Psychedelic experiences linked with improved sexual function

study, published today in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers from the Center for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London gathered questionnaire responses from almost 300 people before and after a psychedelic experience.

By combining responses from two groups—people taking psychedelics for recreational or wellness/ceremonial purposes, as well as a small group from a clinical trial assessing psilocybin (the compound found in magic mushrooms) for depression—they were able to investigate how the experience influenced a range of aspects relating to sexual functioning.

The analysis reveals that on average, people reported improvements across a range of areas of sexual function up to six months after their psychedelic experience, including their enjoyment of sex, sexual arousal, satisfaction with sex, attraction to partner, their own physical appearance, communication, and their sense of connection.

In addition, among the small group taking psilocybin in the clinical trial for depression, they found that almost half of participants reported improvements in sexual arousal, interest and satisfaction with sex, while people treated with a leading antidepressant mostly reported decreases in sexual functioning.

According to the team, the findings open the possibility for applications in a range of therapeutic settings—such as couples therapy. They also highlight further potential benefit in the treatment of depression, where psychedelic compounds such as psilocybin could potentially help to avoid drug-induced sexual dysfunction—one of the biggest side effects with current gold standard antidepressants.

Tommaso Barba, first author of the study and Ph.D. student based at the Center for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London, said, “We believe this is the first scientific study to explore the effects of psychedelics on sexual functioning. Our findings suggest potential implications for conditions that negatively affect sexual health, including clinical depression and anxiety.

“This is particularly significant given that sexual dysfunction, often induced by antidepressants, frequently results in people stopping these medications and subsequently relapsing.

“On the surface, this type of research may seem ‘quirky,’ but the psychological aspects of sexual function—including how we think about our own bodies, our attraction to our partners, and our ability to connect to people intimately—are all important to psychological well-being in sexually active adults.

“Sexuality is a fundamental human drive. For example, we know that sexual dysfunction is linked to lower well-being in healthy adults, can impact relationship satisfaction, and is even linked to subjective happiness and ‘meaning in life.'”