The drink made from the psychedelic Amazonian plant is said to help with withdrawal from alcohol and other drugs.
- The strongest “anti-drug” effects were seen in people with a history of substance abuse or who had a previous substance use disorder.
- Ayahuasca would identify negative thought patterns related to their addiction, understand the origins and dynamics of their addiction, and help heal trauma.
- The researchers do not rule out a strong placebo effect.
Ayahuasca is a drink with psychedelic effects found in the Amazon rainforest. It is made from lianas of Banisteriopsis caapi and is known to cause altered consciousness and mystical experiences. In a new study, published July 25 in the journal Drug and Alcohol ReviewAustralian and Brazilian researchers suggest that those who regularly consumed this drink would be less likely to take alcohol or other drugs.
Ayahuasca, a deep mystical experience
For the study, researchers studied 8,629 ayahuasca users from 40 different countries. Among them, those who ingested the psychedelic brew most regularly appeared the least likely to use alcohol or drugs. “The number of times ayahuasca was consumed was strongly associated with an increased likelihood of never or rarely drinking alcohol, never or rarely engaging in ‘risky drinking’, and not have used a range of drugs in the last month”, say the authors of the study.
The strongest “anti-drug” effects were seen in people with a history of substance abuse or who had a previous substance use disorder. The deep mystical experiences engendered by ayahuasca would allow “participants to identify negative thought patterns related to their addiction, understand the origins and dynamics of their addiction, and contribute to trauma healing”, advance the researchers.
A possible placebo effect
The authors of the study do not exclude a placebo effect induced by taking the psychedelic drink and by the desire of the people who consume it to want to get rid of their addictions for a long time. They state that further work is needed to determine the effectiveness of ayahuasca for people with addictions.
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