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Iboga Blog
addiction treatment
8th August 2019
5 Trends Changing Addiction Treatment in 2019
Technology, ease of travel, and a willingness to embrace new methodologies and techniques are making addiction treatment more effective than ever. Let’s take a look at 5 trends shaking up the treatment industry in 2019...
1) Addiction Treatment Abroad
This is a topic near to our hearts. We’ve discussed it before in more detail. The short version is, seeking treatment abroad can offer better value for money and lower wait times, as prices and demand soar on account of the ongoing opioid crisis. Treatment abroad can also offer better opportunities for a fresh start, away from the stresses, triggers, and environments that can reinforce negative habits and behaviors. Going abroad also offers a greater sense of privacy for those who’d rather deal with their addiction away from the prying eyes of colleagues, relatives, and acquaintances. It also can allow for access to treatments, medications, and alternative therapies that are not yet legal in the US and UK, such as iboga. With high-end American centers such as Passages Malibu charging as much as $65,000 per month, it’s no wonder that those seeking treatment are looking at addiction treatment abroad to find a similar standard of care at a dramatically reduced price.
2) Emerging Alternatives
The 12 Step model has helped millions of people with substance abuse disorders treat their affliction. But it, and other abstinence-based treatment models don’t work for everyone. American Addiction Centers’ resource guide lists a host of techniques that can help, including equine-assisted therapy, biofeedback, and yoga and mindfulness training. As they write, holistic therapies “offer a more comprehensive approach” that heals on “mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual” levels, “increasing the chances for success and reduc[ing] the risk of relapse.”
Treatments that include psychedelics such as ayahuasca or psilocybin, or other psychoactive substances like Iboga have also been rapidly gaining in popularity. Psychoactive substances can have profound positive effects on those in recovery, ranging from minimizing withdrawal symptoms and cravings to resetting crucial neural functions to pre-addicted levels. They can also open the door to psychological healing by inducing reflection and insights on the behaviors and traumas that have led an individual into addiction.
3) Harm Reduction
Portugal is a worldwide leader in embracing harm reduction to deal with addiction. The country decriminalized all drugs in 2001 and has since seen dramatic decreases in overdoses, the spread of HIV, and drug-related crimes. But harm reduction isn’t just legalization. If you’re unclear on the concept, according to the Harm Reduction Coalition, it is a belief in finding ways to eliminate as many of the negative consequences of drug use as possible for both individuals and societies. It is also a move to recognize and advocate for, the human rights of drug users.
As more and more jurisdictions explore legalization of drugs, needle exchanges, supervised injection sites, and creative ways to minimize the monetary and human costs of drug abuse, people seem to finally be waking up to the fact that incarceration, criminalization, and de-humanization of addicts is counter-productive in every way. We expect more people, countries, and courts to open their minds to finding more efficient, compassionate, and intelligent ways to deal with addiction. In 2018 the UN Human Rights Council declared human rights to be “central to the development and evaluation of any drug policy”, calling for a “comprehensive, balanced, and health-centered approach to drugs.” We would expect the momentum for dealing with addiction as a health issue, rather than prosecuting it as a crime, to grow exponentially in the coming year.
4) Involving the Family
Addiction clearly doesn’t just affect the addict, it touches the lives of everyone close to them. And treatment providers are finally starting to recognize the need to address the family as a crucial part of the rehabilitation process. While Al-Anon and Nar-Anon have been popular for years, evidence is beginning to emerge which illustrates how involving the family in recovery can have substantial benefits. Providers like Recovery Centers of America are implementing programs to contact families upon intake, brief them on what to expect as treatment begins, and facilitate family therapy sessions within the first week of treatment.
Particularly for young addicts, the family can be a source of strength and support, or a cause of stress, trauma, and anxiety. Offering tools and resources for family members to become actively involved in the recovery of their loved ones can make a substantial difference in addiction treatment outcomes. We expect to see increasing numbers of treatment centers offer more opportunities for families and friends to get involved in the process of healing!
5) CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is becoming increasingly popular in treating mental health disorders, and it can greatly improve treatment outcomes for the addicted. Unlike traditional psychotherapy, CBT is far more focused on solutions than delving into problems. Fundamentally, it pushes the patient to challenge distorted perceptions and patterns of thought, thus changing destructive patterns of behavior. This article from “Psychology Today” gives a quick outline of how the treatment works.
In addiction treatment, advocates of CBT would argue that harmful behaviors are the result of thoughts and emotions that are neither realistic or rational. These “automatic thoughts” are generally negative in people who suffer from depression and anxiety disorders, problems commonly co-occurring with addiction. CBT can help addicts to recognize and dismiss the false beliefs and insecurities which cause irrational negative thinking. It can also help patients improve communication skills, learn to regulate their moods, and deal with substance abuse triggers. CBT has been proven to help break toxic cycles of thought and behavior, and it can be a godsend for those suffering from addiction.
A New Path to Addiction Recovery...
As you can see, our understanding of addiction has grown a lot over the past few years. As we learn to view addiction as a health problem and increase our understanding of its impact on the brain, we are becoming better equipped to treat it effectively. At Iboga Tree Healing House, we are committed to fearlessly exploring every avenue that leads to effective addiction treatment, and we’re excited about each of these trends. We are also excited about the adjunct therapies like Kundalini Yoga, equine-assisted therapy, sound therapy, breathing, bodywork, that make up a robust, holistic, and long-term recovery plan. The benefits these can all offer to those seeking relief from addiction cannot be overstated.
16th July 2019
The "Rat Park" Study: 40 years later
Psychologist Dr. Bruce Alexander published his groundbreaking “Rat Park” study just a hair over 40 years ago. This groundbreaking study changed the way the world thought about the nature of addiction completely. That’s why, a full 40 years after it was originally published, it’s still being discussed, celebrated, and criticized today - maybe more so now than ever before. What was Dr. Alexander’s “Rat Park” study, and why is it still generating debate as it reaches middle age?
What was "Rat Park"?
Since the 1930s, scientists had been using a device called the “Skinner Box”, essentially a small box with a light, a tube for food, and a tube with which rats could self-administer water mixed with various substances. Studies that used the Skinner Box reinforced what scientists already believed about addiction: that the inherent properties in intoxicating substances caused dependence. The Rat Park study upended this easy tautology. Dr. Alexander put his rats in a much larger space. They were given access to toys, exercise equipment, and other rats to fulfill their social and sexual needs. Alexander found that the rats who lived in a happy, communal environment were far less likely to become addicted to substances than were isolated rats.
A Digression
Why are all of these studies conducted on rats? One reason is that rats have a similar genome to humans. Human genes associated with disease generally have an equivalent in rat genomes. Another is that, like humans, rats are a social species who generally live in close proximity to others of their species and communicate with each other regularly. Other reasons include wide availability, size, fast reproductive rates, low cost, and ease of handling.
The Study
Alexander took 4 groups of rats. The first was isolated in Skinner Boxes. The second lived in rat park. The third was placed in isolation for the first half of the study and moved to Rat Park for the second half. The fourth group began in Rat Park and were moved to isolated cages halfway through. All of the rats were given the option of drinking tap water or water infused with a sweetened morphine solution.
The results showed that rats who were in a comfortable, social environment were far less likely to use, or become dependent on, morphine than isolated rats. The caged males drank 19x more morphine than the males in Rat Park. The rats of both sexes housed in Rat Park showed a strong preference for plain water. The most interesting group was the group moved from cages to the Rat Park. They “rejected the morphine solution when it was stronger, but as it became sweeter and more dilute, they began to drink almost as much as the rats that had lived in cages.” This led Alexander to conclude that the rats preferred the sweetened water, but didn’t want it to disrupt their normal social behavior.
Alexander felt that the results of his study disproved theories of drug-induced addiction. He felt that normal humans and animals could ignore, and even use, substances such as opiates without becoming addicted. He believed that addiction was caused by social isolation and environmental stress. Alexander’s pithy conclusion was “Addiction isn’t you- It’s the cage you live in.”
