Traditional Amazonian medicine in addiction treatment: Qualitative results
David M. O’shaughnessy, Zoltán Sarnyai, Frances Quirk, Robin Rodd
SSM: Qualitative Research in Health June 4, 2022 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmqr.2022.100086 via DOAJ
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA qualitative study of patients in a residential addiction treatment center using Peruvian traditional Amazonian medicine, including ayahuasca, found that therapeutic effects are possible but that the complexity of these practices should not be reduced to ayahuasca alone. Open-ended interviews with 9 inpatients were analyzed using thematic analysis, revealing the richness of the medical tradition beyond the psychoactive substance.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 9 |
| Population | Inpatients at a residential addiction treatment centre using Peruvian traditional Amazonian medicine |
| Interventions | Traditional Amazonian medicine Ayahuasca |
| Topics | Addiction Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Substance abuse Traditional amazonian medicine Dieta |
| Key finding | Therapeutic effects from Amazonian medicine are possible, but the complexity of the practices should not be reduced to ayahuasca alone. |
Abstract
Traditional Amazonian medicine, and in particular the psychoactive substance ayahuasca, has generated significant research interest along with the recent revival of psychedelic medicine. Previously we published within-treatment quantitative results from a residential addiction treatment centre that predominately employs Peruvian traditional Amazonian medicine, and here we follow up that work with a qualitative study of within-treatment patient experiences. Open-ended interviews with 9 inpatients were conducted from 2014 to 2015, and later analysed using thematic analysis. Our findings support the possibility of therapeutic effects from Amazonian medicine, but also highlight the complexity of Amazonian medical practices, suggesting that the richness of such traditions should not be reduced to the use of ayahuasca only.