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Iboga Blog
Iboga Blog
17th June 2020
Post-Treatment Support: 3 Reasons it's Crucial
When you leave a treatment facility, you will almost certainly feel triumphant. You’ve conquered detox and withdrawals. You’ve faced down some demons and persevered. You’re ready for a wonderful new challenge, ready to find fulfillment in all the areas of your personal and professional life that you’ve neglected for too long. But it is a huge mistake to assume that you can conquer addiction in isolation. Almost everyone who succeeds in recovery needs support as they navigate life after addiction, and here’s why:
1) Life's Stressors
Post-Treatment Support: 3 Reasons it's Crucial
Your parents and teachers probably told you this long ago, and they told you for a reason. Addiction simplifies all of life’s problems, allowing the addict to substitute the worries and cares that most people deal with into one problem: how do I get more of the substance I need to function? After addiction, you are exchanging that one simple problem for a host of other concerns.
And life can be especially hard when you’re facing challenges that you have avoided for years. Most addicts emerge from treatment to find that their finances are a mess, their health has deteriorated, their professional prospects have changed for the worse, and their personal relationships are in dire need of attention and repair. It is easy to feel overwhelmed, and your mind has been conditioned to turn to a substance when faced with difficult situations and emotions.
This is why a sponsor, a peer-support group, or a counselor is fundamental to the recovery process. You’ll need encouragement and advice to get your finances in order, to make amends with the people you’ve wronged, to re-connect and repair relationships with loved ones, and to build healthy habits for your sober life. Someone experienced in the logistics of rebuilding lives destroyed by addiction can guide you through a process which will appear hopeless and impossibly daunting at first. You’ll need to learn how to live a responsible and productive life, and it’s almost impossible to learn without a teacher.
2) All It Takes is One Slip
All It Takes is One Slip
We tend to think differently of relapse when dealing with addiction than we do with “medical” diseases. But as with cancer in remission, the specter of relapse will always be looming behind you. Addicts suffer relapses at rates similar to those for “chronic medical illnesses” according to the National Institute for Health. While relapse doesn’t necessarily mean that treatment has failed, many addicts immediately return to their previous, self-destructive patterns of substance use and behaviour.
But relapse doesn’t happen in a single, disastrous moment. Addictions experts have broken relapse down into a series of stages. It begins with “emotional relapse”, where denial, isolating, bottling-up of emotions, and poor self-care put those in recovery in vulnerable positions. This is followed by “mental relapse”, which typically includes minimizing the damage caused by substance misuse, glamourizing past substance use, lying, bargaining with yourself, and creating scenarios where substance use would be acceptable. The final stage is “physical relapse”, where an addict begins using once again.
Because professionals and peers with experience of addiction are aware of this cycle and have dealt with these situations before, they are an absolutely invaluable resource for preventing relapse. A sponsor, counselor, or close friend who has been through these battles will recognize the signs of relapse in the stages leading to a physical relapse, and prod you back onto a healthy path. Having someone you trust and respect point out negative patterns in thought or behaviour can often be enough to keep you on the road to recovery. An NCBI review found that participation in peer-support programs led to higher rates of abstinence, greater satisfaction with treatment, and significant reductions in relapse rate.
3) People Need People
Over 2000 years ago, the Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote that “Man is, by nature, a social animal.” He argued that humans derive happiness and meaning from building connections with others, and that anyone who didn’t need others was “either a beast or a God”, something more or less than truly human. Modern philosophers have explored and challenged his ideas, but we think most would agree with his assertion that we need to interact with and care deeply about others in order to live meaningful lives.
Johann Hari, a journalist and thinker who has explored addiction in-depth, would certainly agree with the Greek. After studying the affliction, he concluded that addiction was based not on brain chemistry, but on an inability to connect with others. The Canadian psychologist Dr. Bruce Alexander conducted the seminal “Rat Park” study, an experiment which influenced Hari’s thinking. He offered morphine-laced water to rats that were isolated, and to others placed in environments with companions, toys, exercise equipment, and sexual partners. Alexander found that the isolated rats quickly became dependent on opiates, while the happy, socially fulfilled rats did not.
Why is this important for you? Post treatment, you’ll be particularly vulnerable to feelings of isolation. You’ll want to avoid many of your former friends and associates in order to stay sober, and it will take time to re-build meaningful connections with family and loved ones. Peer-support groups are a tremendous way to manufacture a sense of connection and belonging as you begin to build a sober life. Most groups are supportive and welcoming, and the encouragement, advice, and guidance they can offer will be invaluable.
At Iboga Tree Healing House, we recommend peer-support fellowships to anyone who’ll listen. Even if you’re put off by the 12 Step model, there are promising alternatives out there, such as Smart Recovery, which might work for you. We’ve even launched our own peer-support network tailored for those who’ve found sobriety through iboga therapy, which allows individuals around the world to come together for weekly video conferences. Recovery isn’t easy, and it’s even harder if you try to do it alone!
6th May 2020 • Sticky Post
Addiction Treatment During COVID-19: Is it Safe?
We are all currently struggling through the Covid-19 crisis together, but for those dealing with addiction, times are even harder. Those suffering from addiction and substance abuse are at greater risk to outside stressors, their health is likely already precarious, and in this time of profound uncertainty, the pressure on both individuals and the healthcare sector to provide care is at an all-time high. But addiction doesn’t stop in times like these, and the need for addiction treatment won’t lessen either. If you feel that the time has come to end your addiction, there are ways to get the help the addiction treatment you need. Let’s take a look at the ways Iboga Tree Healing House can help you find your path to health in the midst of the current "coronavirus" pandemic.
Inpatient Treatment Is Available!
At Iboga Tree Healing House, we are committed to keeping our doors open and refusing to give in to addiction. We have revised our intake protocols to keep our staff and clients safe, including respect for all national travel restrictions, a two week period of quarantine in Portugal prior to treatment, and 3 separate tests for the virus. We are committed to offering a refund to any potential client who tests positive for the virus, minus a 10% registration deposit.
You Are Safe With Us.
While many are understandably reluctant to leave their homes, let alone travel abroad for medical treatment, our staff has created a series of guidelines in concurrence with the Portuguese Directorate-General of Health in order to ensure your safety while accessing the most effective addiction treatment on the planet. We are also actively following and ready to implements any new guidelines or regulations issued by the CDC, the WHO, or any relevant national, state, or local regulatory bodies. A commitment to doing everything humanly possible to protect and improve the health of our clients is a foundational value at Iboga Tree Healing House, and we are focusing our efforts on doing all we can to provide safe treatment while the crisis rages.