The Criticism
Asserting that drugs weren’t the central problem in addiction was an extremely controversial statement in 1980, as the War on Drugs was at its height. The US government was spending trillions of dollars enforcing draconian drug laws and broadcasting ads like this one. The first two science publications that Alexander took his results to, “Science” and “Nature,” both rejected the study, but Alexander’s results were accepted and published by the journal “Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior.”
Critics of the study have pointed to flaws in methodology and implementation. A malfunctioning electronic device lost 8 days of data on the amounts of liquid the rats consumed. The isolated rats were denied proximity to rats of the opposite sex, and the rats in Rat Park had pups during the study (the effects of pregnancy and childbirth could have influenced the study, and Alexander makes no mention of whether the pups were left in the park or not). Dr. Sam Snodgrass, a Director of the substance abuse support organization “Broken No More”, argues that “You can’t do this. You can’t have one group of subjects mating and with pups and compare it to a group that doesn’t engage in these behaviors and say that the difference between the two groups is caused by environmental differences.”
A new understanding
The study, which was largely dismissed when published, surged into the limelight in the 1990s, as what Alexander referred to as “The Myth of the Demon Drug” fell out of favor, and increasing numbers of doctors, journalists, and scientists began to explore the nature of addiction with open minds. A 1996 study attempted to replicate the experiment, with mixed results. Meanwhile, Dr. Gabor Mate brought public attention to the Rat Park study and statistics from the Vietnam War, which showed that soldiers in combat zones used 20x more heroin than they did pre and post-deployment. Johann Hari’s influential Ted Talk on addiction brought even more attention to the study. It even inspired a re-telling in comic book form! Meanwhile, pieces like this one in “Psychology Today” argue that the study promotes an unrealistic and irresponsibly simplistic view of addiction.
The study remains a hot-button topic for anyone concerned with addiction. It is now controversial because it appears to challenge the “disease model” of addiction, which focuses on genetic and neurological factors, rather than emphasizing the importance of social and psychological factors. Regardless of whether Alexander’s experiment was flawed, it has inspired more thought, research, debate, and insight into the nature of addiction than almost any other experiment. Perhaps most importantly, it has also shown us the importance of emphasizing social re-integration and psychological health in the treatment of addiction.
15th July 2019
Freedom in forgiveness: why forgiving yourself and others is essential
During our years of working in recovery, we’ve noticed a simple step in the process of becoming healthy and whole once again. At Iboga Tree Healing House, we’ve seen the power of forgiveness transform lives and free countless individuals from the pain and bitterness of the past. Today we’ll take a deeper look at a wonderful word that has brought light into the lives of those who are strong enough to put the past behind them.
When we think of forgiveness, we usually think of ourselves forgiving others. We let someone’s bad behavior slide, or accept the flaws of a loved one. Forgiveness can mean a lot more than that. It is one of life’s true blessings. Holding onto and nursing all of the wrongs done to us can have a toxic effect on our physical and mental health. Think of your friends, family, and acquaintances. Now think of the person you know who holds grudges the longest, or the person with the largest list of grievances. Ask yourself, is that the person I would like to be?
“When you forgive, you in no way change the past- but you sure do change the future!”
-Radio Host Brad Meltzer
Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting all of your past traumas, and all of the transgressions committed against you. It doesn’t mean that the hurt you have suffered will disappear, leaving you whole and unblemished. As Sarah Montana notes in this powerful Ted Talk, which recounts her journey toward forgiving the man who killed her mother and brother, forgiveness isn’t a shortcut to healing. It’s a path to freedom. It means that you stop telling yourself the same painful story over and over again. You assess the damage done to you (not to others) and let it go. Many people think that withholding forgiveness is a way to punish those who have transgressed against them, but in reality, they are punishing themselves: refusing to move on from a painful memory, and wallowing in it rather than climbing out of the muck.
If you have lived with addiction, embracing forgiveness is a necessary step for moving on with your life. It will help to set you free from the anguish and trauma that caused you to lean so heavily on drugs and alcohol. But more importantly, it will help you learn to live with yourself. In recovery, it’s time to admit that you have not been your best self for the past months, years or even decades. You haven’t been the person you want to see when you look in the mirror and examine the choices you’ve made. What’s truly important now is not who you have been, but who you will become.
