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Iboga Blog
iboga treatment
2nd September 2019
Making Recovery Last: The Importance of Iboga Aftercare
If you’ve been paying attention to the rapidly evolving world of addiction treatment, you’re probably already aware of iboga’s remarkable ability to interrupt the debilitating downward spiral of substance misuse. Iboga has allowed thousands of addicts to effectively treat their withdrawal symptoms. It re-wires neural pathways that have been warped by substance misuse, returning sufferers to a pre-addicted state. But Iboga isn’t a cure-all or a magic bullet. It interrupts addiction and allows people to enter recovery with a blank slate on which to write a brand-new life story. But in order to give that story a happy ending, addicts absolutely must dedicate themselves to iboga aftercare.
Today we’ll be taking a look at some iboga aftercare options that can help your recovery last a lifetime...
Addiction's roots
As we’ve gained a greater understanding of addiction, the idea of the “demon drug” that robs addicts of free will has fallen by the wayside. Addiction is increasingly being viewed as a response to physical and mental pain, and treatment has been evolving to address the psychological roots of the affliction. Influential thinkers like Dr. Gabor Mate and Johann Hari have inspired many to explore the traumas that allow addiction to develop and to treat the ailment with understanding and compassion. As our understanding of addiction has increased, we’ve come to realize that it isn’t an affliction that can be treated uniformly. Every recovering addict must deal with their pain and their triggers in the manner that works best for them. Finding aftercare solutions that offer you the tools you need to address, cope with, and move forward from trauma and pain is an essential step in the recovery process.
Mindfulness and Meditation
Mindfulness and meditation are two tools that we would unreservedly recommend to those in recovery. Mindfulness therapy can allow you to avoid negative and self-destructive mind-frames, and allow you to deal with cravings and emotions in a positive way. Mindfulness and meditation and Kundalini yoga have been proven to reduce levels of cortisol, a stress-related hormone, and other toxins in the body. Addiction allows those in pain to numb themselves, and a fundamental part of the recovery process is learning to live with your pain. Mindfulness therapy is an incredibly powerful tool for learning to live with and love yourself!
The CBT Difference
Like mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), is an effective way to explore and learn to cope with the problems at the root of addiction. Most addicts begin their downward spiral when a substance offers them powerful positive (“this drug makes me feel great”) or negative (“I need to eliminate this stress/pain”) stimuli. Over time they program themselves to unconsciously respond to feelings or situations with “automatic thoughts” or “triggers”: a certain stimulus causes an automatic desire to use a substance to bring pleasure or eliminate pain.
CBT teaches patients to identify and avoid triggers and replace unhealthy behaviors with beneficial ones. It also seeks to change belief systems and alter unhealthy and negative automatic thoughts that spur addiction. Like mindfulness, CBT promotes attention to the self and self-regulation of emotions, two mental tools that can help those in recovery recognize and deal with negative patterns of thought and behavior.
Making Connections
We’ve already written about Johann Hari and the social connection theory of addiction, as well as Dr. Bruce Alexander’s influential Rat Park study. Both are somewhat controversial, but every addiction professional will agree that connecting with others in recovery is an essential piece of the aftercare puzzle. As the SAMHSA fact sheet notes, “research indicates that active participation in any type of peer support group increases the likelihood that members will abstain from alcohol and nonprescription drugs. Furthermore, abstinence rates increase with greater group participation.” The Surgeon General has also found that “controlled studies have demonstrated benefits for consumers participating in self-help" and that "participation in self-help groups has been found to lessen feelings of isolation, increase practical knowledge, and sustain coping efforts."
There are a number of peer support organizations out there, ranging from traditional 12 Step groups to Double Trouble in Recovery for addicts suffering from co-occurring disorders, to SMART Recovery (an alternative to 12 step programs that focus on teaching the skills necessary for building a balanced life). At Iboga Tree Healing House we offer a weekly online aftercare session, which allows up to 8 former clients to meet once a week and share their experiences, trials, and triumphs. Being close to those who have shared your Iboga experience can offer the support and encouragement that everyone on this journey will need.
HALT!
