LSD-Psychodelics, Sexual Health / 01.04.2025
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:
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Dr. Kruger[/caption]
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?
Dr. Kruger[/caption]
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?
Dr. Ottesen Kennair[/caption]
Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair, Phd
Professor, Department of Psychology
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Trondheim, Norway
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: We have two important lines of research running parallel: 1) research into casual sex research. Over several papers inspired by previous evolutionary studies on casual sex we map the proximate mechanisms involved in regret. However, the adaptive function of regret: more adaptive future choices, was not addressed. This is something that most people and most regret researchers just take for granted. Bendixen et al 2017, Kennair et al 2016, 2018. 2) Research into how worry and rumination is not adaptive and how changing metacognitions about these mental processes are helpful here and now, and how discontinuing these processes is an efficient treatment of GAD and MDD. Kennair et al 2017. Solem et al 2019.
We found that it was important to question whether regret indeed was adaptive and affected more adaptive future short-term sexual choices. However, this demands a longitudinal design and such data are not easy to collect.