We would strongly recommend that you examine your choices and actions before and during addiction. Identify the people you’ve wronged, the pain you’ve caused, and the things that cause you shame and regret. If it’s possible, find a way to make amends to the people you’ve hurt, and do so, without conditions, justifications, or expectations. Ask them to forgive you, don’t try to persuade them.
If it isn’t possible to make personal amends, deal with your desire for forgiveness in another way. Pour your guilt and repentance into a letter you can’t send, make a pledge to do no more harm, donate to a charity the aggrieved person would care about, or perform a random act of kindness. The intention behind the act will help you to move on.
In forgiving, we recognize a sense of inherent worth in others that exists whether or not it is always reflected in behavior. You need to acknowledge your own inherent worth, or risk sliding into self-loathing, a mental prison which is often accompanied by the self-destructive behavior you are attempting to break free of. Self-compassion is a necessary component of recovery and a cornerstone of good mental health.
“Forgiveness is like this: a room can be dank because you have closed the windows, you’ve closed the curtains. But the sun is shining outside, and the air is fresh outside. In order to get that fresh air, you have to get up and open the window and draw the curtains apart.”
-Archbishop Desmond Tutu
In order to forgive, it’s necessary to cultivate the mental strength to open that window. This wonderful article by Robert Enright outlines some key elements for building the mental muscles that will make forgiveness possible in his book, “8 Keys to Forgiveness.”
Forgiveness is the embodiment of empathy, compassion, tolerance, and hope. We recommend becoming fit for forgiveness to anyone trapped in the dark, dank room of addiction.
1st May 2019
5 things to consider before choosing an iboga treatment programme
So you’ve decided to end the waking nightmare of living with addiction. You’ve made a wise choice. You’ve also decided to consider Iboga, a powerful tool to help deal with withdrawals and cravings, which has the added benefit of restoring receptors in the brain to a pre-addicted state. You’re determined to use Iboga to heal yourself, but which iboga treatment program should you choose from the myriad options that are out there?
Let’s explore five key factors that must be considered to select the iboga treatment programme that’s right for you.
1) Your Safety is Paramount
You shouldn’t delude yourself into thinking that Iboga treatment is risk-free. As Clare Wilkins, co-author of the Clinical Guidelines for Ibogaine Assisted Detox notes, asking if Iboga is safe is “like asking if electricity is safe... You can cook a warm meal, light up a room, or electrocute someone with electricity, as they say. It’s similar with iboga. Iboga, in and of itself, is not unsafe. There are both risks and benefits.”
The risks of Iboga treatment include bradycardia (slowing of the heart), liver problems, seizures, and lethal interactions with other substances. We would strongly recommend that anyone seeking the treatment thoroughly research all of the health risks associated with Iboga use, to make an informed decision on whether it’s right for them.
When selecting a treatment option, we urge everyone to choose a center that offers a high degree of medical supervision. At Iboga Tree Healing House we have a medical doctor in-house, rather than on-call or at a nearby hospital. We have a nursing team that is based on a 1:1 nurse per patient ratio. We insist on taking a full medical history prior to treatment, as well as a full set of lab results including a full blood panel, liver function analysis, ECG/EKG and more. We also monitor our patients with an EKG machine during treatment. Furthermore, every member of our medical team is ACLS certified by the American Heart Association.
We feel that Iboga use can be made as safe as possible only under these conditions, and the safety of our clients is our first priority.
2) Legal Issues
While Iboga has powerful medicinal properties, it is still illegal in a number of countries. Why? Presumably because of the risks associated with its use, and its psychedelic properties. We do not recommend using Iboga in a country where its use is illegal, because it will be difficult to obtain proper medical supervision, and because of the risk of arrest and jail time when you are at your most vulnerable. Iboga use is completely illegal in the USA, France, Denmark, Belgium, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden and the UK. Its legal status is also murky at best in Canada, Israel and Australia. If you’re most comfortable seeking treatment in a “First World” country, international drug policy thought leader Portugal is one of the better options on offer. To date, while iboga is not yet an “approved” therapy for problem alcohol or drug use in Portugal, the fact that it is not the subject of any regulation and is not illegal in Portugal means that it can be administered legally and under the safest possible conditions there. Iboga's status as an experimental natural herbal product in Portugal has opened the door for the forward-thinking country to once again lead the way in maximising iboga’s addiction treatment potential.
