Nourishing the Spirit: Exploratory Research on Ayahuasca Experiences along the Continuum of Recovery from Eating Disorders

Lafrance, Adèle; Loizaga-Velder, Anja; Fletcher, Jenna; Renelli, Marika; Files, Natasha; Tupper, Kenneth W.

doi:10.1080/02791072.2017.1361559

Cited by 90 publications

(118 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…All studies on psilocybin, LSD, ketamine, and MDMA took place in the context of clinical research in the US [80][81][82][83][84], Switzerland [85] and the UK [53]. Ibogaine treatments took place in treatment centers in Mexico [86] and Brazil [78,79], while ayahuasca was used in ceremonial [87,88], religious [89] or treatment contexts [90].…”

Section: Study Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, studies that aimed to address patients' subjective experience of a substance's psychoactive effects [79,84,86,88] contributed mostly to the phenomenology section. The studies that focused on patient experiences of the therapeutic process [82,85,88], aimed to increase the understanding of these complex treatments [81,82,85,90], or (also) aimed to characterize, describe, or determine potential therapeutic mechanisms, effects, and processes [53,82,83,85,87,90] contributed most to the perspectives on the intervention, therapeutic processes and outcomes. While we found quality differences, no articles were excluded based on our quality assessment.…”

Section: Critical Appraisal Of Study Qualitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Independent of substance or disorder, many patients reported how they experienced the treatment, and the ways interventions were structured. Trust and a good connection or rapport with study guides, therapists and ceremonial leaders were explicitly mentioned as important therapeutic aspects [53,80,83,87,89].…”

Section: Context and Structure Of The Interventionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many respondents also noted the importance of the preparatory sessions [53,80,83,90]; for example, in preparing them for the potential of having challenging experiences [53]. The added value of integration sessions was also mentioned frequently [53,80,82,83,87].…”

Section: Context and Structure Of The Interventionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This was also frequently mentioned as an outcome of the intervention. For various disorders and substances, patients reported improved insights in their disorder, its root causes, and related behaviors [80,83,87,88,90].…”

Section: Insightsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Psychedelic Treatments for Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis of Patient Experiences in Qualitative Studies

et al. 2020

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Introduction Interest in the use of psychedelic substances for the treatment of mental disorders is increasing. Processes that may affect therapeutic change are not yet fully understood. Qualitative research methods are increasingly used to examine patient accounts; however, currently, no systematic review exists that synthesizes these findings in relation to the use of psychedelics for the treatment of mental disorders. Objective To provide an overview of salient themes in patient experiences of psychedelic treatments for mental disorders, presenting both common and diverging elements in patients' accounts, and elucidating how these affect the treatment process. Methods We systematically searched the PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Embase databases for English-language qualitative literature without time limitations. Inclusion criteria were qualitative research design; peer-reviewed studies; based on verbalized patient utterances; and a level of abstraction or analysis of the results. Thematic synthesis was used to analyze and synthesize results across studies. A critical appraisal of study quality and methodological rigor was conducted using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP). Results Fifteen research articles, comprising 178 patient experiences, were included. Studies exhibited a broad heterogeneity in terms of substance, mental disorder, treatment context, and qualitative methodology. Substances included psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), ibogaine, ayahuasca, ketamine and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). Disorders included anxiety, depression, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorders. While the included compounds were heterogeneous in pharmacology and treatment contexts, patients reported largely comparable experiences across disorders, which included phenomenological analogous effects, perspectives on the intervention, therapeutic processes and treatment outcomes. Comparable therapeutic processes included insights, altered self-perception, increased connectedness, transcendental experiences, and an expanded emotional spectrum, which patients reported contributed to clinically and personally relevant responses. Conclusions This review demonstrates how qualitative research of psychedelic treatments can contribute to distinguishing specific features of specific substances, and carry otherwise undiscovered implications for the treatment of specific psychiatric disorders.

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Section: Study Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Critical Appraisal Of Study Qualitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Context and Structure Of The Interventionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Context and Structure Of The Interventionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Insightsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Psychedelic Treatments for Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis of Patient Experiences in Qualitative Studies

et al. 2020

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Perspectives and preliminary experiences of psychedelics for the treatment of eating disorders: A systematic scoping review

Cuerva,

Spirou,

Cuerva

et al. 2024

Euro Eating Disorders Rev

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ObjectiveResearch regarding the therapeutic application of psychedelics and psychedelic‐assisted psychotherapy in the treatment of eating disorders (EDs) has begun to emerge. This systematic scoping review aimed to map and synthesise the existing evidence regarding the participant reported efficacy and perspectives concerning psychedelics in the treatment of EDs, and to identify significant research gaps.MethodA systematic search was undertaken across several databases in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta‐Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines.Results1290 publications were identified, 1135 after duplicates removed, with 17 meeting full‐eligibility criteria. Overall, findings suggested that most participants reported experiencing a meaningful reduction in their ED symptoms and having positive experiences or an openness to explore psychedelics as a treatment for ED symptoms, although some noted concerns of adverse effects and the importance of having psychological support to increase safety and efficacy.ConclusionsWhile preliminary research suggests psychedelics and psychedelic‐assisted psychotherapy may be a viable treatment option for ED symptoms, further research with more robust research designs is required to increase confidence in its efficacy, generalisability, and safety as a therapeutic medium.

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How does ayahuasca work from a psychiatric perspective? Pros and cons of the entheogenic therapy

Orsolini

Chiappini

Papanti

et al. 2020

Human Psychopharmacology

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ObjectiveAyahuasca is a hallucinogenic plant preparation, traditionally consumed in sacred ceremonies by indigenous North‐Westerner Amazonian countries like Colombia, Peru, Brazil, and Ecuador. It is fundamental to carefully balance benefits/risks related to the ayahuasca intake, both during ceremonies and experimental settings. The aim is at evaluating and comparing the potential therapeutic benefits versus health risks related to ayahuasca intake (both acutely and chronically), focusing on its application in psychedelic psychiatry.DesignA comprehensive mini overview focusing on psychiatric outcomes following ayahuasca intake both in healthy volunteers and in clinical samples.ResultsPreclinical, observational, and experimental studies in healthy volunteers as well as in clinical samples suggest that ayahuasca may be beneficial as an antidepressant, emotional regulator, anxiolytic, and antiaddictive drug, by exerting fast‐acting and enduring clinical effects. Ayahuasca appears to be safe and well tolerated, nausea and emesis being the most reported and transient side effects. Some findings suggest not to use ayahuasca in bipolar or psychotic patients because of an increased risk of manic switch and/or psychotic onset.ConclusionsFurther research should be carried out in randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trials, by implementing neuroimaging studies, in order to better evaluate therapeutic potential of ayahuasca in mental disorders.

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Nourishing the Spirit: Exploratory Research on Ayahuasca Experiences along the Continuum of Recovery from Eating Disorders

Cited by 90 publications

References 31 publications

Psychedelic Treatments for Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis of Patient Experiences in Qualitative Studies

Psychedelic Treatments for Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis of Patient Experiences in Qualitative Studies

Perspectives and preliminary experiences of psychedelics for the treatment of eating disorders: A systematic scoping review

How does ayahuasca work from a psychiatric perspective? Pros and cons of the entheogenic therapy

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