Daniel Pillersdorf

2 papers in the library · 23 citations · publishing 2019-2021

Papers

A Qualitative Study of Intention and Impact of Ayahuasca Use by Westerners

April 1, 2021 Geoff J. Bathje, Jon Fenton, Daniel Pillersdorf et al. 23 citations preprint

Western participants in facilitated group ayahuasca experiences reported a wide range of lasting beneficial impacts, including improvements in mental health, substance use, health behaviors, interpersonal relationships, sense of self, and attitude, as well as changes in creativity, somatic sensations, physical health, connection to nature, spirituality, and concern for the greater good. Two of the 41 participants reported problematic experiences tied to set and setting. The findings suggest that ayahuasca can produce sustained therapeutic-like effects beyond those typically addressed in psychotherapy, though the study is qualitative and does not establish causality.

DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/n34xq Ayahuasca Psilocybin Spirituality Mental health +5

Cannabis-associated impairments in the fading affect bias and autobiographical memory specificity.

Consciousness and Cognition September 1, 2019 Daniel Pillersdorf, A. Scoboria

Chronic cannabis users show a reduced fading affect bias for unpleasant memories and less detailed recall of autobiographical events compared to non-users. The fading affect bias is a normal emotional regulation process in which the intensity of negative memories fades faster than that of positive ones. In this study, 47 cannabis users and 52 non-users recalled and rated positive and negative events and completed a memory specificity task. Cannabis users exhibited less fading of negative affect over time and lower memory specificity, suggesting cannabis use may interfere with adaptive emotional processing and memory detail.

DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2019.102792 Psychology Medicine