3) Location, location, location
While Iboga is a powerful tool for breaking the cycle of addiction, it isn’t a miracle drug which will immediately make the addict whole again. In choosing a treatment center, you should consider what types of support, counseling, and therapy will help you make the transition to a healthy, happy life. If a facility claims that Iboga is all you need, you should be extremely skeptical. At Iboga Tree Healing House we insist upon a course of pre-treatment counseling, which is vital for preparing to manage the details of life after you leave. We also offer a wide range of holistic treatments, which are essential for rebuilding positive patterns of thought and behavior.
Different people have different needs in treatment, so look for a treatment center that will cater to yours. Is the setting comfortable and safe? Do the ancillary treatment options sound like they’ll work for you? Does the center have a history of providing adequate aftercare, and a proven track record for safety? Take the time to find answers to these questions. They can be the difference between life and death.
4) Value
Hopefully, you’ve already realized that the cheapest options available might not be right for you. You’ll probably need to travel to another country to use Iboga legally. Once again, we cannot stress enough that the cost of guaranteeing adequate medical supervision is essential for your health and safety. While treatment may seem expensive, addiction is incredibly costly for you and your family, and spending a little more to ensure a successful outcome will pay off immeasurably in the future.
At Iboga Tree Healing House, we strive to keep your costs low, but we know that cheaper treatment options do exist. We spend a large part of our revenues on a full team of medical and therapy professionals who are deeply committed to your safety and well-being. We are convinced that it would be irresponsible to do otherwise, and we recommend that when choosing a treatment center, you make sure they do not cut corners in these essential areas. Saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars by getting inadequate treatment in an unsafe setting will almost certainly end up costing you more.
5) Aftercare Options
If you’re reading this, you’re probably yearning to break free from years of negativity and pain. While Iboga is great at freeing you from withdrawals and cravings, it cannot teach you how to live a positive and productive life. Because addiction is so often linked to depression, trauma, and a host of other mental health issues, you should be looking for a course of treatment that offers you tools for personal growth and empowerment, not just detox.
A robust after-care plan should give you tools for building positive patterns of thought, trust, and self-love. It should also teach you how to deal with the stresses of your new life in a positive fashion. At Iboga Tree Healing House we feel that our range of Holistic treatments (including Kundalini Yoga, Equine Assisted therapy, breathwork, meditation, EFT - Emotional Freedom Techniques, acupuncture, massage and more) are extremely helpful in preparing our clients to live happy and healthy lives. In addition to this, we offer all of our former clients free weekly supportive Skype sessions for the rest of their lives Through self-supporting 'fellowship' is known as the IRM - Ibogaine Recovery Movement. we know (and the data has shown) that those who regularly attend meetings such as this fare far better than those who don't.
Make the Smart Choice
We’d be delighted if you chose us to help you start anew. But we also know that different people have different needs, and our program isn’t for everyone. What’s most important is finding a treatment center that is professional and safe, and gives you the tools you need to thrive in your new life. Good luck, and Godspeed!
24th April 2019
3 alternative therapy options for overcoming addiction
There are no quick fixes or shortcuts for "curing" an addiction. Fortunately, though, we have more alternative therapy options available for treating addiction than ever before. For those looking to break the cycle, there are options out there that are far safer than methadone and far more effective than going “cold turkey”. Let’s look at three addiction treatment options which have already helped thousands of individuals overcome addiction.
Iboga (Ibogaine)
Iboga (ibogaine) is a psychoactive substance found in Tabernathe Iboga, a West African shrub. It has been used in the healing ceremonies and coming of age rituals of the African Bwiti religion for thousands of years. In small doses, Ibogaine acts as a mild stimulant, and in larger doses, it puts the user into a psychedelic state. Many people have found that when used in large doses it can significantly reduce opiate withdrawal symptoms and help with substance-related cravings.
