Ayahuasca as Antidepressant? Psychedelics and Styles of Reasoning in Psychiatry
Anthropology of Consciousness March 1, 2012 DOI: 10.1111/j.1556-3537.2012.01056.x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Anxiety Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Consciousness Psychotherapist Depression economics Style visual arts Psychoanalysis |
| Citations | 29 |
| Key points | Argues that conventional psychiatry's pathologizing of psychedelic states shapes scientific discourse on ayahuasca's therapeutic potential, but evidence from various experiments still suggests possible benefits for depression and anxiety. |
Abstract
Abstract There is a growing interest among scientists and the lay public alike in using the S outh A merican psychedelic brew, ayahuasca, to treat psychiatric disorders like depression and anxiety. Such a practice is controversial due to a style of reasoning within conventional psychiatry that sees psychedelic‐induced modified states of consciousness as pathological. This article analyzes the academic literature on ayahuasca's psychological effects to determine how this style of reasoning is shaping formal scientific discourse on ayahuasca's therapeutic potential as a treatment for depression and anxiety. Findings from these publications suggest that different kinds of experiments are differentially affected by this style of reasoning but can nonetheless indicate some potential therapeutic utility of the ayahuasca‐induced modified state of consciousness. The article concludes by suggesting ways in which conventional psychiatry's dominant style of reasoning about psychedelic modified states of consciousness could be reconsidered.