Relapse is always a danger for those in recovery, no matter how careful or committed they are. In fact, many experts would argue that addiction is an affliction that lasts a lifetime and can never be “cured.” Self-care and self-awareness are a must for successful relapse prevention, and one of the simplest tools for ensuring you aren’t vulnerable to triggers is the HALT principle. HALT (asking yourself if you’re hungry, angry, lonely, or tired) allows you to recognize and deal with problematic emotions that can lead to relapse before they create significant harm. Focusing on nutrition, dealing with emotions constructively, avoiding isolation, and recharging your body and mind will allow you to deal with everyday stresses in a positive fashion and build a healthy and rewarding life for yourself.
The holistic aftercare options we offer at Iboga Tree Healing House, ranging from equine-assisted therapy to Kundalini Yoga and massage, are intended to foster the ability to deal with problematic thoughts and emotions in a positive way. Arming yourself with strategies and techniques for combating cravings and dealing with difficult situations should be a key component in your aftercare plan.
Iboga Aftercare: Staying On The Path
It’s a mistake to think of iboga therapy as a cure for what ails you. Maintaining your sobriety requires careful preparation and a lifetime’s worth of effort. But trust us, emerging from addiction as a healthy, positive, and well-adjusted individual is worth the time and effort. At Iboga Tree Healing House we work with all of our clients to create a personalized ibogaine aftercare plan that will help you to deal with the challenges that lie ahead. If you’re ready to change your life for the better, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
14th August 2019
Addiction Recovery: Where Does Iboga Fit?
If you’re reading this, you’ve probably already heard about iboga’s remarkable capabilities to interrupt addiction, minimize withdrawal symptoms and cravings, and re-set important neural functions to a pre-addicted state. Iboga has allowed many addicts to regain control of their lives, but it is unlikely that a single dose will allow you to live a healthy, substance misuse-free life all by itself. Let’s explore iboga’s role in the journey from addiction to recovery, and complementary treatments that can dramatically improve the odds of long-term recovery.
Iboga: What it Can (And Can't) Do
Iboga eliminates the painful symptoms of opiate withdrawal and resets the brain’s reward system circuitry to pre-addiction levels. It is also very effective in treating stimulant addiction, as the changes it makes to dopamine receptors in the brain change the way you experience pleasure. Iboga interrupts the toxic patterns of addiction for 3-6 months, the amount of time the metabolite noribogaine stays in your system.
Iboga is not a cure-all or a magic bullet, and its effects will eventually wear off. But it does offer the user a substantial window of time without physical or mental drug cravings. If used wisely, it can offer you the time necessary to prepare for and adapt to life without drugs or alcohol. Iboga is a powerful tool for those battling addiction, but if you are serious about changing your life, it will be part of a multi-faceted treatment plan.
The Truth About Addiction
The more deeply we study addiction, the closer we come to an understanding that the affliction is a response to pain and trauma. In an interview with The Guardian, the influential Canadian author and doctor Gabor Mate defines addiction as “ any behaviour that gives a person temporary relief and pleasure, but also has negative consequences, and to which the individual will return time and again. At the heart of Mate’s philosophy is the belief that there’s no such thing as an “addictive personality”. And nor is addiction a “disease”. Instead, it originates in a person’s need to solve a problem: a deep-seated problem.”
To successfully treat addiction, we need to address the trauma and pain that are driving people to abuse drugs and alcohol. As Mate states, “the primary drive [of addiction] is to regulate your situation to something more bearable.” Counseling and cognitive behavioral therapy have been proven to help many addicts find ways to manage their thoughts and emotions without resorting to chemical crutches. By addressing and learning to cope with the traumas that have driven you to addiction, you can find a way to live happily in spite of your psychic scars.
Addiction And The Family
Addiction can isolate individuals from the people who love them, but there’s no need for the recovery process to keep them apart. Studies have shown that family support has a positive impact on recovering addicts, and increasing numbers of treatment providers are beginning to leverage the power of involving loved ones in the journey to sobriety. Recovery Centers of America have implemented a program to contact families upon intake, brief them on what to expect during the treatment process, and initiate family therapy sessions during inpatient treatment. Helping addicts to use family support to deal with the pain caused by addiction can be incredibly beneficial to those in recovery!
