Experienced ayahuasca users reported better mental health than first-time users.
A study of more than 800 adults in Brazil found that people with more experience using ayahuasca reported lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress than people preparing to use the drink for the first time. Experienced users also reported stronger spiritual well-being, lower alcohol use, and different beliefs about consciousness and reality. The findings add to earlier research on ayahuasca, but researchers said the results do not prove that the drink caused any of the mental health differences that were observed.
Ayahuasca is a drink made from plants found in the Amazon region. It has been used by Indigenous communities for generations as part of spiritual and social practices. The drink contains DMT, a substance that can cause strong changes in perception, thoughts, emotions, and awareness. Another plant used in the preparation contains compounds that allow DMT to have an effect when taken by mouth.
Researchers wanted to learn more about whether previous ayahuasca use was linked with mental health and other personal beliefs. The study included Brazilian adults who were planning to attend an ayahuasca ceremony. Participants were placed into three groups based on their past experience. One group had never ingested the plant, another had used it between one and 20 times, and the most experienced group had used it at least 21 times. About one week before the planned ceremony, participants completed questionnaires about depression, anxiety, stress, alcohol and tobacco use, spiritual well-being, unusual experiences, and beliefs about consciousness and reality.
The results showed a pattern across several areas. Participants who had never used ayahuasca reported higher depression scores than both groups with previous experience. Depression scores were lowest among those with the most experience. Anxiety also was higher among first-time participants than among those with extensive experience. Stress scores were lower among the most experienced users than among the other two groups.
Alcohol use also was lower among participants with extensive ayahuasca experience. Tobacco use appeared lower as well when compared with the group that had some previous experience, although that difference was no longer statistically meaningful after other personal factors were considered. Spiritual well-being showed one of the clearest differences between the groups. People with the most ayahuasca experience reported the highest levels, followed by those with moderate experience. First-time users had the lowest scores. Participants with previous experience also reported stronger beliefs about consciousness and the nature of reality.
Researchers cautioned that the findings have several limits. The study looked at people at one point in time rather than following them for years. Because of that, it cannot show whether ayahuasca caused improvements in mental health. People who already have lower depression or stress, stronger spiritual beliefs, or less alcohol use may be more likely to take part in ayahuasca ceremonies in the first place.
The study also relied on information reported by the participants themselves. Personal reports can sometimes be affected by memory, expectations, or a desire to present experiences in a certain way. In addition, most participants had previous experience, while the first-time group was much smaller. That difference may have affected the results.
The researchers also found that people with previous ayahuasca use were more likely to report experiences involving unusual meaning or importance attached to everyday events. However, the difference between people with moderate and extensive experience was not significant. The finding does not show that ayahuasca causes changes in how people interpret events.
Earlier research has suggested several possible ways ayahuasca could affect mood and behavior. Scientists have studied changes involving serotonin and other brain systems, along with processes linked to emotional responses and brain flexibility. Research has also examined whether ayahuasca may affect alcohol and other substance use. These possible effects remain an area of ongoing study.
The Brazilian study adds information by including people who had never used ayahuasca before. Still, the results should be viewed as an association rather than proof of a treatment effect. Larger studies that follow people over time could provide a better answer about whether repeated ayahuasca use changes mental health or whether people with certain characteristics are simply more likely to become experienced users.
Sources:
A study of ayahuasca users found a mental health pattern researchers cannot yet explain
Join the conversation!