{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,15]],"date-time":"2026-06-15T19:47:49Z","timestamp":1781552869246,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,26]],"date-time":"2025-12-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1766707200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000024","name":"Canadian Institute of Health Research","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["Postdoctoral Fellowship"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Postdoctoral Fellowship"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000024","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100015070","name":"Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["Labatt Family Innovation Fund in Brain Health"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Labatt Family Innovation Fund in Brain Health"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100015070","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosmentalhealth.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLOS Ment Health"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Psychedelics such as psilocybin, LSD, and MDMA have shown promise in treating mental health conditions (e.g., depression, post-traumatic stress disorder) among neurotypical individuals, i.e., typically developing individuals without a diagnosed neurodevelopmental condition. However, their therapeutic potential for treating co-occurring mental-health conditions in autistic individuals remains under-explored. Autistic individuals often face co-occurring mental health challenges but are frequently excluded from clinical trials, creating a gap in effective treatments. This study aimed to explore knowledge, perceptions, and experiences of autistic adults regarding psychedelics. In this survey, \u201cpsychedelics\u201d included classical psychedelics such as psilocybin and LSD, as well as MDMA. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with English-speaking autistic adults. We assessed participants\u2019 knowledge of psychedelics, willingness to use them for mental health treatment, and any past psychedelic experiences. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to assess group differences. A total of 424 participants began the survey, with 261 completing it. Nearly half resided in Canada. Participants generally viewed psychedelics positively, with 77.8% expressing a willingness to try them, and 69.7% reported past use\u2014most commonly psilocybin mushrooms. Higher doses and highly meaningful experiences correlated with longer-lasting mental health improvements. Barriers included legal concerns, health risks, and logistical challenges. Participants with prior experience reported greater perceived knowledge and lower perceived risks. Autistic adults in this self-selecting sample demonstrated strong interest in psychedelics as potential treatments for mental health, despite significant barriers to access and research participation. These results highlight the importance of considering education, policy reform, and inclusive research practices to ensure that autistic people have opportunities to explore psychedelic therapies. These findings should be interpreted cautiously, as the sample may not be representative of the broader autistic population. Future trials should optimize dosing and explore long-term benefits of psychedelics in this population.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pmen.0000514","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,26]],"date-time":"2025-12-26T18:32:52Z","timestamp":1766773972000},"page":"e0000514","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pmen.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Knowledge, perceptions, and use of psychedelics for mental health among autistic adults: An online survey"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"2","author":[{"given":"Sahba","family":"Afsharnia","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vivian","family":"Liang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yona","family":"Lunsky","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-7157-0000","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Aaron P.","family":"Orsini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ami","family":"Tint","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9519-209X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Hsiang-Yuan","family":"Lin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,26]]},"reference":[{"issue":"10","key":"pmen.0000514.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"819","DOI":"10.1016\/S2215-0366(19)30289-5","article-title":"Prevalence of co-occurring mental health diagnoses in the autism population: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"6","author":"M-C Lai","year":"2019","journal-title":"Lancet Psychiatry"},{"key":"pmen.0000514.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"112922","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychres.2020.112922","article-title":"Prevalence of comorbid psychiatric disorders among people with autism spectrum disorder: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses","volume":"287","author":"MM Hossain","year":"2020","journal-title":"Psychiatry Res"},{"issue":"1","key":"pmen.0000514.