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Should You Tell Your Doctors About Your Psychedelic Use?
Sometimes disclosing drug use is riskier than keeping it to yourself
You probably know that it’s good to be honest with your doctors about everything. If you are a drug user, you’ve probably wondered whether this is a good idea in practice. Being as open as possible about your medical history is a good idea in theory: drug use can definitely impact your health and medical treatments.
But the unfortunate reality is that drugs are heavily stigmatized and subject to massive misconceptions, even among physicians. Doctors are not allowed to report patients to police over illegal drug use, but admitting to it can negatively impact the quality of medical care you receive, and have long-term consequences for your future healthcare.
Doctor-patient privilege and drug use: In the United States, confidentially is federally protected between doctors and adult patients under most circumstances. Without the consent of the patient, a doctor may only disclose private medical information when a patient has admitted plans to harm themself, or may seriously harm another individual. Medical information may also be shared if it could be used as evidence for a violent crime, such as firearm-related injuries. Most drug use is protected, except in rare circumstances such as a…
