Pilot Evaluation of a Residential Drug Addiction Treatment Combining Traditional Amazonian Medicine, Ayahuasca and Psychotherapy on Depression and Anxiety
Cecile Giovannetti, Sara García Arce, Brian Rush, Fernando Mendive
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs August 4, 2020 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2020.1789247 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pre-post observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 31 |
| Population | Male patients in an inpatient addiction treatment program |
| Interventions | Ayahuasca traditional Amazonian medicine psychotherapy |
| Topics | Addiction Anxiety Ayahuasca Depression |
| Keywords | Beck anxiety inventory Depression economics Mental health Beck depression inventory Clinical psychology Psychotherapist |
| Citations | 55 |
| Key findings | Integrating ayahuasca and traditional Amazonian medicine with psychotherapy led to significant reductions in anxiety and depression scores among male patients in an inpatient addiction treatment program. |
Abstract
Recent research highlighted the therapeutic potential of ayahuasca, a psychoactive plant brew used ritually in traditional Amazonian medicine (TAM). The present study evaluates the impact of integrating ayahuasca and TAM with psychotherapy on depression and anxiety in an inpatient addiction treatment program. Male patients (N = 31) were evaluated pre and post treatment using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Clinical and sociodemographic characteristics, motivation, quality of life, spirituality, and treatment satisfaction were also measured and analyzed by means of two tailed t-test, one way ANOVA and Spearman test. From pre- to post-treatment, patients showed significant reductions in scores of anxiety (from 20.8 to 11.6, p p p p < .001) upon discharge, which correlated with their reduction in scores of anxiety and depression. While future results will evaluate the efficacy of this treatment on measures of addiction at follow-up, the present results build upon previous research to bring further support to the use of Ayahuasca and Amazonian medicine in mental health treatments with a transpersonal focus.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
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Integrating ayahuasca and traditional Amazonian medicine with psychotherapy led to significant reductions in anxiety and depression scores from pre- to post-treatment.
Synthesized
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on ayahuasca for depression, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antidepressant Effects of a Single Dose of Ayahuasca in Patients With Recurrent Depression Patients with recurrent depression | 2015 | Open-label trial | n = 17 |
| Rapid and sustained decreases in suicidality following a single dose of ayahuasca among individuals with recurrent major depressive disorder: results from an open-label trial. Individuals with recurrent major depressive disorder | 2021 | Open-label trial (secondary analysis) | n = 17 |
| Long-term effects of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a 5-year qualitative follow-up Patients with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder who had participated in an... | 2018 | Long-term follow-up of an open-label trial | n = 8 |
| A quantitative textual analysis of the subjective effects of ayahuasca in naïve users with and without depression. Nine patients with treatment-resistant depression and twenty healthy individuals | 2023 | Qualitative study with quantitative textual analysis of open-ended responses from a previous clinical trial | n = 29 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 42
- Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy—A Systematic Review of Associated Psychological Interventions Frontiers in Psychology June 10, 2022
- Efficacy and safety of psychedelics for the treatment of mental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychiatry Research May 1, 2024
- Influence of Context and Setting on the Mental Health and Wellbeing Outcomes of Ayahuasca Drinkers: Results of a Large International Survey. Frontiers in Pharmacology April 21, 2021
- Associations between ayahuasca consumption in naturalistic settings and current alcohol and drug use: Results of a large international cross‐sectional survey Drug and Alcohol Review July 25, 2021
- Effects of ayahuasca and its alkaloids on substance use disorders: an updated (2016-2020) systematic review of preclinical and human studies. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience June 1, 2022
and 37 more in the library
Cites 11
- Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry March 1, 2015
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors in South American hallucinogenic plants: Tryptamine and β-carboline constituents of Ayahuasca Journal of Ethnopharmacology April 1, 1984
- 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
- Subjective effects and tolerability of the South American psychoactive beverage Ayahuasca in healthy volunteers Psychopharmacology February 22, 2001
and 6 more in the library