Symptom specificity of ayahuasca's effect on depressive symptoms
Journal of Psychedelic Studies April 19, 2021 Cody Gilbert, Mitch Earleywine, Maha N. Mian et al. 3 citations
Ayahuasca affects some depressive symptoms more than others. In a retrospective survey of over 120 participants who used ayahuasca, affective symptoms such as hope, depressed mood, and happiness improved more than cognitive, interpersonal, and somatic symptoms like restless sleep, loneliness, and difficulty focusing. This pattern of symptom specificity resembles that of serotonergic antidepressant medications. People seeking relief from affective symptoms may find ayahuasca more helpful, while those targeting sleep, loneliness, or concentration problems may benefit less. The rapid onset of relief could also be useful for jumpstarting psychotherapy.