We have always kept our facilities clean, and we have established new standards for both cleaning and sterilization to ensure that every surface, from doorknobs to computer keyboards, are disinfected throughout the day. Our entire staff has undergone medical training in order to deal with adverse events, monitor the health of our clients, and operate the necessary equipment. That training is now being put to use to screen for risks among incoming clients, and constantly monitor the health of those undergoing treatment. We have also temporarily suspended on-campus visits and events and shifted workers who aren’t absolutely needed for client care to work from home.
We will be vigilant in looking out for the symptoms of coronavirus: runny nose, dry cough, pressure in the chest, sore throat, fever, confusion, excessive blushing in the face and neck, difficulty breathing, and shortness of breath. If a client or staff member exhibits a fever of 100.4 or above, we will immediately isolate them and contact the local authorities to facilitate testing and treatment if necessary. Our emergency plans and procedures have already succeeded when tested before, and we stand ready to provide the safest, most effective treatment program possible during these uncertain times.
Online Is A Viable Option.
We understand that in spite of the precautions we are taking, many prospective clients will still struggle with the decision to seek treatment abroad. Therefore, we are ramping up our efforts to offer counseling and outpatient services, as well as pre- and after-care, online. Our Iboga Recovery Movement (IRM) meetings, which offer guidance and peer-support, have been increased to twice-weekly, and we will offer virtual family support meetings for all of our clients. All of our staff is ready to commit their time to helping you through the recovery process, whether you can come visit us or not. If you need to speak with us via phone, email, Zoom, Skype, or any other digital platform, let us know and we’ll do everything we can to be there with you.
Implications Of Covid-19 For Addiction And Mental Health
For those dealing with substance abuse issues, mental health issues, or dual diagnosis, this crisis is especially scary. For those dealing with addiction to opioids, the slowed breathing and lack of oxygen to the brain caused by these substances substantially increases the risk of complications to any respiratory ailment. Methamphetamine abuse has also been highlighted as a risk factor by the CDC because it often leads to pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary damage as it constricts blood vessels in the lungs. Furthermore, those addicted to any substance are far more likely than the general population to have compromised immune systems, lack of access to the health-care system, and to put themselves into environments where close contact with others puts them at a higher risk for infection. While pursuing treatment at a time like this does come with some risks, continuing to abuse substances is probably not a healthier alternative.
Lockdown, social distancing, self-isolating, loss of livelihood, and the constant assault of anxiety-inducing news reports are taking their toll on those previously in good mental health. Forbes magazine has reported that half of all Americans are reporting that the crisis has had a negative impact on their mental health. For those with pre-existing conditions such as depression and bipolar disorder, these negative effects can be even more severe, as routines and behaviors that maintain good mental-health become impossible. As CBS News has noted, significant global events and disasters can trigger very severe symptoms in the afflicted. Even during this pandemic, no one should be afraid to get the help they need.
We’re Here If You Need Us
Addiction, mental illness, and Covid-19 are all severe, potentially fatal, threats to your health. All of them need to be taken extremely seriously, and we don’t recommend taking action until you have explored the consequences and risks of those actions thoroughly. But if you are convinced that now is the time to end your addiction or deal with mental health issues, we are committed to providing you with the treatment you need. Whether you are looking for answers to your questions, online counselling, or in-patient treatment, we at Iboga Tree Healing House are committed to being here to serve you throughout this unprecedented global crisis. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.
1st May 2020
COVID-19 and Addiction: Seeking Workable Solutions
The current model of addiction treatment works for some users who are desperate to change their lives. It also fails many of those most in need, for a variety of reasons. Whether the problems are a stubborn insistence on criminalizing drug use and prosecuting the unwell, profit-motivated providers promising the moon and delivering underwhelming treatments, or unscrupulous treatment centers exploiting their clients and playing a shell game with insurance companies, the rehab industry is plagued by a host of problems in countries around the globe. As the COVID-19 pandemic pushes health-care systems to the breaking point and exposes the addicted to horrifying risks, the time has finally come for societies to examine their current drug treatment models, and find solutions that work efficiently for those suffering from the affliction, and for health care systems groaning under the weight of the virus.
Reducing Harm
Reducing Harm
We are extremely proud to operate in Portugal, a nation with the wisdom and compassion to end the fruitless “war on drugs” and adopt a clear-eyed and compassionate approach to drug use. Portugal’s decision to wholeheartedly embrace the principles of harm reduction, decriminalize all personal drug use, and treat addicts as human beings suffering from a severe health disorder rather than dangerous criminals was certainly the right one, a fact that is continually reinforced as nations around the globe follow suit.
Harm Reduction has been proven not only to benefit addicts’ physical and mental health, and reduce the dangerous stigma surrounding addiction, but it also can save the public sector vast sums of money. By providing services such as needle exchanges and safe injection sites, governments can dramatically reduce the spread of disease and incidences of overdose, drastically reducing the financial burden which opioid and opiate use place on an overtaxed health-care sector. A refusal to embrace policies that save both taxpayer money and the lives of society’s most vulnerable members is both financially misguided and morally indefensible.
A Modern Understanding Of "Addiction"
The traditional narrative of addiction, where a weak person becomes enslaved by a “demon drug” has been eroded throughout the years as we gain more understanding of the psychological and neurological changes that occur within the addicted mind. The outdated notion of a thrill-seeking young person experimenting with a gateway drug and almost instantly getting hooked on heroin seems laughable now, but even as we've come to learn how deeply flawed this idea is, we are clinging to treatment modalities based on its cartoonishly simplified view of the affliction.
Thinkers like Gabor Mate, Johann Hari, and Maia Szalavitz have assembled vast quantities of research on what addiction is, and what it is not. They argue for a more complex method of treatment than traditional models such as the 12 Steps, or “cold turkey” would advocate, and for more research into treatments that are being neglected by the mainstream. The mechanisms of addiction are shaped by trauma and rooted in neurological processes that must be understood to be corrected. While there may be addicts out there who can (and do) turn their lives around through sheer force of will, the fact that a UN Report from 2019 estimated that the global total of deaths caused by drug use in 2017 was 585,000 is proof enough that much more needs to be done.
