Anxiety, panic, and hopelessness during and after ritual ayahuasca intake in a woman with generalized anxiety disorder: A case report
Journal of Psychedelic Studies – April 01, 2017
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic beverage, can trigger intense anxiety and panic, even in individuals without prior symptoms. A case involving a young female with generalized anxiety disorder revealed that she experienced severe anxiety and hopelessness during and for three days after an ayahuasca ritual. While such reactions are rare, they highlight the need for caution. The subject required psychiatric intervention and resumed medication due to her distress, underscoring the potential risks of ayahuasca use in those with anxiety disorders.
Abstract
Ayahuasca is a dimethyltryptamine- and β-carboline-rich hallucinogenic beverage traditionally used by indigenous groups of Northwest Amazonian for ritual and therapeutic purposes. Animal and human studies suggest that ayahuasca has antidepressant and anxiolytic potentials and has a good safety profile. However, anxiety-like reactions may also occur after ayahuasca intake, although they are rare. Case report. Here, we describe a case of a non-medicated, symptom-free young female with generalized anxiety disorder, who experienced intense anxiety, panic, and hopelessness during and for 3 days after participating in an ayahuasca ritual. The symptoms appeared in the first hours after ayahuasca intake and were gradually reducing in the following hours/days, but were intense enough to cause significant suffering to her, who needed to seek psychiatric help and restarted pharmacological treatment. Although “bad/horror trips” with anxiety features may occur during the acute effects of ayahuasca and other hallucinogens, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a subacute/prolonged anxiety-like reaction to this substance. Ayahuasca should be used with caution in people with a history of anxiety disorders.