Hallucinogens and redemption.
Marlene Dobkin De Rios, Charles S. Grob, John R. Baker
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 2002 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2002.10399960 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Hallucinogen-assisted treatment Ayahuasca therapy Entheogenic medicine Psychedelic medicine Psychedelic addiction treatment Addiction recovery Substance abuse treatment Drug dependence recovery Alcoholism treatment Opiate addiction treatment Abstinence Addiction therapy Neurochemistry Psychopharmacology Brain mechanisms Psychological mechanisms Neurobiological mechanisms Global health International health Cross-cultural medicine Community health Public health Ethnomedicine |
| Citations | 58 |
| Key points | Proposes that hallucinogens used in religious or clinical settings can facilitate recovery from addiction through psychological and neurobiological mechanisms. |
Abstract
This article examines drug substitution with regard to hallucinogens (ayahuasca, ibogaine, peyote and LSD) set within the concept of redemption. The model examines both religious and secular approaches to the contemporary use of hallucinogens in drug substitution, both by scientists and in religious settings worldwide. The redemptive model posits that the proper use of one psychoactive substance within a spiritual or clinical context helps to free an individual from the adverse effects of their addiction to another substance and thus restores them as functioning members of their community or group. Data is drawn from the U.S., Brazil, Peru, and West Africa. Two principle mechanisms for this are proposed: the psychological mechanism of suggestibility is examined in terms of the individual reaching abstinence goals from addictive substances such as alcohol and opiates. Neurophysiological and neurochemical mechanisms to understand the efficacy of such substitution are highlighted from ongoing research on hallucinogens. Research by two of the authors with the Uñaio do Vegetal (UDV) Church in Brazil is examined in terms of the model.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theorizing that Psychedelic Assisted Therapy May Play a Role in the Treatment of Trauma-Induced Personality Disorders. | 2024 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Learning to Let Go: A Cognitive-Behavioral Model of How Psychedelic Therapy Promotes Acceptance | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Awe: a putative mechanism underlying the effects of classic psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy | 2018 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Ethical and legal issues in psychedelic harm reduction and integration therapy | 2021 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Towards psychedelic apprenticeship: Developing a gentle touch for the mediation and validation of psychedelic-induced insights and revelations. | 2022 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 36
- Human hallucinogen research: guidelines for safety. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 1, 2008
- Potential Therapeutic Effects of Psilocybin. Neurotherapeutics July 1, 2017
- Inclusion of people of color in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy: a review of the literature BMC Psychiatry July 31, 2018
- Survey of subjective "God encounter experiences": Comparisons among naturally occurring experiences and those occasioned by the classic psychedelics psilocybin, LSD, ayahuasca, or DMT PLoS One April 23, 2019
- The Therapeutic Potentials of Ayahuasca: Possible Effects against Various Diseases of Civilization. Frontiers in Pharmacology March 2, 2016
and 31 more in the library
Cites 12
- Human Psychopharmacology of Hoasca, A Plant Hallucinogen Used in Ritual Context in Brazil The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease February 1, 1996
- Religion, Altered States of Consciousness, and Social Change Review of Religious Research 1976
- A preliminary investigation of ibogaine: case reports and recommendations for further study. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 1994
- Peyote in the Treatment of Alcoholism Among American Indians American Journal of Psychiatry November 1, 1974
- Platelet serotonin uptake sites increased in drinkers ofayahuasca Psychopharmacology November 1, 1994
and 7 more in the library