Experiences

The following is taken from the experience “Words Cannot Describe” (see below):

“What happened to me was obviously my experience. In conversation with other friends who have done Ibogaine each experience was unique. Some friends had little to no hallucinations. One friend got extremely nauseous. The variety of experience is equivalent to the variety of personalities. Whatever happens to you is your experience – custom designed for what you need.”

For a number of technical descriptions of an iboga (ibogaine) session as experienced in the West (which generally lasts 36 hours broken down into 3 phases) see paragraph “Technical Descriptions of an iboga/ibogaine Session” mid-way on page: The Iboga Experience .

Please note:

It may be best not to read individual accounts as it may predispose you to false expectations. Perhaps reading the technical descriptions above is a more useful exercise.

“Based on open clinical studies, it has been claimed that ibogaine therapy resulted in 25% of patients remaining drug-free without craving for 6 months. This group included those who were both highly motivated to quit and had relatively stable home environments. Another 40-50% of patients had their addictions interrupted successfully, and required psychotherapy. Twenty to 30% of patients had returned to drug use within a month following treatment. Somewhat lower success rates (10-15%) are cited by Touchette. – Popik & Skolnick, “THE ALKALOIDS”, Vol.52, 1998.”

Chemical Dependence

1. Bob W.: “I found myself taking the ibogaine three days later, unsure if two thousand dollars was going to a scam artist or if it was real..”

2. Frank R.: “I had a drinking problem (mostly beer). Once I got started it was hard to stop but I did stop, sometimes for weeks at a time, when…”

3. A Journey: “I have been prone to addiction for most of my life..”

4. Crack Cocaine Addiction: “My cocaine usage is a ten year old habit, and before that I was drinking alcoholically for ten years…”

5. An Adventure: “I had been struggling with my addictions for years, and I could not give up drug use or my other obsessions and compulsions…”

6. The Spiraling Universe: “My name is Dave. I am 31 years old, and have struggled with drug addiction since I was 11 years old…”

Non-Chemical Dependence

1. A Doctor’s Experience: “I have prepared myself in the last week for this ibogaine experience. Meditated, specified purpose, etc., etc.”

2. A Receiving of Myself: “The experience was incredible – incredibly intense, full of integrity, and richly nauseating…”

3. Defragging my Harddrive: “I chose to experience Ibogaine primarily out of the spirit of adventure…”

4. An Ibogaine Experience: “I was wanting, at this period in my life, to recall lost childhood memories…”

5. My Ibogaine Experience: “As I knew Ibogaine was a powerful addiction interrupter, I knew my attachment to smoking pot might be affected..”

6. Words Cannot Describe: “The statement “words cannot describe” is an understatement..”

7. Gabon Journal: Entering the Spirit World of Iboga – by Tom Riddle, 2006. Pictures by Tom Riddle and Candice.

For further insight and analysis by various authors please see:

Detailed Analysis of the Ibogaine & Iboga Experience

Please Take Note:

The above accounts describe the subjective experience of the participant (quite likely soon after the event) and may not represent their objective opinion on the healing effects with the passage of time. In the first 3 months after taking ibogaine, normally, there is a window of opportunity where ones old cravings and actouts are diminished or disappeared. However, like a well that has been emptied, with the passage of time many of the issues can return and without proper follow up therapy relapse into drug use can occur. It is not uncommon for an individual to require more than one session of ibogaine to finally break their dependence. Hence one reason for followup support to use this window of opportunity to lay in new behaviour patterns and to be more objective in ones view of old behaviour patterns. This applies to anyone undergoing treatment be they chemically dependent or otherwise.

A Negative Ibogaine Experience

What follows is a link to an unverified negative ibogaine experience by someone being treated for alcohol dependence. Please bear in mind that the dose administered, if not sufficient, can leave a person in withdrawals and drawn back to their addiction. It also affects the content of the experience:

A negative ibogaine experience.

Other Experiences Online

The Ibogaine Dossier: Ibogaine Experiences Page.

Erowid: Ibogaine Experiences Page.