Ayahuasca-induced personal death experiences: prevalence, characteristics, and impact on attitudes toward death, life, and the environment
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 u...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1287961/full |
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| author | Jonathan David Jonathan David Jonathan David José Carlos Bouso José Carlos Bouso José Carlos Bouso Maja Kohek Maja Kohek Genís Ona Genís Ona Nir Tadmor Tal Arnon Yair Dor-Ziderman Yair Dor-Ziderman Yair Dor-Ziderman Aviva Berkovich-Ohana Aviva Berkovich-Ohana Aviva Berkovich-Ohana Aviva Berkovich-Ohana |
| author_facet | Jonathan David Jonathan David Jonathan David José Carlos Bouso José Carlos Bouso José Carlos Bouso Maja Kohek Maja Kohek Genís Ona Genís Ona Nir Tadmor Tal Arnon Yair Dor-Ziderman Yair Dor-Ziderman Yair Dor-Ziderman Aviva Berkovich-Ohana Aviva Berkovich-Ohana Aviva Berkovich-Ohana Aviva Berkovich-Ohana |
| author_sort | Jonathan David |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T22:01:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0bb206dc7a5746f5855e8857844f77a3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T22:01:44Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
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| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-0bb206dc7a5746f5855e8857844f77a32023-12-19T11:06:12ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402023-12-011410.3389/fpsyt.2023.12879611287961Ayahuasca-induced personal death experiences: prevalence, characteristics, and impact on attitudes toward death, life, and the environmentJonathan David0Jonathan David1Jonathan David2José Carlos Bouso3José Carlos Bouso4José Carlos Bouso5Maja Kohek6Maja Kohek7Genís Ona8Genís Ona9Nir Tadmor10Tal Arnon11Yair Dor-Ziderman12Yair Dor-Ziderman13Yair Dor-Ziderman14Aviva Berkovich-Ohana15Aviva Berkovich-Ohana16Aviva Berkovich-Ohana17Aviva Berkovich-Ohana18Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, IsraelIntegrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Haifa, IsraelDepartment of Counseling and Human Development, Faculty of Education, University of Haifa, Haifa, IsraelInternational Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research & Service (ICEERS), Barcelona, SpainMedical Anthropology Research Center (MARC), Department of Anthropology, Philosophy and Social Work, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, SpainDepartment of Neurosciences and Behavior, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilInternational Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research & Service (ICEERS), Barcelona, SpainMedical Anthropology Research Center (MARC), Department of Anthropology, Philosophy and Social Work, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, SpainInternational Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research & Service (ICEERS), Barcelona, SpainMedical Anthropology Research Center (MARC), Department of Anthropology, Philosophy and Social Work, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, SpainDepartment of Counseling and Human Development, Faculty of Education, University of Haifa, Haifa, IsraelIntegral Transpersonal Psychology, California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, CA, United StatesEdmond J. Safra Brain Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, IsraelIntegrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Haifa, IsraelDepartment of Counseling and Human Development, Faculty of Education, University of Haifa, Haifa, IsraelEdmond J. Safra Brain Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, IsraelIntegrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Haifa, IsraelDepartment of Counseling and Human Development, Faculty of Education, University of Haifa, Haifa, IsraelDepartment of Learning and Instructional Sciences, Faculty of Education, University of Haifa, Haifa, IsraelIntroductionDespite 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.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1287961/fullayahuascapsychedelicsdeathselfenvironmental concerncoping |
| spellingShingle | Jonathan David Jonathan David Jonathan David José Carlos Bouso José Carlos Bouso José Carlos Bouso Maja Kohek Maja Kohek Genís Ona Genís Ona Nir Tadmor Tal Arnon Yair Dor-Ziderman Yair Dor-Ziderman Yair Dor-Ziderman Aviva Berkovich-Ohana Aviva Berkovich-Ohana Aviva Berkovich-Ohana Aviva Berkovich-Ohana Ayahuasca-induced personal death experiences: prevalence, characteristics, and impact on attitudes toward death, life, and the environment Frontiers in Psychiatry ayahuasca psychedelics death self environmental concern coping |
| title | Ayahuasca-induced personal death experiences: prevalence, characteristics, and impact on attitudes toward death, life, and the environment |
| title_full | Ayahuasca-induced personal death experiences: prevalence, characteristics, and impact on attitudes toward death, life, and the environment |
| title_fullStr | Ayahuasca-induced personal death experiences: prevalence, characteristics, and impact on attitudes toward death, life, and the environment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ayahuasca-induced personal death experiences: prevalence, characteristics, and impact on attitudes toward death, life, and the environment |
| title_short | Ayahuasca-induced personal death experiences: prevalence, characteristics, and impact on attitudes toward death, life, and the environment |
| title_sort | ayahuasca induced personal death experiences prevalence characteristics and impact on attitudes toward death life and the environment |
| topic | ayahuasca psychedelics death self environmental concern coping |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1287961/full |
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