Global Psychedelics: Norwegian User Trends & Finnish Interdisciplinary Conference

Norwegian Survey

Some 770 individuals over 18 completed a survey put together by researchers at Østfold Hospital Trust and the University of Oslo aiming to map what psychedelics users experience. 

Though these substances are still illegal in Norway, study author psychiatrist Tor-Morten Kvam says their use is “relatively widespread,” and in this sense the survey proves useful as it provides data from “a much larger number of people” than a clinical study with a gold-standard research design would.

Main highlights:

• Nº1 most used psychedelic is magic mushrooms, followed by LSD.

• Of total users, 72% are men.

• 88% of total respondents were 45 years or younger, many single, and “a relatively high proportion” with higher education.

• Vast majority who tried psychedelics reported having one or more “memorable” experiences, perceiving an increased insight into events experienced earlier in life and their meaning to them as well as into their relationships with other people.

• Around 60% reported the psychedelic experience enabled them to deal with difficulties and challenges in a new way, and have tried to use the new insights in their daily lives -most without a therapist’s help.

• Although many reported having tried psychedelics for fun or out of curiosity, over 40% tried them therapeutically and a higher proportion reported having mental health problems compared to the general population prevalence.

• Most who used psychedelics therapeutically believed they had experienced improvement after the experience.

• Around 10% reported they had days-lasting side effects, primarily including sadness, anxiety or headaches.

• 4% reported side effects lasting over a year following the psychedelic experience.

Clarification: Researchers did not have access to the participants' medical records. The survey captures their self-perceived mental health.

In a precedent survey launched in 2020, 50 participants -mostly highly educated men in their 20s-30s, some with anxiety, depression and sleep issues- spoke about uncertainty in relationships and a desire for existential answers, and how they had experienced something extraordinary when using psychedelic substances.

Researchers at Østfold Hospital Trust have themselves conducted clinical research on MDMA for PTSD treatment, and are currently assessing MDMA for patients with depression, providing psychotherapy before, during and after treatment.

See Also: Awakn Life Sciences Becomes Pure R&D Biotech After Sale Of Norway Clinics

Finland's Presence In Psychedelics Field

The second edition of the Finnish Interdisciplinary Conference on Psychedelics, Psykedeelit 2023, took place November 23-24 at Åbo Akademi University, Turku.

This year’s conference focused on psychedelic-related meanings, potentials and contexts, its differences with other psychoactive substances, and the ongoing discussion on calling experiences triggered by non-chemical means (like meditation) should be named “psychedelic.”

Welcoming researchers, students and those working in the psychedelics field, including psychologists, physicians, pharmacologists to sociologists, philosophers, theologians, anthropologists, gender studies researchers and artists, the event was co-organized by the Finnish Association for Psychedelic Research (Psyty,) the Faculty of Arts, Psychology and Theology of Åbo Akademi, and the Emerging Technologies Lab of Tampere University.

The keynote speakers list included renowned psychologist Dr. Max Wolff (Charité, Berlin University of Medicine & MIND Foundation) and evolutionary anthropologist Dr. Manvir Singh (UC-Davis.) See full program.

Photo: Benzinga edit with photo by Gennady Danilkin on Shutterstock and Wikimedia Commons.