Ayahuasca Tourism: Participants in Shamanic Rituals and their Personality Styles, Motivation, Benefits and Risks

Kavenská, Veronika; Šimonová, Hana

doi:10.1080/02791072.2015.1094590

Cited by 83 publications

(84 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) interview showed that 45% of the sample met the diagnostic criteria for a psychiatric disorder. This finding is in line with the main reasons reported by participants for attending ayahuasca ceremonies, which include the treatment of mental health problems and to achieve psychological well-being 27,31,32 . Remarkably, at the 1-month follow-up, 61% of participants who initially met the www.nature.com/scientificreports www.nature.com/scientificreports/ diagnostic criteria no longer met the criteria for any psychiatric disorder.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Effects of ayahuasca on mental health and quality of life in naïve users: A longitudinal and cross-sectional study combination

Jiménez-Garrido¹,

Gómez-Sousa²,

Oña

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic decoction used as a traditional medicine in several Amazonian regions. The ritualistic use of ayahuasca has spread throughout many countries, making it necessary to study its risks and benefits. Two sub-studies were designed for this investigation. In sub-study 1, a psychiatric interview and a battery of questionnaires were administered to subjects (n = 40) before their first ayahuasca use. Two follow-ups were conducted at 1 and 6 months. In sub-study 2, the same interview and battery of questionnaires were administered to long-term ayahuasca users (n = 23) and their scores were compared with those of the ayahuasca-naïve group. In the first assessment, nearly half (45%) of the naïve users were found to meet the diagnostic criteria for a psychiatric disorder. After the ayahuasca use, more than 80% of those subjects showed clinical improvements that persisted at 6 months. The questionnaires showed significant reductions in depression and psychopathology. Regarding substudy 2, long-term users showed lower depression scores, and higher scores for self-transcendence and quality of life, as compared to their peers in sub-study 1. Further controlled and observational naturalistic studies assessing the eventual risks and potential benefits of ayahuasca are warranted.Ayahuasca is a psychoactive beverage that results from the decoction of Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis, plants rich in β-carbolines (harmine or tetrahydroharmine, among others) and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), respectively. DMT is a partial agonist of serotonin (5-HT) receptors 1 , but it can interact with other receptors as well (for a review see Carbonaro & Gatch 2 ). The hallucinogenic effects are primarily caused by the combination of the monoamine-oxidase A (MAO-A) inhibiting properties of β-carbolines and DMT, which results in the oral bioavailability of the latter 3 .Ayahuasca has been traditionally used in several communities of the Amazonia, but in recent decades its use has spread throughout the world 4 , first to urban areas of Brazil, where syncretic religions such as Santo Daime, União do Vegetal and Barquinha were established 5 , and then to other contexts, including several countries of the world where ayahuasca retreat centers have been developed and/or neoshamanic groups exist 6,7 .Concurrent with this increased public interest in ayahuasca ceremonies, there has been major interest from the academic and biomedical fields regarding its potential health effects 8,9 . Data from observational studies suggest that ayahuasca and its active ingredient DMT may have anxiolytic properties 10,11 . Furthermore, it has not been associated with increased psychopathology or with impairments in neuropsychological functioning 12,13 . An open-label clinical study found significant therapeutic benefits among patients with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (MDD) after the administration of a single dose of ayahuasca 14,15 . Additionally, one randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial was recently publish...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Effects of ayahuasca on mental health and quality of life in naïve users: A longitudinal and cross-sectional study combination

Jiménez-Garrido¹,

Gómez-Sousa²,

Oña

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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“…Regarding "Values", the other psychological process variable studied here, there are many personal reports from ayahuasca users referring to the ayahuasca experiences as transformative ones that can be manifested as changes in personal values (Kavenská and Simonová, 2015). Previous studies found selfreported changes in life attitudes and changes in personal values and life meaning after the administration of different doses of psilocybin (Griffiths et al, 2008;Griffiths et al, 2011), and differences in life purpose and related variables in long-term ayahuasca users (Barbosa et al, 2016;Bouso et al, 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Psychological variables implied in the therapeutic effect of ayahuasca: A contextual approach

Franquesa

Sainz-Cort²,

Gandy

et al. 2018

Psychiatry Research

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Ayahuasca is a psychedelic decoction originating from Amazonia. The ayahuasca-induced introspective experience has been shown to have potential benefits in the treatment of several pathologies, to protect mental health and to improve neuropsychological functions and creativity, and boost mindfulness. The underlying psychological processes related to the use of ayahuasca in a psychotherapeutic context are not yet well described in the scientific literature, but there is some evidence to suggest that psychological variables described in psychotherapies could be useful in explaining the therapeutic effects of the brew. In this study we explore the link between ayahuasca use and Decentering, Values and Self, comparing subjects without experience of ayahuasca (n = 41) with subjects with experience (n = 81). Results confirm that ayahuasca users scored higher than non-users in Decentering and Positive self, but not in Valued living, Life fulfillment, Self in social relations, Self in close relations and General self. Scores in Decentering were higher in the more experienced subjects (more than 15 occasions) than in those with less experience (less than 15 occasions). Our results show that psychological process variables may explain the outcomes in ayahuasca psychotherapy. The introduction of these variables is warranted in future ayahuasca therapeutic studies.

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“…Hallucinogen use is considered a core element of relatively well-structured religions, such as the Brazilian Amazon Santo Daime Church. Interest on the beneficial psychic effects of ayahuasca is actually increasing in Europe and North America, as are reports of intoxication from the drug 29,30 . Also, a naive belief in "scientifically supported" information, especially among internet fans, and a persistent interest in mystic theories such as the third eye, may contribute to creating a favorable scenario that increasingly incites people to…”

Section: Final Remarksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolving story: trepanation and self-trepanation to enhance brain function

André

2017

Arq. Neuro-Psiquiatr.

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Trepanation has been performed by people interested in enhancing mental power and well-being since the early 1960s. The pioneers and main proponents of the procedure are described here. The phenomenon appeared in Europe after a Dutch former medical student published a psychoactive drug-friendly scroll suggesting trepanation as a form of permanently increasing cerebral blood volume and function. He trepanned himself in 1965. Three of his friends became enthusiasts. They also submitted themselves to the procedure and published films and books describing their experiences. Two of them coauthored papers, in collaboration with Russian researchers, and created institutions to promote discussion on trepanation. One of these institutions organized trips to Central and South America to get the operation done. Dozens of people nowadays look for trepanation as a method of spiritualization and increasing well-being and mental power. The phenomenon has an uncertain future, however, as the main proponents and supporters are aging.

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Ayahuasca Tourism: Participants in Shamanic Rituals and their Personality Styles, Motivation, Benefits and Risks

Cited by 83 publications

References 21 publications

Effects of ayahuasca on mental health and quality of life in naïve users: A longitudinal and cross-sectional study combination

Effects of ayahuasca on mental health and quality of life in naïve users: A longitudinal and cross-sectional study combination

Psychological variables implied in the therapeutic effect of ayahuasca: A contextual approach

Evolving story: trepanation and self-trepanation to enhance brain function

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