PSYCHEDELICS
Bad Reviews of Ayahuasca Retreats Are Utterly Terrifying
Hospitalisations. Sexual assaults. Be careful.
I’m in Peru, somewhere you can walk in off the street and book into experiencing ayahuasca in a retreat. At home in England, getting hold of psychedelics is an altogether different experience. But here it’s all above board, legal, and as such, Google or TripAdvisor-reviewed for all to see.
The good reviews are as expected. Life-changing, beautiful, and hugely important experiences.
But the bad reviews are a warning to anyone looking to drink ayahuasca. A reminder to research, and research well.
Ayahuasca dangers
There have been a few reports previously in the press about occasional deaths linked to the retreats, or cases of sexual assault or bad experiences.
There is a retreat in the Philippines where I was witness to a cry for help from one of the staff on its Facebook page while the “shaman” – the alleged abuser – slept. The next day the post was gone and so were the replies from people who’d also suffered at his hands. But for that, there’s no lingering evidence. The posts are long gone.
