Plant Medicine Magic? –
Nov. 21, 2020 – Rory’s ayahuasca experience reflects broader research on ayahuasca and addiction. A 2010 study published in the Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence reported that ayahuasca users had more success in quitting drugs and alcohol (except cannabis) than non-ayahuasca users.
A 2013 study from conducted by the University of British Columbia found statistically significant reductions in use of alcohol, cocaine and other addictive drugs after an ayahuasca-assisted therapy in a sample of Canadians with no prior experience with ayahuasca. Participants also reported improvements in mindfulness, empowerment, hopefulness, quality of life-outlook.
One study published in the Frontiers of Pharmacology Journal in 2016 even claimed that ayahuasca “facilitates a neurological rewiring of the brain’s reward pathways,” by altering communication between neurons, which subsequently alter existing neural circuits that mediate maladaptive addictive habits.
The idea of using hallucinogens as an avenue towards healing came from Rory’s younger brother, Ryan, who had a positive experience using psilocybin, another hallucinogenic substance, to treat his chronic depression.
