Ayahuasca, a new hope for treating symptoms of depression?
Ayahuasca, a psychedelic beverage, has generated great optimism about its ability to treat depression. A new study, “Symptomatic specificity of the effect of ayahuasca on depressive symptoms,” conducted by authors Cody Sykes Gilbert, Mitch Earleywine, Maha N. Mian, and Brianna R. Altman, examines the specific effects of ayahuasca consumption on depressive symptoms. The study found that ayahuasca had a more significant impact on affective symptoms, such as hope, depressed mood, and happiness, compared to cognitive, interpersonal, and somatic symptoms. The study suggests that ayahuasca may be most helpful in treating affective symptoms of depression and has great potential for those who seek relief similar to that obtained with serotonergic medications.
