In recent years, interest in plant medicine has grown and we have entered a psychedelic renaissance as more and more people move away from conventional treatments for mental and emotional disorders, especially when it comes to the healing powers of psychedelic medicines such as iboga and ayahuasca.

Iboga, a shrub native to West Africa, is used for ritual and ceremonial purposes in some Equatorial African cultures, and the bark is used for medicinal purposes. Ibogaine is one of the alkaloids found in iboga that occurs naturally and is often in western cultures used to treat addition, especially addiction to opioids or methamphetamine.

But it is Not Only for Addiction

In the western world, Iboga is best known for treating addiction as it detoxes the body at a rapid rate with minimal withdrawal symptoms. But it is not only for addiction. Iboga is also used in a psycho-spiritual capacity  to treat many mental health issues, including the following:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Bipolar disorder
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

These types of issues often manifest from younger life traumatic events that have not been dealt with properly and result in PTSD, anxiety, or depression. Iboga is adept at addressing these traumas and healing our perception of them thus dissolving our negative attachments to these experiences.‍

Treating Mood Disorders

Iboga works by providing a reset for the neurotransmitters of the brain. Awaken Your Soul offers retreats where the use of iboga can be life changing for those who suffer from chronic depression, anxiety, or panic attacks.

Iboga helps with depression and other mood disorders by taking the user on a deep psycho-spiritual journey that allows them to return to the source of the trauma and view those difficult experiences in an objective way.

It is important to note that iboga is not a quick fix, but the long-term effects include reduced anxiety, improved emotional health, increased energy, and reduced cravings.

Treating PTSD

PTSD is a complex psychological disorder that can be hard to treat. When combined with a structured psychotherapy program, iboga therapy has shown positive results in the treatment of trauma and PTSD. Those with trauma-related issues sometimes choose to use ayahuasca, which can help them discover a deeper inner truth and let go of the past.

When you participate in an Awaken Your Soul iboga retreat, the iboga process will ease the symptoms of PTSD by giving you a chance to relive a traumatic event from an observer’s point of view. During the retreat, you process the situation from a different perspective, which helps you forgive and let go of the pain of the traumatic event. You can experience closure for the first time.

Awaken Your Soul uses different types of integration support to advocate for you after your iboga experience. If you have questions or would like more information, contact us today.