Microdosing Psychedelics: Personality, mental health, and creativity differences in microdosers

Microdosing psychedelics - the regular consumption of small amounts of psychedelic substances such as LSD or psilocybin - is a growing trend in popular culture. Recent studies on full-dose psychedelic psychotherapy reveal promising benefits for mental well-being, especially for depression and end-of-life anxiety. While full-dose therapies include perception-distorting properties, microdosing may provide complementary clinical benefits using lower-risk, non-hallucinogenic doses. No experimental study has evaluated psychedelic microdosing, however; this pre-registered study is the first to investigate microdosing psychedelics and mental health. Recruited from online forums, current and former microdosers scored lower on measures of dysfunctional attitudes and negative emotionality and higher on wisdom, open-mindedness, and creativity when compared to non-microdosing controls. These findings provide promising initial evidence that warrants controlled experimental research to directly test safety and clinical efficacy. As microdoses are easier to administer than full-doses, this new paradigm has the exciting potential to shape future psychedelic research.

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Beliefs in social inclusion: Invariance in associations among hope, dysfunctional attitudes, and social inclusion across adolescence and young adulthood

Development and Psychopathology ◽

10.1017/s0954579417001195 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 1403-1419 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Clio Berry ◽

Kathryn Greenwood

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Inclusion ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Social Activity ◽

Well Being ◽

Dysfunctional Attitudes ◽

New Paradigm ◽

Community Belonging ◽

Healthy Young People ◽

Key Policy

AbstractSocial disability in youth is an important precursor of long-term social and mental health problems. Social inclusion is a key policy driver and fits well within a new paradigm of health and well-being rather than illness-oriented services, yet little is known about social inclusion and its facilitators for “healthy” young people. We present a novel exploratory structural analysis of social inclusion using measures from 387 14- to 36-year-olds. Our model represents social inclusion as comprising social activity and community belonging, with both domains predicted by hopeful and dysfunctional self-beliefs but hopefulness more uniquely predicting social inclusion in adolescence. We conclude that social inclusion can be modeled for meaningful comparison across spectra of development, mental health, and functioning.

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Furloughs, Teleworking and Other Work Situations during the COVID-19 Lockdown: Impact on Mental Well-Being

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18062898 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (6) ◽

pp. 2898

Author(s):

Israel Escudero-Castillo ◽

Fco. Javier Mato-Díaz ◽

Ana Rodriguez-Alvarez

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Ad Hoc ◽

Well Being ◽

The Self ◽

Exogenous Shock ◽

Work Location ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Market Status ◽

Mental Well Being ◽

Labour Market Status

As a consequence of the Spring 2020 lockdown that occurred in Spain due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many people lost their jobs or had to be furloughed. The objective of this study is to analyse the influence of the latter changes in labour market status on psychological well-being. For this purpose, an ad-hoc questionnaire featuring socio-demographic and mental health criteria was created. Granted that the pandemic can be viewed as an exogenous shock, the bias caused by the bidirectional problems between the work situation and mental well-being can be tackled. Results indicate that the lockdown exerted a greater negative effect on the self-perceived well-being of unemployed and furloughed persons than on those in employment. Moreover, among those in continuous employment, teleworkers experienced a lesser degree of self-perceived well-being post lockdown as compared to those people remaining in the same work location throughout the COVID-19 crisis. Finally, the lockdown provoked worse effects on the self-perceived well-being of women as compared to men, a result that appears to be related to gender differences in household production. In conclusion, these results could be especially relevant given that the evolution of the pandemic is having ongoing effects on employment and, therefore, on the mental health of workers.

