Editing Ayahuasca (section)

=== Psychological effects ===
People who have consumed ayahuasca report having mystical experiences and [[Spirituality|spiritual]] revelations regarding their purpose on earth, the true nature of the [[universe]], and deep insight into how to be the best person they possibly can.<ref>{{cite book |last=Gorman |first=Peter |title=Ayahuasca in My Blood: 25 Years of Medicine Dreaming |year=2010 |publisher=Johan Fremin |isbn=978-1-4528-8290-1}}</ref> Many people also report therapeutic effects, especially around depression and personal traumas.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Harris |first=Rachel |title=Listening to Ayahuasca |publisher=New World Library |year=2017 |isbn=978-1-60868-402-1 |location=Novato, California |pages=120–200 |language=English}}</ref>

This is viewed by many as a spiritual awakening and what is often described as a near-death experience or rebirth.<ref name="Campos 2011" />{{rp|67–70}} It is often reported that individuals feel they gain access to higher spiritual [[dimension]]s and make contact with various spiritual or extra-dimensional beings who can act as guides or healers.<ref>{{cite book |last=Metzner |first=Ralph |title=Ayahuasca: Human Consciousness and the Spirits of Nature |year=1999 |pages=46–55}}</ref>

The experiences that people have while under the influence of ayahuasca are also culturally influenced.<ref name="Hay20" /> Westerners typically describe experiences with psychological terms like "[[ego death]]" and understand the hallucinations as repressed memories or metaphors of mental states.<ref name="Hay20" /> However, at least in [[Iquitos]], Peru (a center of ayahuasca ceremonies), those from the area describe the experiences more in terms of the actions in the body and understand the visions as reflections of their environment, sometimes including the person who they believe caused their illness, as well as interactions with spirits.<ref name="Hay20" />

Most psychological effects can be accredited to the influx of [[serotonin]] caused by the psychoactive combination of DMT with ''beta-''carbolines. Serotonin stimulates a group of G-protein coupled receptors known as [[5-HT receptor|5-HT]] receptors. Specifically, stimulation of the [[5-HT2A receptor|5-HT2A]] receptor type is correlated with hallucinogenic effects.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Nichols |first1=David E. |last2=Nichols |first2=Charles D. |date=2008-05-01 |title=Serotonin Receptors |url=https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/cr078224o |journal=Chemical Reviews |volume=108 |issue=5 |pages=1614–1641 |doi=10.1021/cr078224o |pmid=18476671 |issn=0009-2665}}</ref>