Wealthy 15-Year-Old Who Used Ayahuasca FOUR TIMES Says The Drug Helped Him ‘Experience Death’ β And His Parents Encourage It
At fifteen, most children are studying for exams, skateboarding or meeting friends for ice cream.
But not Alex Renko.
The teenager, from Russia, describes himself as ‘ridiculously rich’ and says he has now devoted his youth to ‘tripping’ with adults.
Alex says on his popular TikTok that he has done ayahuasca, a psychedelic substance traditionally used in indigenous cultures, at least four times.
The powerful hallucinogen is illegal in the US due to the risks it poses to users, including psychological problems and psychosis.
But many celebrities β such as Chelsea Handler, Will Smith and even Prince Harry β have used the drug abroad, saying it ‘assuages’ their concerns and helps treat mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Alex Renko first tried ayahuasca at the age of 15. Russian boy, who describes himself as ‘ridiculously rich’ and dropped out of school at 12, said it changed his life
The former schoolboy from Russia, who describes himself as ‘ridiculously rich’, says he has now devoted his youth to ‘tripping’ with adults
Alex uses the drug with adults and children as young as six years old on retreats that cost more than $1,000 for a weekend β after being encouraged by his parents to try it.
While taking ayahuasca, Alex says he experienced ‘death’, passed through bright lights and even realized he was a god – while he encourages others to try it.
He said: ‘It was like dying…’ I transcended into a final portal that opened up and I was in the infinite cosmos and it was like, wow, this is my home. My soul is at home.’
But some doctors have raised concerns about its repeated use in young children. They point out that the brain is still developing and that the use of ayahuasca can lead to psychological problems.
The brain does not reach maturity until a person’s late twenties, with peaks of development at ages seven, eleven, twelve and fifteen.
Some suggest that if the drug is taken around these ages it may disrupt brain development, increasing the risk of mental health problems.
Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris, a neurologist at the University of California, San Francisco, told DailyMail.com that his research – recently submitted to a journal – shows that adolescents may be at greater risk for using psychedelics, although he declined further details to give.
These concerns are similar to those raised about marijuana, which also affects the brain. Research shows that long-term users are at greater risk of anxiety and psychosis.
Ayahuasca is a bitter-tasting drink made from the bark of a vine and the leaves of an Amazon rainforest shrub that contains NN-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a hallucinogenic agent.
The substance has long been used for spiritual and religious purposes by Amazonian tribes and is considered sacred by some communities. But it has exploded in popularity in the wellness world in recent years for its purported ability to help people “reset” their brains.
Ayahuasca is illegal in the United States, forcing Americans to travel abroad if they want to attend an ayahuasca retreat. However, some companies can hold retreats in the US if they are classified as “religious” gatherings and obtain special permits.
Alex says trying ayahuasca in Colombia and the Dominican Republic changed his life
Alex now uploads videos online extolling the benefits of ayahuasca and encouraging others to try the drug. Two of these clips are pictured above and have generated some negative comments
Alex first tried ayahuasca at the Ambi Retreat in Colombia, pictured above, where he said babies and children as young as six also tasted the drug
Previous studies have suggested that it can alleviate symptoms of veterans suffering from PTSD, and help people experiencing anxiety or depression.
Celebrities say they’ve used the drug to relieve stress, while Will Smith claims it helped him realize that “99 percent of the things you worry about never happen.”
Prince Harry said he took ayahuasca after a therapist suggested he might have PTSD.
During retreats, participants drink the drug (almost always at night) before experiencing a trip that can last up to six hours.
The brew is blessed and given to them by a shaman who acts as their ‘guide’ throughout the experience.
Users typically vomit within 30 minutes of ingesting the drink, before they begin to experience hallucinations that last longer than four hours. At the end of the journey they experience an intense feeling of euphoria and well-being.
Alex first tried ayahuasca at the age of 15 during the Ambi Retreat in Colombia. He said he was inspired to do so when he was looking for a “new reality” after dropping out of school three years earlier.
He was also encouraged by his parents, with his father quitting his job, getting sober and losing 80 pounds (38 kg) after trying the drug.
During the first retreat, Alex used the drug three times in three days and described the experience as ‘crazy’, saying it allowed him to leave the ‘box’ of his mind.
Alex said they took the drug once a day for three days and described his experience as ‘like dying’
Alex says that during ayahuasca he experienced his own death before coming back to life with a new understanding. He is pictured above after using the drug
He added, βEverything disappeared one by one until there was no more space, no more material. I transcended into a final portal that opened up and I was in the infinite cosmos and it was like, wow, this is my home. My soul is at home.’
A few months later, he then went on a second retreat in the Dominican Republic, where he was joined by two of his childhood friends who also used the drug.
After that experience, he posted online that he had realized he was a “God” and that his energy could merge with that of a friend to form a “cosmic disco ball.”
After his travels, the teenager launched a social media channel where he posts about his experiences. He now offers $3,000 educational courses to guide people to enlightenment and plans to work at ayahuasca retreats in Bali, Indonesia.
But critics are quick to comment, warning that he took the drug too young.
His lifestyle has also attracted criticism online, with one viewer commenting: ‘Easy to turn off when you know the family money will keep you fed, high and housed.’
A second said: ‘My husband only talks about himself and claims he has had ‘ego death’.’
A third added: “In three years this will be a three-part Hulu documentary.”
Studies show that when someone uses ayahuasca, the areas of the brain involved in planning, language, memory and imagination become hyper-connected, making communication more chaotic, fluid and flexible.
Scientists suggest that this is why people experience hallucinations and feelings of epiphanies after taking ayahuasca.
Dr. Carhart-Harris, who conducted the research, said: ‘What we’ve seen is that DMT breaks down the basic networks of the brain, making them less distinct from each other.
‘We also see that the brain’s key rhythms β which serve a largely inhibitory, restrictive function β break down, and at the same time brain activity becomes more… information-rich.’
Studies have also suggested that those who take the drug are more likely to experience anxiety than those who do not.
Dr. Larissa Carneiro, a religious studies expert at Duke University in North Carolina, told DailyMail.com that further research on the topic is needed.
Dr. Carneiro, who works with the Church of Santo Daime in Brazil, where young children are given ayahuasca as part of a medicinal ritual that has been performed in that culture for decades, said the papers only showed that the drug stimulates the growth of new neurons in the brain β but these were carried out in mice.
She added that it was unclear whether this was a positive or negative factor caused by the substance.