Hopelessness, Suicidality, and Co-Occurring Substance Use among Adolescent Hallucinogen Users—A National Survey Study

Bibliographic Data

ID15718255
AuthorsSaral Desai (0000-0003-4692-1414, Phoenixville Hospital, corresponding author), Vidisha Jain (Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College), Sona Xavier (Father Muller Medical College Hospital), Wei Du (0000-0001-5941-2382, Reading Hospital)
Year2022
Volume9
Issue12
Pages1906-1906
Publication date2022-12-05
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueChildren (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2227-9067 • E-ISSN: 2227-9067
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/children9121906
PMID36553349
OpenAlexW4311627573
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited42

(1) Objectives: Hallucinogens are being explored as a potential treatment of psychiatric disorders. Micro dosing of illicitly purchased hallucinogen drugs is on the rise despite conclusive benefits. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence and odds of hopelessness, suicidality, and co-occurring substance use among adolescent hallucinogen users. (2) Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) 2001−2019 data that nationally represents school-going US adolescents. We identified hallucinogen use based on the survey questions, exploring the use of hallucinogens (LSD, PCP, mescaline, and mushrooms). (3) Results: Out of a total of 125,550 respondents, 8.4% reported using hallucinogens. Overall, the trend of hallucinogen use decreased from 13.3% (2001) to 7.0% (2019) (pTrend < 0.0001). Hallucinogen users were at high odds of feeling sad and hopeless (aOR: 1.40; 95%CI: 1.21−1.61; p < 0.0001), considering suicide (aOR: 1.36; 95%CI: 1.08−1.70; p = 0.009), and planning suicide (aOR: 1.49; 95%CI: 1.19−1.86; p = 0.001). Additionally, adolescent hallucinogen users had a higher prevalence of alcohol, cigarette, e-cigarette, marijuana, synthetic marijuana, inhalants, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and ecstasy use. (4) Conclusions: The overall trend of hallucinogen use decreased among school-going American adolescents. We found a high prevalence of co-occurring substance use among hallucinogen users. We found that hallucinogen users were at high odds of feeling sad, hopeless, and considering and planning suicide. Further research is needed to explore the effects of recreational hallucinogen use among the adolescent population

Ecstasy · Environmental health · Feeling · Hallucinogen · MDMA · Mescaline · Poison control · Psychiatry · Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research · Medicine · Psychedelics and Drug Studies · Psychology · Tryptophan and brain disorders

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