The therapeutic use of psychedelic substances in mental health is analyzed by articulating recent scientific advances, including protocols for Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy (PAP), with ancestral perspectives associated with entheogens. Traditional knowledge, especially Indigenous, has been historically marginalized in processes of knowledge legitimation, contrasting with the contemporary centrality of biomedical approaches oriented by brain biochemistry. Reducing psychedelic experiences to a strictly organogenic paradigm limits understanding of their therapeutic potential by disregarding symbolic, cultural, and relational dimensions present in traditional care and healing narratives.
Psychedelics such as ayahuasca, DMT, psilocybin, and LSD act primarily on serotonin 5-HT2A receptors, inducing intense subjective effects like hallucinations and mystical experiences that may improve patients' emotional and psychological state. Psilocybin and ayahuasca show promising short- and long-term benefits for treatment-resistant depression and anxiety. However, safety requires strict control due to risks of adverse reactions such as anxiety and perceptual disturbances. The pharmacological complexity, including DMT's interaction with MAO-A inhibitors in ayahuasca, highlights the need for personalized administration. More rigorous clinical studies and specific guidelines are needed to ensure safe and effective use.
Nursing undergraduates who practiced breathing and mindfulness meditation techniques for three months showed a 32.6% improvement in focus and concentration, a 32.4% improvement in perceived quality of life, a 25.7% increase in class attention, a 44% reduction in anxiety levels, a 27% increase in class attendance (reduced absenteeism), and a 74% enhancement in academic performance. These improvements were observed after comparing responses before and after the training sessions. The findings suggest that integrating mindfulness approaches into educational settings may benefit student development.