10th September 2019 • Sticky Post

Ayahuasca and Iboga: Choosing Your Treatment Path

Iboga and Ayahuasca have both shown tremendous promise in treating addiction, as well as a variety of other psychological ailments. Both plants have helped countless individuals experience healing, recovery, spiritual development, and personal growth. But although they are often lumped together, they offer fundamentally different experiences and benefits for those battling addiction. Today we’ll share our guide for choosing the right treatment for you.

The Journey

The average Iboga experience lasts for a period of 12-18 hours. It is generally described as a very intense journey through past memories and visions. Very few people who have used Ibogaine would describe their experience as pleasurable. Many liken it to having themselves shattered into thousands of pieces and then rebuilt as a stronger, healthier person. As one user describes it “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.” Iboga has been described as a “masculine” substance, or a stern father which bluntly illustrates sources of past pain, trauma, and guilt.

Ayahuasca, on the other hand, affects the user for just 4-6 hours. It is generally described as a gentler, more pleasurable experience, even when one takes into account the fact that many users experience a dramatic bout of purging. Rather than prompting users to have a deeply personal inward journey, Ayahuasca often sends the mind outward, and many users report experiencing new perceptions of reality and experiencing connections with the natural world and even other dimensions. Ayahuasca has therefore been described as a “feminine” substance which builds connections between the user and those around them.

What Are The Benefits?

Many addicts have used these remarkable plants to overcome their affliction, but governments have been reluctant to embrace their potential to combat addiction. There is a lot more anecdotal evidence out there than there are clinical studies, but the chorus of thousands of voices shouldn’t be ignored. Both Iboga and Ayahuasca are clearly beneficial for those battling substance dependencies.

From the studies of Iboga that have been conducted, we know that it interacts with addiction in a few ways. The patient can experience visions and periods of profound introspection. Many users claim that this experience allows them to address traumatic experiences in their past, and pushes them to explore and understand their addiction while motivating them to pursue changes in their life.

Iboga also releases small proteins in the brain called “neurotrophic factors.” These proteins, according to Dr. Ignacio Carrera, “are substances that promote survival, repair and protection processes in the brain tissue.” They can change the brain’s circuitry and have been shown to restore dopamine levels and other crucial brain functions to “pre-addicted” levels. They also dramatically lessen the symptoms of withdrawal for opioids and opiates, and cravings for substances in general.

Ayahuasca, on the other hand, is generally viewed as a way to improve mood, make patients receptive to change, and deal with their emotional wounds. The influential Canadian Dr. Gabor Mate recommends Ayahuasca as an addiction treatment, noting that it can re-connect the addicted to  ”inner qualities long been missing in action, such as wholeness, trust, love and a sense of possibility. People quite literally remember themselves”.A recent Psychology Today article lists the benefits of Ayahuasca as helping individuals overcome roadblocks, find personal and spiritual motivation, and acting as “a shortcut to talking therapy.”

What Are The Risks?

Iboga use is not without risks. There have been fatalities associated with its use, the majority of which have been related to adverse interactions with drugs already in the system of those undergoing treatment, or pre-existing heart conditions. In high doses, Iboga can also cause seizures. At Iboga Tree Healing House, we believe that every Iboga-related death was preventable, but we feel any responsible provider will subject patients to a rigorous screening process and have a detailed plan in place to respond to medical emergencies. We DO NOT recommend self-administration or choosing a treatment center that doesn’t perform blood, heart, and toxicology tests to ensure that your safety isn’t subjected to needless risks.

Ayahuasca has also been associated with fatalities. It should also be avoided if you suffer from certain heart conditions, have other substances in your system (including nicotine) or suffer from some mental illnesses. In high doses, it may increase the risk of seizures and respiratory distress, and a potentially fatal condition called “serotonin syndrome,” where extremely high levels of serotonin cause dizziness, disorientation, headache, high blood pressure, and agitation.

Continuing The Journey

Ayahuasca has shown great potential for increasing the receptivity of patients to treatment, counseling and taking on the challenge of making major changes in behavior and lifestyle. Both treatments have the ability to profoundly alter relationships between addicts and the substances they’ve become dependent on, and re-connect individuals with their true selves. But Iboga has the added benefit of dramatically reducing the symptoms of withdrawal for opiate and opioid users, as well as its effects on the central nervous system which repair and re-set the brain to its pre-addicted state.

Both of these plant teachers can be extremely beneficial to those suffering from addiction, and this is borne out by studies showing that 60-80% of Iboga users are classified are abstinent 6 months after receiving iboga addiction treatment. However, neither should be termed a “miracle cure,” and prospective patients should be wary of centers touting either substance as a sure-fire remedy for addiction. The road to recovery is long and winding, but both of these powerful natural medicines can help you on your way.