Planning For Success
At Iboga Tree Healing House, we have noticed that preparation is crucial for positive treatment outcomes. This means that getting pre-treatment counseling, setting realistic goals, and making solid plans for after-care are necessary steps on your journey. Studies have shown that those who enter pre-treatment programs have a “higher show rate…higher satisfaction with participation in treatment activities, higher rates of treatment completion with staff approval, [and] higher rates of long-term recovery satisfaction at all follow-up periods.”
Aftercare has also been proven to greatly decrease the chance of relapse, which is estimated to occur for between 37% and 56% of all those in substance abuse recovery. Aftercare plans should include outpatient treatment, group counseling, individual counseling, and 12 step programs. Aftercare programs are crucial for developing the ability to avoid triggers and learning to nurture your fragile sobriety on your own. They will also help to let you know when you might be at risk for relapse, which is usually preceded by certain behaviors and thought processes.
In spite of the importance of aftercare in maintaining recovery, experts estimate that only half of those who complete inpatient treatment follow up with their after-care plans, and even fewer people complete them. In fact, the American Society of Addiction Medicine reports that those who complete withdrawal programs but don’t follow up with after-care have “overall relapse rates that approach 100%.” And many studies have found that in addition, the duration of treatment time is an accurate predictor of success rates.
Starting Down The Path to Lasting Addiction Recovery
If you’re looking to begin a sober and healthy life, Iboga is a great way to start your journey. If you are looking for a quick fix, we can’t help you. Recovery is a complicated process which will take a great deal of your time and energy. The good news is, it’s worth it.
At Iboga Tree Healing House we would like to be with you for every step of the journey from pre-treatment counseling to a long, happy, healthy life. We are happy to include loving family members in the treatment process, and our after-care program includes training you to identify and deal with triggers, as well as a weekly video counseling session which allows you to draw on peers and professionals for support. Contact us today if you’re looking to end the nightmare of addiction!
24th July 2019
Choosing an Iboga Treatment Center: 4 Key Things to Consider
You’ve probably heard about the immense potential iboga has shown for treating addiction. In case you haven’t, you can read about iboga’s uncanny ability to reduce withdrawal symptoms, minimize cravings, and reset brain function to pre-addiction levels here.
Iboga treatment is not something you should enter on a whim. In order to ensure that the treatment is right for you, that the iboga treatment center you have chosen is capable of meeting your needs, and, most importantly, that your health and safety are the paramount concerns of the people guiding you through this potentially risky treatment, you need to take the utmost care in choosing an Iboga treatment provider. Here’s our guide to choosing the right Iboga treatment facility.
1) Safety!
Iboga has shown immense potential, but using it comes with serious health risks. Although methadone has been proven to lead to fatalities more frequently than iboga, iboga use has indeed been fatal in some rare cases. Iboga can exacerbate pre-existing heart conditions, blood clots, kidney and liver problems, and psychological issues. However, the vast majority of iboga fatalities have resulted from self-administration and irresponsible or inexperienced treatment providers.
If you’re seriously considering iboga treatment, we would urge you to take a long look at the safety precautions employed by treatment providers. At Iboga Tree Healing House, we keep an ACLS certified medical doctor in-house, rather than a phone call or ambulance ride away. We have a one-to-one nurse to patient ratio, and we insist on a full medical history and full set of lab tests prior to treatment. We also monitor our clients with an EKG machine while they are under the influence of iboga. It is our firm belief that every iboga-related death has been preventable, and that with proper precautions, an experienced staff, and a focus on client safety, treatment facilities can eliminate all of the fatalities from iboga treatment.
2) What are your individual needs?
Every person seeking treatment is different, and every treatment center is different. Although this may seem trite, it’s a key consideration in choosing the right facility for you. Iboga is a powerful tool for overcoming addiction, but it isn’t a magic bullet or a cure-all. You will almost certainly need aftercare to overcome the issues and traumas that led you to addiction in the first place and those in your life that your affliction has caused. You’ll need to rebuild yourself and replace the toxic habits and patterns of thought and behavior addiction has entrenched with positive and healthy ones.
