Conceptions and practices of an integrative treatment for substance use disorders involving Amazonian medicine: traditional healers’ perspectives
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.