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COVID-19 is having a destructive impact on health-care workers’ mental well-being

International Journal for Quality in Health Care ◽

10.1093/intqhc/mzaa158 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Kris Vanhaecht ◽

Deborah Seys ◽

Luk Bruyneel ◽

Bianca Cox ◽

Gorik Kaesemans ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Residential Care ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Well Being ◽

Mental Health Symptoms ◽

Health Symptoms ◽

Care Workers ◽

Sources Of Support ◽

Mental Well Being

Abstract Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may aggravate workplace conditions that impact health-care workers’ mental health. However, it can also place other stresses on workers outside of their work. This study determines the effect of COVID-19 on symptoms of negative and positive mental health and the workforce’s experience with various sources of support. Effect modification by demographic variables was also studied. Methods A cross-sectional survey study, conducted between 2 April and 4 May 2020 (two waves), led to a convenience sample of 4509 health-care workers in Flanders (Belgium), including paramedics (40.6%), nurses (33.4%), doctors (13.4%) and management staff (12.2%). About three in four were employed in university and acute hospitals (29.6%), primary care practices (25.7%), residential care centers (21.3%) or care sites for disabled and mental health care. In each of the two waves, participants were asked how frequently (on a scale of 0–10) they experienced positive and negative mental health symptoms during normal circumstances and during last week, referred to as before and during COVID-19, respectively. These symptoms were stress, hypervigilance, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, unable to relax, fear, irregular lifestyle, flashback, difficulty concentrating, feeling unhappy and dejected, failing to recognize their own emotional response, doubting knowledge and skills and feeling uncomfortable within the team. Associations between COVID-19 and mental health symptoms were estimated by cumulative logit models and reported as odds ratios. The needed support was our secondary outcome and was reported as the degree to which health-care workers relied on sources of support and how they experienced them. Results All symptoms were significantly more pronounced during versus before COVID-19. For hypervigilance, there was a 12-fold odds (odds ratio 12.24, 95% confidence interval 11.11–13.49) during versus before COVID-19. Positive professional symptoms such as the feeling that one can make a difference were less frequently experienced. The association between COVID-19 and mental health was generally strongest for the age group 30–49 years, females, nurses and residential care centers. Health-care workers reported to rely on support from relatives and peers. A considerable proportion, respectively, 18 and 27%, reported the need for professional guidance from psychologists and more support from their leadership. Conclusions The toll of the crisis has been heavy on health-care workers. Those who carry leadership positions at an organizational or system level should take this opportunity to develop targeted strategies to mitigate key stressors of health-care workers’ mental well-being.

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Efficacy of ‘Foundations’, a Digital Mental Health App to Improve Mental Well-Being, during COVID-19: A Proof-of-Principle Randomised Controlled Trial (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.30976 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Silvina Catuara-Solarz ◽

Bartlomiej Skorulski ◽

Inaki Estella ◽

Claudia Avella-Garcia ◽

Sarah Shepherd ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Well Being ◽

Self Report ◽

World Health ◽

Randomised Control Trial ◽

Control Group ◽

Mental Well Being ◽

Proof Of Principle

BACKGROUND Against a long-term trend of increasing demand, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a global rise in common mental disorders. Now more than ever, there is an urgent need for scalable, evidence-based interventions to support mental well-being. OBJECTIVE The aim of this proof-of-principle study was to evaluate the efficacy of a mobile-based app in adults with self-reported symptoms of anxiety and stress in a randomised control trial that took place during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. METHODS Adults with mild to severe anxiety and moderate to high levels of perceived stress were randomised to either the intervention or control arm. Participants in the intervention arm were given access to the app, Foundations, for the duration of the 4-week study. All participants were required to self-report a range of validated measures of mental well-being (10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience scale [CD-RISC-10]; 7-item Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale [GAD-7]; Office of National Statistics Four Subjective Well-being Questions [ONS-4]; World Health Organisation-5 Well-Being Index [WHO-5]) and sleep (Minimal Insomnia Scale [MISS]) at baseline and weeks 2 and 4; and, in addition, on perceived stress weekly (10-item Perceived Stress Score [PSS]). RESULTS 136 participants completed the study and were included in the final analysis. The intervention group (n=62) showed significant improvements compared to the control group (n=74) on measures of anxiety (GAD-7 score, delta from baseline to week 2 in the intervention group: -1.35 [SD 4.43]; control group: -0.23 [SD 3.24]; t134= 1.71 , P=.04), resilience (CD-RISC score, delta from baseline to week 2 in the intervention group: 1.79 [± SD 4.08]; control group: -0.31 [± SD 3.16]; t134 -3.37, P<.001), sleep (MISS score, delta from baseline to week 2 in the intervention group: -1.16 [± SD 2.67]; control group: -0.26 [± SD 2.29]; t134= 2.13, P=.01), and mental well-being (WHO-5 score, delta from baseline to week 2 in the intervention group: 1.53 [5.30]; control group: -0.23 [± SD 4.20]; t134= -2.16, P=.02) within 2 weeks of using Foundations, with further improvements emerging at week 4. Perceived stress was also reduced within the intervention group, although the results did not reach statistical significance relative to the control group (PSS score, delta from baseline to week 2 in the intervention group: -2.94 [± SD 6.84]; control group: -2.05 [± SD 5.34]; t134= 0.84, P=.20). CONCLUSIONS This study provides proof-of-principle that the digital mental health app, Foundations, can improve measures of mental well-being, anxiety, resilience, and sleep within 2 weeks of use, with greater effects after 4 weeks. It therefore offers potential as a scalable, cost-effective, and accessible solution to enhance mental well-being, even during times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Identifying key targets for interventions to improve psychological wellbeing: replicable results from four UK cohorts

