Why Naturalistic Research Offers the Best Insight Into Real-World Psychedelic Use

By Katie Pickard, Director of Education

Psychedelics have been the focus of groundbreaking clinical research in recent years, but there’s a major gap in our understanding: how people actually use these substances outside of controlled lab environments. While clinical trials provide essential data, they don’t fully capture the realities of psychedelic use in everyday settings. That’s where naturalistic research comes in.

At Unlimited Sciences, we believe that studying psychedelics in real-world contexts is essential for understanding their true effects. In fact, we conducted the largest naturalistic psilocybin study in the world, gathering data from people using psilocybin mushrooms in their own environments rather than in a clinical lab. The study’s findings help bridge the gap between scientific research and lived experiences, offering valuable insights that clinical trials simply can’t provide.

What is Naturalistic Research?

Unlike clinical trials that take place in highly controlled lab settings, naturalistic research follows participants as they engage with psychedelics in their own environments: whether that’s at home, in nature, or in ceremonial settings. This type of research provides a more accurate picture of how people actually experience psilocybin, rather than how they respond in a clinical setting under strict supervision.

Why Naturalistic Research Matters for Psychedelics

1. More Realistic Use Scenarios: In clinical trials, participants take psychedelics in hospital-like environments with doctors present, which is not how most people actually use them. Studying psychedelics in natural settings helps us understand how set, setting, and personal intention influence outcomes.
2. Diverse Participants: Clinical trials often have strict inclusion criteria, excluding people with certain mental health conditions, medical histories, or even life circumstances. Naturalistic studies welcome a wider range of participants, making the data more applicable to the general population.
3. Long-Term, Self-Reported Data: Naturalistic studies rely on real-world experiences and self-reported outcomes, rather than moment-in-time lab assessments. This helps us see how psilocybin impacts people over weeks and months, not just in a controlled environment.
4. Fewer Government Restrictions: Unlike FDA-approved trials, which are limited by government regulations on what can and can’t be studied, naturalistic research is independent. This means we can explore what actually matters to people rather than just what regulators want studied.

Naturalistic Research in Psychedelics Sees 52% Growth in the Last Decade

Published papers on psychedelics featuring real-world research have seen significant growth in recent years. In 2018, papers on psilocybin mentioning naturalistic research represented just 9.4% of the total published psychedelic papers, but by 2024, that figure had risen to 14.3% (Source: Google Scholar).

This marks a 52% increase in the proportion of naturalistic research within the broader field of psychedelic studies in the last decade. With the total number of papers on psilocybin doubling since 2018, the continued focus on real-world applications and lived experiences highlights a growing recognition of the importance of studying psychedelics in natural settings. This shift reflects a broader push for research that goes beyond controlled environments to better understand the true impact of psychedelics in everyday life.

IRB Approval: Ensuring Ethical and Rigorous Research

Even though naturalistic research isn’t conducted in a lab, it’s still held to high ethical and scientific standards. Studies like ours undergo Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, which ensures:

• The research is ethically conducted
• Participants’ rights and safety are protected
• The study design meets scientific integrity standards

However, IRB approval is not the same as FDA approval. The FDA controls clinical trials, but because naturalistic studies aren’t part of the government’s regulatory system, we’re able to research what people actually want to know—not just what federal agencies allow.

Naturalistic research provides a deeper, more accurate understanding of how psychedelics impact real people in real environments. While clinical trials are necessary for medical approval, they don’t tell the full story. By studying psilocybin use in natural settings, Unlimited Sciences is uncovering insights that truly reflect how psychedelics are used, experienced, and integrated into people’s lives.

This is research for the people, by the people, and it’s shaping the future of psychedelic understanding.

If you’re looking for personalized guidance and support before or after a psychedelic experience, the Unlimited Sciences Psychedelic Info Line offers free, 1:1 support for answering questions about psychedelic safety, integration, and emotional processing.