Tessa Cowley‐court

2 papers in the library · 22 citations · publishing 2023

Papers

Life after Ayahuasca: A Qualitative Analysis of the Psychedelic Integration Experiences of 1630 Ayahuasca Drinkers from a Global Survey

Psychoactives June 13, 2023 Tessa Cowley‐court, Richard Chenhall, Jerome Sarris et al. 19 citations

Integrating ayahuasca experiences can be challenging and take considerable time, though working through these challenges may facilitate positive growth. A global online survey of 1630 ayahuasca drinkers (50.4% male, mean age 43) identified three main themes in integration experiences: overall appraisal (easy, challenging, or long-term/ongoing), beneficial tools (like-minded community, yoga, meditation, journaling), and challenges (feeling disconnected, returning to old life with new understandings). Findings challenge individual psychotherapy as the primary integration tool, suggesting communal and somatic elements may also be useful. An expanded definition of psychedelic integration is proposed that includes working with challenges and adjusting to life changes.

DOI: 10.3390/psychoactives2020014 Ayahuasca Mindfulness Meditation Thematic analysis +6

Ayahuasca – a review of historical, pharmacological, and therapeutic aspects

February 21, 2023 Simon Ruffell, Nigel Netzband, WaiFung Tsang et al. 3 citations preprint

Ayahuasca, a psychedelic brew from the Amazon Rainforest made from the Banisteriopsis caapi vine and a DMT-containing plant like Psychotria viridis, has seen a surge in global interest since 2000. This review covers its history, pharmacology, and phenomenological effects, as well as clinical applications. Tourists increasingly travel to the Amazon to consume it, and retreat centers offering plant medicine have become a thriving business. Anecdotal reports range from evangelical accounts to stories of physical and psychological harm. The brew shows promise as a psychedelic agent warranting more empirical research into its neurochemical mechanisms and therapeutic uses.

DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/7h48b Ayahuasca Amazon rainforest Thriving Psychology +3