Participation in an indigenous Amazonian-led ayahuasca retreat associated with increases in nature relatedness – a pilot study
Drug Science Policy and Law January 1, 2024 Simon Ruffell, Sam Gandy, WaiFung Tsang et al. 10 citations
Participating in ayahuasca retreats in a traditional Indigenous Amazonian context was associated with significant increases in nature relatedness and improvements in depression and stress, but not anxiety. A moderate negative correlation indicated that greater increases in nature relatedness were linked to lower stress levels. The study involved a mean of 6.31 ceremonies. It remains unclear whether changes resulted from the ayahuasca brew, the ceremonies, or the retreat setting. The findings suggest a potential therapeutic role for such retreats as a multidimensional intervention, but further research is needed to identify mediators and assess long-term effects.