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Recalled childhood trauma and post-psychedelic trajectories of change in a mixed-methods study

Summary

This study examined how childhood trauma can resurface during psychedelic experiences and what happens afterward. Researchers surveyed over 600 people who had difficult experiences after using psychedelics, and interviewed 18 of them in detail. They found that trauma surfaced in different ways—some people vividly relived events, others felt intense bodily sensations, and some experienced confusion. About half of participants found healing from the experience, while others struggled with ongoing trauma symptoms or mixed outcomes. The research emphasizes the importance of proper preparation, supportive settings, and follow-up integration work to help people process these experiences safely.

Background

Psychedelic substances can facilitate emotional processing of autobiographical material, but some users experience adverse effects or re-traumatization when trauma resurfaces during psychedelic experiences. Little research has examined how resurfaced childhood trauma during psychedelic use relates to long-term psychological outcomes and the contextual factors that shape recovery trajectories.

Objective

To examine how participant-identified childhood or youth trauma resurfaces during psychedelic states and how such episodes relate to post-experience trajectories of change, including both positive and negative psychological outcomes. The study investigates the phenomenology of trauma resurfacing and the conditions under which re-experiencing can lead to therapeutic integration or continued distress.

Results

41.8% of survey participants linked post-psychedelic difficulties to childhood trauma; these individuals were significantly older, more often female, had higher rates of prior mental illness diagnoses, and used psychedelics in guided settings. Qualitative analysis identified four themes: direct trauma re-experiencing (39%), symbolic/somatic re-embodiment (22%), fragmentation and confusion (50%), and varied post-experience trajectories ranging from positive integration (50%) to mixed effects (28%) to re-traumatization (22%).

Conclusion

Psychedelic experiences can surface deeply buried or suppressed childhood trauma memories with both therapeutic and re-traumatizing potential. Trauma-informed approaches including appropriate preparation, supportive settings, and robust integration support are critical for maximizing therapeutic potential while preventing re-traumatization. Uncertainty around memory veridicality emerged as a significant source of ongoing distress.
  • Published in:Scientific Reports,
  • Study Type:Mixed-Methods Study,
  • Source: PMID: 41309700, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-26198-4
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