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"71","DOI":"10.1038\/s41398-023-02374-w","article-title":"Comorbidities in autism spectrum disorder and their etiologies","volume":"13","author":"V Khachadourian","year":"2023","journal-title":"Transl Psychiatry"},{"issue":"8","key":"pmen.0000514.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"921","DOI":"10.1097\/CHI.0b013e318179964f","article-title":"Psychiatric disorders in children with autism spectrum disorders: prevalence, comorbidity, and associated factors in a population-derived sample","volume":"47","author":"E Simonoff","year":"2008","journal-title":"J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry"},{"issue":"7","key":"pmen.0000514.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"937","DOI":"10.1517\/14656566.2016.1154536","article-title":"Psychopharmacological interventions in autism spectrum disorder","volume":"17","author":"RE Accordino","year":"2016","journal-title":"Expert Opin Pharmacother"},{"issue":"10","key":"pmen.0000514.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1620","DOI":"10.1038\/s41562-023-01718-2","article-title":"Mental health challenges faced by autistic people","volume":"7","author":"M-C Lai","year":"2023","journal-title":"Nat Hum Behav"},{"issue":"3","key":"pmen.0000514.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"179","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cnr.2006.06.012","article-title":"Pharmacology of autism","volume":"6","author":"CJ McDougle","year":"2006","journal-title":"Clin Neurosci Res"},{"issue":"12","key":"pmen.0000514.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3215","DOI":"10.1007\/s10803-014-2184-9","article-title":"A systematic review of treatments for anxiety in youth with autism spectrum disorders","volume":"44","author":"RA Vasa","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Autism Dev Disord"},{"key":"pmen.0000514.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"749068","DOI":"10.3389\/fphar.2021.749068","article-title":"Evaluating the potential use of serotonergic psychedelics in autism spectrum disorder","volume":"12","author":"A Markopoulos","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Pharmacol"},{"issue":"5","key":"pmen.0000514.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"427","DOI":"10.1023\/A:1005551523657","article-title":"Repetitive thoughts and behavior in pervasive developmental disorders: treatment with serotonin reuptake inhibitors","volume":"30","author":"CJ McDougle","year":"2000","journal-title":"J Autism Dev Disord"},{"issue":"3","key":"pmen.0000514.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"292","DOI":"10.1176\/appi.ajp.2011.10050764","article-title":"A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of fluoxetine for repetitive behaviors and global severity in adult autism spectrum disorders","volume":"169","author":"E Hollander","year":"2012","journal-title":"Am J Psychiatry"},{"issue":"2","key":"pmen.0000514.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"175","DOI":"10.1007\/s10882-007-9088-y","article-title":"Autism spectrum disorders: pharmacotherapy for challenging behaviors","volume":"20","author":"JL Matson","year":"2008","journal-title":"J Dev Phys Disabil"},{"key":"pmen.0000514.ref013","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109127","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuropharm.2022.109127","article-title":"Special considerations for evaluating psilocybin-facilitated psychotherapy in vulnerable populations","volume":"214","author":"CE Ortiz","year":"2022","journal-title":"Neuropharmacology"},{"issue":"16","key":"pmen.0000514.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2655","DOI":"10.1017\/S003329172000389X","article-title":"Post-acute psychological effects of classical serotonergic psychedelics: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"50","author":"SB Goldberg","year":"2020","journal-title":"Psychol Med"},{"key":"pmen.0000514.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"99","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbr.2014.07.016","article-title":"Recent advances in the neuropsychopharmacology of serotonergic hallucinogens","volume":"277","author":"AL Halberstadt","year":"2015","journal-title":"Behav Brain Res"},{"key":"pmen.0000514.ref016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"13187","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-017-13282-7","article-title":"Psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression: fMRI-measured brain mechanisms","volume":"7","author":"RL Carhart-Harris","year":"2017","journal-title":"Sci Rep"},{"issue":"5","key":"pmen.0000514.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"891","DOI":"10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.1659-20.2020","article-title":"Hallucinogens in mental health: preclinical and clinical studies on LSD, psilocybin, MDMA, and ketamine","volume":"41","author":"D De Gregorio","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Neurosci"},{"key":"pmen.0000514.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"83","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pharmthera.2018.11.010","article-title":"Classic psychedelics: an integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function","volume":"197","author":"MW Johnson","year":"2019","journal-title":"Pharmacol Ther"},{"issue":"2","key":"pmen.0000514.ref019","first-page":"264","article-title":"Psychedelics. Barker EL, editor","volume":"68","author":"DE Nichols","year":"2016","journal-title":"Pharmacol Rev"},{"issue":"2","key":"pmen.0000514.ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"151","DOI":"10.1177\/02698811211073759","article-title":"Efficacy and safety of psilocybin-assisted treatment for major depressive disorder: prospective 12-month follow-up","volume":"36","author":"N Gukasyan","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Psychopharmacol"},{"issue":"18","key":"pmen.0000514.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1637","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMoa2206443","article-title":"Single-dose psilocybin for a treatment-resistant episode of major depression","volume":"387","author":"GM Goodwin","year":"2022","journal-title":"N Engl J Med"},{"issue":"9","key":"pmen.0000514.ref022","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"843","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2023.14530","article-title":"Single-dose psilocybin treatment for major depressive disorder: a randomized clinical trial","volume":"330","author":"CL Raison","year":"2023","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"issue":"5","key":"pmen.0000514.ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"481","DOI":"10.1001\/jamapsychiatry.2020.3285","article-title":"Effects of psilocybin-assisted therapy on major depressive disorder: a randomized clinical trial","volume":"78","author":"AK Davis","year":"2021","journal-title":"JAMA Psychiatry"},{"issue":"12","key":"pmen.0000514.ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1165","DOI":"10.1177\/0269881116675512","article-title":"Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer: a randomized controlled trial","volume":"30","author":"S Ross","year":"2016","journal-title":"J Psychopharmacol"},{"issue":"12","key":"pmen.0000514.ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1181","DOI":"10.1177\/0269881116675513","article-title":"Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: a randomized double-blind trial","volume":"30","author":"RR Griffiths","year":"2016","journal-title":"J Psychopharmacol"},{"issue":"15","key":"pmen.0000514.ref026","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1402","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMoa2032994","article-title":"Trial of psilocybin versus escitalopram for depression","volume":"384","author":"R Carhart-Harris","year":"2021","journal-title":"N Engl J Med"},{"issue":"10","key":"pmen.0000514.ref027","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2473","DOI":"10.1038\/s41591-023-02565-4","article-title":"MDMA-assisted therapy for moderate to severe PTSD: a randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial","volume":"29","author":"JM Mitchell","year":"2023","journal-title":"Nat Med"},{"issue":"5","key":"pmen.0000514.ref028","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"391","DOI":"10.1176\/appi.ajp.2019.19010035","article-title":"Psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy","volume":"177","author":"CM Reiff","year":"2020","journal-title":"Am J Psychiatry"},{"issue":"1","key":"pmen.0000514.ref029","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"71","DOI":"10.1001\/archgenpsychiatry.2010.116","article-title":"Pilot study of psilocybin treatment for anxiety in patients with advanced-stage cancer","volume":"68","author":"CS Grob","year":"2011","journal-title":"Arch Gen Psychiatry"},{"issue":"10","key":"pmen.0000514.ref030","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"985","DOI":"10.3390\/ph14100985","article-title":"Rediscovering psilocybin as an antidepressive treatment strategy","volume":"14","author":"R Zeiss","year":"2021","journal-title":"Pharmaceuticals"},{"issue":"1","key":"pmen.0000514.ref031","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"75","DOI":"10.1080\/13638490601106277","article-title":"Flashback to the 1960s: LSD in the treatment of autism","volume":"10","author":"J Sigafoos","year":"2007","journal-title":"Dev Neurorehabil"},{"issue":"11","key":"pmen.0000514.ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3137","DOI":"10.1007\/s00213-018-5010-9","article-title":"Reduction in social anxiety after MDMA-assisted psychotherapy with autistic adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study","volume":"235","author":"AL Danforth","year":"2018","journal-title":"Psychopharmacology (Berl)"},{"key":"pmen.0000514.ref033","article-title":"Perceived changes in mental health and social engagement attributed to a single psychedelic experience in autistic adults: results from an online survey","author":"J Stroud","year":"2024","journal-title":"Psychopharmacology (Berl)"},{"issue":"3","key":"pmen.0000514.ref034","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"316","DOI":"10.1124\/pr.118.017160","article-title":"REBUS and the anarchic brain: toward a unified model of the brain action of psychedelics","volume":"71","author":"RL Carhart-Harris","year":"2019","journal-title":"Pharmacol Rev"},{"key":"pmen.0000514.ref035","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103208","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbi.2019.103208","article-title":"The REDCap consortium: building an international community of software platform partners","volume":"95","author":"PA Harris","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Biomed