Observational · 2026
Ayahuasca retreat for LGBTQ+ participants linked to lower depression and anxiety scores
- Original title
- LGBTQ+ Ayahuasca Retreat Experience is Associated with Benefits to Mental Health, Quality of Life, and Spiritual Well-Being: A Prospective, Naturalistic Study.
- Authors
- Lowe MX, Darby QA, Kalcheff-Korn S, et al.
- Journal
- Journal of psychoactive drugs, 2026
- Molecules
- Ayahuasca
- Conditions
- Depression, Anxiety, Other
- Evidence grade
- Low
- Source
- Read the original paper
The question
Does attending an ayahuasca retreat designed for sexual and gender minority (LGBTQ+) people change their mental health, quality of life and sense of spiritual well-being?
What they did
Researchers followed participants through a seven-day ayahuasca retreat. People filled out questionnaires at six time points, from 2-4 weeks before the ceremony to 2-3 months afterwards. The measures covered depression, anxiety, quality of life and spiritual well-being. The study was naturalistic, meaning the researchers observed an experience that was happening anyway rather than assigning anyone to a treatment.
What they found
Depression and anxiety scores dropped significantly after the retreat, and scores for spiritual well-being and quality of life rose. These changes were strongest in the first month after the ceremony. Participants described the experience as highly meaningful, with many rating the ceremony among the most meaningful events of their lives. They also reported better relationships with others and reduced substance use. Adverse effects were described as minimal and short-lived.
The fine print
The abstract does not report how many people took part, the size of the changes, or any statistics, so the strength of the effect cannot be judged. There was no control or placebo group, everyone knew what they were taking, and all outcomes were self-reported by people who chose to attend a retreat and may have expected benefit. Follow-up ended at 2-3 months, so longer-term effects are unknown. This summary is based on the abstract only.
What it means
Among LGBTQ+ people who chose to attend an ayahuasca retreat, mental health and well-being scores improved over the following weeks, but the study design cannot show that ayahuasca itself caused the change.
Evidence grade: Low. A prospective observational study of people who chose to attend a retreat, with no control group, no blinding and self-reported outcomes.
This summary is based on the study’s published abstract.