Today’s traditional treatment options for drug addiction have a very poor success rate.  Alternative methods have been sought after for years, and we’re now in a time where people are finally understanding what Ibogaine has to offer in this field.  Ibogaine treatment utilizes a sacred and powerful medicine, extracted from the Iboga plant.  It’s not a typical psychedelic though (like mushrooms, lsd, and dmt).  It puts you into a dream-like state for a couple days, while it does it’s work.

What is Ibogaine, anyway?

Ibogaine is a naturally occurring psychoactive indole alkaloid found in plants in the Apocynaceae family such as Tabernanthe iboga, Voacanga africana and Tabernaemontana undulata. In the iboga plant (Tabernanthe iboga), the highest concentration of ibogaine is found in the root bark. Lower concentrations of ibogaine are found in the rest of the plant along with other indole alkaloids in the same family.

These plants are used for medicinal and ritual purposes in African spiritual traditions of the Bwiti religion in Gabon. It was first promoted in the West as having anti-addictive properties in 1962 by Howard Lotsof, who was a heroin addict himself. In France it was marketed as Lambarène and used as a stimulant. The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) also studied the effects of ibogaine in the 1950s.

It’s primarily used in treating addiction for opiates and other highly-addictive drugs, though it is also becoming more common as a tool for personal and spiritual development. Recreational use of ibogaine is nearly non-existent.

Opiates

Ibogaine has a special relationship with opiates.  When an opiate addict takes ibogaine, many times it will lift their withdrawal about 85-100% within the first hour of taking the first flood dose.

In 1962, Howard Lotsof, an American scientific researcher, discovered that when he took Ibogaine, it took his heroin withdrawal away.  The ibogaine relieves you of this burden, though no one really knows how.

What is the experience like?

Many factors contribute to the ibogaine and iboga experiences, including dose, mindset, setting, and method of consumption. With that in mind, each individual journey will be unique to the person, time, and place, and there’s no way to predict exactly what will happen. It’s also important to note the difference between iboga and ibogaine, each of which has a different makeup and use case. However, ibogaine and iboga do induce some common experiences and effects that can help you prepare for your journey.

Ibogaine is just one alkaloid from the iboga plant and is used almost exclusively in medical settings to treat addiction. It’s produced semi-synthetically, which ensures precise dosing. 

Pharmacology

Ibogaine interacts with several neurotransmitter systems simultaneously with its highest affinity being for the sigma-2 receptor. It has a moderate affinity for opioid receptors and a moderate-to-low affinity for serotonin receptors.

Ibogaine is metabolized by the body into noribogaine, which acts to increase the availability of serotonin in the brain.

Benefits of Ibogaine

Ibogaine is more widely known as a treatment for addiction, which is becoming more prevalent and in-demand as anecdotal and some clinical evidence suggests its efficacy. Though it’s by no means a cure for chronic substance abuse disorders, it does have a high success rate when it comes to easing the withdrawal process for people detoxing from opiates, cocaine, amphetamines, and alcohol. Ibogaine removes withdrawal symptoms 85%-100% and is able to reset the mind to a pre-addicted state while removing the cravings. 

Risks

Ibogaine is one of the most powerful and medically volatile medicines, according to author and plant medicine facilitator Elizabeth Bast. While that makes its therapeutic potential high, ibogaine use isn’t without risk and must be treated with care and attention. Reports of toxicity-related complications caused by ibogaine have largely been due to previous medical conditions (mostly cardiac), as well as drug-drug interactions. It is very important to avoid using ibogaine if you have a pre-existing heart condition. The combination can be lethal.

With the proper patient screening, care, and monitoring, one can reduce many, if not all the risks associated to ibogaine.

Patient Monitoring

To ensure the safety of all patients during treatment, patients will be medically monitored by checking vital signs on a continuous basis . However, we try to have as little interaction with the patient as possible, so one can go deep with the medicine.

There will be a monitor in the room to allow the patient to communicate with the practitioner if anything is needed as well.

Application of the Medicine

After ingesting the medicine, the patient will lie down and get comfy and enjoy the ride!

There are 3 phases of the medicine.

PHASE 1: ONSET (0-1 HOURS)

Ataxia sets in while experiencing an out of body sensation. You may also have a buzzing in your ears. Some people feel nauseous, so an anti-nausea medication will be administered before you begin.  Most of time this nausea is brought on by sudden movement so it is advised to move very slowly if needed to avoid nausea. We also can administer Kambo before ibogaine, which greatly reduces nausea and the urge to purge.

PHASE 2: WAKING DREAM STATE (1-7 HOURS)

During this phase, visions come and body is heavy. Not everyone experiences visuals, but most do  (about 85%).

While in this visionary state one may experience closed eye visuals like watching a 3d movie in your head.

No one’s experience is quite the same and each is unique and beautiful in its own way! This gives insight to the patient and allows one to see the” big picture”.

If at anytime during this phase the visuals become too much you can blink or open your eyes and the visions will change or go away. Note: This medicine is not like LSD or other psychedelics but is an onergenic and causes more of an awakening dream state.

PHASE 3: DEEP INTROSPECTION (8-36 HOURS)

At this phase Ataxia and nausea subside and you regain bodily motion. You’re able to eat and drink water as desired and there shouldn’t be much nausea.

During this phase you’ll go through past choices in life and decisions you’ve made and will give you a life review so You can begin to understand why things have gone as they have. This will help you understand how to make changes in your life so you can move forward and not go back to your old ways.

After your Ibogaine treatment you will most likely feel weak and a bit emotionally distraught. But you will be free of any withdrawal symptoms and have no cravings for drugs and other substances.

The day after the full treatment is called the “Grey Day”.  But will need a day or two to recover before you feel like yourself.

Some people may cry a lot and have strong emotions come up. This is totally normal and you should be prepared for that. On the second day after treatment you’ll stabilize and feel more outgoing. This is when we’ll go out and do some fun stuff in the area.

Gray day is a physiological, psychological and emotional cluster that can manifest in negativity, bad body feeling, guilt, depression, sadness and intellectual self-abuse. Though the ibogaine side effects gradually wear off during the gray day, some people have a tough time ‘breaking out’ of it. This is natural and expected and is an important part of the process. Though not every participant goes through gray day, each one should be prepared to do so.

Furthermore, gray day may last longer than a day or two and for some can last several days of the ‘blues’ are inevitable, especially after ibogaine addiction therapy.

This recuperation time is built in to the schedule and we will make sure you are emotionally recovered and feel good enough to be on your way.

People will typically experience an afterglow effect from the iboga that will last from 1–6 months. During this time the medicine is still very much in their system and is helping to guide them in the right direction.

During this time, it is very important to integrate new habits and ways of life and aftercare will be set up for you to help you integrate and to insure you get the most from your treatment.

It is also important to refrain from drinking alcohol and using other mood changing mind altering substances, after using ibogaine or iboga.

Because ibogaine resets the mind to a pre-addicted state, it is dangerous to use substances afterwards because there will be no tolerance to these substances and one has a higher chance of overdose if the same amount is used, as before treatment.  If you do drink alcohol or use substances you will feel that iboga afterglow leaving you, even after just a few beers.  It is important to not drink alcohol or use substances for some months afterward, if you want to get the most out of the experience and maintain the after glow.