We offer a wide range of holistic treatments ranging from kundalini yoga and holotropic breathwork to equine therapy, and we are convinced of their effectiveness. We also recognize that they aren’t for everyone. You need to look for a facility that offers the tools you need to build a positive and healthy life. That could be a 12-Step Program, intensive psychotherapy, prolonged inpatient treatment, or something else entirely. Carefully consider your own needs, and what has and hasn’t worked in the past, before selecting a treatment center.
3) Value For Money 
Price is obviously a concern for many seeking treatment. But your primary goal here should be to find the right treatment center for you. Addiction is expensive, and pinching pennies to stay at a facility that doesn’t meet your needs will cost more in the long run. We’d recommend deciding on the resources, length of stay, and aftercare you need first, then choosing a facility that meets your needs at a reasonable price. The cheapest options are probably cheap for a reason, and when you’re putting your health and safety into someone else’s hands, it’s wise to make sure that they aren’t cutting corners.
Another great idea if you’re looking for a cost-effective treatment center is to look at the options available abroad. With high-end treatment centers in the US and UK charging upwards of $60,000 USD a month, value-conscious consumers are gravitating towards overseas clinics. Seeking treatment abroad can allow those in recovery to get more bang for their buck in terms of accommodation, ancillary treatments, and care. It can also offer a greater degree of privacy and relaxation. You’ll be in a positive, sunny environment far away from colleagues and family members who you’d prefer to keep your struggles from. Overseas options have the added benefit of providing distance from toxic influences and environments associated with stress and substance misuse.
4) Applicable Laws
Iboga is currently illegal in the US and UK, as well as a host of other jurisdictions in the “First World.” The Global Ibogaine Therapy Alliance has a handy map which illustrates where Iboga use is legal. If you’re looking to get clean, you probably don’t want to risk possible arrest and prosecution while you are at your most vulnerable. You will also want to choose a facility that won’t hesitate to get you the medical treatment you need if something goes wrong. Portugal is an excellent choice for pursuing iboga treatment because, while the treatment has yet to be officially approved for addiction, it is not illegal or subject to regulation.
Make It Happen!
You know what to do, it’s time to get it done! Reflect carefully and honestly on your needs, and look for facilities that are capable of meeting them. Make sure that every precaution will be taken to protect your health and keep you safe. Decide whether you’d like to be close to the support of family and friends, or if you’d be more comfortable making a fresh start in a new environment. When you’ve arrived at these decisions, it’s time to embark on a new life free from the struggles 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!
29th April 2019
What You Need to Know About Iboga Therapy
If you’re here, you’ve probably heard about Iboga’s remarkable utility in treating all manner of addictions. You’re curious about how this substance works, and concerned about the risks associated with a psychoactive substance that’s illegal in some countries.
If you’re looking to know more about the fascinating history of Iboga, click here, but if you’d like to learn everything you need to know about Ibogaine’s use in treating addiction, keep reading!
How It Works
Iboga’s powerful addiction treatment properties were discovered by an American named Howard Lotsof. As a 19-year-old addict, Mr. Lotsof experimented with psychedelic substances to treat his addiction and discovered that a single dose of Iboga brought an end to the physical symptoms of heroin withdrawal, and dramatically reduced his cravings for drugs. What did it feel like? In the words of one recovered addict:
"As it starts to take effect I feel an intense wave of energy emanating from the center of my chest that permeates my entire body. This euphoric state also brings me instantaneous relief from the discomfort I was feeling after going without heroin for almost 24 hours.
With my withdrawal symptoms completely gone, I am perplexed by the state of clarity I am in while seeing the most profound stream of visual phenomena. I am also filled with a sense of awe at the potential for a life free of heroin. Emotional memories force me to deal with some of the deep subconscious guilt I have repressed for years.
This powerful state persisted for over 12 hours. After remaining at the clinic for a week I was allowed to return home and over the next six months felt almost no cravings whatsoever."