One of the most substantial hurdles that needs to be overcome is a prejudicial attitude towards alternative treatments and psychoactive substances that have shown immense promise in treating addiction. Iboga has shown a remarkable capacity for rewiring the addicted brain, correcting chemical and hormonal changes that create destructive patterns of behavior, and for allowing addicts to open their minds to the changes in attitude and lifestyle that they desperately need to make. Yet governments have been dragging their feet over pursuing the clinical trials that would clear it for therapeutic use in most countries.
Similar successes can be claimed by other medicinal plants that have been used since ancient times, including ayahuasca, a psychoactive plant from South America that D. Gabor Mate describes as “an antidote to Western psychological distress and alienation.” Psilocybin has also shown promise in treating addiction to nicotine and alcohol, as well as many of the underlying psychological issues that can lead to addiction. While research on the medicinal properties of these plants is slowly moving forward, any delays in the process will put the lives of habitual drug users at risk.
People Before Profits
The economic ramifications of COVID-19 are going to be absolutely massive, and restrictions on domestic and international travel are a massive hurdle for many treatment centers. While this will have a slew of negative consequences, it may also force many disreputable, fly-by-night providers into a new line of work. With horror stories emerging of American “piss farms” that exist solely to collect hefty payments from insurers, or “tough love” approaches taken around the world, where addicts in desperate need of treatment are belittled, mistreated, and forced to perform menial work, one consequence of COVID-19 might be a new focus on health which refuses to accept regressive, rapacious, and damaging methods of treatment. We at Iboga Tree Healing House have dedicated our lives to the cause of freeing individuals from addiction, and nothing offends us more deeply than treatment providers whose contempt for their patients manifests itself in substandard care.
We know firsthand how horrifying the effects of addiction can be. We also know that effective treatments, such as iboga, are out there, ready to be put to use to restore individuals to health, happiness, and their loved ones. We will be doing everything we can to push the cause of sane, safe, and compassionate treatment forward as COVID-19 rages around the globe, in the hopes that when the virus lets up, policy-makers are ready to prioritize the health-care needs of society’s most vulnerable citizens. If you’re interested in starting your fight against addiction today, get in touch with us!
7th April 2020 • Sticky Post
Codependency, and how it impacts your life
“A codependent person is one who has let another person’s behaviour affect him or her, and who is obsessed with controlling that person’s behaviour.” -Melody Beattie, author of ‘Codependent No More.’
Defining Co-dependency
Most psychologists view codependency as a product of two dysfunctional personalities coming together to an extent where boundaries between the personalities cease to exist. Psychologists call this process “enmeshment.” We all know deeply unhappy couples who have stayed together in spite of the misery they create. And while there are many reasons for couples to stick together in dire situations (children, finances, inertia, loyalty, etc.), the main reason people stay in these relationships is the belief of one partner (or sometimes both) that they deserve to be mistreated.
Traditionally, codependent relationships have been defined by control. Studies from the late 1980s and early 1990s concluded that codependent individuals based their lives, self-esteem and sense of well-being on the behaviour of an unhealthy family member. They concluded that a pattern was established with the functional partner nurturing the afflicted partner, and creating a pleasurable and self-reinforcing cycle which rewarded misbehaviour. As the psychologist Reevah Simon has noted, “wherever there is ongoing conflict, there is underlying agreement.” In other words, the functional partner consents to the pattern of codependency, and takes a sense of pleasure, satisfaction, or purpose from it.
Codependency in the Family
The classic example of a codependent relationship is the enabling wife of an alcoholic, but over time the definition has expanded to include partners of individuals with any addiction or chemical dependency, partners of some individuals afflicted by chronic physical or mental illnesses, and any member of a dysfunctional family with symptoms of the disorder.
If you grew up in a dysfunctional family, you are at a far greater risk of developing codependent relationships. According to Mental Health America, members of dysfunctional families are used to denying the existence of problems. They don’t talk about them or confront them, so family members learn at a young age to repress difficult emotions and deny their own needs: “They develop behaviours that help them deny, ignore, or avoid difficult emotions. They detach themselves. They don’t talk. They don’t touch. They don’t confront. They don’t feel. They don’t trust. The identity and emotional development of the members of a dysfunctional family are often inhibited.”
Members of dysfunctional families are programmed from an early age to shift their energy and focus from themselves to the family member who is ill or addicted. They place the needs of the afflicted family member above their own in order to keep the family unit intact. As a result they often lose their sense of self. They develop a pattern of putting the well-being of a loved one ahead of their own, and become disconnected from their own needs and desires, and this pattern is primed to repeat itself in adult life.
Are You in A Co-dependent Relationship?
People suffering from codependency generally have low self-esteem and look for things outside of themselves for validation and fulfillment. They have difficulty “being themselves” and are prone to addictive or compulsive behavioural disorders. They generally have good intentions and try to take on the role of caregiver in many of their relationships, but often become self-defeating and compulsive in the role, enabling or shrugging off unacceptable behaviour.
This creates a cycle where the person needing care becomes ever-more dependent on their caregiver, while avoiding the consequences of their destructive behaviour. Meanwhile, the caregiver becomes habituated to the sense of satisfaction and fulfillment they derive from being needed. Eventually, the caretaking becomes a compulsion, and the caretaker develops a sense of martyrdom and victimhood, but is unable to break away from the mutually destructive relationship. This leads to feelings of helplessness and depression.
A Google search will yield a plethora of questionnaires designed to identify signs of the disorder, but please note that only a qualified professional is capable of making a diagnosis. The lists frequently include questions asking about your ability to communicate negative emotions, your tolerance towards living with toxic relationships, your self-esteem, and your ability to ask for, and deny requests for help. If you’re worried that you might be trapped in a cycle of co-dependence, we’d recommend trying this online questionnaire, and if the results indicate that you may be afflicted, seek out a mental health professional immediately.
Treating Codependency
If you’re convinced you suffer from this disorder, we’d recommend starting with a diagnosis, counseling, and peer-support fellowships. Al-Anon and Nar-Anon are both fantastic resources and support systems which will let you access the support and wisdom of those who have overcome codependence. SMART Recovery takes an approach to addiction based on the principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and their support program for family members emphasizes positive and honest communication for guiding addicted partners and family members toward healthier lives, and avoiding the pitfalls of codependence. Traditional therapy and CBT have also helped many codependent partners and family members to take control of their own lives and well-being.