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291718003288 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 49 (14) ◽

pp. 2389-2396 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

J. Stochl ◽

E. Soneson ◽

A.P. Wagner ◽

G.M. Khandaker ◽

I. Goodyer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Public Mental Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Psychological Wellbeing ◽

Self Perception ◽

Health And Wellbeing ◽

Self Confidence ◽

Mental Health Interventions ◽

Mental Well Being ◽

Signal Improvement

AbstractBackgroundAn increasing importance is being placed on mental health and wellbeing at individual and population levels. While there are several interventions that have been proposed to improve wellbeing, more evidence is needed to understand which aspects of wellbeing are most influential. This study aimed to identify key items that signal improvement of mental health and wellbeing.MethodsUsing network analysis, we identified the most central items in the graph network estimated from the well-established Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS). Results were compared across four major UK cohorts comprising a total of 47,578 individuals: the Neuroscience in Psychiatry Network, the Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey, the Northern Ireland Health Survey, and the National Child Development Study.ResultsRegardless of gender, the three items most central in the network were related to positive self-perception and mood: ‘I have been feeling good about myself’; ‘I have been feeling confident’; and ‘I have been feeling cheerful’. Results were consistent across all four cohorts.ConclusionsPositive self-perception and positive mood are central to psychological wellbeing. Psychotherapeutic and public mental health interventions might best promote psychological wellbeing by prioritising the improvement of self-esteem, self-confidence and cheerfulness. However, empirical testing of interventions using these key targets is needed.

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Self-Reported Well-Being Indicators and Case Identification of Common Mental Health Disorders in Routinely Collected Health Data

International Journal for Population Data Science ◽

10.23889/ijpds.v5i5.1618 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (5) ◽

Author(s):

Daniel Thompson ◽

Ann John ◽

Richard Fry ◽

Alan Watkins

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Satisfaction With Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Mental Health Disorders ◽