While scientists are not exactly sure how Iboga works, they know it interacts with sigma receptors and 5-HT2A receptors in the brain. Sigma receptors are “opioid receptors” that are activated by drugs like heroin. Researchers theorize that Iboga lightly stimulates them, helping to ease withdrawal symptoms, much like how a nicotine patch helps smokers treat nicotine withdrawal. 5-HT2A receptors are the ones typically activated by psychedelic drugs, and it’s believed that activating them helps to treat depression, while also disrupting thought patterns, allowing the user freedom to break free from negative thoughts and self-destructive patterns of behaviour.
Iboga has been proven to successfully disrupt addiction for a period of 3-6 months for individuals who habitually use opioids, opiates, and stimulants. It resets the brain to a pre-addiction state, and helps cleanse all traces of drugs from your body. However, it is not a magic bullet for treating addiction, and those who hope to lead healthy lives must put in the work to prepare themselves for a life free from addiction. For those addicted to Benzos and alcohol, Iboga therapy can provide substantial benefits, but it cannot help with the withdrawal process.
Iboga use: the risks
Iboga use is not without its risks. We certainly don’t want to sugar-coat the fact that there have been some deaths associated with iboga therapy. Between 1990 and 2008 a total of 19 deaths were associated with Iboga use, and the rate of death during treatment episodes was 1 in 427 (for comparison, the rate of death in Methadone treatment was 1 in 364). Deaths during treatment have mainly been associated with bradycardia (slowing of the heart), liver problems, seizures, and lethal interactions with other substances. Another thing to consider is that Iboga therapy generally restores addicts to a “novice state”, meaning that following treatment their tolerance for substances is significantly lower than it had been, thus increasing the risk of overdose.
So yes, Iboga therapy carries significant risks. But should these risks stop people from seeking it out? The first thing to bear in mind is the dangerous nature of addiction. In the United States, 115 people die every day from the misuse of opiates and opioids. And overdoses are on the rise, in fact, they increased a full 54% in American cities during 2017, according to government studies. Not to mention the fact that drug users suffer from diseases like HIV and Hepatitis at far greater rates than the general population. Individuals suffering from a substance use disorder are 4 times more likely to die from unnatural causes than the average person.
The dangers of heroin addiction are so horrifying that the risk of using Methadone, a treatment associated with a higher rate of death than Iboga, is considered acceptable by doctors and governments the world over. And when comparing the risks of Iboga and Methadone, it should be noted that many of the deaths associated with Iboga use have occurred when the drug was self-administered and used without any degree of medical supervision. Methadone treatment, in spite of being prescribed and administered by medical professionals, is still more dangerous than Iboga!
Iboga safety
While risks are inherent in any treatment of addiction, many of them can be minimized, or even eliminated by taking proper precautions. With Iboga, the first step is to find out if it is safe for you.
Individuals suffering from heart defects and other heart problems are at the greatest risk. Those with impaired liver or kidney function, some psychological disorders, and epilepsy should probably avoid using Iboga. You can see our inclusion and exclusion criteria here, and while we are firm believers in the efficacy of Iboga therapy, we recognize that it can’t work for everyone.
At Iboga Tree Healing House, we provide you with the safest possible setting for Iboga therapy. Unlike the vast majority of Iboga clinics, 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.
The safety of our clients is our number one priority, and we feel that by taking every precaution, we can offer Iboga therapy that minimizes the health problems associated with treatment and eliminates the risk of death.
23rd April 2019
Ibogaine: a brief history
Ibogaine has probably come to your attention for the immense promise it has shown in treating addiction. But this fascinating substance has been impacting human societies for thousands of years. As the opioid epidemic grabs international headlines and alternative addiction treatment options move to the forefront of the conversation, let’s take a look at the amazing history of Ibogaine.
Who discovered iboga?
It is widely believed that pygmies from Central Africa first encountered the tabernathe iboga shrub in Gabon and Cameroon. The common-seeming plant yields simple yellow flowers and an almost tasteless sticky orange citrus fruit. But the pygmies came to realize that when the root bark was scraped off, ground into powder and ingested, it had powerful psychedelic properties. The pygmies passed this knowledge along to others, and thus planted the seeds of the Bwiti spiritual discipline.
Who are the Bwiti?
