Is Ibogaine hallucination a way out of Heroin Addiction?
Ibogaine is an experimental alternative treatment for various forms of substance addiction. It provides therapeutic relief from many substance withdrawals and even some behavioral addictions like obsessive compulsive disorder, self-harm, and problem gambling.
Opiate addicts seem to benefit the most, though, with about 80 percent of cases reporting improvements.
What Is It?
Ibogaine actually the active chemical in the African Tabernanthe Iboga, a root used traditionally in the West African Bwiti religion for various ceremonies and rituals. Although illegal in the US for its strong psychedelic qualities, ibogaine is used medicinally for for reducing the symptoms of heroin and opioid withdrawals. It appears to interrupt mechanisms in the brain that are conditioned to influence and maintain opioid addiction. Large doses of ibogaine can temporarily eliminate substance-related cravings. It’s not the only drug to do this, but it’s one of the safest, least abuse-prone out there.
How Does It Work?
Ibogaine works by acting on the brain’s receptor systems and resetting dopamine uptake pathways; this allows the brain “rewire” itself, thus eliminating conditioned responses to opioid drugs. ibogaine helps eliminate habitual thought patterns, and that’s the key to reestablishing normal neurochemistry. It works on a purely physiological level.
Ibogaine for Addiction Treatment
There are very few ibogaine treatment centers in the world right now: just a few in Mexico, Australia, and Europe. Before undergoing ibogaine treatment, patients should be screened, assessed, and approved by a psychiatrist. Individuals with heart conditions, high blood pressure, or organ conditions should inform their doctor before taking ibogaine, and anyone with a history of psychological illness, especially addiction, should avoid this substance. Ibogaine shouldn’t be mixed with any other drugs unless a doctor approves it.
Side Effects?
ibogaine may cause nausea, vomiting, numbness, and, most notably, auditory and visual hallucinations that can last up to 20 hours on a single dose. During these hallucinations, patients are sometimes immobilized. Ibogaine can also cause anxieties and/or intense emotional distortions, in which case you should stop taking the drug immediately and contact a professional healthcare provider.
If you live in the US, ibogaine treatment isn’t an option for you. However, there are numerous similar medicinal and behavioral treatments for drug withdrawals. Call Sustain to discuss our approach to drug withdrawal and the use of medical agonists as relapse-preventers: (949) 637-5499
