Ayahuasca in adolescence: a preliminary psychiatric assessment.

Adolescents who consume ayahuasca in a religious setting show lower rates of anxiety, body dysmorphic concerns, and attentional problems compared to matched controls, despite similar overall psychiatric profiles. The study compared 40 adolescents from a Brazilian ayahuasca sect with 40 controls matched on sex, age, and education. Screening scales for depression, anxiety, alcohol abuse, attentional problems, and body dysmorphic disorders found considerably lower positive scores for anxiety, body dysmorphism, and attentional problems among ayahuasca-using adolescents. These low frequencies may reflect a protective effect of religious affiliation, though further research on other variables is needed.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Ayahuasca is believed to be harmless for those (including adolescents) drinking it within a religious setting. Nevertheless controlled studies on the mental/ psychiatric status of ritual hallucinogenic ayahuasca concoction consumers are still lacking. In this study, 40 adolescents from a Brazilian ayahuasca sect were compared with 40 controls matched on sex, age, and educational background for psychiatric symptomatology. Screening scales for depression, anxiety, alcohol consumption patterns (abuse), attentional problems, and body dysmorphic disorders were used. It was found that, compared to controls, considerable lower frequencies of positive scoring for anxiety, body dismorphism, and attentional problems were detected among ayahuasca-using adolescents despite overall similar psychopathological profiles displayed by both study groups. Low frequencies of psychiatric symptoms detected among adolescents consuming ayahuasca within a religious context may reflect a protective effect due to their religious affiliation. However further studies on the possible interference of other variables in the outcome are necessary.