Ayahuasca Users in Estonia: Ceremonial Practices, Subjective Long-Term Effects, Mental Health, and Quality of Life.

In Estonia, ayahuasca is used mainly in neoshamanic group ceremonies, with users motivated by spiritual development, self-knowledge, and spiritual experiences. A cross-sectional case-controlled study compared thirty ayahuasca users with thirty nonusers matched by gender, age, and education. Users reported mostly positive subjective consequences for their health and life, though some difficult experiences and adverse effects occurred. No abuse of or addiction to ayahuasca was found. Screening test indicators of depression and anxiety were lower in the ayahuasca-using group, and no deterioration of mental health was observed compared to nonusers. Participants perceive ayahuasca use as a spiritual practice with favorable outcomes and as a reasonably safe, self-limiting practice.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The study aims to describe ayahuasca users in Estonia and compare their mental health and quality of life to those of nonusers. Ceremonial practices, motivation for ayahuasca use, use-related experiences, and subjective consequences of use are described. We conducted a cross-sectional case-controlled study of thirty ayahuasca users and thirty nonusers matched by gender, age, and education. The participants completed questionnaires, standardized psychometric tests, and neuropsychiatric interviews. Ayahuasca use in Estonia occurred mainly in (neo)shamanic group ceremonies. The main motives for ayahuasca use were spiritual development, self-knowledge, and spiritual experiences. The users reported mostly positive subjective consequences of ayahuasca use for their health and life. However, some difficult experiences and adverse effects were reported. No abuse of ayahuasca or addiction to it was found. Screening test indicators of depression and anxiety were lower in the ayahuasca-using group. No deterioration of the mental health of ayahuasca users in comparison to nonusers was found. The participants perceive their use of ayahuasca as a spiritual practice with mostly favorable outcomes for their health and life. They also perceive ayahuasca use in Estonia as a reasonably safe and self-limiting form of spiritual practice.