Acute Psychological Adverse Reactions in First-Time Ritual Ayahuasca Users: A Prospective Case Series.
Journal of clinical psychopharmacology María Gómez-sousa, Daniel F Jiménez-garrido, Genís Ona et al. 24 citations
Among 40 first-time ayahuasca ceremony participants, 7 reported intense challenging psychological effects. Four of those 7 had a pre-existing psychiatric diagnosis; one month after the ceremony, two no longer met diagnostic criteria and the other two showed considerably reduced symptoms, with effects persisting at six months. Poor setting and guidance contributed to some reactions. Six of the seven did not use ayahuasca again during the study. The findings suggest that acute negative psychological reactions during ayahuasca ceremonies can sometimes be followed by positive long-term effects, highlighting the need for prospective research on safety and contextual factors.