Psychedelics have recently been propelled into the mainstream and research is showing promising outcomes for mental health care. There is little research exploring the recreational use of psychedelics in adult couples in a committed relationship and it is mainly anecdotal evidence that shines light on this phenomenon.
The purpose of this study is to understand the motivations, processes and potential changes a couple experiences as a result of taking psilocybin together.
What happens when you take part in the study?
Initially, you and your partner will be invited to a pre-screening call where we will cover the relevant information of this study and confirm the inclusion and exclusion criteria. This is also an opportunity for both of you to ask any questions.
If satisfactory for all parties, you will separately be invited to a 90-minute interview conducted via Microsoft Teams. The researcher has interview questions prepared that focus on your preparation, motivations, experience, the impact on your relationship and integration into everyday life. Potential questions may include: ‘Tell me about your personal experience whilst on the magic mushroom trip?’ or ‘How is your relationship after taking magic mushrooms together?’. These questions will serve as a foundation, but we also encourage an open dialogue about your experience. After the interview, the researcher will offer you a call to check in.
What are the requirements to take part in the study?
The inclusion criteria for this study are as follows:
- Both members are required to be aged 18 or older.
- The study is open to all forms of romantic relationships, including same-sex relationships providing they are monogamous and last at least three years at the point of the interview.
- Both members of the couple should have used psilocybin at least once with their partner in the past 12 months.
- You either have no children, or children above the age of 18.
- Written and spoken English to a standard that allows comprehension of the study documents and completion of the interview process.
The exclusion criteria for this study are as follows:
- You should identify as not having a problematic relationship with substances.
- If you are currently experiencing a period of serious mental distress.
- Have past experiences that could be triggered as a result of recounting a psilocybin trip.
How can I register my interest?
Before expressing your interest, please have a read of the participant information sheet here.
Once you have both read this and both you and your partner are interested in taking part, we would ask you both to fill out the registration form here.
This study has been reviewed by and received ethics clearance through the Senate Research Ethics Committee, City, University of London. If you have any problems, concerns or questions about this study, you should ask to speak to a member of the research team. If you would like to complain about any aspects of the study, please contact Annah Whyton, Secretary to the Senate Research Ethics Committee at senaterec@city.ac.uk. City, University of London is the data controller for the personal data collected for this research project. If you have any data protection concerns about this research project, please contact the City’s Information Compliance Team at dataprotection@city.ac.uk.