Approximately 8 million individuals 12 and older used psilocybin in 2024, according to a
nationwide survey published yesterday in
The American Journal of Psychiatry. People who had a past-year episode of major depression or alcohol use disorder were more likely to use psilocybin than those who did not.
Why It’s Relevant
There has been increasing clinical interest in the safe use of psilocybin and other psychedelics, especially in light of the
executive order that President Donald Trump recently signed to accelerate access to and research on psychedelics for treatment of mental illness.
Given psilocybin’s emergence as a potential treatment for depression, understanding who is using this substance and why—i.e., for recreation or self-medication—is important for informing clinical practice and public health surveillance.
By the Numbers
- Researchers analyzed survey data from 58,633 respondents ages 12 and older from the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health—the first to include psilocybin-specific questions.
- An estimated 2.8% of respondents reported using psilocybin in the past year, corresponding to approximately 8 million individuals nationally. Higher use was seen among males, individuals ages 18 to 25, and college-educated individuals.
- Past-year use of psilocybin was also highly associated with use of cannabis, LSD, ketamine, and MDMA.
- Individuals with a past-year episode of major depression were 1.37 times more likely to use psilocybin; those with alcohol use disorder were 1.32 times more likely to use psilocybin.
The Other Side
Reliance on self-reported substance use may have introduced a recall bias. Moreover, the researchers lacked data on frequency, dosage, and contexts of use (such as at-home versus a supervised setting). Additionally, the cross-sectional design makes it impossible to know if individuals used psilocybin because they were depressed, or if depression may have been associated with substance use.
Takeaway Message
“Clinicians should consider screening for psilocybin use, particularly among patients who use other psychedelics or cannabis and those with depression,” the researchers wrote. “The finding that individuals with depression are more likely to use psilocybin warrants further investigation, and continued surveillance will be essential to inform evidence-based clinical guidance as psychedelic use increasingly intersects with routine psychiatric care.”
Related Information
Source
Kevin H. Yang, M.D., et. al. Prevalence and correlates of past-year psilocybin use in the United States.
TheAmerican Journal of Psychiatry. April 22, 2026. doi:
doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.20251343.
(Image: Getty Images/iStock/Yarphoto)