Ayahuasca, which is produced from plants growing in the Amazon jungle, as been used extensively for healing and in religious ceremonies for centuries among certain groups native to the Amazon. In recent decades its popularity has been spreading elsewhere in the world and there is a growing interest in using the substance to treat mental disorders like depression, anxiety, PTSD and addiction that plague the Western world. For these treatments to gain traction, people need to be reassured that ayahuasca is safe and has few or no major side effects.
A number of studies conducted over the past few decades have produced evidence that ayahuasca does not harm the people who consume it. A 2012 study conducted by the Hospital Sant Pau in Barcelona drove home the message with scientific rigor.
The research looked at 127 people who had used ayahuasca at least twice a month for 15 years and compared them to a group who had never taken the substance. After undergoing a series of interviews and tests, the study found that there is “no evidence of psychological maladjustment, mental health deterioration or cognitive impairment in the ayahuasca-using group.” Ayahuasca users even scored better in some of the cognitive tests than their counterparts. They also showed lower rates of depression, anxiety, hostility, worry and other negative traits than the control subjects, and higher in self-transcendence and spiritual orientation.
*Full article by Aaron Kase can be found on www.reset.me
A number of studies conducted over the past few decades have produced evidence that ayahuasca does not harm the people who consume it. A 2012 study conducted by the Hospital Sant Pau in Barcelona drove home the message with scientific rigor.
The research looked at 127 people who had used ayahuasca at least twice a month for 15 years and compared them to a group who had never taken the substance. After undergoing a series of interviews and tests, the study found that there is “no evidence of psychological maladjustment, mental health deterioration or cognitive impairment in the ayahuasca-using group.” Ayahuasca users even scored better in some of the cognitive tests than their counterparts. They also showed lower rates of depression, anxiety, hostility, worry and other negative traits than the control subjects, and higher in self-transcendence and spiritual orientation.
*Full article by Aaron Kase can be found on www.reset.me
Click image to view complete article
