Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2019
Ilana Berlowitz, Heinrich Walt, Christian Ghasarian et al.
70 citations
An integrative treatment program combining Amazonian medicine with psychotherapy significantly reduced substance use disorder symptoms in male patients. Among 36 participants who completed the program, addiction severity for drug and alcohol use, psychiatric status, social and familial relationships, emotional distress, and substance craving all decreased substantially. Quality of life also increased markedly. Nearly all participants were dependent on multiple substances, primarily cannabis, alcohol, and cocaine-related drugs. These preliminary results suggest the approach may offer new therapeutic options for substance use disorders.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
August 4, 2020
Cecile Giovannetti, Sara García Arce, Brian Rush et al.
55 citations
Integrating ayahuasca and traditional Amazonian medicine with psychotherapy in an inpatient addiction treatment program for men significantly reduced anxiety and depression. Patients' Beck Anxiety Inventory scores dropped from 20.8 to 11.6, and Beck Depression Inventory scores fell from 30.9 to 13.7. Improvements in quality of life, spirituality, and treatment satisfaction correlated with these reductions. The results support the therapeutic potential of ayahuasca and Amazonian medicine in mental health treatments.
Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry
December 16, 2017
Ilana Berlowitz, Christian Ghasarian, Heinrich Walt et al.
39 citations
Experts at an addiction treatment center in the Peruvian Amazon described substance use disorders using concepts similar to biopsychosocial models, but their therapeutic methods differed markedly from Western approaches. The main treatment methods involved dietary retreats, healing ceremonies, and purging rituals. Experts emphasized that the integral application of these Amazonian methods, along with their traditional implementation according to prescribed ritual protocols, is crucial for efficacy and safety. The authors suggest further scientific attention to these therapies, including clinical studies, to expand cross-cultural understanding of substance use disorders and potentially enhance treatment options.
Frontiers in Pharmacology
May 19, 2021
Brian Rush, Olivia Marcus, Sara Mallén García et al.
26 citations
This paper describes the protocol for the Ayahuasca Treatment Outcome Project (ATOP), which evaluates addiction treatment services at the Takiwasi Center in the Peruvian Amazon. The project aims to assess outcomes and understand therapeutic mechanisms of an ayahuasca-assisted, integrative treatment model for addiction rehabilitation. The protocol emphasizes the importance of treatment setting in designing and delivering a program involving the psychedelic tea ayahuasca. A mixed-methods approach to data collection and analysis is used to understand why, how, and for whom the treatment is effective across various outcomes.
Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs
September 1, 2024
Brian Rush, Olivia Marcus, Sara García et al.
12 citations
One year after completing an ayahuasca-assisted, integrative addiction treatment program at the Takiwasi Centre in Peru, 52 participants showed significant reductions in alcohol and drug use severity, depression, and anxiety, and improvements in some quality-of-life dimensions. The majority rated all program aspects as important, particularly the spiritual and therapeutic significance of the ayahuasca experience. However, there was considerable individual variation in outcomes and treatment duration. Within the limitations of an uncontrolled observational study, the findings suggest promise for ayahuasca's effectiveness in a multifactorial treatment context for individuals with significant treatment histories, high comorbidity, and treatment motivation.
The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse
November 2, 2023
Fernando Mendive, Cecile Giovannetti, Sara García Arce
4 citations
A treatment program at the Takiwasi Center in the Peruvian Amazon combines traditional Amazonian medicine with modern psychotherapy to help people with substance use disorders. Since 1992, over a thousand patients from diverse backgrounds have participated in residential treatment. The program uses Amazonian healing techniques alongside psychological approaches in a therapeutic community. Quantitative outcomes show significant improvements in mental health indicators during treatment. The approach may offer insights for broader understanding and care of substance use disorders.