Ibogaine has a variety of therapeutic effects that affect the physical body, the neurotransmitter systems that regulate mood and experience, the mind, memory, self-perception and worldview, and even touch the spirit, leading into the realm of transpersonal experiences. Addiction is an experience that touches people on each of these levels, which is why ibogaine is uniquely capable of addressing addiction in all of its complexity.
Short Term Effects Of Ibogaine
Ibogaine stimulates what have been defined as “oneirogenic” effects, meaning that it generates a waking dream state. These effects have been described as very similar to dream-like visions in both quality and content. Therapeutic doses of ibogaine that is being used by many in the detoxification process may last as long as 24-48 hours. The individual experience varies from one person to another, however there are some common effects of ibogaine that is common to every person that ibogaine is administered to. And what seems most common is that the experience is profoundly meaningful and that it is healing and beneficial and healing on all levels of the body and psyche.
Preparation of Ibogaine consumption
Thorough safety screening should be carried out prior to ibogaine to treatment. And also, patients preparing for the ibogaine experience need to set up positive intentions and goals, and reaffirming the desire to explore what needs to be healed. This might be writing a letter, preparing a small altar, another simple meditative activity that help to focus the mind and cultivate calm and focus for the ibogaine journey ahead.
Phases of Ibogaine short term effects
The Waking Dream Phase is generally characterized by an altered state of consciousness. most people don’t see any visual images at all, while others can see dream-like scenes with a wide variety of personal or social meanings. Others may have kinesthetic, auditory, introspective, or energetic experiences. As mentioned before, everyone’s experience with respect to ibogaine effect is unique, and whatever content arises is valuable and beneficial part of the healing process of ibogaine treatment.
Life Review (8-24)
When the acute period of the medicine has started to slow down, people generally enter into a long period of contemplation and reflection. This serves as a deeply integrative process and one that is generally felt to be highly beneficial to the individual. We find that this process of defragmentation can help people to reorganize their life goals, and their mind around the intentions that they have set for themselves.
Long-Term Effects of Ibogaine
As ibogaine passes through the blood stream the liver begins to convert it into a metabolite called nor-ibogaine. Nor-ibogaine is alleged to have many similar effects to ibogaine, but it has a much longer half-life in the body. Some researchers estimate that nor-ibogaine can remain in the body for a period of days to weeks after the initial ibogaine treatment, and may be at least partially responsible for the long-term reduction in cravings that follows after ibogaine treatment. Another long-term effect of ibogaine is that ibogaine therapy stimulates the secretion of glial cell derived neurotrophic factor, or GDNF, which is a protein that generates the growth of new dopamine neurons. The effects of GDNF are so pronounced in their repair of the dopamine system that ibogaine has shown promise as a potential therapy for Parkinson’s disease. The same dopamine repair is notable for addiction detox because the development of new dopamine neurons offers an opportunity to patch-up and rewire the brain’s desire and reward system. Psychological effects After ibogaine administration, the individual is expected to be in bed for the first 12 hours of his/her trip (phases 1 and 2 below). The first several hours will be intense before you start to come down as your body metabolizes the ibogaine (effects of ibogaine).
Phases of Ibogaine Long term effects
An ibogaine trip can be broken down into three phases:
Acute, “awakened dream state” phase
Evaluative or reflective phase Residual stimulation phase Phase 1: Acute phase. This phase begins 1 to 3 hours after ibogaine administration and can last 4 to 8 hours. Most report a “panoramic,” that is a visual understanding of past memories. It’s often described as a “waking dream” state with varying experiences that might include contact with transcendent beings, passage along a lengthy path, or floating. Some people often report being placed in or inflowing visual landscapes, rather than experiencing intrusive visual or auditory hallucinations. Not all subjects experience visual phenomena, which may be related to dose, bioavailability, and interindividual difference.
Phase 2: Evaluative phase.
The evaluative phase starts approximately 4 to 8 hours after taking ibogaine and sometimes last 8 to 20 hours. People often report recalling fewer memories in this phase along with a more neutral and reflective emotional tone. More attention is directed at assessing the experiences of the acute phase. Many prefer as little environmental stimuli during this phase and the acute phase as it’s easy to become agitated or annoyed by distractions.
Phase 3: Residual stimulation phase.
This phase begins roughly 12 to 24 hours after taking ibogaine and can last for over 24 to 72 hours or more. Attention moves back to the external environment during this phase while the subjective psychoactive experience begins to fade. Normal movement returns and most people often report heightened arousal and vigilance during this period as well. Some report a reduced need for sleep for several days to weeks following ibogaine treatment. At the end of a trip, a window of heightened self-examination lasts several days to weeks allowing the person to integrate these new perspectives about the issues they face into their daily lives. Being conscious of emotional experiences and responses of which you were previously unaware allows the individual to make more deliberate assessments of his/her emotional life and in the reactions to the environment.