Subjective Theories about (Self‐)Treatment with Ayahuasca
Janine Tatjana Schmid, Henrik Jungaberle, Rolf Verres
Anthropology of Consciousness August 23, 2010 DOI: 10.1111/j.1556-3537.2010.01028.x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 15 |
| Population | People who underwent ayahuasca (self-)therapy for chronic pain, cancer, asthma, depression, alcohol abuse, or Hepatitis C |
| Intervention | Ayahuasca |
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Psychotherapist Coping psychology Clinical psychology |
| Citations | 25 |
| Key findings | Most participants believed ayahuasca positively influenced their illness or improved coping, and enhanced general well-being, suggesting the substance acts as a psychological catalyst within sociocultural contexts rather than via a purely pharmacological model. |
Abstract
ABSTRACT Ayahuasca is a psychoactive beverage that is mostly used in ritualized settings (Santo Daime rituals, neo‐shamanic rituals, and even do‐it‐yourself‐rituals). It is a common practice in the investigated socio‐cultural field to call these settings “healing rituals.” For this study, 15 people who underwent ayahuasca (self‐)therapy for a particular disease like chronic pain, cancer, asthma, depression, alcohol abuse, or Hepatitis C were interviewed twice about their subjective concepts and beliefs on ayahuasca and healing. Qualitative data analysis revealed a variety of motivational patterns, subjective effects, and user types. Most participants were convinced that ayahuasca had influenced their illness positively or improved their coping with their illness. More importantly, it had enhanced their well being in general. As a result, we concluded that the effects of ayahuasca should not be reduced to a pharmacological model. The substance should be conceptualized as a psychological catalyst that unfolds within different fields of sociocultural ideas.
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 20
- Developments in harmine pharmacology — Implications for ayahuasca use and drug-dependence treatment Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry June 10, 2012
- Ayahuasca Tourism: Participants in Shamanic Rituals and their Personality Styles, Motivation, Benefits and Risks Journal of Psychoactive Drugs October 20, 2015
- Ayahuasca: Uses, Phytochemical and Biological Activities Natural Products and Bioprospecting May 27, 2019
- 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
- Ayahuasca's therapeutic potential: What we know - and what not. European Neuropsychopharmacology 2023
and 15 more in the library