Use of hallucinogens linked to risk seeking, emotional dysregulation in youth and college students

Hallucinogens benefit from somewhat greater acceptance than many other hard drugs, no doubt due in part to the fact that classic hallucinogens like LSD tend to be less harmful and are less likely to lead to physical dependence. However, they are hardly innocuous and, despite increased interest in therapeutic uses of classic hallucinogens, use is sometimes accompanied by “intense, unpredictable” cognitive impairment, flashbacks and psychological dependency. Finally, because they are illegal, the use of harmful mixing agents is of concern.

While some broad work has been done to explore the relationship between personality and hallucinogen use, surprisingly few have looked at traits like impulsivity, risk and sensation seeking, and emotion dysregulation—all hallmarks of studies regarding other hard drugs. To remedy this, a team of American researchers examined data from college students and adolescent inpatients. Their findings are published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

Data was collected from roughly 10,250 college students and 200 adolescents, hospitalized due to risks of hurting themselves or others. Sensation seeking, impulsivity, emotion dysregulation and hallucinogen use were all measured using questionnaires. The results of the study highlight not only the importance of certain personality traits for predicting use of hallucinogens, but also distinct differences between the college and adolescent samples.
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