Over recent years, new potential treatments in the medication-assisted treatment (MAT) field have emerged. An example of new and emerging treatment is Ibogaine – a naturally occurring substance that actually comes from the Tabernanthe iboga plant in West Africa. The substance, while still illegal, has provided some evidence that it can treat withdrawal from opioid use disorders.
Ibogaine’s history dates back hundreds of years. As a naturally occurring substance, it has been extracted from the rainforest and utilized for various purposes (such as spiritually) for centuries. Fast forward to about 50 years ago, researchers were able to uncover the true benefits of Ibogaine in its role for addiction treatment. Specifically, it was discovered that Ibogaine can help lessen the painful, difficult symptoms associated with withdrawal from opioids.
With all of this being said, it sounds like it’s almost too good to be true – and it just may be – depending on who you ask. In terms of addiction treatment, there have been findings that after using Ibogaine, patients can exhibit less withdrawal symptoms from opioids – and this can all occur quickly (within a few hours of consumption). That is significant, because opioid withdrawal can be brutal and extremely uncomfortable. As for the long term, there have also been findings that Ibogaine use can even help users stay off opioids for years to come.
There has been evidence to support that Ibogaine can help in other situations, too. For example, a few years ago a study was conducted on participants (veterans) that suffered with PTSD. After the consumption of Ibogaine, many of their symptoms associated with PTSD decreased.
At this point, it all sounds great; however, there are certain risks associated with Ibogaine that must be considered and understood. The substance can lead to cardiac problems, hallucinations, anxiety, and nausea. Some users of the substance have also experienced death.
You may be wondering how Ibogaine compares to other treatments for opioid use disorder. Treatments such as Methadone are administered over the long term. Ibogaine is a bit different – rather than continuous ongoing maintenance like Methadone treatments, Ibogaine is given as a single dose. The effects are that it will immediately help combat the addiction, resulting in long-term recovery for the patient.
With all this information, you may be wondering “Can I receive Ibogaine treatment?” Currently, Ibogaine is still illegal in the US. The main reason for this is that there needs to be more research and trials conducted to help determine if the benefits outweigh the risks of this treatment. The FDA is currently in the process of conducting trials to test the safeness and benefits of the drug.
At Victory Recovery Partners, a network of ten addiction-recovery centers on Long Island, New York, we are always interested in learning about new treatments that could potentially help treat our patients. As more information becomes available on both the benefits and risks of Ibogaine, it will be interesting to see if this could become another effective option for our patients who are suffering from opioid use disorder. Being that Ibogaine is still illegal, we have time to do more of our own research to learn more about the pros and cons of this naturally occurring substance.
Victory Recovery Partners provides outpatient addiction-recovery services to patients on both Long Island and in New York City. By providing total and complete care under one roof, including behavioral health, medication-assisted treatment, psychiatric, and wellness services, we ensure that every patient matters, and that our motto No One Left Behind holds true. For more information on Victory Recovery Partners, please visit our website.