After ceremonial use of ayahuasca, self-reported decreases in entitlement-exploitativeness and increases in leadership authority were observed among 314 adults, along with decreases in a proxy measure of narcissistic personality disorder. However, effect sizes were small, results varied across measures, and informants reported no significant changes. The findings offer modest support for adaptive change in narcissistic antagonism up to three months after the ceremonies, but meaningful changes in narcissism were not seen. More research is needed to evaluate psychedelic-assisted therapy for narcissistic traits, especially in individuals with higher antagonism and using antagonism-focused approaches.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) involves impulsivity, emotional instability, and perceptual symptoms, and is often complicated by co-occurring conditions like depression. This case study describes ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) for a patient with both BPD and depression. KAP combines ketamine's antidepressant and psychedelic effects with psychotherapy, relying on the patient's inner healing intelligence and the therapist-patient relationship. Positive outcomes suggest that further systematic research into KAP for BPD and other personality disorders is warranted.
Hallucinations and delusions are common in borderline personality disorder (BPD) and often resemble those in schizophrenia spectrum disorders. In a study of 89 adults, 81% of those with BPD reported visual and tactile hallucinations, 75% reported olfactory hallucinations, and 94% experienced delusions. Comparing BPD with and without voices showed no significant differences in nonpsychotic psychopathology. Hallucinations in BPD were similar to those in schizophrenia, though the BPD group had higher rates of paranoia and delusions of guilt. Multisensory hallucinations and delusions in BPD warrant clinical attention.