Psychedelics are good — really good — for your sex life

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Tripping out may be a plus in the bedroom.

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A study published in the Journal of Sex Research found that psychedelic substances may play a role when it comes to intimacy.

Nearly 600 people were surveyed about their sexual experiences — both long-term and short-term — while on psychedelics such as psilocybin mushrooms, LSD, ecstasy (MDMA), and ketamine.

The researchers out of the University at Buffalo, University of Michigan Medical School, University of Exeter, and the University of South Carolina Salkehatchie analyzed how the participants felt about their relationships, their partners and the sex itself.

Participants in the study reported that psychedelic experiences led to deeper feelings of connection with their partners, with many calling out improved relationship quality, more of an attraction to their partners, and more satisfying sex.

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“People in clinical trials and people going on psychedelic retreats in other countries have talked about a broad range of positive effects, including greater self-insight and feeling more connected to other people,” said first author Daniel Kruger, a research associate professor at the University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions.

“Could there be benefits for intimate relationships in the long-term?”

It’s those kinds of questions that motivated the researchers to delve deeper, as psychedelics and how they affect sexual behaviour and gender identity had yet to be explored.

To learn more, participants were asked to reflect on how their psychedelic use shaped parts of their sexual and romantic lives.

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About 70% said their sexuality or sexual experiences were influenced by psychedelic use, and of those, 65% noticed changes in the short term while 53% said the effects lasted over time.

“Honestly, it makes sense to me that psychedelics might help with sex and relationships,” relationship expert Callisto Adams told The Toronto Sun.

“When people trip, they often feel more open, connected, and less hung up on fear or insecurity,” she explained.

“That mix of lowered inhibition and increased emotional presence can definitely boost intimacy and make sex more meaningful.”

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What was more unexpected for researchers was how psychedelics influenced some participants’ gender identity or expression, with some saying the experience gave them new insight into how they related to gender overall.

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A small percentage (10%) of those surveyed admitted their gender identity had shifted after using psychedelics, with some saying they have a new awareness of gender fluidity.

Others noted their feelings switched between feminine and masculine, as well as changes in sexual attraction.

“I think the biggest surprise for me was the increase in same-sex attraction, reported by a quarter of women and about one in eight men,” Kruger said.

“A third of those with other gender identities also reported changes,” he added. “Most people did not experience this, but the fact that so many people did is striking.”

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