A phenomenological study of ayahuasca and its effect on anxiety

This qualitative study examined the effect of ayahuasca on anxiety and other mental health issues of six American individuals who travelled with Blue Morpho Tours in Peru on at least two separate occasions to participate in legal, shaman-led ceremonies. An exploratory, narrative-type phenomenological method was used to record preliminary data of this phenomenon. Participants' experiences were divided into three categories---experience prior to the ayahuasca ceremony, experience of ayahuasca ceremony, and experience after ayahuasca ceremony---resulting in the emergence of 29 themes. The themes from these interviews replicated the data from previous investigative, preliminary studies of indigenous participants and long-term users of ayahuasca in South America. Findings from this phenomenological assessment included remission from psychiatric disorders, positive personality shifts, improved interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships, and overall increased satisfaction with life's process following the use of ayahuasca with no evidence of long-term adverse reactions. Possible clinical implications of this phenomenon and the need for future research are discussed.