Non-traditional cures can also be used to combat codependency. Mindfulness practice is a great way to connect with yourself and explore your own thoughts, needs, and desires. Yoga can also help center you and connect body, mind, and soul in a way that will help you actualize your own will to take control of your life. And treatment with psychedelics and ibogaine have also proved effective in helping patients confront traumatic aspects of their pasts, and deal with painful memories and emotions. Addiction can ruin the lives of addicts and their loved ones. Don’t let it ruin yours.
31st March 2020 • Sticky Post
Eating Disorder Treatment: How Can Iboga Help You?
Most discussions of eating disorders tend to focus on positive and negative body images, the fashion industry, and an obsession with weight loss. But the renowned physician Dr. Gabor Mate would argue that eating disorders fall into the realm of addiction. As he puts it; “I have never met an anorexic or bulimic who was not a traumatized person…a person who is desperately trying to exert some control over themselves.”
Are Eating Disorders an Addiction?
Dr. Mate’s fascinating philosophy of addiction posits that all addictions have their roots in early childhood experience, as our nervous and hormonal systems find ways to adapt to stress, wiring our brains’ developing systems of desire and reward in certain specific ways. Those with eating disorders are seeking either a sense of pleasure or an escape from inner pain through their relationship with food, in the same manner, and with the same mental processes and responses as a heroin addict seeks release through the drug. For more detail on Dr. Mate’s beliefs on emotional eating and addiction, we recommend this lecture.
If we accept that eating disorders are an addiction, we need to view their treatment through a different lens. The addicted brain has significant differences in its circuitry than a healthy brain. The systems which regulate the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that controls the body’s reward system, essentially stop producing pleasure except when triggered by the addictive substance. As our understanding of neurology has grown, we have learned that addiction hardwires certain behaviors into our minds. The addicted brain develops different responses to stress, anxiety, and substances of abuse than the healthy brain. The neurotransmitters and receptors which govern pain and pleasure take proteins from other neurons to create pathways that respond only to the presence or absence of a drug. Scientific studies have shown abnormalities in the neural processes of anorexics that aren’t dissimilar to addiction. And like addicts, those suffering from anorexia demonstrate an inability to alter their eating habits, even after expressing the desire to change.
American Addiction Centers uses the analogy of a hiking trail to explain the concepts of neural pathways and neuroplasticity: “ brains form neural pathways in a way that is similar to the formation of a well-traveled hiking trail. The more we travel a path, the faster, easier, and more familiar that path becomes. As we travel it more and more, it becomes wider, smoother, and easier to travel. It becomes a preferred route.” We can expand on this analogy in regard to the recovery process. As you learn to live a healthy life, you are essentially carving out a new path in a dense forest. The going will be slow, and the work will be hard, but each time your brain returns to this new trail, the journey will be smoother than the previous one. Every decision which supports your new lifestyle will be easier than the one before. Battling addiction is never easy, and it requires tremendous effort and strength, but promising alternative treatments can give you the push you need to start blazing a new trail!
How Iboga Can Help
Iboga is a powerful, oneirogenic (meaning that it produces a waking dream state), plant-based medicine. It comes from the tabernanthe iboga plant which grows in West Africa and is an essential part of that region’s Bwiti spiritual traditions. Iboga has shown great promise in treating addiction and chemical dependence because of its ability to counter the withdrawal symptoms and cravings of heroin and opioid addiction with a single dose. But its benefits aren’t limited to those battling substance abuse.
Iboga has been proven to increase levels of GDNF, a protein that is produced by the brain in early childhood. GDNF is a fundamentally important protein for personal development because it rapidly increases the production of new neurons and allows for increased neuroplasticity. This is why childhood is the best time for people to learn new languages, figure out how to play musical instruments, and experiment with new habits and ideas. GDNF also helps to regulate responses to drugs of abuse and dopamine receptors in the brain and is extremely beneficial for creating and sustaining new habits and patterns of decision making and behavior.
For those suffering from eating disorders, GDNF has the potential to dramatically impact treatment outcomes. Its ability to create new ways of looking at the world, and neural pathways which respond to stress, pain, control, and pleasure in different ways can make all the difference in developing a healthy relationship with food, and escaping the cycle of emotional eating.
Next steps
Iboga isn’t a miracle cure for eating disorders or drug abuse, but the 3-6 month window following treatment offers you a window of time in which you will see the world differently, and gain the ability to develop healthy new habits. The way you think about life and analyze your environment will change perceptibly, and you’ll be receptive to changes and ideas that could literally save your life! At Iboga Tree Healing House, we’re committed to exploring the potential of ibogaine to reclaim lives devastated by eating disorders, and if you have any questions, we’d be more than happy to discuss them with you!
25th March 2020 • Sticky Post
Recovery and Spirituality: Understanding the links
“Spirituality” is a difficult concept to pin down, and one that many people have a strong response to. Some might instantly conjure up images of the Bible, the Star of David, or another organized religion. Others might immediately think of new-age touchstones like healing crystals or meditation. And most people have strong, instinctive positive and negative responses to religious concepts and images. But spirituality isn’t some vague riddle or standard set of rules and morals. Spirituality is something that is woven into the fabric of your everyday life, and learning to access it, explore it, and draw strength from it can be an invaluable resource as you go through the process of recovery
Understanding "Spirituality"
Many people are put off by the religious overtones of the concept of spirituality, but at Iboga Tree Healing House we feel that spirituality is the search for meaning, purpose, and a sense of connection to the world around you. For many people, it involves a search for connections with something greater than oneself, such as God, the universe, humanity, or nature. But it doesn’t have to be anything more specific than exploring the meaning of your experiences. There isn’t a right or wrong way to be spiritual, and for most people perspectives on spirituality evolve as they go through life, encounter new ideas, and develop new perspectives.
What Spirituality Isn’t
Many people who consider themselves Atheists or Agnostics and others who have painful or traumatic memories connected with religion are justifiably leery of being compelled to join in religious practices and ceremonies. But spirituality shouldn’t be tied to any particular God, moral code, or set of practices. While closely connected to religious belief, spirituality is personal and can remain private. The search for meaning and purpose can be undertaken through prayer, yoga, and tai chi. But it can also be accomplished in ways that don’t carry any religious baggage such as mindfulness practice, keeping a journal, or spending time in nature. You can define your own spiritual beliefs and the path which will keep your soul in tune with them.
