Pilot Evaluation of a Residential Drug Addiction Treatment Combining Traditional Amazonian Medicine, Ayahuasca and Psychotherapy on Depression and Anxiety
Abstract
Recent research highlighted the therapeutic potential of ayahuasca, a psychoactive plant brew used ritually in traditional Amazonian medicine (TAM). The present study evaluates the impact of integrating ayahuasca and TAM with psychotherapy on depression and anxiety in an inpatient addiction treatment program. Male patients (N = 31) were evaluated pre and post treatment using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Clinical and sociodemographic characteristics, motivation, quality of life, spirituality, and treatment satisfaction were also measured and analyzed by means of two tailed t-test, one way ANOVA and Spearman test. From pre- to post-treatment, patients showed significant reductions in scores of anxiety (from 20.8 to 11.6, p < .002) and depression (from 18.7 to 7.5, p <.001). Similarly, patients showed higher scores of quality of life (p < .001) and spirituality (p < .001) upon discharge, which correlated with their reduction in scores of anxiety and depression. While future results will evaluate the efficacy of this treatment on measures of addiction at follow-up, the present results build upon previous research to bring further support to the use of Ayahuasca and Amazonian medicine in mental health treatments with a transpersonal focus.
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Ayahuasca trials have suggested that ayahuasca may produce rapid and significant reductions in depression symptoms in as little as 1 day.
“These open label [22–24] and randomised control [21] trials have suggested that ayahuasca may produce rapid and significant reductions in depression symptoms in as little as 1 day.”
From The psychological processes of classic psychedelics in the treatment of depression: a systematic review protocol (2022) · cites this paper as [24]
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Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy—A Systematic Review of Associated Psychological Interventions
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“These studies have included participants currently experiencing a mild to severe depressive episode and had inadequately responded to at least one courses of antidepressants [21–23], as well as those experiencing depression and anxiety whilst attending a residential drug treatment centre [24].”
Background
- Authors
- Giovannetti, C., Garcia Arce, S., Rush, B., & Mendive, F.
- Affiliations
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (DE)
- Takiwasi Center for Rehabilitation of Drug Addicts and Research on Traditional Medicine, Tarapoto, Peru
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Giovannetti, Cecile
- Venue
- Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2020-08-04
- Volume
- 52
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 472-481
- ISSN
- 0279-1072 (ISSN-L)
- 2159-9777
- OpenAlex
- W3047621140
- Cited by
- 56
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 10
- FWCI
- 3.18
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychedelics and Drug Studies
- Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Keywords
- ayahuasca, addiction treatment, depression, anxiety, psychotherapy, inpatient care, quality of life, spirituality, transpersonal therapy, psychedelic therapy
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Anxiety, Ceremonial Behavior, Depression, Humans, Male, Medicine, Traditional, Middle Aged, Motivation, Pilot Projects, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Psychotherapy, Quality of Life, Residential Treatment, Substance-Related Disorders, Spirituality, Banisteriopsis, Young Adult
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