Journal of psychoactive drugs
June 1, 2005
Evelyn Doering-Silveira, Charles S Grob, Marlene Dobkin De Rios et al.
122 citations
Adolescents who use ayahuasca in a religious setting show similar lifetime drug use compared to those who never use it, but they consume significantly less alcohol. In the previous year, 46.31% of ayahuasca-using adolescents drank alcohol versus 74.4% of the comparison group; recent alcohol use was 32.5% versus 65.1%. The findings suggest religious affiliation may protect against alcohol use, and that early exposure to ayahuasca in a controlled ritual context does not lead to broader drug misuse.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
June 1, 2005
Dartiu Xavier Da Silveira, Charles S Grob, Marlene Dobkin De Rios et al.
111 citations
Adolescents who consume ayahuasca in a religious setting show lower rates of anxiety, body dysmorphic concerns, and attentional problems compared to matched controls, despite similar overall psychiatric profiles. The study compared 40 adolescents from a Brazilian ayahuasca sect with 40 controls matched on sex, age, and education. Screening scales for depression, anxiety, alcohol abuse, attentional problems, and body dysmorphic disorders found considerably lower positive scores for anxiety, body dysmorphism, and attentional problems among ayahuasca-using adolescents. These low frequencies may reflect a protective effect of religious affiliation, though further research on other variables is needed.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
November 1, 2014
Eduardo Ekman Schenberg, Maria Angélica De Castro Comis, Bruno Rasmussen Chaves et al.
110 citations
Ibogaine, an alkaloid used to treat drug dependence, is illegal in some countries but unregulated in Brazil, where it is combined with psychotherapy. A retrospective analysis of 75 former alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, and crack users (72% poly-drug users) found no serious adverse reactions or fatalities. 61% of participants remained abstinent. Those treated with ibogaine once reported a median abstinence of 5.5 months; those treated multiple times, 8.4 months. Both single and multiple treatments resulted in longer abstinence than before the first session. The findings suggest that physician-supervised ibogaine with psychotherapy can facilitate prolonged abstinence without fatalities, indicating it may be a safe and effective treatment for stimulant and other non-opiate drug dependence.
Comprehensive psychiatry
November 1, 2016
Paulo Cesar Ribeiro Barbosa, Rick J Strassman, Dartiu Xavier Da Silveira et al.
104 citations
Regular ritual use of hoasca (ayahuasca) within a Brazilian religious group in the United States is associated with lower depression and confusion, higher agreeableness and openness, better memory performance, and less recent alcohol use compared to matched controls. The study of 30 members of the União do Vegetal and 27 non-user controls found no adverse effects on neuropsychological function. Lifetime hoasca use correlated with fewer physical health role limitations and less heavy alcohol use, suggesting the religious use of this psychedelic brew may have positive effects on mood and substance use.