Addiction is not easy to overcome and it’s not meant to be easy. People have been raving about ibogaine and how it acts as “cure” for addiction.
Regardless, ibogaine is a psychedelic that places people in a dream-like state. While one is busy on their introspective journey, the chemicals in ibogaine start to repair the neuroreceptors that opioids damage.
This sounds like a miracle, but it is illegal. The FDA recognizes ibogaine as a schedule 1 drug and it has potential to be fatal.
However, these statistics are low. Its lethality stems from lowering heart rate.
Ibogaine comes from Africa and the benefits of this plant have led to stop their addiction.
In a 2003 study, 24-patients participated in ibogaine treatment. Each person took a dosage around 17mg of ibogaine and 18 of the 24 patients had the specific intention of stopping their drug addiction.
The study took place over the course a year and six had stopped completely, two remained clean for the better part of a year, two remained clean for a 3-6-month period before relapsing, one died from heroin overdose after staying clean for six months, five people relapsed after being clean for a month, and two people never reported back but it is assumed they stayed cleaned for at least a week.
People have an intense psychedelic experience with ibogaine. Many refer to it as entering hell and fighting demons. Like the hero’s journey, they came out with a sense of enlightenment and a better understanding of how to face their “demons” and overcome them.
Still, substituting a drug for other drugs is not a cure-all solution. People who indulge in ibogaine treatment will have to follow up with aftercare and therapy for their addiction.
Ibogaine’s ethos deems it as a tool to enhance one’s life, but it still does not replace methods of therapy, exercise, and proper diet.