A six-month prospective evaluation of personality traits, psychiatric symptoms and quality of life in ayahuasca-naïve subjects.
Paulo César Ribeiro Barbosa, Irene Maurício Cazorla, Joel Sales Giglio, Rick Strassman
Journal of psychoactive drugs September 1, 2009 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2009.10400530 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractTwenty-three people were assessed just before and six months after their first ayahuasca experience in two Brazilian religious groups. In the Santo Daime group, minor psychiatric symptoms decreased, mental health improved, and attitudes shifted toward greater confidence and optimism. In the União do Vegetal group, physical pain decreased and attitudes shifted toward greater independence. More frequent ayahuasca use was linked to more independence, while a longer period without ayahuasca was linked to less independence. The authors discuss possible mechanisms behind these changes and suggest areas for future research.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 23 |
| Population | Adults in urban Brazilian religious settings (Santo Daime and União do Vegetal) having their first ayahuasca experience |
| Intervention | Ayahuasca |
| Duration | 6-month follow-up (27.5 weeks) |
| Keywords | Ayahuasca ceremonial experience Single experience Frequent use Personality Psychological changes |
| Citations | 113 |
| Key finding | First ayahuasca experience in a religious setting was associated with reduced psychiatric symptoms, improved mental health, and attitude changes toward greater confidence, optimism, and independence, with independence positively correlated with frequency of use. |
Abstract
The authors assessed 23 subjects immediately before and six months (27.5 weeks) after their first ayahuasca experience in an urban Brazilian religious setting, either Santo Daime (N = 15) or União do Vegetal (N = 8). Measures included scores on instruments assessing psychiatric symptoms, personality variables and quality of life. Independent variables were the frequency of ayahuasca use throughout the period and the length of ayahuasca wash-out after six months. Santo Daime subjects had a significant reduction of minor psychiatric symptoms, improvement of mental health, and a change in attitude towards more confidence and optimism. The União do Vegetal group had a significant decrease in physical pain, and attitude change towards more independence. Independence was positively correlated with the frequency of ayahuasca use and negatively correlated with the wash-out period. We discuss possible mechanisms by which these changes may occur and suggest areas for future research.