Social anxiety can feel invisible to others yet overwhelming to those who live with it. In this deeply personal conversation, plant-medicine facilitator Adrian Lozano shares how his struggles with shame, anxiety, and emotional suppression eventually led him toward ayahuasca and other healing practices. Rather than presenting a simple success story, his journey reveals how transformation often requires patience, integration, and a willingness to confront parts of oneself that feel uncomfortable or hidden.
Growing Up with Anxiety and Disconnection
Adrian describes growing up in a strict religious environment where guilt and emotional suppression were common themes. As he moved into adulthood, these internal pressures evolved into anxiety, depression, and a sense of disconnection from himself and others. Social situations became particularly challenging, leaving him feeling isolated and unsure of how to express his authentic self.
Like many people struggling with anxiety, he turned to coping mechanisms that offered temporary relief but deepened the cycle over time. Alcohol became a way to numb discomfort, yet it also reinforced feelings of shame and disconnection. Eventually, he realized that external solutions were not addressing the deeper emotional patterns driving his experience.
First Encounters with Ayahuasca
His introduction to ayahuasca came through a large ceremonial gathering. While the experience felt powerful and life-changing, it was also overwhelming. Without preparation or a supportive integration community, he found himself struggling after the ceremonies ended. The initial “afterglow” faded, and unresolved emotions resurfaced even more strongly.
This period taught him an important lesson: the medicine itself is not the entire journey. Without grounding practices or emotional support, insights can remain unintegrated. He describes how his early approach involved expecting ayahuasca to solve everything, only to realize that real change required ongoing effort and personal responsibility.
Spiritual Bypassing and the Illusion of Instant Healing
One of the most honest parts of Adrian’s story is his reflection on spiritual bypassing — the tendency to use spiritual experiences as a way to avoid deeper emotional work. After his first ceremonies, he believed he had already healed. For a time, he embraced a “love and light” mindset, ignoring unresolved trauma beneath the surface.
Eventually, recurring challenges forced him to confront the reality that ceremony alone was not enough. He began therapy, journaling, and daily self-reflection practices. Instead of chasing the high of ceremonial experiences, he learned to engage with his shadow — the parts of himself he had previously rejected or avoided.
This shift marked a turning point in his healing journey. By acknowledging his inner struggles rather than escaping them, he began to experience lasting changes in how he related to anxiety and social situations.
Inner Child Work and Emotional Integration
A central element of Adrian’s transformation involved connecting with what he calls his inner child — the younger parts of himself shaped by early experiences of shame and rejection. Through meditation, therapy, and ceremonial work, he learned to approach these memories with compassion rather than judgment.
Practically, this meant revisiting difficult moments from childhood and offering the reassurance he once lacked. By acknowledging that past events were not his fault, he began to rebuild a sense of self-worth. This process helped reduce the intensity of social anxiety, allowing him to engage with others from a place of authenticity rather than fear.
Inner child work also rekindled creativity and playfulness — qualities he felt he had lost while trying to conform to rigid expectations. He describes rediscovering joy through simple acts of expression, reminding himself that healing is not only about processing pain but also about reconnecting with curiosity and wonder.
Living from the Heart Instead of the Mind
Another major theme of the conversation is the shift from living “in the head” to living “in the heart.” Adrian explains that anxiety often traps people in constant overthinking — worrying about judgment, replaying conversations, or anticipating negative outcomes. Psychedelic experiences helped him step out of this mental loop and reconnect with bodily sensations and emotional intuition.
By tuning into how he felt around people and environments, he learned to make decisions based on alignment rather than fear. This embodied awareness became a practical tool for navigating social interactions, helping him remain present instead of lost in anxious thoughts.
Microdosing, Therapy, and Holistic Practice
Although ayahuasca played a major role in his early healing, Adrian now emphasizes a more balanced approach. Ongoing therapy became his strongest integration tool, helping him process insights gained during ceremonies. Time in nature, movement practices like yoga, breathwork, and supportive community relationships also became essential parts of his routine.
He discusses the role of microdosing as a gentle way to build self-awareness without the intensity of full ceremonies. In his view, microdosing can support nervous-system regulation and emotional clarity, while deeper ceremonial work may be more suited for addressing significant trauma.
This holistic approach reflects a shift away from relying on a single method. Instead of seeing psychedelics as the answer, he views them as one piece of a broader framework that includes emotional work, connection, and daily self-care.
From Isolation to Purpose
As Adrian’s relationship with anxiety transformed, so did his sense of purpose. What once felt like a personal struggle evolved into a calling to support others facing similar challenges. He began facilitating retreats and guiding individuals through integration practices, drawing from his own experiences of both difficulty and growth.
His story highlights a powerful insight: healing often involves learning to hold space for oneself before holding space for others. By embracing vulnerability and acknowledging his own journey, he developed a deeper capacity for empathy and connection.
A Journey That Continues
Adrian Lozano’s experience shows that overcoming social anxiety is rarely a single breakthrough moment. It is a gradual process of self-discovery, emotional honesty, and integration. Ayahuasca acted as a catalyst, but the lasting transformation came through consistent inner work and community support.
Rather than promising instant relief, his story offers a grounded perspective — that healing unfolds step by step. By facing his shadow, reconnecting with his inner child, and learning to live from the heart, he discovered a path from isolation toward connection.
And perhaps the most meaningful lesson from his journey is this: social anxiety may begin as a feeling of separation, but through honest self-work, it can become a doorway to deeper authenticity and genuine human connection.
Based on the Ayahuasca Podcast episode “Overcoming social anxiety with Ayahuasca” with Sam Believ and Adrian Lozano.
