Therapeutic Potential Ascribed to Ayahuasca by Users in the Czech Republic

This article focuses on the therapeutic potential ascribed to ayahuasca by users in the Czech Republic. Following an online survey, the fieldwork among users of ayahuasca was carried out from November 2015 to December 2016. The research sample consisted of 46 persons (23 women and 23 men), who took...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of psychoactive drugs 2018-10, Vol.50 (5), p.430-436
Main Authors: Horák, Miroslav, Hasíková, Lea, Verter, Nahanga
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ayahuasca
Czech Republic
Drug addiction
Psychedelic drugs
therapeutic potential
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Summary:This article focuses on the therapeutic potential ascribed to ayahuasca by users in the Czech Republic. Following an online survey, the fieldwork among users of ayahuasca was carried out from November 2015 to December 2016. The research sample consisted of 46 persons (23 women and 23 men), who took part at least once in some type of ayahuasca ritual and/or were the facilitators of the ayahuasca sessions. We held semi-structured interviews with participants in order to discover the therapeutic potential of ayahuasca. Transcribed recordings were analyzed using the Grounded Theory Method. The results suggest that the intensity of effects produced by ayahuasca is not directly proportional to its therapeutic effect. According to the informants, ayahuasca is applicable in the treatment of drug addiction. They consider it to have a broad spectrum of therapeutic potential. This therapeutic potential could be based on memory recall.
ISSN:0279-1072
2159-9777
DOI:10.1080/02791072.2018.1511878