Communalistic use of psychoactive plants as a bridge between traditional healing practices and Western medicine: A new path for the Global Mental Health movement.
Transcultural psychiatry October 1, 2022 Genís Ona, Ali Berrada, José Carlos Bouso 28 citations
The Global Mental Health movement seeks to expand mental health treatment in low- and middle-income countries, but debates persist about how best to serve diverse cultures. Beyond biomedical interventions, complementary approaches should emphasize social and community aspects. Many cultures have traditional rituals involving communal use of psychoactive plants, which should be respected and promoted as valuable tools for community-level mental health care. These practices foster community engagement, are relatively affordable, and respect local worldviews. Their medical systems can be explained biomedically, and recent clinical trials show therapeutic potential. Psychoactive plants and associated rituals offer benefits as complementary mental health services.