Did you know that most drugs, if abused, can lead to mental health problems? In 2015, 8.1 million adults suffered from addiction to substances and a mental health disorder.

Do you feel lost in how to handle mental health issues or substance abuse? Have you tried multiple therapies with no success? Iboga is a natural plant medicine and remedy that was used for centuries.

More recently, it was found that Iboga helps treat mental illnesses and addiction.

What Is Iboga?

To put it simply- Iboga is a shrub. It is found in certain parts of Africa and has been used for centuries for spiritual experiences. There are many different parts of the Iboga plant used medicinally.

Iboga can treat a variety of illnesses. The Iboga experience includes participants experiencing a psychedelic state through higher dosages of Iboga.

Iboga is most used to treat various drug addictions and withdrawals. It is found to help treat mental health disorders such as PTSD in veterans.

Iboga Root Bark

Iboga is best broken down into three separate parts. The Iboga root experience uses the Iboga root bark in a powder or tea form. This form is used mostly in a traditional format found in a Bwiti ceremony.

Medical centers often have a difficult time achieving the desired effects of Iboga root. It is not as well known to use Iboga root bark for a full detox unless used in a traditional ceremony.

Total Alkaloid Extract

The next form of Iboga is a total alkaloid extract. One capsule contains approximately six teaspoons of root powder. This is a highly concentrated dosage and extreme care should be taken to wean off other medications and/or alcohol.

The alkaloid extract is composed of 65% Ibogaine and 35% consisting of 11 other alkaloids. Ibogaine continues to remain the most common form of treatment from the Iboga shrub. However, many have found a total alkaloid extract to provide the added benefits of the other alkaloids in treatment to produce increasingly positive results.

The other alkaloids are also known to manage pain and treat addictions. People have reported improvements in cravings and depression through this form. There have also been reports of improved detoxing and a greater spiritual experience.

Ibogaine

The most popular form of Iboga is Ibogaine. When people think of an Iboga retreat, they are probably thinking of ingesting Ibogaine. It is the most popular because of its standard potency and administration.

Medical providers can easily adjust the dosage based on a person’s size. It is given in a medical setting or a traditional one. Many traditional shamans state that this extract loses the spiritual component of traditional Iboga.

Depending on what you are seeking with Iboga, this form may be more beneficial and available to you. If you are looking for the spiritual experience often associated with Iboga, then you might want to investigate the total alkaloid experience.

Experience Iboga

An Iboga deep immersion is a type of psychedelic state. Many hallucinogens don’t offer the same spiritual and insightful experiences as Iboga. The Iboga experience is considered dream-like.

It reveals your deepest subconscious thoughts, memories, fears, anxieties, etc. The spiritual effect of Iboga is that it helps to direct you to improve areas of your life and how to overcome barriers.

The Iboga deep immersion may last over 30 hours and you can experience periods of wakefulness for hours afterward. It’s important to prep for this lack of sleep by fueling your body appropriately and getting plenty of rest.

Risks and Contraindications

The Iboga medicine can come with certain side effects and contraindications. It’s important that you follow up with your doctor on your mental and physical health beforehand.

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should not take Iboga. It is also known to potentially cause an irregular heartbeat or low blood pressure. You should avoid ingesting Iboga if you have any cardiac issues.

Iboga can also interfere with certain drugs. These include antihistamines and antidepressants. It’s important to consult a healthcare provider before weaning off these drugs in prep for an Iboga experience.

You should also expect some side effects following taking a form of Iboga medicine. With the Iboga root experience, you may be at risk of purging. This can lead to dehydration and lessen the effects of Iboga.

There is less risk of purging with a capsule form. You can still experience some mental side effects following a psychedelic state including sleep deprivation.

What Form Is Best?

The form of Iboga that is best for you is completely dependent. It’s best if you talk to a retreat guide or your medical provider to discuss your ailments.

However, if you are looking for a spiritual experience associated with the physical effects of Iboga then you will want to look further into the Iboga root or total alkaloid extract.

These forms are both associated with spiritual experiences, possibly due to the full form of the Iboga alkaloids. Ibogaine can still provide a spiritual experience and psychedelic state in a certain dosage. However, it is less effective at achieving the full capacity of a spiritual and insightful experience.

The Iboga root experience is harder to achieve the full effects of detoxing and might be harder to ingest or tolerate. Both the Iboga root and total alkaloid extract are best administered under careful and trained guidance from a professional. These will often be Shamans with plenty of experience in this field.

On the contrary, a medical setting can administer Ibogaine. Whatever option you decide to go with, you will be able to gain more insight into your physical and mental ailments.

Continue Your Journey

You’ve come this far in understanding Iboga and its benefits. Research is still working towards showing the long-term benefits of Iboga and Ibogaine.

If you are looking for some relief and guidance in your suffering, then Iboga might be a solution for you. You want to trust qualified professionals to lead you in your journey towards breaking the bonds of addiction and mental illness.

Check out some of the most trusted guides who will take you on a retreat to find the healing you are looking for.