Psychosis describes a loss of contact with reality, such as hallucinations or fixed false beliefs. CAMH describes it, including psychosis brought on by substances, and says people with psychosis can be treated. A frightening trip that ends with the drug is a different thing from a psychotic disorder.
The evidence on psilocybin is mixed. Case reports describe psychotic episodes after psilocybin use, mostly in people who were predisposed (Morris, 2024). A 2013 US population study found no link between lifetime psychedelic use and psychotic symptoms (Krebs and Johansen, 2013), but surveys like this cannot rule out harm to some individuals. A 2025 review that pooled 131 publications across several psychedelics judged the studies mostly low quality and few (Sabé et al., 2025).
Clinical trials screen people out. One 2021 depression trial excluded anyone with a personal or first- or second-degree family history of psychotic or bipolar disorders (Davis et al., 2021). As a result, little is known about safety for those groups. This is not medical advice.
General information, not medical advice. In an emergency in Canada, call 911. For a mental-health crisis, call or text 9-8-8.
Sources
- CAMH: Psychosis
- Sabé et al. (2025), Reconsidering evidence for psychedelic-induced psychosis
- Krebs and Johansen (2013), Psychedelics and mental health: a population study
- Davis et al. (2021), Effects of psilocybin-assisted therapy on major depressive disorder
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