Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

According to the World Health Organisation, 300 million people suffer from depression worldwide. Recent studies also indicate that largely depression is the culprit behind the now rising suicide rates all over the world. Though treatment can be provided to patients through several methods, about 30% of those who suffer from depression are ‘treatment-resistant”. This means that standard antidepressants such as “selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors” do not help these patients with depressive episodes. A new study done by a team of Brazilian scientists suggests that ayahuasca- a popular Amazonian psychedelic drink may help treat patients suffering with treatment-resistant depression. The study was published recently in the journal Psychological Medicine. 

For the study the research team selected 29 treatment-resistant people out of 218 patients who suffered with depression. The 29 patients then were given ayahuasca or a placebo drug. The trials took place in a hospital in Brazil and patients were closely monitored by experts during their physical and emotional experiences of ayuhuasca. A day after patients drank ayahuasca showed signs of better mood and reduced anxiety. While only 27 percent people out of the placebo group felt that they felt better even after a week of the treatment, the number for the ayahuasca drinkers was a whopping 64 percent- which clearly showed that the drink had a positive effect on those suffering with difficult-to-treat depression. This study also supports the 2015 Brazilian clinical trials of ayahuasca as a potential cure for such depression.

Since at its roots ayahuasca is a psychedelic, it is expected that the patient might experience hallucinations and feeling like he/she is a part of a dream-like situation. The research team believes that all these effects are central to how ayahuasca functions. Participants who drank ayahuasca even scored higher on the Hallucinogen Rating Scale, surprisingly patients who experienced the most intense hallucinations and other audiovisual effect saw the most significant reduction in terms of depression even after a week. The team does warn that ayahuasca may have different effects on different people- its use might be too overwhelming for some patients, but the team also agrees that ayahuasca brings much hope to those who suffer with depression.

Source: The article outlining the study was first published on the ConversationUK by authors Luís Fernando Tófoli, Dráulio Barros de Araújo and Fernanda Palhano-Fontes, who are also the co-authors of the research.

By Purnima

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