in research. Most of the investment is in therapeutic applications, as studies are showing amazing results for treating conditions like depression and PTSD. These are worthy pursuits, of course, though we think there is so much more to explore. There are so many areas that have not yet been covered. For example, Timothy Leary said that psychedelics were great for sex. He probably knew this would get people’s attention. How prevalent is this really in people’s experiences?

MedicalResearch.com: What about sexuality and relationships more broadly?

Response People in clinical trials and people going on psychedelic retreats in other countries have talked about a broad range of positive effects including greater self-insight and feeling more connected to other people. Could there be benefits for intimate relationships in the long-term? What about benefits for people experiencing gender dysphoria, distress related to their gender? There were no previous studies in these areas. Most people reported some kind of effect, about half reported long-term effects, and close to half reported improvements to the quality of their romantic relationships.

MedicalResearch.com: What types of effects/experiences were reported by the participants?

Response: A higher proportion of participants indicated that psychedelic experiences enhanced, rather than diminished, relationship quality, attraction to current partners, and sexual activities. Approximately 10% of participants reported that psychedelic experiences influenced their gender identity and/or expression, reporting increased authenticity, self-acceptance, openness, and freedom in self-expression, as well as altered experiences of sexuality and gender. One-quarter of women and one-eighth of men reported heightened same-sex attraction following psychedelic use, and one-third of those with other gender identities reported changes in sexual attraction. Higher proportions of participants reported dating multiple people, being polyamorous or in an open relationship, or being committed to only one person after their psychedelic experiences compared to before.

MedicalResearch.com:  What should readers take away from your report?

Response: Our participants are people who have used psychedelics, for many different reasons, most are not undergoing psychedelic therapy – they are taking psychedelics on their own or with friends. So, these may have been unanticipated benefits. Some people did report detrimental effects, but many more reported beneficial effects. People can also have challenging experiences with psychedelics. Even people who have taken psychedelics many, many times and are known for it can have difficult trips. It is very important to prepare, go in with a healthy mindset, and have a supportive environment. Take it seriously, it’s not like getting drunk at a party. People who set intentions for what they want to accomplish in their psychedelic experiences tend to have better outcomes.

MedicalResearch.com:  What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: As this was the first study of its kind, it was broad and exploratory. Now that we have found something interesting, we are conducting further research to investigate more deeply. We just launched our 2025 Psychedelic Community Survey, where we are collecting more data to have a better understanding of what is happening.

The survey is completely anonymous and confidential, and no personal identifying information will be collected (no IP addresses, etc.). Please share the survey link with anyone you think might be interested in participating, we greatly appreciate the input!

https://umich.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2lVYfnTqoE73OXc

We declare no conflicts of interest.

Citation:

Kruger, D. J., Argyri, E. K., Mogilski, J. K., Herberholz, M., Barron, J., Aday, J. S., & Boehnke, K. F. (2025). Perceived Impact of Psychedelics on Sexual, Gender, and Intimate Relationship Dynamics: A Mixed-Methods Investigation. The Journal of Sex Research, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2025.2479197

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Last Updated on April 1, 2025 by Marie Benz MD FAAD