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Potential Use of Ayahuasca in Grief Therapy

Débora González, Maria Carmo Carvalho, Jordi Cantillo, Marc Aixalà, Magı́ Farré

OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying May 30, 2017 DOI: 10.1177/0030222817710879 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Observational cohort Qualitative Peer reviewed
Sample size 60
Population People who had taken ayahuasca and people who had attended peer-support groups
Interventions Ayahuasca peer-support groups
Topics Ayahuasca
Keywords Complicated grief Psychotherapist Feeling Experiential learning Psychological intervention Clinical psychology
Citations 43
Key findings The ayahuasca group presented a lower level of grief in the Present Feelings Scale of Texas Revised Inventory of Grief compared to the peer-support group.

Abstract

The death of a loved one is ultimately a universal experience. However, conventional interventions employed for people suffering with uncomplicated grief have gathered little empirical support. The present study aimed to explore the potential effects of ayahuasca on grief. We compared 30 people who had taken ayahuasca with 30 people who had attended peer-support groups, measuring level of grief and experiential avoidance. We also examined themes in participant responses to an open-ended question regarding their experiences with ayahuasca. The ayahuasca group presented a lower level of grief in the Present Feelings Scale of Texas Revised Inventory of Grief, showing benefits in some psychological and interpersonal dimensions. Qualitative responses described experiences of emotional release, biographical memories, and experiences of contact with the deceased. Additionally, some benefits were identified regarding the ayahuasca experiences. These results provide preliminary data about the potential of ayahuasca as a therapeutic tool in treatments for grief.

Comparable studies

Other observational and cohort studies on ayahuasca, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report Patients with a depressive disorder 2015 Observational study
The Psychedelic State Induced by Ayahuasca Modulates the Activity and Connectivity of the Default Mode Network Experienced subjects 2015 Observational cohort n = 10
Human Psychopharmacology of Hoasca, A Plant Hallucinogen Used in Ritual Context in Brazil Long-term members of a syncretic church that uses hoasca as a psychoactive sacrament... 1996 Observational cohort with matched controls n = 30
Ayahuasca-Assisted Therapy for Addiction: Results from a Preliminary Observational Study in Canada Rural aboriginal population 2013 Observational study
Personality, Psychopathology, Life Attitudes and Neuropsychological Performance among Ritual Users of Ayahuasca: A Longitudinal Study Regular ayahuasca users and active controls in non-ayahuasca religions 2012 Observational cohort n = 242

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