Changes in mental health, wellbeing and personality following ayahuasca consumption: Results of a naturalistic longitudinal study

This naturalistic study (n=53) assessed the effects of attending an ayahuasca ceremony on measures including mental health, well-being and personality. Participants were given an array of questionnaires, including the Mystical Experience Questionnaire, before and one month after attending a ceremony. Ayahuasca led to improvements in mental health, relationships, personality and alcohol use.

Abstract

“Background: Naturalistic and placebo-controlled studies suggest ayahuasca, a potent psychedelic beverage originating from Indigenous Amazonian tradition, may improve mental health, alter personality structure, and reduce alcohol and drug intake. To better understand ayahuasca’s therapeutic potential and to identify factors that influence therapeutic efficacy, we conducted a naturalistic, longitudinal study of facilitated ayahuasca consumption in naïve participants using a comprehensive battery of self-report questionnaires.

Materials and Methods: Ayahuasca naive individuals registering for ayahuasca ceremonies were asked to complete a range of validated questionnaires assessing mental health, alcohol/cannabis use, relationships, personality, and connection to self and spirituality, prior to and 1 month after attending an ayahuasca ceremony. Data for two mental health measures (the DASS-21 and PANAS) and acute subjective effects via the MEQ-30 were also assessed 7 days post-ceremony. Repeated measures ANOVA were used to examine pre-to-post changes, and Pearson correlations explored predictors of improvement in outcomes.

Results: Fifty-three attendees (32 women, 21 men) completed pre and post-ayahuasca assessments with 55.6% of the sample reporting a complete mystical experience based on the MEQ-30. One-month post-ayahuasca, significant reductions were identified in depression, anxiety, stress, alcohol and cannabis use, body dissociation, accepting external influence, self-alienation, impulsivity, and negative affect/emotionality. Significant increases were identified in positive mood, self-efficacy, authentic living, extraversion, agreeableness, open-mindedness, spirituality, and satisfaction with relationships. While facets of the mystical experience held little predictive validity on outcome measures, baseline traits, particularly high negative emotionality and body dissociation, and low sense of self-efficacy, robustly predicted improvements in mental health and alcohol/cannabis use, and alterations in personality structure which are linked to better mental health.

Discussion: This study suggests facilitated ayahuasca consumption in naïve participants may precipitate wide-ranging improvements in mental health, relationships, personality structure, and alcohol use. Associations between baseline traits and therapeutic improvements mark an important first step toward personalized, precision-based medicine and warrant randomized controlled trials to confirm and elaborate on these findings.”

Authors: Daniel Perkins, Broc A. Pagni, Jerome Sarris, Paulo C. Barbosa & Richard Chenhall

Summary of Changes in mental health, wellbeing and personality following ayahuasca consumption

Ayahuasca is a psychedelic plant decoction that has been consumed by Indigenous peoples in Peru, Columbia, Ecuador, and Brazil for medicinal and spiritual purposes. It contains the powerful classic psychedelic, DMT.

Ayahuasca may provide therapeutic benefits for mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and substance abuse disorders. Studies have also shown that ayahuasca may increase self-compassion, self-assurance, and self-esteem, and may help with self-insights.