The substance acts as an “addiction-interrupter”, by taking receptors in an addict’s brain back to pre-addiction levels and significantly reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms. A Mexican study found that after a single treatment with Ibogaine, two-thirds of the heroin addicts treated went a month without relapsing, and 4 of the study’s 30 participants were still sober one year later. A Brazilian study which experimented with ibogaine treatment and psychotherapy on 75 individuals addicted to cocaine, crack, alcohol and cannabis found that the “results suggest that the use of ibogaine supervised by a physician and accompanied by psychotherapy can facilitate prolonged periods of abstinence, without the occurrence of fatalities or complications.”
Ibogaine use does have side-effects and risks, including ataxia, seizures, and heart complications such as arrhythmia. It would be irresponsible to recommend its use without the supervision of a medical professional. But as part of a treatment plan that includes psychotherapy and medical supervision, it is a powerful tool for those battling addiction issues.
Kambo
Kambo is the secretion of an Amazonian frog which has been used in traditional Shamanistic ceremonies and medical procedures in Brazil and Peru. The substance is secreted by the frog to ward off predators, but medical practitioners obtain it by capturing the amphibian, tying it to sticks, tapping its head, and scraping it off the frog’s back with a stick before releasing the animal unharmed. Practitioners traditionally make small surface burns on the patient's arms or back, and apply a drop of the substance with a piece of bark or a stick. Kambo then makes its way into the user’s lymphatic system, resulting in an intense head-rush and, often, a bout of vomiting.
The active ingredients in Kambo are peptides, protein-like molecules that neurons in the brain use to communicate with each other. The peptides found in Kambo have shown potential for treatment of various diseases, including cancer, auto-immune disorders, and inflammation. The peptides in Kambo have been reported to help people suffering from depression, addiction to drugs and alcohol, and various mood disorders. They are extremely helpful with detoxification and are becoming more and more popular around the world. At Tabula Rasa Retreat, we find that Kambo is extremely effective at preparing our patients for addiction treatment and helping them to have the safest, smoothest, and best-integrated experience possible.
Holistic Treatments
Addiction is often linked to an array of mental health problems, ranging from depression to PTSD. Many substance abusers begin down the road to addiction attempting to treat feelings and symptoms of mental illness with alcohol and drugs. A wide variety of holistic treatment options have become popular in recent years, and more and more treatment professionals are becoming convinced of their efficacy.
Meditation and mindfulness are two powerful techniques that recovering addicts can use reconfigure their brains in the aftermath of addiction. By adapting and reshaping neural networks through these forms of therapy, those in recovery can break harmful patterns of thought and behavior, and transition toward healthier modes of living. Mindfulness, meditation, yoga and massage are all proven to reduce levels of cortisol, a harmful stress-related hormone, boost the immune system, and increase levels of energy.
Equine therapy is another holistic practice which is growing in popularity. A recent article in Psych Central lists the benefits of the practice, which include building trust and fostering healthy relationships. Because horses are pack animals who are extremely sensitive to emotional cues, patients can learn to build relationships based on positivity and mutual trust.
Other forms of Holistic Therapy, such as Kundalini Yoga, breath-work, drumming, and light therapy can have extremely helpful impacts on well-being following the detox process. Maintaining a sober and healthy lifestyle requires those in recovery to rebuild themselves emotionally and spiritually, and techniques such as these can help individuals connect with themselves and others, while positively addressing their traumas and the roots of their addiction.
Some in the field, like the author of this piece in Psychology Today, would argue that holistic treatments are not evidence-based, and have not been proven to work on their own. But even the most avowed skeptics would admit that these practices “may be helpful so long as they are used as adjuncts to evidence-based practices.” This approach is the foundation upon which Iboga Tree Healing house is built.
Why alternative therapy is a foundational aspect of addiction treatment at Iboga Tree Healing House
We are firmly convinced that these alternative addiction treatment modalities can have profound beneficial effects on those in recovery. Indeed, we have seen their effects firsthand on countless clients. Iboga Tree Healing house bridges the gap between conventional and holistic therapies like 12-step, Smart recovery, CBT, and counseling. At Iboga Tree healing House, we strongly believe that these therapies can and should be used in tandem with traditional addiction treatment modalities to heal the addicted and prepare them for living healthy, positive and productive lives.
