Associations Between Ayahuasca Use in Naturalistic Settings and Mental Health and Wellbeing Outcomes: Analysis of a Large Global Dataset.
Daniel Perkins, Jerome Sarris, Tessa Cowley-Court, Helena Aicher, Luís Fernando Tófoli, José Carlos Bouso, Emerita Opaleye, Andreas Halman, Nicole Galvão-Coelho, Violeta Schubert
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs November 23, 2024 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2024.2424288 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 7,576 |
| Population | Adults who had consumed ayahuasca in religious, traditional, or non-traditional settings in over 50 countries |
| Intervention | Ayahuasca |
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Mental health Psychological distress Psychological wellbeing Entheogens Ayahuasca yagé Daime Psychological health Emotional health Psychedelics hallucinogens Psychoactive substances |
| Citations | 5 |
| Key findings | Greater number of ayahuasca uses was positively associated with better current mental health and psychological well-being, independent of community effects. |
Abstract
Emerging evidence indicates that ayahuasca consumption may have beneficial mental health effects. This study undertakes the largest analysis to date of associations between naturalistic ayahuasca use and current mental health status via an online cross-sectional survey. The sample included 7,576 participants (average age 41, 47% female) who had consumed ayahuasca in religious, traditional, or non-traditional settings in over 50 countries. Bivariate analysis, multivariate linear regressions and generalized structural equation modeling were used to explore associations between ayahuasca use variables, current mental health (K10, SF-12 MCS), and psychological well-being change (PWG). The number of ayahuasca uses was found to be positively associated with current mental health status (all measures), and this remained highly significant in multivariate models, with little evidence of associations diminishing over time. Variables such as the strength of the mystical experience, self-insights, and community/social variables were also positively associated with current mental health and PWG, while acute extreme fear and integration difficulties were negatively associated. Findings suggest that naturalistic ayahuasca use is associated with better current mental health status and enhanced psychological wellbeing for individuals with and without a history of mental illness, independent of community effects, with certain variables contributing positively or negatively to these effects.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on ayahuasca, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Survey of subjective "God encounter experiences": Comparisons among naturally occurring experiences and those occasioned by the classic psychedelics psilocybin, LSD, ayahuasca, or DMT Adults reporting a single most memorable God encounter experience, either nondrug or... | 2019 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 4,285 |
| Adverse effects of ayahuasca: Results from the Global Ayahuasca Survey. Ayahuasca users from more than 50 countries who completed an online survey | 2022 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 10,836 |
| Ayahuasca in adolescence: a preliminary psychiatric assessment. Adolescents from a Brazilian ayahuasca sect and matched controls | 2005 | Controlled cross-sectional study | n = 80 |
| Psychological and neuropsychological assessment of regular hoasca users. Regular hoasca users from a U.S. branch of União do Vegetal and matched non-user controls | 2016 | Cross-sectional study | n = 57 |
| Indoleamine Hallucinogens in Cluster Headache: Results of the Clusterbusters Medication Use Survey People with cluster headache | 2015 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 496 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- The transformational power of psychedelics: catalysts for creativity, consciousness, and mental health. Molecular Psychiatry September 30, 2025
- Exploring the role of psychedelic experiences on wellbeing and symptoms of disordered eating Psychoactives March 4, 2025
- Psychedelic Safety and Clinical Outcomes Across Exposure Patterns: A Structured Narrative Review Life August 14, 2026
- Combined DMT-harmine formulation reduces negative self-referential emotions during social self-evaluation: a randomized placebo-controlled trial in healthy volunteers. Psychopharmacology July 14, 2026
- Ayahuasca, DMT, and Mental Health: A Current Review of Scientific Studies Current Addiction Reports February 21, 2026
and 1 more in the library
Cites 39
- Psilocybin occasioned mystical-type experiences: immediate and persisting dose-related effects. Psychopharmacology December 1, 2011
- Rapid antidepressant effects of the psychedelic ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression: a randomized placebo-controlled trial Psychological Medicine June 15, 2018
- Survey study of challenging experiences after ingesting psilocybin mushrooms: Acute and enduring positive and negative consequences Journal of Psychopharmacology August 31, 2016
- The Hallucinogen N,N -Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) Is an Endogenous Sigma-1 Receptor Regulator Science February 13, 2009
- Constructing drug effects: A history of set and setting Drug Science, Policy and Law 2017
and 34 more in the library