Preliminary results from a community-based ayahuasca-assisted mental health program among a Yaqui Indigenous population in Sonora, Mexico

Abstract Background The Yaqui Intercultural Medicine Clinic was established in 2020 to provide accessible, culturally-attuned treatment for substance use and mental health disorders among an Indigenous Yaqui community in Mexico. The treatment program integrates ayahuasca ceremonies and psychotherapeutic support within a community-based outpatient treatment service. This observational pilot study was conducted to evaluate the safety, short-term symptom improvement, and cultural implications of the clinic's program.

Methods: Data from 37 patients who were diagnosed with depression, anxiety, complicated grief, or substance use disorder were included in the analysis. Patients were included in the study if they participated in at least one ayahuasca session with psychotherapeutic support. Data were collected using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Index for Complicated Grief (ICG), and the Post-Traumatic Stress Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5).

Results: Patients demonstrated marked reductions in scores of depression, anxiety, complicated grief, suicidality, and PTSD symptoms following ayahuasca ceremonies. After two ceremonies, mean BDI-II scores dropped from 15.7 to 5.1, mean BAI scores dropped from 16.6 to 6.3, and ICG scores reduced from 39.6 to 10.7. Among eight patients presenting suicide risk, seven cases resolved following a single ayahuasca ceremony. Safety assessment indicated that ayahuasca ceremonies were well-tolerated.

Conclusions: Preliminary data suggest that ayahuasca ceremonies integrated within a culturally-attuned community-based mental health program show promise for rapidly reducing mental health symptoms among a small group of Yaqui patients. These findings support further research of community-based ayahuasca-assisted therapeutic programs for mental health treatment within Indigenous communities.