According to current research, Ayahuasca may protect brain cells and stimulate neural cell growth. It may also boost mood, improve mindfulness, and treat depression and addiction disorders, though more research is needed to confirm these effects.
A single ayahuasca trip may not cure a person of depression, addiction, or PTSD in one fell swoop. But it could help them turn a corner and improve their chances in their recovery, researchers said.
Meet ayahuasca: Potential psychedelic therapy for treating depression, addiction and other mental health issues
Psychedelics are a type of drug known to have hallucinative properties which can bring changes in the perception, mood and cognitive abilities of an individual.
Psychedelics are a type of drug known to have hallucinative properties which can bring changes in the perception, mood and cognitive abilities of an individual. One of the most talked-about psychedelic substances is ayahuasca.
Ayahuasca, which can loosely be translated to ‘vine of the soul’, is a psychedelic drink which is made by mixing the bark of a South American woody vine, Banisteriopsis caapi, with the leaves of the chacruna plant (Psychotria Viridis).
Effect of ayahuasca on body
When a person consumes chacruna leaves, it does not have any effect on the body as it gets broken down in the gut by the enzyme monoamine oxidase. But when the chacruna leaves are mixed with the vines, the monoamine oxidase is inhibited by the beta-carbolines present in the Banisteriopsis caapi. This helps the DMT to get dissolved in the blood which then crosses the blood-brain barrier and affects the brain.
Benefits of ayahuasca for treating mental illnesses
There have been various studies which have documented the psychological and psycho-social benefits of ayahuasca.
1. As per a 2015 study, Ayahuasca can lower the activity in the default mode network (DMN) of the brain which activates whenever a person is daydreaming or thinking about memories, the future and other people. A person with higher DMN activity is more prone to get affected with mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, social phobias and schizophrenia.
2. A study published in the journal Psychological Medicine revealed that ayahuasca provides a rapid antidepressant effect to the user and thus can be helpful for the treatment of depression.
Ayahuasca has shown promising results in the treatment of many mental health disorders such as anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and drug addiction.
3. Ayahuasca is known to increase assertiveness, energy, positivity and confidence in a person.
The psychedelic drug was used on 12 people in the First Nations community in British Columbia, Canada who had severe psychological and behavioural issues related to substance abuse (tobacco, cocaine and alcohol). These people were given ayahuasca twice in four days. After six months, these people reported reduced reliance on the drugs and stated that ayahuasca helped them overcome addictive thoughts about alcohol and smoking.
4. Clinical studies have shown that ayahuasca can help in deploying immune cells against any virus or tumour growth inside the body. It also helps in increasing the natural killer cells of the body which fight the cancer cells trying to invade the body. However, ayahuasca is not being used for cancer therapy as more studies are required to prove its efficiency.
After further research and clinical studies, psychedelic-assisted therapy along with cognitive behavioural therapy can prove beneficial in treating various mental health issues in future.
Ayahuasca healing center Iquitos Peru
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