Childhood trauma, challenging experiences, and posttraumatic growth in ayahuasca use

Introduction

Ayahuasca, a traditional Amazonian plant-based psychedelic, has become increasingly used in Western contexts for mental health and well-being. The introduction notes that challenging acute effects—commonly nausea, vomiting and psychological distress such as anxiety, disorientation or paranoia—are reported by a notable minority of users, and that many Western users seeking ayahuasca have past psychological vulnerabilities. Previous research and theory suggest that prior life adversity, especially childhood trauma and attachment insecurity, can alter psychedelic trajectories: some studies report heightened therapeutic responsiveness, others increased risk of adverse outcomes. Attachment dimensions (anxiety, avoidance, disorganisation) have been linked to differing psychedelic experiences in prior work, and childhood trauma is a known risk factor for adult psychopathology and attachment disruption, making trauma-exposed people a substantial subgroup among ayahuasca users. This study, led by Cassidy and colleagues, aimed to examine two linked questions: whether a self-reported history of childhood trauma is associated with more challenging experiences during acute ayahuasca effects, and whether such challenging experiences are associated with greater long-term perceived benefit operationalised as posttraumatic growth (PTG) related to ayahuasca use. The authors hypothesised that (a) childhood trauma would correlate with more challenging acute effects, and (b) those challenging experiences would be associated with higher ayahuasca-related PTG. Establishing these relationships is positioned as relevant to assessing risks and potential benefits of ayahuasca among trauma-exposed, high-needs populations.