ibogaine infographic
Originally posted February 27, 2018
Treating addiction with ibogaine: a natural, scientifically proven approach. A team of researchers from the University of Michigan Department of Psychiatry and the Yale School of Medicine conducted a retrospective survey on patients who completed Crossroads’ addiction treatment program. Data was collected over the course of 4 years on a sample of 101 patients. This survey has the largest sample size amongst all Ibogaine outcome studies, and the majority of patients were opioid-addicted individuals. Among opioid-addicted individuals in this survey: 86% of patients indicated that Ibogaine treatment was better than other addiction treatments they’ve tried in the past. 82% said Ibogaine was effective at interrupting their addiction. 81% reported withdrawal symptoms were eliminated or drastically reduced after one Ibogaine treatment. 62% of patients had a spiritually significant experience on Ibogaine.
What is ibogaine?
Ibogaine is known as the Addiction Interruptor. It is the primary active alkaloid in the Iboga bush which is native to West Central Africa. It is a potent entheogenic substance with a long history of medicinal and ceremonial use. More recently it has gained popularity for its success in treating addiction, particularly opioid addiction. Ibogaine is effective in interrupting addictions to a number of substances including heroin, opioid or narcotic pain medications, amphetamines, cocaine, alcohol, and nicotine. (Brown). How are mystical experiences occassioned by ibogaine therapeutic in reversing addiction? Ibogaine and other psychedelic plant medicines reliably induce mystical experiences that are often described as some of the peak spiritual experiences in a person’s life (Griffiths). Crossroads patients often report experiencing mystical states of oneness and transcendence of the self, a feeling of ego-death and rebirth, and feeling connected to the universe. The depth of these mystical and spiritual experiences are directly related to Ibogaine’s efficacy as an addiction interrupter.(Bogenschutz#2). There are no pharmaceutical treatments for addiction that have this effect, therefore the Western medical approach is impotent in providing one of the most important elements required for helping individuals recover from addiction.