Why Is Spirituality Important In Recovery?
One of the greatest benefits of spiritual practice is the connection you’ll rebuild with yourself. One of the first things people lose in addiction is their connection to their own personal sense of morality. Spirituality will allow you to re-discover your sense of right and wrong. Knowing your own beliefs and principles will allow you to develop your own, personalized guide to living a good life, and pursuing your goals in a positive and constructive fashion. One incredibly important pillar of the recovery process is re-learning how to be honest and truthful in your dealings with yourself and others, and spiritual practice is immeasurably helpful in this regard.
Another moral lesson that spiritual exploration often imparts is the importance of respecting yourself and others. Addiction has a corrosive effect on self-esteem and creates a deep sense of shame among the addicted. The overwhelming desire to get more of what you need also forces the addict to take advantage of others, ignore their needs and desires, and behave with monstrous selfishness. If you grew up an in abusive situation, the need to learn respect for yourself and others is even more acute. The good news is that embarking on a spiritual journey is almost guaranteed to build a sense of respect. As cultural anthropologists have noted: “Respect is essential to all the world's religions and is universally seen as a building block to a more human and humane world.”
Spirituality is also a wonderful tool for gaining perspective on your problems. An understanding of the inter-connectedness of people, nature, and the universe can help you realize that seeking understanding and support from those around you isn’t a sign of weakness or failure. Learning to admit the existence of problems and ask for help in dealing with them can make all the difference when you’re attempting to heal yourself and rebuild your life, and the sense of fellowship that can be developed with spiritual practice makes it much easier to share your burdens with the people around you. Spirituality makes it much easier to let go of your pride, admit that you are flawed, and receive support from your peers, friends, and family. Exploring your humanity allows you to see that we all share human weaknesses and that by working together we can turn that weakness into a strength.
Spirituality is also beneficial for giving recovering addicts a sense of purpose and meaning in their new lives. One of the most attractive elements of addiction is that it boils down all of life’s myriad problems into a single, simple dilemma: how can I get more of the substance I need? When you enter recovery, you might feel overwhelmed by all of the new challenges that appear. Getting your finances in order, sorting out relationships that have been strained to the breaking point, re-building your professional life, and dealing with legal issues are a few common issues that spring up. If you don’t find a sense of purpose and meaning as you confront these thorny problems, relapse will seem like a tempting way of escape.
Spiritual exploration will also push you towards building a meaningful life, allowing you to discover your unique talents, abilities, and gifts, and illuminating the ways you can make use of them for the benefit of yourself and others. Most spiritual paths will help seekers realize the importance of using their wisdom, struggles, and experiences to help others. For those in recovery, this is a beautiful way to help yourself and rebuild your shattered self-esteem by helping others. Watching others follow the 12 Steps or another path towards sobriety will reinforce the lessons you’ve learned, and fill your heart with hope, love, and renewed conviction.
Iboga Tree Healing House and Spirituality
At Iboga Tree Healing House, we feel that nurturing spirituality is an integral part of the recovery process. Iboga therapy is a fundamental part of the Bwiti spiritual traditions of Africa, and one of its effects in addition to interrupting addiction is building connections to what Douglas Adams called “Life, the Universe and Everything.” We also attempt to create a sense of spirituality in our clients by offering a wide range of holistic therapies, including yoga, mindfulness and meditation. If you’re looking for a treatment center that fosters spirituality as it helps patients to recover, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
4th March 2020 • Sticky Post
Treating Addiction: How Does NAD+ Help?
What Is NAD+?
NAD+, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, is scientifically defined as a naturally occurring co-enzyme of niacin. A close relative of vitamin B3, it aids in our bodies’ production of energy by converting energy obtained from food into cellular energy. The substance was discovered in 1906, and a recent study by Harvard researchers found that the NAD+ helped to reverse the effects of aging in mice. The body’s production and supply of NAD+ decreases with age, but Harvard professor of genetics David Sinclair, the study’s director, found that regular injections of NAD+ reversed the effects of vascular degeneration and muscle atrophy among the rodents studied. NAD+ essentially allows for the growth of new blood vessels, which keep muscles and other cells in the body from wasting away. It is also has been proven to increase neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to repair itself.
The results of this study have led many anti-aging clinics to offer NAD+ therapy, which is also touted by providers for treating chronic fatigue syndrome, increasing focus and energy, aiding in detox from drugs and alcohol, increasing the metabolic rate, and improving cardiovascular health. While long term studies on the effects of NAD+ don’t yet exist, the medical establishment seems quite optimistic about its therapeutic uses.
How Does NAD+ Impact Addiction?
An interesting fact gleaned from research which has been conducted is that addicts typically have lower than average levels of NAD+ in their bodies. Some even speculate that lower than average levels of the substance might be one of the causes of dependence on alcohol and drugs. Some diseases that frequently co-occur with addiction also have the effect of depleting the body’s stores of NAD+, including post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression.
One provider of the therapy explains its use in detox and recovery like this: “NAD+ has a significant role in reducing the withdrawal effects by restoring the neurotransmitter balance, which shifts significantly after the drug that's been withdrawn has been removed. As a result, the patient experiences almost no withdrawal symptoms whilst and after completing the infusion cycle.”
Dr. Mark Collins, a British physician and psychologist specializing in addictions, is more measured in his assessment, stating “I have now witnessed its use in many patients, and I am very impressed with the short-term results, what is clearly needed is more research, and in particular longer-term outcome studies.”
Testimonials from addicts who have used NAD+ to aid in their recovery are positive. A recent Vice article by a reporter who experimented with NAD+ treatment to combat cravings for alcohol offered a generally positive review. The reporter also interviewed a crack addict who found that “I’d be lying if I said the thoughts [about picking up] aren't in my mind, and in my mind often, but that deep 'urge' that addicts will know about isn't there any longer.”
While most NAD+ treatments rely on intravenous injections, the substance can also be obtained through foods and nutritional supplements. Milk, fish, mushrooms, whole grains, peanuts, and garden vegetables are all rich in this nutrient. And Dr. Collins notes that “It's been known for decades that a high dose of vitamin B3—the 'poor man's' way of elevating NAD levels—has a beneficial effect for alcoholics, both in terms of detoxification and, perhaps more importantly, in reducing craving and anxiety levels after detoxification.”
