“Ibogaine got me through the door. The rest was up to me.”

-Unknown

Light the charcoal. Sprinkle the sage. Negative energy go away. Today, I want to talk to you about a plant that is said to help treat addiction. The name of the substance is called Ibogaine. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know much about this plant. But what I intend to do is to lay out the information and let you make the determination about what you think. 

First, we’ll look at its origins. Ibogaine is a West African shrub that grows in the Congo and Angola which is then separated from the root bark. The active ingredient in the plant is Tabernanthe iboga. Traditionally it has been used as a hallucinogen to suppress hunger and fatigue while also being used as  an aphrodisiac. Hold up! So, I’m going to be able to smell colors, sleep and get in the mood? And there’s a high likelihood that I might vomit? Count me in!

Purified ibogaine hydrochloride was first introduced to European consumers in 1939 under the name Lambarene. And it was sold in France until 1970 as an antidepressant that could improve mood, physical strength and used by athletes and others recovering from illness. In 1962 Howard Lotsof, a heroin addict, the experience with ibogaine was so transformative that he spent the rest of his life advocating for it as a cure for substance abuse. A Chilean psychiatrist Claudio Naranjo also advocated for ibogaine as a treatment which was described in his book in 1973 called The Healing Journey (Ibogaine Therapy Information- UC Berkeley BCSP, 2025).

Ibogaine is an alkaloid. The treatment with Ibogaine lasts around 12 to 24 hours. Keep in mind that the patient is in a hallucinogenic state. And though some consider it a “surgical” tool for addiction therapy it does have its medical risks (https://.randrmd.com, 2025). These include severe cardiotoxicity and neurological effects which have been associated with sudden death. Specifically, there are cardiac arrhythmias, hallucinations, seizures, nervous system depressant, bradycardia, hypotension, neurotoxicity, and negative psychological effects (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0736467919305700#:~:text=Background,of%20ibogaine’s%20effects%20and%20safety). This treatment should always be done under medical supervision.

Not only is ibogaine used for opiate addiction, but also in the treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI), PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Formal testing showed improvements in concentration, memory, information processing, and impulsivity(https://news.stanford.edu, 2024). Here are some statistics to keep in mind about this particular treatment. Studies in regard to Opiate Use Disorder from clinics primarily in Mexico and New Zealand indicate:

§  80% of participants report the elimination or reduction of opiate withdrawal symptoms.

§  50% of participants report no opioid use at 60 days post-treatment.

§   New Zealand study found that 50% of participants achieved one year of abstinence.

§  Another study reported that 30% of participants never used opioids again (Subjective effectiveness of ibogaine treatment for problematic opioid consumption: Short- and long-term outcomes and current psychological functioning in: Journal of Psychedelic Studies Volume 1 Issue 2 (2017).

§  An overall analysis reports that 81% were classified as “responders” which means that they never used opioids again or significantly decreased their use after treatment.

§  In comparison with traditional treatments of Suboxone, Methadone and other pharmacotherapy, abstinence rates were at 50% at one month and 33% after three months (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6157925/#:~:text=Abstract,additional%2011%25%20eventually%20achieved%20abstinence, 2018).

Currently in the United States, Ibogaine is a Scheduled 1 controlled substance. Which means that it has no acceptable medical uses and a high potential for abuse. It is against federal law to possess, sell, or use ibogaine for any purpose outside of a federally approved research setting. However, Texas has allocated $50 million to fund clinical trials for addiction and TBI. Kentucky and Washington have also explored funding. And, yes, there are several biotech companies that are developing non-hallucinogenic analogs that could potentially gain FDA approval in the future.

While this treatment is not currently approved in the United States, a lot of desperate addicts will pay between $5,000 and $15,000 in countries like Mexico, Costa Rica, Portugal, Netherlands, South Africa, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, and Gabon. Costs also depend on length of treatment and particular amenities of the individual programs. I’m not completely sold on this form of treatment for addiction or anything else. That’s not to say that people don’t find their own relief through this type of treatment. However, at this point, I would personally like to see more safety considerations and advanced research regarding this method. As an addict myself, I understand that level of desperation to want the cycle of addiction to end. My personal opinion is that I want to keep an eye on future research once it moves out of its infancy in our country. Thanks for reading! And stay informed.

Affirmation: I am a survivor, and I will recover.

***Don’t forget to watch the video!***

#Thispuzzledlife