Resource Utilisation ◽

Individual Response ◽

Individual Level ◽

Case Identification ◽

Health Disorders ◽

Mental Well Being

IntroductionCommon mental health disorders (CMD) are significant contributors to impaired health and well-being, and drive greater health resource utilisation. Electronic health records (EHR) are increasingly used for case identification of CMD when ascertaining social determinants of mental health. We seek to compare self-reported well-being indicators in groups identified using EHR-based CMD methods. Objectives and ApproachThe National Survey for Wales (NSW) contains self-reported well-being indicators (Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale, WEMWBS) recorded annually on ~7,000 individuals. We combined data from two NSWs and linked well-being indicators with Welsh Longitudinal General Practice (WLGP) data within the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank, using individual response dates. We then used WGLP data to algorithmically derive identifiers of CMD cases within survey respondents. This individual-level linkage enables a comparison of NSW responses in CMD and non-CMD cases, and to assess sensitivity and specificity of the current CMD algorithm. ResultsSurvey participants comprised 18,450 adults aged 16+ and living in Wales during 16/17 or 18/19. WEMWBS responses indicate 2,338 (12.6%) participants could be considered possibly depressed, and 2,268 (12.3%) probably depressed with low mental well-being (LMW). For participants with LMW, a 42/58 percentage split is observed between male/female respondents, compared to a 45/55 respective split of those not identified with LMW. Participants with LMW recorded low measures for overall satisfaction with life, 998 (44%) reported a value of 5 or less (/10) compared to 1123 (7%) participants not identified with LMW. Similarly, 828 (37%) participants identified with LMW reported 5 or less (/10) on the life worthwhile index, compared to 800 (5%) of non-LMW participants. Conclusion / ImplicationsLinkage to the NSW provides a rich data source to compare objective well-being to algorithmically derived CMD cases from routinely collected primary care data. The individual-level linkage involved will allow for the wider determinants of mental health disorders to be examined.

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An audit looking at the impact of poverty on referrals to child and adolescent mental health services

BJPsych Open ◽

10.1192/bjo.2021.886 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (S1) ◽

pp. S338-S338

Author(s):

Aida Nourbakhsh ◽

Kandarp Joshi ◽

Breige Yorston

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Service Provision ◽

Well Being ◽

Referral Criteria ◽

Medication Intervention ◽

The Impact ◽

Mental Well Being ◽

Index Of Multiple Deprivation ◽

Made In ◽

Deprived Areas

AimsRecently, there has been a greater focus on how mental health in young people (YP) can be improved. Up to 10% of YP in Scotland have a diagnosable mental health condition1 and half of all adults with mental ill-health have had symptoms from their mid-teens2. Poverty is an important factor associated with poorer mental well-being from an early age which worsens if left untreated3. The aim of this audit was to answer the question: Are more YP referred from the least deprived areas, and are they more likely to require medication intervention or high intensity (tier 4) care? The results of which could help identify possible avenues for intervention to help improve retention of those most at risk of negative outcomes.MethodNHS Grampian CAMHS provides service to Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, and Moray. Pre-collected data over 15 months from these areas were analysed using the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) deciles to distinguish any differences between referrals made. In addition, this audit evaluated the data to define any trends of deprivation linking YP to medication intervention or tier 4 care.ResultResults showed that more referrals were made for YP in low-ranking areas (3.19% of decile one compared to 1.74% of decile ten). The referrals were also more likely to be rejected based on the referral criteria, 33% in decile one versus 21% in decile ten. The increased rejection of referrals is most likely a reflection of the health inequalities faced by communities in more deprived areas. In terms of service provision, the patients from the most deprived areas are 3 times more like to require tier 4 care while the least deprived are 1.5 times more likely as compared to percentage of population. With regards to medication intervention patients from deciles one, five, six and seven have significantly higher numbers.ConclusionThis project set out to look at the current service provided by CAMHS and found that despite best efforts deprivation has had an impact on the acceptance of referrals. Going forward this data will be shared with multiagency stakeholders to develop service provisions, in particular the issues identified with the rejection of referrals in more deprived areas. Higher level of medication use in more deprived population is not unexpected but highlights the need to share the findings with a multiagency network.

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The Influence of Technology on Mental Well-Being of STEM Teachers at University Level: COVID-19 as a Stressor

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18189605 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (18) ◽

pp. 9605

Author(s):

Johanna Andrea Navarro-Espinosa ◽

Manuel Vaquero-Abellán ◽

Alberto-Jesús Perea-Moreno ◽

Gerardo Pedrós-Pérez ◽

Pilar Aparicio-Martínez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Online Education ◽

Bibliometric Analysis ◽

Well Being ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Health Issues ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

