Ayahuasca, a psychoactive plant mixture used ceremonially in Western Amazonia, has become popular among westerners traveling to the Peruvian Amazon for its healing effects. Drawing on a literature review and ethnographic data from shamanic tourism in Peru and neo-shamanic networks in Australia (227 people interviewed or surveyed between 2003 and 2015, including healers and participants), the authors demonstrate that purging is integral to ayahuasca's therapeutic use across and beyond Amazonia. Therapeutic approaches combine modulations of the gut and mind, and the bodily and social, expressed through healing discourse. Relating ethnographic evidence to scientific studies connecting gut and emotional health, the authors argue that ayahuasca purging should not be dismissed as a drug side effect or irrational belief but reconsidered for its potential therapeutic effects.
Online discussions about microdosing psychedelics on the r/microdosing subreddit center on practical "how to" topics, serving as essential information hubs for the general population. Analysis of public submissions using structural topic modeling identified 16 distinct topics that fall into clinical, human enhancement, and self-medication narratives. The Covid-19 pandemic influenced the prevalence of discussion topics, suggesting that individuals may turn to microdosing as a means of self-medication during heightened stress and uncertainty. These findings highlight the role of online communities in facilitating self-medicalization and self-medication practices.