Inform"},{"issue":"2","key":"pmen.0000514.ref036","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"377","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbi.2008.08.010","article-title":"Research electronic data capture (REDCap)\u2014A metadata-driven methodology and workflow process for providing translational research informatics support","volume":"42","author":"PA Harris","year":"2009","journal-title":"J Biomed Inform"},{"key":"pmen.0000514.ref037","first-page":"1","article-title":"Knowledge, perceptions, and use of psychedelics among individuals with fibromyalgia","author":"NG Glynos","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Psychoactive Drugs"},{"key":"pmen.0000514.ref038","unstructured":"Nanos-Canadian Psychedelic Association. Strong majority of Canadians would support or somewhat support a government that legalized mushroom-based psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy to improve the quality of life for terminally ill patients [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2024 Oct 16]. Available from: https:\/\/nanos.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/2021-1913-Cdn-Psychedelic-Assoc.-June-Populated-report-with-tabs.pdf"},{"key":"pmen.0000514.ref039","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"955","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2019.00955","article-title":"Persisting reductions in cannabis, opioid, and stimulant misuse after naturalistic psychedelic use: an online survey","volume":"10","author":"A Garcia-Romeu","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front Psychiatry"},{"issue":"4","key":"pmen.0000514.ref040","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"822","DOI":"10.1177\/1362361320908410","article-title":"Listening to the autistic voice: mental health priorities to guide research and practice in autism from a stakeholder-driven project","volume":"24","author":"TW Benevides","year":"2020","journal-title":"Autism"},{"issue":"2","key":"pmen.0000514.ref041","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"98","DOI":"10.1089\/psymed.2023.0002","article-title":"The Canadian psychedelic survey: characteristics, patterns of use, and access in a large sample of people who use psychedelic drugs","volume":"1","author":"S Lake","year":"2023","journal-title":"Psychedelic Med (New Rochelle)"},{"issue":"7","key":"pmen.0000514.ref042","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"725","DOI":"10.1177\/0269881118754710","article-title":"Psychedelics and the essential importance of context","volume":"32","author":"RL Carhart-Harris","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Psychopharmacol"},{"issue":"2","key":"pmen.0000514.ref043","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"213","DOI":"10.1080\/02791072.1997.10400190","article-title":"Set, setting, and matrix","volume":"29","author":"B Eisner","year":"1997","journal-title":"J Psychoactive Drugs"},{"key":"pmen.0000514.ref044","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"733","DOI":"10.3389\/fphar.2018.00733","article-title":"Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy: a paradigm shift in psychiatric research and development","volume":"9","author":"EE Schenberg","year":"2018","journal-title":"Front Pharmacol"},{"issue":"3","key":"pmen.0000514.ref045","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"211","DOI":"10.1080\/09687637.2021.1897331","article-title":"Whitewashing psychedelics: racial equity in the emerging field of psychedelic-assisted mental health research and treatment","volume":"28","author":"J Thrul","year":"2021","journal-title":"Drugs Educ Prev Policy"},{"issue":"11","key":"pmen.0000514.ref046","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1434","DOI":"10.1177\/0269881110382466","article-title":"Acute, subacute and long-term subjective effects of psilocybin in healthy humans: a pooled analysis of experimental studies","volume":"25","author":"E Studerus","year":"2011","journal-title":"J Psychopharmacol"},{"issue":"12","key":"pmen.0000514.ref047","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1268","DOI":"10.1177\/0269881116662634","article-title":"Survey study of challenging experiences after ingesting psilocybin mushrooms: acute and enduring positive and negative consequences","volume":"30","author":"TM Carbonaro","year":"2016","journal-title":"J Psychopharmacol"},{"issue":"8","key":"pmen.0000514.ref048","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1447","DOI":"10.1002\/aur.2777","article-title":"Representativeness of autistic samples in studies recruiting through social media","volume":"15","author":"E-M R\u00f8dgaard","year":"2022","journal-title":"Autism Res"}],"container-title":["PLOS Mental Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pmen.0000514","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,26]],"date-time":"2025-12-26T18:33:01Z","timestamp":1766773981000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pmen.0000514"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Joel","family":"Frohlich","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,26]]},"references-count":48,"journal-issue":{"issue":"12","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,26]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pmen.0000514","relation":{},"ISSN":["2837-8156"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2837-8156","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,26]]}}}