Study: How Ayahuasca Affects Alcohol Use
A recent study showed that participants experienced a significant reduction in alcohol use after just a single does of Ayahuasca.
The plant medicine seems to have been administered outside of an ayahuasca retreat setting, and there were only 6 retreat participants who were are college students with harmful alcohol use as defined by the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT).
Despite the small participant pool, the feedback was quite positive:
“Well, the experience was unique. Before participating on the trial, I had tried other substances […] but, in my opinion, this (ayahuasca) was the only one capable of, during its maximal effect, make me lose… sense of reality.”
“But, like, it was a unique experience, I had not guessed how one would behave during the session… If you would forget about using a substance, where you were, what you used, the other people in the room […] and you are conscious about what you used, you know, to be feeling this”
“These last few days I […] had a lot of activities […] had tense obligations, like tests, and I believe that in other situations like these, that I have been through in the past, even recently, I did not feel as calm as I have been in the past few weeks […] my mood was so much better, I think I dealt with things very calmly, and my anxiety did not worsened” “I feel more willing after I used it (ayahuasca), like, I guess my tranquility is related to my willingness. I am calmer, I am more willing”
“[…] and I believe that in other situations like these, that I have been through in the past, even recently, I did not feel as calm as I have been in the past few weeks, so it is very interesting, my mood was so much better […]. I feel more tolerant with situations”
“Effects that last a long time, I feel like I am in a lighter state, calmer, for at least 15 to 20 days”
“But I actually felt like sometimes I got more moderate […] before I used to drink almost every day, almost like a habit. I got home, opened a bottle, and drank; I opened I can and drank, I would drink a few routinely. In the last weeks it has become more like a social experience, during moments when I am with other people”
“My alcohol intake is decreasing, my tobacco use as well. I decided this, I am decreasing my use of drugs in general. I was already considering this, already thinking about this, but dependence is very hard, it is something that comes and go. But now my mentality is much more willing to this”
With such promising results, it would be great to see a follow-up study with a much larger sample size, but for now, it’s just a nice little tidbit of news.
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