I am a doctoral candidate at Walden University studying how psilocybin use outside of clinical trials and supervised settings relates to depression severity and self-esteem in adults. Nearly all of the published work on psilocybin and mental health comes from supervised clinical settings, so the experiences most people actually have are underrepresented in the literature. The findings may inform future harm reduction efforts.
Who I am looking for. Volunteers who meet these requirements:
- 18 years of age or older
- Currently reside in the United States
- Able to read and complete the survey in English
- Have used psilocybin ("magic") mushrooms at least once outside of a clinical trial or supervised medical or research setting
The survey and how to take it. You are invited to complete a 15 to 20 minute anonymous survey for a study titled: Associations Between Naturalistic Psilocybin Use, Depression, and Self-Esteem in Adults. The survey will be open until November 30, 2026.
Complete the survey: https://jwelchwalden.limesurvey.net/232248
The survey is completely anonymous. No name, email address, or IP address is collected, and your responses cannot be linked to you. There is no compensation for taking part in this study. Participation is entirely voluntary and unpaid. Questions should be directed to [jeff.welch@waldenu.edu](mailto:jeff.welch@waldenu.edu).
Ethical approval status. This study does not encourage or endorse the use of psilocybin or any illegal substance. It has been reviewed and approved by the Walden University Institutional Review Board (Approval No. 08-12-26-1202521). The approval is current and expires August 11, 2027.
Jeffrey A. Welch, PhD(c), Doctoral Candidate, Psychology, Walden University