Even with the rapid evolution of pharmacology, we’re still looking for that one detox treatment that would eliminate drug and alcohol addiction. Although there are lots of options at our disposal, it seems that none of them can eliminate the eventual relapse.
However, in recent years, medical and chemical experts have started experimenting with ibogaine, a powerful substance from West Central Africa. Mexico, in particular, features a large number of treatment centers where people from the Americas go to treat their addictions.
In this article, we’ll explore the substance a bit further and talk about its potential legalization.
Ibogaine Background
Even before it was introduced to North and Central America, ibogaine was widely used in Africa as a healing medicine. The local Bantu people of Gabon used it in their spiritual rites, believing ibogaine to be a sacred medicine.
Interestingly enough, besides treating medical issues, Bantu often used ibogaine to treat trauma. They would use the plant’s roots and crush them into powder. After that, they would give the substance to an ailing person who would consume it for 12 hours, until feeling the psychedelic effect.
The plant eventually found its way to America in 2014. It was the first psychoactive plant to be transported to the States, according to the Nagoya Protocol, an agreement that supports biodiversity. According to the protocol, everyone should benefit from healing plants, and authorities perceived ibogaine as something that could treat the local population.
Ibogaine in the US
Today, ibogaine is considered an illegal substance in the US, classified as a Schedule I drug by the FDA. However, this wasn’t always the case. Initially, the United States Patent and Trademark Office perceived the species as something that would help treat various addiction disorders.
In fact, companies filed numerous ibogaine-based patents between 1985 and 1992. There have even been several experiments during the 90s that showed the plant’s true potential. However, the plans for widespread use were eventually scrapped, and ibogaine is now mostly within the legal gray area.
“The biggest concern with this substance is that it can be dangerous in the wrong hands,” according to Transcend ibogaine treatment center, an addiction clinic in Cancun, Mexico. “This is why we always recommend that you use it in a safe setting, while supported by medical experts.”
Although ibogaine is illegal at the federal level, many cities and states in the US have decriminalized it. Furthermore, you can find ibogaine detox programs in various countries, including Canada, Mexico, South Africa, New Zealand, and the Netherlands.
How Does the Substance Work?
Despite having strong empirical evidence that the substance works, there is still insufficient official medical data to support these claims. Nevertheless, the initial studies from the 80s and 90s were more than promising.
According to these initial experiments, it seems that ibogaine affects three areas of the brain that regulate dopamine synthesis. The substance likely affects receptors in our brain and blocks reward centers. So, when you take a drug after ibogaine, you won’t feel the same exhilaration as you would otherwise.
There was an interesting study that involved rats. These small mammals were given access to an unlimited supply of morphine and got hooked up pretty easily. After some time, scientists introduced ibogaine into their cages and allowed them to choose between the two.
The rats that started using ibogaine slowly lost their desire to take morphine. Although this was a limited study performed on rats, empirical evidence shows that humans behave similarly when presented with these two choices.
Will Ibogaine Help Me?
It is really hard to say how ibogaine would affect an individual. Despite all the promises the substance has, it may not provide the results you expect from it. Furthermore, we have to keep in mind that each organism reacts differently, so we never know how you’d react to a psychoactive chemical.
In one of the studies, “only” 61% of participants reported high satisfaction with ibogaine treatment. Even more importantly, 71% of users said that they had much better results with ibogaine than with similar detox therapies. So, while the substance may not be perfect, it definitely surpasses everything we currently have at our disposal.
Whatever the case might be, battling addictions is extremely hard, even with all the modern medicine. The allure is simply too strong for most people, especially if they return to the environment where they got hooked in the first place. Nevertheless, with ibogaine, we finally have a potential solution.
Ibogaine Side Effects
The reason why ibogaine hasn’t been popularized is the fact that it can cause a plethora of side effects. Like any psychoactive substance, it alters our perception of reality, causing mind-bending auditory and visual hallucinations. Also, after administering the chemical compound, you’ll likely lose control over your movement for three to five hours.
Some other common side effects include:
- Vomitting
- Tremors
- Nausea
- Spasms
- Increased blood pressure
It is worth noting that people using ibogaine often say that they’ve re-lived the past trauma during hallucinations. While this may sound intimidating, experts claim that it is an essential part of the healing process. Specifically, by going through all these situations once again, a person might finally address the reasons that led to addiction in the first place.
Before using the substance, a person should undergo a comprehensive medical screening. The substance could potentially lead to kidney, liver, and heart issues, which is why it isn’t recommended for some users. Furthermore, after administering the substance, you should have a medical team on standby to address potentially severe side effects.
Conclusion
Ibogaine is a substance that has been on the rise as of late. Each year, dozens of new clinics open up in the Bahamas and Mexico, giving US citizens a chance to try a different type of addiction therapy.
Based on what we’ve seen so far, ibogaine detox can be extremely effective in the right conditions. Furthermore, it is much better than other options when it comes to preventing relapses.
