Changes in mental health, wellbeing and personality following ayahuasca consumption: Results of a naturalistic longitudinal study.
Frontiers in pharmacology January 1, 2022 Daniel Perkins, Broc A Pagni, Jerome Sarris et al. 53 citations
Fifty-three first-time ayahuasca users (32 women, 21 men) completed questionnaires before and one month after a facilitated ceremony. Depression, anxiety, stress, alcohol and cannabis use, body dissociation, self-alienation, impulsivity, and negative affect significantly decreased, while positive mood, self-efficacy, authentic living, extraversion, agreeableness, open-mindedness, spirituality, and relationship satisfaction increased. Baseline traits—especially high negative emotionality and body dissociation, and low self-efficacy—strongly predicted improvements in mental health and substance use, whereas the intensity of the mystical experience had little predictive value. The findings suggest ayahuasca may produce broad mental health benefits and that personal traits could guide personalized treatment.