In fact, Bill Wilson (better known as Bill W., co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous) experimented with large doses of NAD+ in 1960. He began taking 3000 mg of niacin (a vitamin which naturally contains NAD+) and found that it reduced the fatigue and depression which had plagued him for years. Excited about this discovery, “Wilson gave the same doses to 30 of his close friends in AA, hoping it could be replicated. Of the 30, 20 he later reported became free of anxiety, tension, and depression in one or two months.” Wilson tried to share news of his discovery and wrote a pamphlet, but the treatment was deemed too controversial by AA’s board of directors and his campaign was suppressed.
Treatment Successes, But No Long-Term Studies
Flood doses of NAD+ have been used to treat addiction in South Africa since the 1960s, and the first clinic offering the treatment, the Springfield Wellness Center, founded by Psychotherapist Paula Mestayer and her Psychiatrist husband Richard, opened in America in 2001. They have since treated over 1000 patients, and Paula Mestayer says that the treatment “is not a cure, but rather maintenance,” and that many clients find it necessary to come back for booster doses. She also has found that the treatment is most effective when treating dependence on alcohol and opiates.
In spite of 70 years of evidence of the substantial benefits NAD+ therapy can offer addicts and those afflicted with a host of other ailments, there haven’t been long-term clinical studies on its efficacy and effects. It is reminiscent of ibogaine’s painstaking journey into the mainstream. While side-effects of NAD+ are usually limited to dizziness and perhaps a day or two of flu-like symptoms, we can’t be absolutely sure that NAD+ treatment is 100% safe in the long-term. But as the opioid epidemic rages on around the world and overdose tallies mount, investigating a promising treatment like NAD+ is indeed a sensible option.
At Iboga Tree Healing House, we feel that it’s the responsibility of governments and addictions professionals to explore every avenue that could possibly lead to the end of addiction. And as we come to understand the cognitive and neurological processes which create the addicted mind, treatments such as NAD+ and iboga seem ever more sensible and promising.
24th February 2020 • Sticky Post
Addiction Treatment in Sweden: Why Swedish Addicts Are Heading Abroad
Sweden’s drug problem has been getting worse over the past few years. Despite its progressive reputation on social and environmental issues, the country has stubbornly clung to an outdated and ineffective method of dealing with addiction and the addicted. Unlike many of its neighbors, who have followed Portugal in adopting an approach based on the principles of harm reduction, Sweden still takes a zero-tolerance approach to drug use. As the government acknowledges, Sweden makes no distinction between “hard” and “soft” drugs, and police have the power to detain and demand a urine test from anyone who appears to be under the influence, followed by criminal charges and possible jail time.
As a result, Sweden has come under criticism from the World Health Organization and the UN for failing to embrace advances in drug treatment. The Swedish government has failed to implement programs that are proven to improve public health and remains stubbornly resistant to needle exchanges and other innovations that have been proven to save lives and public money. As Malmo University researcher Torkel Richert notes: “The bigger picture is that Sweden has for a long time had a big increase in overdoses. And if you compare it to Europe in general, we’re doing badly.”
Why Are Swedes Looking To Portugal For Addiction Treatment?
Portugal was in the midst of an epidemic of heroin addiction when they made the dramatic decision to embrace the principles of harm reduction and decriminalize the consumption of all drugs. As one of the architects behind Portugal’s new approach explains it: “We realized we were squandering resources. It made much more sense for us to treat drug addicts as patients who needed help, not as criminals.” By removing the threats of prosecution and incarceration, Portugal has reduced the stigma surrounding addiction, and the number of addicts receiving treatment has increased by 60% since 1998. The results the country has achieved simply by treating addicts with dignity and viewing addiction as a health issue has caused countries such as Canada, France, Switzerland, and Germany to embrace harm reduction. Portugal’s clear-headed, compassionate approach to treating addiction makes it an ideal destination for those attempting to overcome substance abuse problems.
Sweden offers some publicly funded drug treatment options, and there are privately run residential treatment facilities. In theory, seeking treatment in these centers will not put you at risk of increased attention from the police or the stigma of being an addict in a society that views drug use very harshly, but if you’re living in a small community, word might still spread. If you’re looking to be treated with dignity and respect, experience compassionate treatment, and maintain your privacy, going abroad might be your best option. As Richert notes, the “attitude towards drug addicts in Sweden has been embarrassing in many ways. They're a very stigmatized group. The phrase here in Sweden was 'it should be difficult to be a junkie'. And politically the idea is that if it is tough, more will want to stop.” If you’d like to be treated as a person, rather than a junkie, as you begin your recovery journey, you might want to consider seeking treatment in Portugal!
What Does Treatment Abroad Offer That Addiction Treatment In Sweden Doesn't?
1) Environment 
Leaving an environment full of familiar stressors and temptations can have a beneficial effect on treatment. Traveling abroad can bring a profound sense of relief and relaxation. Portugal is a picturesque country with a lovely Mediterranean climate. It’s dotted with quaint villages, ancient ruins, majestic castles, and miles of beautiful coastline. And there are few regions better suited to recovering your health than Portugal’s sun-drenched Alentejo region. A land of rolling hills and vast plains, the Alentejo offers visitors the opportunity to recover their health and connections to the natural world by riding horses, watching birds, stargazing, hiking and cycling. Swedish visitors are especially appreciative of the temperate climate, peaceful lifestyle, and delicious regional fare. All while enjoying a rehab facility that rivals a luxurious resort or hotel for a fraction of the cost of treatment back home. You’ll disconnect from a toxic environment and share amazing new experiences with people from all around the world!
2) Privacy
While increasing numbers of people are coming to the understanding that addiction is a medical issue, there is still a significant social and professional stigma that comes with seeking treatment for substance abuse. If you head to Portugal, it’s easy to tell friends, family members, and colleagues that you’re off on a much-needed vacation and avoid awkward conversations and prying questions. There’s also no risk that someone will spot you emerging from a clinic or support group meeting and start whispering.
