Newer substances and their effects: A case report

A 36-year-old immigrant woman from South America began using ayahuasca daily as part of rituals performed by a community in Europe. Over time, she became socially isolated and developed delusional and mystical religious ideas, persecutory delusions, and auditory hallucinations in which Archangels spoke to her about creating music. She was involuntarily admitted to a mental health unit and treated with risperidone, which gradually resolved the hallucinations. After discharge, she continued outpatient treatment with injectable risperidone. The case highlights the need for clinicians to understand culturally unfamiliar substances like ayahuasca, which is undetectable in standard urine or blood tests.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Introduction Due to constant flow of people in and out of Europe several drugs are now days appearing in European markets that were previously unknown. There is a need to gain awareness and knowledge about these new substances and to recognize their use and learn about their effects and management. Aims/objectives Ayahuascais commonly called yagé is a traditional spiritual medicine in ceremonies among the Indigenous peoples of Amazonian Peru. It is undetected in urine or blood and therefore it is important to understand and ask about its usage during clinical assessment. Methods/results Thirty-six years old woman immigrant from South America came to us with auditory hallucinations. About three years ago she was introduced who introduced her to a community of Euto poeple that performed daily rituals of spiritual awareness involving the use of Ayahuasca. She became a part of it and started consuming Ayahuasca daily. She started becoming socially isolated accompanied by delusional and mystical religious ideations. She later began having persecutory delusions and auditory hallucinations that Archangels speak to her about how to create music. Patient was involuntary admitted in a mental health unit and started on risperidone. Gradually her condition improved and she stopped having auditory hallucinations. After being discharged from the hospital, patient was followed on an outpatient basis with injectable risperidone. Conclusions Due to the blend of different cultures in Europe, it is necessary to have a better understanding about the cultures, rituals and the substances that are relatively new and are currently been used. Disclosure of interest The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.