--- title: "Therapists Warn That Taking Magic Mushrooms for Treatment Can Lead to Unwanted Romantic Feelings" description: "Therapists suggest in a new study that there are some intense drawbacks, on their sides and for patients, of psychedelic therapy." date: "2024-04-30" modified: "2024-04-30" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/therapists-warn-mushroom-therapy" categories: - "Health & Medicine" - "Medical" - "Treatments" tags: - "mushrooms" - "psilocybin" - "psychedelic therapies" - "psychedelics" --- # Therapists Warn That Taking Magic Mushrooms for Treatment Can Lead to Unwanted Romantic Feelings ![Therapists suggest in a new study that there are some intense drawbacks, on their sides and for patients, of psychedelic therapy.]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* As far as mind-altering substances are concerned, psilocybin is considered [one of the safer ones]() — but according to practitioners who administer them therapeutically, the emotional effects of magic mushrooms can result in some pretty intense hazards. In an [interview with *PsyPost*](), one of the coauthors of a new paper about the drawbacks of psychedelic therapies, Jón Ingi Hlynsson, suggested that one of the field's biggest unforeseen issues occurs when patients develop feelings for their therapists — or, perhaps, vice versa. In the paper, published in the [*Journal of Psychedelic Studies*](), the researchers note that although psychedelic-assisted therapies have been demonstrated to be extremely beneficial for many patients, the "mind-altering capabilities" of these drugs make their risks "predominantly psychological." While there's been [some research]() into the dangers of psychedelic therapy [on the patient side](), there hasn't been as holistic a look into how it can affect practitioners — a gap, Hlynsson suggested, the people behind this study sought to fill. In their study, the researchers, who except for Hlynsson were based out of Sweden's Stockholm University asked current and former psychedelic therapists about some of the negative experiences they'd had conducting such therapy. As they soon learned, "many treatment providers reported issues with romantic transference and blurred professional boundaries." "Even for experienced therapists," Hlynsson said, "managing romantic transference proved to be a challenge." In a certain sense, it's not hard to see why. Anyone who's recreationally indulged in 'shrooms — or any other psychedelic, for that matter — can attest that there tends to be a bond, however fleeting, established between [people tripping together](). In drug-taking communities of yore, it was common to develop [similar imprinting emotions]() on so-called "[trip sitters]()," the designated drivers, who stay sober and watch over those who are tripping to help them if they reach a scary crossroads. As the paper itself notes, some therapists found the shift in power dynamics between them and their tripping patients to be "extreme," while others still suggested that they developed feelings for the patients or found it "difficult to resist romantic advances." That's about the last thing anyone who's seeking psychedelic therapy wants or needs. There were, of course, other therapist-side drawbacks documented in the study: dealing with patients' nausea or tripping freakouts, for one, and difficulty managing their other emotional reactions, such as paranoia and disorientation. But the romantic transference thing definitely was the most shocking of the reported issues with mushroom therapy — to the point that one has to wonder, given that the study was qualitative and not quantitative, how often that sort of thing happens on either end. In sum, Hlynsson warns that although "existing research presents promising findings, we need to exercise caution before endorsing psilocybin as a viable treatment for mental disorders." "Our study suggests that potential negative effects of these substances, especially for vulnerable individuals seeking psychotherapy, are not yet fully understood," he concluded. **More on psychedelics:** [*People Who Take Magic Mushrooms Have Better Sex, Scientists Find*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()