Bwiti is a Spiritual discipline practiced among the Babongo and Mitsogo people of Gabon, and the Fang people of Gabon and Cameroon. Contemporary adherents believe in a mixture of animism, ancestor worship and Christianity, but Ibogaine is at the core of their rituals and beliefs. According to Wikipedia, the substance is used to “promote radical spiritual growth, to stabilize community and family structure, to meet religious requirements, and to resolve pathological problems.”
When Bwiti shamans consume Ibogaine, they believe that they gain the ability to heal the sick, communicate with the dead, and experience visions of the future. Perhaps most significantly, Iboga is crucial to the initiation rites and coming of age rituals of the Bwiti. According to Daniel Lieberman, an expert on Bwiti culture, “they believe that before initiation the neophyte is nothing. Through the ceremony you become something…a baanzi, one who knows the other world because you have seen it with your own eyes.” According to Lieberman, the Bwiti believe that ibogaine is a “superconscious spiritual entity that guides mankind.” The majority of the Bwiti people consume Iboga as part of their coming of age ritual, and it is a fundamental building block of their culture and community.
How did ibogaine make its way to Europe?
French explorers to Gabon were the first Europeans to encounter Ibogaine, around the year 1900. Ibogaine hydrochloride was first extracted from the shrub in 1901 by a pair of French scientists, and research into the substance’s interactions with the nervous system first began appearing in scientific literature soon thereafter. As the century wore on, more and more research was conducted, before Ibogaine was finally introduced to the French public in 1930. Marketed under the name Lambarene (the name of the town where explorers first discovered it, and also the location of humanitarian Dr. Albert Schweitzer’s famous hospital), Ibogaine was used as a treatment for depression, and a mental and physical stimulant for healthy people at times of great exertion. Lambarene contained 5-8 milligrams of Ibogaine per tablet and was generally prescribed to treat depression, asthenia, convalescence, and some infectious diseases. It was available legally until 1967 when its sale was prohibited.
Studies, Studies and More Studies
Harris Isbell, the pioneering drug researcher and director of research for the National Institute of Mental Health’s Addiction Research Center performed some of the first American studies on Ibogaine in conjunction with the pharmaceutical firm CIBA. They were looking to create an anti-hypertension drug, and through their research became aware of the substance’s anti-addictive properties. However, all records of their research were declared lost, and the drug was determined to lack commercial viability.
American Howard Lotsof was the first to take Ibogaine seriously as a treatment for addiction. At the age of 19 Mr. Lotsof was a heroin addict experimenting with psychedelic substances as a way to treat his addiction. He found that a single dose of Ibogaine had seemingly ended his physical dependence on opiates. After attending college and marrying, he began researching, authoring scholarly papers, and advocating for the use of Ibogaine in addiction treatment. He acquired numerous American patents on “utilizing the ibogaine molecule as an ultra-rapid method for interrupting or attenuating a large spectrum of poly-drug dependency syndromes” between 1985 and 1992. In the late 1980s Lotsof persuaded a Belgian company to manufacture the drug in capsule form, and began a series of clinical trials in the Netherlands. The success of these trials inspired a growth in Ibogaine based treatment throughout Europe and the Americas.
The US government undertook a series of tests on Ibogaine between 1991 and 1995, before funding of the Ibogaine Research Project was abruptly cut. But recent studies conducted in Brazil, New Zealand, and Mexico have shown “that ibogaine may have a significant pharmacological effect on opiate withdrawal” and all participants in the New Zealand study described their Ibogaine experience positively. While most of the Ibogaine studies thus far have been fairly small, they have uniformly found that the substance seems to reduce cravings and physical withdrawal symptoms for individuals dealing with a variety of addictions.
The Future
With America and many other parts of the world in the midst of an epidemic of opioid use and fentanyl-related overdoses (the US Center for Disease Control reports that 91 deaths per day were caused by opioid abuse in 2016), it seems likely that more and more research will be conducted. At Iboga Tree Healing House we are thoroughly convinced that this remarkable natural substance can be used to treat addiction effectively, and we feel confident that research will bear this out. Ibogaine has had a remarkable history, and we feel that it can make all of our futures brighter!