3) Promising Treatments Unavailable In Sweden
We’ve written a lot about the undeniable power of ayahuasca and iboga to combat the addictive properties of opioids and other drugs and to open the addicted mind to the idea of a positive transformation into sobriety. Because Portugal has decriminalized all drugs, promising treatments that cannot be obtained in a safe medical setting in addiction treatment in Sweden can be accessed here with the supervision of healthcare professionals. If you think treatment that uses a psychoactive substance is your best option, we’d strongly recommend getting away from Sweden, where strong anti-drug laws put you at risk of prosecution and incarceration. Iboga has been considered a “Class 1” drug in Sweden since 1985. Its legal status came up for review in 2007, but the government ultimately decided against allowing medical use. A movement exists in Sweden to legalize the use of the powerful addiction interrupter, but given the track record of the Swedish government, we wouldn’t expect progressive reforms any time soon.
In spite of our belief in iboga’s remarkable ability to interrupt addiction, we would strongly advocate against using it in regions where draconian laws force its use underground, creating potentially fatal health risks.
4) Easy Intake
When you’ve reached rock bottom, a treatment center that can quickly start the process of detox and recovery can be a lifesaver. The prospect of waiting six months for the in-patient treatment you need can be a heart-breaking, motivation-sapping roadblock. Sweden’s drug programs are underfunded, one of the main reasons why the majority of Swedish addicts are pushed into outpatient treatment programs for addiction treatment in Sweden. Treatment centers abroad can immediately start the intake process, allowing you to strike back at your addiction when you’re feeling hopeful and motivated. This can make all the difference in the world!
Iboga Tree Healing House
At Iboga Tree Healing House we have a unique ability to accommodate clients from around the world with our welcoming, open-minded, and international staff. You’d be hard-pressed to find a treatment center more committed to the safety of its clients than Iboga Tree Healing House. We’re also deeply committed to maintaining a supportive and non-judgmental environment for facilitating recovery and personal growth.
In addition to offering iboga treatment, we also provide a wide array of holistic treatments, including breathwork, kundalini yoga, equine-assisted therapy, kambo, and more. All of these practices are extremely beneficial for re-energizing both body and spirit to pursue recovery. In combination with our ten hectares of outdoor space, large terraces, and outdoor swimming pool, we let nature remind our clients to be grateful and receptive for new horizons and second chances. We have many testimonials from people around the globe who’ve benefited immeasurably from experiencing our treatments in beautiful, sunny Portugal. If you’d like to experience the many benefits of treatment abroad, don't hesitate to get in touch!
18th February 2020 • Sticky Post
Finding The Right Iboga Treatment Program: 5 Important Tips
Finding The Right Iboga Treatment Program
So you’ve heard a lot about what iboga treatment is capable of doing to interrupt addiction, allow individuals to face trauma, or facilitate spiritual growth. You’ve poked around the internet to find out how iboga treatment works, and you’ve seen testimonials from people who’ve transformed their lives with the help of this powerful substance. You’re ready to take the plunge, and it’s time to find the iboga treatment program that will guide you through this life-changing experience. Today, we’ll give you five tips to find a program that meets your unique, individual needs.
1) Safety is Paramount
We have written extensively about the need for medical supervision and responsible use of iboga because we care passionately about it. Iboga is an extremely powerful substance, and we simply cannot overstate the importance of choosing a treatment center that takes the necessary precautions to keep you healthy and safe. This means that a clinic should be asking you for a detailed medical and psychiatric history. They should know what substances you’ve been using, how much you’ve been using, and for how long. They should take a full blood panel, and perform tests to ensure that your heart, liver, and kidneys are functioning properly. They should have a detailed emergency plan in place. Their staff should have medical training, and they should have a doctor on staff.
The Global Ibogaine Therapy Alliance has a lot of information on the safety of iboga use, and they offer a list of guidelines for clinical use. We would strongly recommend making sure that whatever iboga treatment program you choose follows these procedures. Any clinic that is willing to put your well-being at risk by ignoring established clinical guidelines doesn’t deserve your trust or your business!
2) Keeping it Legal
Iboga is a psychoactive substance, and as a result, it is illegal in many jurisdictions where it is wrongly regarded as a drug with potential for abuse. If you’ve decided that you want to free yourself from addiction and start a healthy and productive future, the last thing you want is to risk possible prosecution and incarceration. Iboga treatment is completely illegal in a number of countries, including the USA, France, Italy, and the UK. We would strongly recommend that you seek treatment in a country where clinics are free to operate, as you will almost certainly receive a higher level of care, from professionals rather than amateurs operating in a black market. It is also worth considering that a treatment center which is operating illegally might be reluctant to call an ambulance or rush you to a hospital should something go awry during your ibogaine treatment experience.
3) What else is on offer?
If you’re using iboga to break free from addiction to a substance of abuse, you’ll have a window of approximately 6 months of freedom from cravings. If you’re using iboga to treat mental illness or pursue personal growth, iboga’s effects on your central nervous system will be most pronounced in the period immediately following treatment. In both cases, you have a crucial window of time following your iboga experience where your mind and body will be extremely receptive to making positive changes and developing healthy habits.
Therefore, you need to find a treatment center that allows you to hit the ground running when iboga’s effects wear off. If you want to focus on traditional drug counseling, talk therapy, or CBT, find a center that provides those options. If you think yoga, mindfulness training, or art therapy would work better for you, explore treatment centers that offer alternative treatment modalities. You are the only person who knows the type of future you hope to build for yourself. You know what therapies you will respond to. Explore your own motivations, desires and needs, then look for an iboga provider who can give you what you need.
4) Environment is Everything
Your iboga experience will be an incredibly intense 8-12 hour journey through your past, your subconscious, and your deepest self. You will probably find yourself face to face with traumatic experiences from your past, and with the reality of who you are and what your life has become. A great deal of your time pre-and post-treatment will be spent preparing yourself for this, and recovering from it, so it is essential to find a clinic that offers you a peaceful and relaxing environment, with all of the amenities you find essential for your comfort. A friendly staff, a clean room, exercise facilities, nutritious food, pools, hot tubs, privacy, and beautiful natural settings can ensure that you have a positive experience, as well as speeding up the recovery process and putting you in the right mindset for beginning your new life.
