Psychedelic-Induced Changes in Personality Traits: A Systematic Review

An increasing number of studies have examined the effects of psychedelics on mental wellbeing and their potential use as adjunctive therapy for depressive and anxiety disorders. In this review, we compiled research from the past ten years that focused specifically on the impact of psychedelic use on personality traits. A systematic search was conducted across the databases Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus, as well as the trial registry ClinicalTrials.gov, identifying a total of 27 studies including a total of 1,941 participants. The findings from these studies are heterogeneous; however, majority of them report that psychedelics may induce changes in personality traits associated with improvements in mental health, particularly reductions in neuroticism. Adaptive changes appear to be influenced by baseline participant characteristics, including personality traits, as well as qualitative aspects of the psychedelic experience itself. The current evidence is limited, as most studies involved small sample sizes, highlighting the need for more randomized, double-blind controlled trials to draw definitive conclusions. Future research would also benefit from focusing on psychedelic-naïve participants to better understand the effects in individuals without prior exposure. Overall, while preliminary findings are promising, rigorous and larger-scale investigations are essential to clarify the mechanisms and long-term impact of psychedelics on personality and psychological wellbeing.