Author, as appears in the article.: David, J; Bouso, JC; Kohek, M; Ona, G; Tadmor, N; Arnon, T; Dor-Ziderman, Y; Berkovich-Ohana, A
Department: Psicologia
URV's Author/s: Kohek /, Maja / Oña Esteve, Genís
Keywords: Threatening cancer Self Scale Psychedelics Psilocybin Posttraumatic stress Life fulfillment Environmental concern Depression Death Coping Beliefs Ayahuasca Anxiety After-death
Abstract: IntroductionDespite an emerging understanding regarding the pivotal mechanistic role of subjective experiences that unfold during acute psychedelic states, very little has been done in the direction of better characterizing such experiences and determining their long-term impact. The present paper utilizes two cross-sectional studies for spotlighting - for the first time in the literature - the characteristics and outcomes of self-reported past experiences related to one's subjective sense of death during ayahuasca ceremonies, termed here Ayahuasca-induced Personal Death (APD) experiences.MethodsStudy 1 (n = 54) reports the prevalence, demographics, intensity, and impact of APDs on attitudes toward death, explores whether APDs are related with psychopathology, and reveals their impact on environmental concerns. Study 2 is a larger study (n = 306) aiming at generalizing the basic study 1 results regarding APD experience, and in addition, examining whether APDs is associated with self-reported coping strategies and values in life.ResultsOur results indicate that APDs occur to more than half of those participating in ayahuasca ceremonies, typically manifest as strong and transformative experiences, and are associated with an increased sense of transcending death (study 1), as well as the certainty in the continuation of consciousness after death (study 2). No associations were found between having undergone APD experiences and participants' demographics, personality type, and psychopathology. However, APDs were associated with increased self-reported environmental concern (study 1). These experiences also impact life in profound ways. APDs were found to be associated with increases in one's self-reported ability to cope with distress-causing life problems and the sense of fulfillment in life (study 2).DiscussionThe study's findings highlight the prevalence, safety and potency of death experiences that occur during ayahuasca ceremonies, marking them as possible mechanisms for psychedelics' long-term salutatory effects in non-clinical populations. Thus, the present results join other efforts of tracking and characterizing the profound subjective experiences that occur during acute psychedelic states.
Thematic Areas: Psychiatry and mental health Psychiatry Psicología Medicina ii Medicina i Interdisciplinar Ensino Engenharias iv Educação física Ciências biológicas ii Ciências biológicas i Ciências ambientais Astronomia / física Administração pública e de empresas, ciências contábeis e turismo
licence for use: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/
Author's mail: genis.ona@urv.cat genis.ona@urv.cat
Record's date: 2024-08-03
Papper version: info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
Licence document URL: https://repositori.urv.cat/ca/proteccio-de-dades/
Papper original source: Frontiers In Psychiatry. 14
APA: David, J; Bouso, JC; Kohek, M; Ona, G; Tadmor, N; Arnon, T; Dor-Ziderman, Y; Berkovich-Ohana, A (2023). Ayahuasca-induced personal death experiences: prevalence, characteristics, and impact on attitudes toward death, life, and the environment. Frontiers In Psychiatry, 14(), -. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1287961
Entity: Universitat Rovira i Virgili
Journal publication year: 2023
Publication Type: Journal Publications
Repositori URV