5) Aftercare Matters
Creating and following a detailed plan for maintaining sobriety has been proven to profoundly affect treatment outcomes. Arming yourself with a solid plan for dealing with life after addiction will be a key factor in making iboga therapy work in the long-term. A center that can help you design and execute your blueprint for success, provide effective post-treatment aid and counselling, and help you make connections with the support network you’ll need to build a new life is a must. Whether you draw support from peers or professionals, you’ll find that fellowship makes you stronger, and we recommend that everyone join a peer support group, whether Smart Recovery, a traditional 12 Step Program, or another alternative. At Iboga Tree Healing House we also offer a weekly online aftercare program known as The IRM - Ibogaine Recovery Movement, which allows up to 8 former clients to meet once a week and share their experiences, trials, and triumphs. Those who have already undertaken the iboga journey will be able to offer you insights and advice that will prove invaluable.
Choose Wisely
If you’re going to use iboga, you are putting your life in the hands of the clinic you choose. No matter how desperate you are to get help with addiction or mental health issues, we implore you to put in the time and energy necessary for finding a responsible, professional clinic that meets your needs. If you have any questions about our methods, facilities, or programs, don’t hesitate to get in touch today!
12th February 2020 • Sticky Post
Making the Most of Addiction Treatment: 8 Things to Remember
Everyone who enters an addiction treatment program with the goal of ending their addiction and reclaiming their life should be congratulated. But evidence has shown us that certain methods, practices, and behaviors can greatly influence your chance of success in recovery. An inpatient or outpatient addiction treatment program is an excellent first step, but it is only one step on a long journey toward reclaiming your life and finding fulfillment. Today we’ll be taking a look at what you can do to get the most out of your addiction treatment experience and pave the way toward recovery that lasts.
1) Stay Openminded
Never lose sight of the fact that your previous attitudes, thought patterns, decisions, and behaviors have led you to addiction treatment. You’re in treatment because you’ve recognized that the time has come for dramatic changes in your life. One of the greatest gifts you can give yourself at the beginning of treatment is an open mind. There are myriad options that are available for healing yourself. 12 Step Programs, SMART Recovery, traditional psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, iboga, yoga, exercise, mindfulness, ayahuasca, nutritional therapy, art, music, abstinence, medication, and family support have all helped thousands battle their addictions, and there are even more treatment options out there.
Effective treatment isn’t one size fits all, and everyone entering the process should look at every option before choosing the method they think will meet their individual needs. It’s also important to remind yourself that you are looking to make a drastic change in your life. You’ll need to step outside of your comfort zone and confront painful memories, physical and mental challenges, and learned behaviors. Being uncomfortable and experimenting with new ways of thinking and living is going to be part of the recovery process.
2) Ask For Help
For every addict who has “gone cold turkey”, there are thousands who have relied on peer support, sponsors, family members, friends, and recovery professionals. There is absolutely no shame in needing support and guidance in rehab. The people around you in treatment have been through these wars, and they’ll be happy to share what they’ve learned with you. Remember that 12 Step programs view themselves as “we” programs, meaning that together, their members can do what no individual member could manage alone. We think this is a beautiful message for the entire recovery community. All of us are in the same boat, and we’re all here to help.
3) Honesty Matters
Addiction forces every addict to become a habitual liar. Addicts lie to themselves even more than to their co-workers or loved ones, telling themselves that they’re in control, that they’re about to cut back or stop, that they’re okay. Entering treatment is an act of breathtaking honesty, a necessary admission that you’ve become powerless, and a commitment to change your life. But old habits die hard, and the shame of admitting that you still crave a substance, or that you are feeling emotionally overwhelmed and anxious as you begin to rebuild your life can result in a return to dishonesty. Finding someone you can be completely honest with, and sharing every struggle and craving you experience can be hugely beneficial. Keeping a journal in order to explore all of your thoughts, feelings, and struggles with a clear eye is also massively helpful. Dishonesty will likely isolate you from your peers, cause you to feel ashamed, and push you toward “emotional relapse.” Honesty will allow you to get the help you need, and create the foundation for true healing.
4) Family Matters, Too
Family support is quickly becoming a cornerstone of treatment at many recovery centers. A sense of isolation is an extremely common side-effect of addiction, and involving loved ones in recovery can be a significant counterweight to that debilitating feeling, motivating addicts to rebuild meaningful bonds of love. In addition to the sentimental argument, medical studies have shown that perceived social and emotional support from loved ones leads to better treatment outcomes. Sharing your struggles and triumphs with the people you love provides powerful motivation and support to those in rehab.
5) Listen Up
This sounds simple. It is simple. But it’s also shocking how often we remain deep in our own thoughts while others try to communicate with us. Truly focusing on what other people try to share with us allows us to build meaningful connections. It also means that we’ll be taking their advice to heart. Remember, you came to rehab to look for answers. When others try to help you find them, the least you can do is give them your undivided attention.
6) Give Addiction Treatment Your All
In treatment, you are trying to change the thought patterns, physiological changes, and behaviors that have developed over years or even decades of addiction. If you think that this can be accomplished easily, you’re wrong. It isn’t a straightforward process, and it will demand a tremendous physical and mental effort. To succeed, you’ll need to enter rehab prepared to work hard, and ready to confront parts of yourself that you’ve been avoiding. If you’re breezing through the process, it means you’re doing it wrong. Treatment requires confronting pain, trauma, and your worst self. The good news is, it’s worth the struggle!
7) Addiction Stays With You After Treatment
Medical evidence shows that “continuing care” beyond the initial phase of treatment yields significant benefits for those in recovery. You should work with your treatment provider to create an aftercare plan that works for you. This doesn’t mean just going to peer support meetings. It could mean therapy, whether traditional or CBT. It could mean continuing daily yoga or mindfulness practice. Aftercare could be as simple as defining your core values and aspirations for life and building a system of rewards for making progress towards your goals. As with choosing a rehab center, creating the right aftercare plan for yourself depends on your personality and individual needs. But continuing the daily practices you adopt in treatment, whether meditation, meetings, prayer yoga, journaling, or simply going for a walk and making your bed, is highly recommended for creating positive patterns of behavior.
8) Reach Out And Help Others
The “we” idea discussed earlier is a beautiful way to view rehab. Virtually no one overcomes addiction by themselves. Taking the lessons you’ve learned from your experience and sharing them with those in need is a wonderful way to find meaning in your own life, and a constant reminder of the devastating toll addiction takes on individuals and society. By helping others battle addiction, you’re helping yourself and creating a better world. We can’t recommend it highly enough.
If you’re interested in putting this advice to work and think ibogaine treatment is something you’d like to explore, don't hesitate to get in touch with Iboga Tree Healing House today!