University Teachers ◽

Use Of Technology ◽

Mental Well Being

Stress can result in psychopathologies, such as anxiety or depression, when this risk factor continues in time. One major stressor was the COVID-19 pandemic, which triggered considerable emotional distress and mental health issues among different workers, including teachers, with another stressor: technology and online education. A mixed-method approach is presented in this research, combining a cross-sectional study of university teachers from Ecuador and Spain with a medium of twenty years of working experience (N = 55) and a bibliometric analysis carried out in three databases (161 documents). The levels of anxiety and depression, and therefore the risk of developing them as mental disorders, were high. The lack of training (p < 0.01), time (p < 0.05), or research regarding the use of technology in education (p < 0.01) and stress caused by COVID-19 (p < 0.001) were linked to frequency. The most relevant observational study obtained through the bibliometric analysis (138 citations and over 65% of methodological quality) indicated that previous training and behavioral factors are key in the stress related to technology. The combination of the results indicated that mental health in STEM teachers at university is related to diverse factors, from training to the family and working balance.

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Socioeconomic gradients and mental health: implications for public health

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.bp.114.147280 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 206 (6) ◽

pp. 461-465 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Sarah Stewart-Brown ◽

Preshila Chandimali Samaraweera ◽

Frances Taggart ◽

Ngianga-Bakwin Kandala ◽

Saverio Stranges

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Employment Status ◽

Linear Trend ◽

Well Being ◽

Odds Ratios ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Middle Range ◽

The Unemployed ◽

Mental Well Being

BackgroundResearch on mental well-being is relatively new and studies of its determinants are rare.AimsTo investigate whether the socioeconomic correlates of mental well-being mirror those for mental illness.MethodUsing logistic regression analyses, the independent odds ratios of high and low mental well-being, compared with middle-range mental well-being, were estimated for a number of sociodemographic variables known to be associated with mental illness from 13 983 participants in the 2010 and 2011 Health Surveys for England.ResultsIndependent odds ratios for low mental well-being were as expected from studies of mental illness with increased odds for the unemployed (OR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.01–2.10) and those aged 35–54 years (OR = 1.58, 95% CI 1.35–1.84) and reduced odds for the married (OR = 0.78, 95% CI 0.62–0.97). A linear trend was observed with education and equivalised income. Odds ratios for high mental well-being differed from those for low mental well-being with regard to age (55+ years: OR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.23–1.79); employment status where there was an association only with retirement (OR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.09–1.69); education where there was no association; and equivalised income for which the association was non-linear.ConclusionsOdds ratios for low mental well-being mirrored those for mental illness, but not those for high mental well-being, suggesting that the socioeconomic factors associated with positive mental health are different from those associated with mental illness.

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Mental well-being of patients from ethnic minority groups during critical care: a qualitative ethnographic study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014075 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (9) ◽

pp. e014075 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Rose Lima Van Keer ◽

Reginald Deschepper ◽

Luc Huyghens ◽

Johan Bilsen

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Risk Factors ◽

Critical Care ◽

Ethnic Minority ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Minority Groups ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Well Being ◽

Ethnic Minority Groups ◽

Mental Well Being

ObjectivesTo investigate the state of the mental well-being of patients from ethnic minority groups and possible related risk factors for the development of mental health problems among these patients during critical medical situations in hospital.DesignQualitative ethnographic design.SettingOneintensive care unit (ICU) of a multiethnic urban hospital in Belgium.Participants84 ICU staff members, 10 patients from ethnic-minority groups and their visiting family members.ResultsPatients had several human basic needs for which they could not sufficiently turn to anybody, neither to their healthcare professionals, nor to their relatives nor to other patients. These needs included the need for social contact, the need to increase comfort and alleviate pain, the need to express desperation and participate in end-of-life decision making. Three interrelated risk factors for the development of mental health problems among the patients included were identified: First, healthcare professionals’ mainly biomedical care approach (eg, focus on curing the patient, limited psychosocial support), second, the ICU context (eg, time pressure, uncertainty, regulatory frameworks) and third, patients’ different ethnocultural background (eg, religious and phenotypical differences).ConclusionsThe mental state of patients from ethnic minority groups during critical care is characterised by extreme emotional loneliness. It is important that staff should identify and meet patients’ unique basic needs in good time with regard to their mental well-being, taking into account important threats related to their own mainly biomedical approach to care, the ICU’s structural context as well as the patients’ different ethnocultural background.

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