Drug-induced psychosis following use of Ayahuasca: a presentation to forensic psychiatric services.
Morven Rosemary Baker, Christopher Iain O'Shea
BMJ Case Reports August 14, 2024 DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2024-260648 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | Previously well male with no risk factors for adverse psychiatric outcomes or forensic history |
| Interventions | Ayahuasca aripiprazole |
| Duration | 18-month follow-up |
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Drug-induced psychosis Psychedelic drugs Violent behavior Psychiatric treatment |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | Ayahuasca use can trigger a prolonged psychotic episode with risk of psychotically mediated violence even in individuals without prior psychiatric risk factors. |
Abstract
Ayahuasca is a plant-based psychoactive decoction, traditionally used by indigenous Amazonian peoples, which commonly contains the hallucinogen N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT). There is now growing interest across the Western world in psychedelics including Ayahuasca.This case describes a previously well male with no risk factors for adverse psychiatric outcomes or forensic history. Following controlled Ayahuasca use, he developed an enduring psychotic episode, during which he significantly assaulted a relative and was admitted to a forensic psychiatric unit. He was treated with the antipsychotic aripiprazole, and his psychotic symptoms abated. 18 months following his admission, recovery has been sustained.Previous case reports have described psychosis following Ayahuasca ingestion, but typically of short duration in patients with a personal or family history of psychiatric illness, or in those taking other substances. With the growing use of Ayahuasca, it is important to highlight that adverse effects may include more prolonged psychotic symptoms and the risk of psychotically mediated violence.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on ayahuasca, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A fatal intoxication following the ingestion of 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine in an ayahuasca preparation. 25-year-old white male | 2005 | Case study | n = 1 |
| The Diaspora of Brazilian Religions | 2013 | Ethnographic case studies | |
| EEG Gamma Coherence and Other Correlates of Subjective Reports During Ayahuasca Experiences Experienced ayahuasca users | 2005 | Exploratory case series | n = 2 |
| Reply to “Ayahuasca turned on my mind’s eye”: A case of acquired versus congenital aphantasia, as evidenced with DMT use? Individual with apparent congenital aphantasia | 2018 | Case study | n = 1 |
| “Ayahuasca turned on my mind’s eye”: Enhanced visual imagery after ayahuasca intake in a man with “blind imagination” (aphantasia) A man self-diagnosed with long-lasting aphantasia | 2018 | Case study | n = 1 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Psychedelics in Multiple Sclerosis: Mechanisms, Challenges, and Prospects for Neuroimmune Modulation and Repair. Cells November 26, 2025
- Psychosis associated with ayahuasca: A narrative review of traditional use, vulnerability, and case evidence Industrial Psychiatry Journal September 25, 2026
- Psilocybin and ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression: clinical evidence, methodological constraints and ethical challenges: a narrative review Frontiers in Psychiatry September 15, 2026
Cites 8
- Rapid antidepressant effects of the psychedelic ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression: a randomized placebo-controlled trial Psychological Medicine June 15, 2018
- Ayahuasca, dimethyltryptamine, and psychosis: a systematic review of human studies Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology February 23, 2017
- Antidepressive and anxiolytic effects of ayahuasca: a systematic literature review of animal and human studies Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry March 1, 2016
- Adverse effects of ayahuasca: Results from the Global Ayahuasca Survey. PLOS global public health 2022
- N,N‐dimethyltryptamine and Amazonian ayahuasca plant medicine Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental February 17, 2022
and 3 more in the library