An extensive review of the literature on ayahuasca combined with the research findings regarding ayahuasca's impact on symptoms of depression revealed that experiences with ayahuasca allow access to realms of the human psyche difficult to access otherwise. The benefit of this access is the possible recognition of stored beliefs or traumas that provide cathartic, healing responses. The self-insight then results in new, alternate reactions to surroundings and impacts a participant's relationship to others and the environment in which they are operating. Often the experience has a numinous quality that challenges the person to engage in a new awareness, accepting the wholeness of life, healing from past wounds, and living life with greater purpose.

This study investigated the impact of ayahuasca on 6 individuals suffering from chronic and/or treatment resistant depression, using a descriptive phenomenological research method. Participants were asked to describe their lived experience of depression prior to taking ayahuasca and then their experience of depression after ingesting ayahuasca. All participants were interviewed twice.

The study has multiple implications for treatment of depression. All six participants reported that symptoms had been alleviated within a period of 10 days. Current antidepressant medications may take up to 8 weeks before beginning to take effect. Participants of this study had attempted numerous methods of addressing the depressive symptoms experienced; these methods included psychotherapy and antidepressant medications, as well as less traditional methods such as meditation, yoga, and herbal medications. Having experienced minimal relief from symptoms through those methods, each of these participants sought the experience of ayahuasca as a potential source of relief from depression. One aspect of the process was psychological pain and struggle while under the influence of ayahuasca, but this was a temporary feeling and came to be perceived as an integral part of the process of recovering from depression.