Personality Traits in Former Spanish Substance Users Recovered with Ayahuasca.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 2020 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2020.1752960 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort with qualitative component Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Former substance users from Catalonia and surrounding areas |
| Intervention | Ayahuasca |
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Spain Addiction treatment Personality Ritual |
| Citations | 22 |
| Key findings | Ayahuasca use in former substance users was associated with higher scores in Novelty Seeking, Self-Transcendence, and other traits, suggesting recovery may be linked to increased Character dimensions rather than reduced impulsivity. |
Abstract
Ayahuasca is a psychoactive brew that contains N,N-dimethyltryptamine and monoamine oxidase-inhibiting alkaloids. It is originally from the Amazon rainforest, but since the 1990s it has expanded worldwide. The compound is used in different religious, spiritual, and therapeutic settings. One of its common applications is for the treatment of addiction. The current study is an assessment of the impact of ayahuasca on personality traits in former substance users from Catalonia and surrounding areas. When compared with a control group, the ayahuasca group had statistically significantly higher scores in the dimensions Novelty Seeking and Self-Transcendence, and in the traits Attachment, Impulsivity, Compassion, and Spiritual Acceptance. Results suggest that recovery could be related less to a reduction of Impulsivity and Novelty Seeking, main features of substance use disorder (SUD), and more to an increase of Character dimensions and traits, especially Self-Transcendence and Cooperativeness. Those changes could be triggered by self-reflective, prosocial, and transcendental ayahuasca ritual experiences, which in the qualitative part of the research were described by the participants as being of great importance for their recovery, helping with the reconstruction of personal goals, gratifications, social bonds, and the general life's projection.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on ayahuasca, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The antipodes Of the mind Indigenous people, shamans, members of different religious sects using Ayahuasca, and... | 2002 | Qualitative study | |
| Drug Tourism or Spiritual Healing? Ayahuasca Seekers in Amazonia Westerners participating in an ayahuasca retreat in Amazonia | 2005 | Qualitative study | |
| Therapeutic Effects of Ritual Ayahuasca Use in the Treatment of Substance Dependence—Qualitative Results Therapists, expert researchers, and individuals who underwent ayahuasca-assisted... | 2014 | Qualitative study | n = 29 |
| Nourishing the Spirit: Exploratory Research on Ayahuasca Experiences along the Continuum of Recovery from Eating Disorders Individuals previously diagnosed with an eating disorder | 2017 | Qualitative study | n = 16 |
| Exploring ayahuasca‐assisted therapy for addiction: A qualitative analysis of preliminary findings among an Indigenous community in Canada Indigenous adults in Canada who participated in ayahuasca-assisted ceremonial retreats | 2019 | Qualitative study | n = 11 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 16
- Classic and non‐classic psychedelics for substance use disorder: A review of their historic, past and current research Addiction Neuroscience June 22, 2022
- Relational Processes in Ayahuasca Groups of Palestinians and Israelis. Frontiers in Pharmacology 2021
- The Effects of Tryptamine Psychedelics in the Brain: A meta-Analysis of Functional and Review of Molecular Imaging Studies Frontiers in Pharmacology September 29, 2021
- New Insights into the Chemical Composition of Ayahuasca ACS Omega April 1, 2022
- A Systematic Review on the Therapeutic Effects of Ayahuasca. Plants July 7, 2023
and 11 more in the library
Cites 22
- Psilocybin-occasioned mystical-type experience in combination with meditation and other spiritual practices produces enduring positive changes in psychological functioning and in trait measures of prosocial attitudes and behaviors Journal of Psychopharmacology October 11, 2017
- Human Psychopharmacology of Hoasca, A Plant Hallucinogen Used in Ritual Context in Brazil The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease February 1, 1996
- Ayahuasca-Assisted Therapy for Addiction: Results from a Preliminary Observational Study in Canada Current Drug Abuse Reviews June 1, 2013
- Personality, Psychopathology, Life Attitudes and Neuropsychological Performance among Ritual Users of Ayahuasca: A Longitudinal Study PLoS One August 8, 2012
- LSD Acutely Impairs Fear Recognition and Enhances Emotional Empathy and Sociality Neuropsychopharmacology June 1, 2016
and 17 more in the library