The medical sociological and social epidemiological psychedelics paradigm (MSSEPP)
- Sean M Viña
- 6 days ago
- 1 min read
Authors
Sean M Viña
Published
November 27, 2025
Abstract
Although psychedelics have shown therapeutic potential in treating conditions such as depression, PTSD, and addiction, concerns remain regarding ethical practices, participant diversity, and the structural limitations of prevailing theoretical frameworks. This theoretical framework critically examines the dominant biopsychic model that underpins much of contemporary psychedelic research and introduces the medical sociological and social epidemiological psychedelics paradigm (MSSEPP) as a conceptual advancement. Rooted in medical sociology and social epidemiology and building on classic critiques of medicalization and biopolitics, MSSEPP emphasizes and appreciates the interconnected and simultaneous operation of social, cultural, structural, and economic conditions in shaping the relationship between psychosocial resources and health outcomes related to psychedelic use. By incorporating multidirectional processes—including indirect (mediating) and interacting (moderating) effects—MSSEPP accounts for complexities across the life-course that are often neglected in existing models. This article outlines a forward-looking agenda to integrate structural determinants, intersectional stigma, and community-based frameworks into psychedelic science. In doing so, MSSEPP provides a more holistic and ethically grounded orientation to guide future research, clinical design, and policy development.
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