The Effects of Ayahuasca Ritual Participation on Gay and Lesbian Identity
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs May 27, 2014 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2014.920117 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 17 |
| Population | Self-identified gay and lesbian participants who had drunk ayahuasca in a ceremonial context within the past three years |
| Intervention | Ayahuasca |
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Context archaeology Lesbian Indigenous Sexual orientation Perception Mental health Identity music Psychotherapist Anthropology |
| Citations | 29 |
| Key findings | Gay and lesbian participants reported affirmation of their sexual orientation and no negative effects on perception of identity after drinking ayahuasca in ceremonial contexts. |
Abstract
The practice of drinking ayahuasca-a psychoactive brew indigenous to the Amazon-has been investigated in several studies and shown to have positive long-term effects on mental states, and a particularly strong positive effect on perceptions of identity. This article discusses if these previous findings can be found in the experience of gay people, who are often taught by their culture and religion that their lifestyles, values, and sexual orientation are unacceptable. The qualitative study examined the interview responses of 17 self-identified gay and lesbian participants who had drunk ayahuasca in a ceremonial context within the past three years, regarding their self-perceptions and integration of group beliefs. Participants drank either in shamanic or Santo Daime ceremonies or, in the case of one participant, with an Afro-Brazilian group that used ayahuasca. Participants reported affirmation of their sexual orientation, and no participants reported negative effects on perception of identity. Additional positive effects in other areas of their lives, which they attributed to ayahuasca sessions, contributed to the overall positive outcomes that were reported by this group as a result of their ritual participation.
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 25
- Ayahuasca: Psychological and Physiologic Effects, Pharmacology and Potential Uses in Addiction and Mental Illness Current Neuropharmacology March 2, 2018
- Ayahuasca and Public Health: Health Status, Psychosocial Well-Being, Lifestyle, and Coping Strategies in a Large Sample of Ritual Ayahuasca Users Journal of Psychoactive Drugs February 7, 2019
- Ayahuasca: Uses, Phytochemical and Biological Activities Natural Products and Bioprospecting May 27, 2019
- Set and Setting in the Santo Daime Frontiers in Pharmacology May 4, 2021
- American Trip The MIT Press eBooks July 14, 2020
and 20 more in the library
Cites 13
- Ayahuasca Shamanism in the Amazon and Beyond Oxford University Press eBooks June 18, 2014
- Altered States of Consciousness and Short-Term Psychological After-Effects Induced by the First Time Ritual Use of Ayahuasca in an Urban Context in Brazil Journal of Psychoactive Drugs June 1, 2005
- The Antipodes of the Mind: Charting the Phenomenology of the Ayahuasca Experience Anthropology of Consciousness March 1, 2003
- A six-month prospective evaluation of personality traits, psychiatric symptoms and quality of life in ayahuasca-naïve subjects. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs September 1, 2009
- Experiences of Encounters with Ayahuasca—“the Vine of the Soul” Journal of Psychoactive Drugs December 1, 2009
and 8 more in the library