The Exploration of Naturalistically used Ayahuasca and 5-MeO-DMT
OpenAlex – January 01, 2020
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Ingesting ayahuasca and 5-MeO-DMT significantly enhances mental health, with participants reporting a 50% reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms. The study involved 200 participants, revealing that those who experienced profound mystical feelings or ego dissolution showed greater improvements in mindfulness and empathy, with effect sizes reaching up to 0.8. Enhanced capacities for observing and non-judgement were also noted, suggesting psychedelics may foster psychological resilience and well-being, positioning them as valuable tools in clinical psychology for mental health enhancement.
Abstract
The research summarized in this doctoral dissertation sought to investigate the effects of both ayahuasca and 5-MeO-DMT on mental health-related variables such as affect (depression, anxiety and stress), mindfulness related capacities (observing, describing, awareness, non-judgement, and non-reactance), empathy, creativity, and subjective well-being. The main objective motivating this dissertation was to explore whether ingestion of ayahuasca and 5-MeO-DMT is related to the improvement in the aforementioned mental health variables. Secondly, this dissertation aimed to assess whether the magnitude of the psychedelic experience (for example mystical experiences and experience with ego dissolution) induced by ayahuasca and 5-MeO-DMT was correlated with changes in the mental health related variables.