While Ibogaine addiction treatment is gaining popularity in some countries, the drug is illegal in the United States. It has been banned due to severe side effects and fatal treatments. Before considering Ibogaine as a treatment choice, consider all the facts.
Ibogaine Addiction Treatment Legal Status in the United States
Ibogaine is a Schedule I controlled substance in the United States. The drug has a high potential for abuse and is not accepted by the medical profession as having potential for positively treating any ailments, including addiction.
If a person is trying to overcome addiction why would he or she voluntarily uses a drug known to be addictive to overcome the first addiction? Even though this is a loaded question as many people become addicted to Suboxone and Methadone, drugs used to treat heroin and other opiate addiction, it still needs to be asked. The goal of rehab is to get clean and sober, not dependent on other drugs. Suboxone and Methadone were never meant to be replacement drugs. They were to be step down drugs to help one get off opiates.
Also, as a Schedule I drug, Ibogaine is illegal to create, distribute, dispense, or have so any Ibogaine addiction treatment centers operating in the United States violate this law. If one were to attend an Ibogaine treatment center, he or she is breaking the law and may face legal problems if caught, compounding an addiction problem with more stress.
For this reason, some people have traveled outside the United States for treatment.
Ibogaine Addiction Treatment Legal Status in Other Countries
- The United Kingdom allows individuals to have Ibogaine but not to distribute the drug.
- Like the United States, Sweden and Norway prohibit Ibogaine for any use.
- Brazil regulates Ibogaine for prescription use.
- Ibogaine is unregulated in Germany but can be regulated by pharmacies.
- Most other countries have not regulated Ibogaine.
- This is true in Canada and Mexico so treatment centers have been showing up in these countries. But as the drug is unregulated, treatment is also unregulated and often given in non-medical settings. This compounds the danger of treatment as Ibogaine has serious side effects.
Ibogaine Addiction Treatment Clinics
Ibogaine addiction treatment centers and clinics operate in a legal gray area in many countries including Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico, Netherlands, and New Zealand. There are also illegal treatment centers in the United States being monitored by the DEA.
Many treatment centers run without medical help and without proper therapy. While clinical guidelines for Ibogaine-assisted detox exist, no agency enforces compliance with those guidelines released by the Global Ibogaine Therapy Alliance.
With no over site to Ibogaine addiction treatment in these centers, treatment may be fatal in 1 case in 300. Death occurs because slowing of the heart, liver problems, lethal combinations of drugs, and other adverse reactions.
Adverse Reactions to Ibogaine Addiction Treatment
When one is given a large dose of Ibogaine, a neurological response creates ataxia in the body, making it difficult to walk without help. In effect, one loses coordination of muscles and is dependent on others to help move towards a bathroom, as nausea and vomiting will occur shortly after taking Ibogaine. Dry mouth will also occur and these symptoms can last 4 to 24 hours. Because the nausea and vomiting causes great distress, people opt to take Ibogaine per rectum in hopes to reduce these effects.
But this is not the only form of stress placed on the body. Ibogaine addiction treatment causes long QT syndrome at therapeutic or low doses. Essentially, Ibogaine causes the heart beat to slow to dangerous levels. Low heart beats cause fainting, seizures, and sudden death.
Ibogaine is a Neurotoxin
Ibogaine has been tested on lab animals and has shown signs of neurotoxicity in large doses over 50 mg/kg. While the Global Ibogaine Therapy Alliance recommends doses not exceed 24 mg/kg in 24 hours, they also note doses over 12 mg/kg show higher instances of cardiac problems and are considered high risk. Yet, the Global Ibogaine Therapy Alliance also establishes protocol for booster doses beyond the original administration.
The concern is many of the treatment centers are unregulated and without medical aid. Ibogaine proves to be dangerous at therapeutic or low doses and yet people are entrusting their lives to these treatment practices. Untrained Ibogaine addiction treatment center staff can easily overdose a patient without consequences to the treatment center.
Other Health Risks of Ibogaine Addiction Treatment
Ibogaine is dangerous and causes many health complications. Do not consider Ibogaine treatment if you have a preexisting heart condition or are taking opioids during or immediately after treatment. People who have any of the following conditions should not take Ibogaine addiction treatment:
- Asthma
- Cardiac Conditions
- Cancer
- Cerebral Palsy
- Crohns
- Dementia
- Emotional Disorders
- Emphysema
- Epilepsy
- Gastro-Intestinal Disorders
- High Blood Pressure
- History of Stoke
- IBS
- Kidney Disease
- Kidney Stones
- Liver Disease
- Lung Disease
- Migraines
- MS
- Pregnant
- Psychiatric Disorders
- Taking Antidepressants
- Unmanaged Diabetes
- Vascular Disease
This is not an exhaustive list of preconditions. If you are considering Ibogaine treatment, check with a doctor first to evaluate your physical and emotional condition. Never receive Ibogaine addiction treatment in a center without proper medical staff and emergency medical equipment.
Ibogaine Addiction Treatment and Relapse
Ibogaine is a drug that interrupts addiction cravings, but without proper rehab many return to addictive behaviors. This can prove fatal if the person continues in his or her addictions immediately after Ibogaine treatment.
Since most Ibogaine treatment occurs outside the United States for a short time, people who receive this treatment rarely get follow up services, making them vulnerable to relapse. There are alternatives to Ibogaine addiction treatment that are safer and more affordable than a trip to a foreign country.
Alternatives to Ibogaine Addiction Treatment
Rather than risk one’s life to get ibogaine addiction treatment in an illegal treatment center in the United States or an unregulated center in another country, consider an effective detox and rehab program in Southern Florida.
Aion Recovery offers affordable detox and rehab in a regulated and medically monitored environment. For those suffering acute withdrawal symptoms, medical detox can make the experience more comfortable. Once stable, rehab will help discover the roots of addiction in a safe and supportive environment. Aion Recovery offers holistic treatment supporting one’s nutrition to heal the body, offering gentle exercise to help the body continue to detox harmful chemicals, and therapies design to support one’s emotional and spiritual life.
After one completes rehab, Aion Recovery offers a year of support through a continuous care plan to help each person name and persevere through moments of temptation.
Ready to Get Help for Addictive Behaviors with Long-Term Support?
If you or a loved one is struggling with addictive behaviors and are considering Ibogaine addiction treatment, call Aion Recovery at 888-811-2879. Addiction specialists can help you find an alternative treatment that is safer and more affordable than traveling to a foreign country. Don’t risk your life, call Aion Recovery today and say yes to safe recovery.
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