Long-term benefits to psychological health and well-being after ceremonial use of Ayahuasca in Middle Eastern and North African immigrants and refugees.
Matthew X. Lowe, Hannes Kettner, Del R. P. Jolly, Robin Carhart-Harris, Heather Jackson
Frontiers in Psychiatry 2024 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1279887 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Longitudinal online survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 15 |
| Population | Primarily female Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) immigrants and refugees |
| Intervention | Ayahuasca |
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Immigrant Longitudinal Naturalistic Refugee Psychedelics entheogens Hallucinogens Mena mental healthcare Observational studies |
| Citations | 9 |
| Key findings | Ceremonial ayahuasca use is associated with significant improvements in mental health, well-being, and psychological functioning, including reductions in depression, anxiety, and shame, and increases in cognitive reappraisal and self-compassion. |
Abstract
Refugees and immigrants can experience complex stressors from the process of immigration that can have lasting and severe long-term mental health consequences. Experiences after ayahuasca ingestion are shown to produce positive effects on psychological wellbeing and mental health, including anecdotal reports of improved symptoms of trauma and related disorders. However, data on the longitudinal health impact of naturalistic ayahuasca use in Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) immigrant and refugee populations is limited. The current longitudinal online survey study was conducted to gather prospective data on ceremonial ayahuasca use in a group (N = 15) of primarily female MENA immigrants and refugees and to provide further insight into the patterns and outcomes surrounding that use. The study sought to assess self-reported changes in physical and mental health, well-being, and psychological functioning, examine relationships between aspects of individual mindset (e.g., psychedelic preparedness) prior to ayahuasca use and observed outcomes during (e.g., subjective drug effects) and afterwards (i.e., persisting effects), characterize risks and negative experiences, and describe trauma exposure and personal history. Our findings revealed ceremonial use of ayahuasca is associated with significant improvements in mental health, well-being, and psychological functioning, including reductions in depression, anxiety, and shame, and increases in cognitive reappraisal and self-compassion. Most participants reported no lasting adverse effects and experienced notable positive behavioral changes persisting months after ingestion. While preliminary, results suggest naturalistic ayahuasca use might hold therapeutic potential for MENA populations exposed to trauma prior to and during the process of migration.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on ayahuasca, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Survey of subjective "God encounter experiences": Comparisons among naturally occurring experiences and those occasioned by the classic psychedelics psilocybin, LSD, ayahuasca, or DMT Adults reporting a single most memorable God encounter experience, either nondrug or... | 2019 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 4,285 |
| Adverse effects of ayahuasca: Results from the Global Ayahuasca Survey. Ayahuasca users from more than 50 countries who completed an online survey | 2022 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 10,836 |
| Ayahuasca in adolescence: a preliminary psychiatric assessment. Adolescents from a Brazilian ayahuasca sect and matched controls | 2005 | Controlled cross-sectional study | n = 80 |
| Psychological and neuropsychological assessment of regular hoasca users. Regular hoasca users from a U.S. branch of União do Vegetal and matched non-user controls | 2016 | Cross-sectional study | n = 57 |
| Indoleamine Hallucinogens in Cluster Headache: Results of the Clusterbusters Medication Use Survey People with cluster headache | 2015 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 496 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 8
- Examining differences in the effects and contexts of naturalistic psilocybin use for White participants vs. Participants of Color: A longitudinal online survey study. Journal of Affective Disorders February 1, 2025
- Shame, Guilt and Psychedelic Experience: Results from a Prospective, Longitudinal Survey of Real-World Psilocybin Use Journal of Psychoactive Drugs February 7, 2025
- Combined DMT-harmine formulation reduces negative self-referential emotions during social self-evaluation: a randomized placebo-controlled trial in healthy volunteers. Psychopharmacology July 14, 2026
- Beyond symptom reduction: DMT improves anxiety, life satisfaction, and quality of life in healthy volunteers and patients with depression Journal of Psychopharmacology July 8, 2026
- LGBTQ+ Ayahuasca Retreat Experience is Associated with Benefits to Mental Health, Quality of Life, and Spiritual Well-Being: A Prospective, Naturalistic Study. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs March 13, 2026
and 3 more in the library
Cites 39
- Loving-kindness and compassion meditation: potential for psychological interventions. Clinical Psychology Review July 26, 2011
- Rapid antidepressant effects of the psychedelic ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression: a randomized placebo-controlled trial Psychological Medicine June 15, 2018
- Validation of the revised Mystical Experience Questionnaire in experimental sessions with psilocybin Journal of Psychopharmacology October 6, 2015
- Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry March 1, 2015
- Antidepressant Effects of a Single Dose of Ayahuasca in Patients With Recurrent Depression Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology December 11, 2015
and 34 more in the library