Percepções religiosas e motivações de usuários de ayahuasca em Manaus - Am

Abstract

To investigate the perception of ayahuasca users in the religious context and the reasons that led individuals to use the tea - Manaus-AM. Method: This is a descriptive-exploratory study with a quantitative-qualitative approach, carried out with ayahuasca users, in a religious context, in the city of Manaus-AM. The sample consisted of thirteen participants collected using the snowball technique. For data collection, an online questionnaire was used, developed using the Google Forms tool, consisting of two parts: the first to characterize the user's profile and the second about their perceptions and reasons for using ayahuasca. The data was analyzed using the Bardin technique and simple descriptive analysis. Results: Analysis of the data revealed four thematic categories: the therapeutic effect and its advantages; motivation and purpose for wanting to take part in the ceremony; perception of the experience by identifying feelings, sensations through reports; disadvantages such as physical and psychological discomfort. These categories provided an understanding of users' perceptions and experiences of ayahuasca. Conclusion: This study offered a comprehensive view of the experiences linked to the use of Ayahuasca. It highlighted the positive therapeutic effects, the deep motivations of the participants and the uniqueness of the perceptions during the ceremonies