Ayahuasca combined with grief therapy shows promise in easing severe bereavement

A clinical trial published in Scientific Reports found that combining the psychedelic brew ayahuasca with specialized therapy may help ease severe grief following the loss of a close family member. The study involved 84 adults who had lost a first-degree relative within the past year and were randomly assigned to one of three groups.

One group received nine weekly sessions of meaning reconstruction therapy, a second group received no treatment, and the third group received the therapy along with two weekend ayahuasca retreats. The researchers hypothesized that ayahuasca could enhance the psychological work of meaning reconstruction therapy, which helps integrate the loss into a person's life narrative.

The results showed that participants in the ayahuasca-assisted therapy group experienced the largest improvements in grief severity and post-traumatic growth compared to the control groups. These improvements were stable over a three-month follow-up period. The psychedelic brew was generally well tolerated, with no serious adverse events reported.

However, the study has limitations due to logistical constraints related to the COVID-19 pandemic and a relatively small sample size. Further research is needed to determine the long-term effectiveness and safety of this combined treatment approach.