Can Ritual Ayahuasca Use Build a More Resilient Mind?

This article answers the question: Is the regular, ritualistic use of the psychedelic brew ayahuasca associated with greater psychological resilience?

Synopsis 

Recent scientific research is examining the long-term effects of ayahuasca, a traditional Amazonian psychedelic tea, on mental health. Findings reveal that individuals who regularly attend formal ayahuasca ceremonies are more psychologically resilient—having the ability to withstand stress and adversity—than others who do not use it. These psychological differences are paralleled by divergent patterns of neural activity in emotion-regulation areas, suggesting that long-term ritual use can produce long-lasting, adaptive neural alterations. While encouraging, researchers caution that the controlled, nurturing conditions under which these rituals take place matter and that the findings aren't a call to backwoods recreations.

The Amazonian Brew and the Adaptable Mind

In search of new ways to improve mental well-being, science is turning increasingly to old ways. The most celebrated, perhaps, is ayahuasca, a psychotropic beverage that has been employed for centuries in Amazonian religious rituals. Prepared from the Psychotria viridis bush and the Banisteriopsis caapi vine, ayahuasca provides a vivid, meditative, and often emotionally intensive experience. For those who are interested in psychedelic therapies but do not know their effects, the discussion is shifting away from just the acute effect to recognizing the potential long-term gain. One of the key subject areas of interest is psychological resilience, the human capability to cope with and recover from life challenges.

A Link Between Ritual and Resilience

A 2025 groundbreaking study in the Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging provided robust evidence for attributing long-term ayahuasca use to higher psychological resilience [1]. Brazilian scientists studied a group of men who were long-term members of formal spiritual groups, where they consumed ayahuasca in ritual settings at least 36 times a year. In comparison to a control group of non-users, these men tested significantly higher on standardized measures of resilience. This suggests that they had greater ability to deal with stress and emotional hardship, a result that draws in line with many decades of anecdotal evidence from ayahuasca circles.

Unexpectedly, even though they were more resilient, long-term users were not different on baseline measures of depression or anxiety from non-users. This is an indication that the effect might not be so much about healing immediate symptoms but rather about instilling a core capacity for emotional adaptability. The study's authors point out that this was not just about the drug but also about the setting in which it was given. Participants were in supportive groups where preparation, facilitation, and integration of the experience are considered core—a protocol that modern psychedelic therapy seeks to replicate [1, 2].

The Resilient Brain on Ayahuasca

To observe what was happening at a neural level, the researchers imaged the brains of volunteers as they completed an emotional processing task while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The results were striking. Using machine learning, the researchers were able to discriminate between ayahuasca users and non-users roughly 75% of the time just by looking at their brain activity [1]. The largest differences were observed in areas of the brain that are crucial both for the processing of sensory information and emotions, such as the amygdala (the fear and emotion center of the brain), the parietal cortex (which deals with attention), and the thalamus. 

Even though the participants weren't high on ayahuasca during scanning, their brains appeared to process emotional information differently. The study's lead author, Lucas Rego Ramos, clarified that the brains of the users seemed to operate on emotional states in a "more adaptive way" [1]. This suggests that long-term, ritualized ayahuasca use can bring about permanent changes to the brain's affective processing networks, effectively training the brain to be more robust. This is congruent with other research that has shown ayahuasca to be able to modulate emotion regulation and improve cognition in response to aversive stimuli [3].

More Than a Drink: The Role of Context

It is worth mentioning that these findings cannot be separated from the context within which the ayahuasca was consumed. The Brazilian study participants were all members of spiritual groups that provide a systematic and supportive environment. As astutely recommended by Ramos, "These findings should not be seen as an open invitation for everyone to start using ayahuasca" [1]. This is a refrain repeated throughout the world of psychedelic research, which is consistently affirming the need for "set and setting"—the person's state of mind and the environment in which the experience is taking place [4].

The benefits achieved are likely the consequence of the interaction between the pharmacologic effect of the brew and the psychological care provided by the community. The ritual provides a secure setting for intense and often painful emotional conditions, and the community offers a framework for integrating those conditions into one's reality. This interaction appears to be a key ingredient in maintaining the increases in well-being and resilience that have been noted [5].

A Path Toward Healing

Despite the limitations of the research and such problems as small, all-male samples, there is exciting promise in what it has to say. The findings suggest that ayahuasca, if used responsibly within a structured environment, may do more than alleviate signs of psychiatric disease—it may actually build the very psychological pillars of a healthy mind. It hopes for a time when ancient lore and modern neuroscience can blend to allow humans not only to heal from earlier traumas, but to cultivate the inner strength necessary to confront future adversity with more flexibility and grace.

When considering psychedelic therapy, the story of ayahuasca and resiliency is a strong message: healing will not always appear in one session, but in integrating that session into a coherent sense of meaningful, caring life. The path to a more resilient mind may not be found in a drug per se, but in the reflective, intentional, and community-oriented rituals that we build upon it.