Withdrawals and Cravings

Withdrawals and cravings just after quitting a hard drug are one of the worst things a person can go through in life. Many people compare it to feeling like they are five minutes from death for some time between a day and two weeks. All users understand in the back of their head that they will one day be forced to deal with this. Every time they are short on cash or unsure of when they can meet "their guy", the anticipation starts. After years of use, the dread & anticipation of facing the inevitable hell of withdrawals begin to accumulate and are perceived to be worse than what actually happens. This is why Ibogaine's complete removal of withdrawal are truly amazing. You might ask what is withdrawal really and why does Ibogaine Work?

"Five minutes from death for some time between a day and two weeks"

Withdrawal

When we take a closer look at the initial stages of withdrawal it's actually strikingly similar to flu straight outta hell. Most people get every known symptom like cold sweats, depression, anxiety, loss of appetite, mood changes, muscle cramping, cold sweats,(especially legs and back), vomiting, bloody projectile diarrhea, and worst of all, seizures. The good news is that it's not really life-threatening unless you are withdrawing from alcohol, benzodiazepine or suboxone/methadone. Yes, people die from heroin "withdrawal" but it's usually when they use after a short period of abstinence and accidentally overdose due to their tolerance being lowered.

Cravings

Remember in middle school when there was that one person in the class that you just couldn't live without? It didn't matter what you did, you could just never get them out of your head. Your heart ached, your brain never stopped racing and the deep yearning just tore you apart from the inside. Your brain desperately reached for any reason just to make brief contact. Stage two of withdrawal is called post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS), also known as Cravings. It is hard to pin down the exact cause of this stage since it's really a combination of a huge number of symptoms that occur after you take drugs for a time. Many believe (including science) that we have strong memories that are linked to the changes in our brain's biochemistry when taking drugs. Most report that these start immediately and last for a year or longer after being totally clean.

"Kicking all the opiates out and killing off extra receptors all at once."

Ibogaine Intervenes

Contrary to popular belief there have been many studies on how and why Ibogaine gets in and stops withdrawals and cravings so dramatically. This research actually dates back to the 1930's, though most of the research we use is from the 1960's and the 1990's as it is much more comprehensive. The treatment of Ibogaine for addiction is actually three-fold. I don't want to get too technical, as I spent days trying to fully understand just one page of these complex studies.

First off there is the prevention of withdrawals. Most withdrawal symptoms are due to the receptors in our brains that interact with opioids. As time passes, a few bewildering yet fascinating things can happen. Many receptors actually split so you can absorb more opioids at once. Receptors are stretched to the point of breaking. Normally when doing activities that activate these receptor sites, such as sex, they come together and quickly split apart again, giving you that intense rush. With opioids, your receptors are pulled together very closely for a long time. Ibogaine works by quickly going in and telling your receptors to go back to the way they are meant to be. Relaxing back into place, kicking all the opiates out and killing off extra receptors that were forced to grow in order to accommodate the influx of opioids.

Secondly, Ibogaine removes the cravings. This is mostly due to the receptors not having to slowly get repaired over days or months, but also largely in part to the Noribogaine that sticks around. Noribogaine is what Ibogaine metabolizes into in the liver. It can stay in the system, repairing and revitalizing the central nervous system. It has been shown to be a very powerful anti-depressant. This means that during the detox period, when you would usually be facing misery, guilt and severe depression, you are able to feel relatively balanced & content. Without having to endure this agonizing psychological torture, you will be able to pick up the pieces and start to truly rebuild a new life. A brand new you.

Thirdly and what most believe to be the biggest reason why so few people relapse after a real Ibogaine treatment, Ibogaine induces an introspective journey that forces you to face the deepest parts of yourself. That part of you that wants to forget you were molested as a child, or that you didn't make something of your life or that you are a failure for not conforming to societal norms or becoming an addict. Many see quick flashes of these things and are able to simply break through, forgive themselves and leave this dark and traumatic stress behind, for good. During treatment, people are able to see that these things truly don't effect them anymore and that rest of their life does not have to be tainted.

"Curing 3 out 4 cases of addiction with just one dose"

Cravings come back

Some idiots that think they understand Ibogaine will tell you that after 3-6 months Ibogaine wears off and the cravings come back. They are inexperienced on the subject. I get it, being sober is hard. However, this is not what happens at all. Noribogaine is a powerful anti-depressant that slowly tapers down in your brain after treatment. This is one of the crucial reasons that Ibogaine is so effective in curing 3 out 4 cases of addiction with just one dose. It allows people to rebuild their life, personal and spiritual connections, all the things that make living life so great. This is a time to start new positive thought patterns, healthy activities & behaviors. You will be able to learn to love yourself again without having to deal with the typical lingering depression that a normal detox brings.

 

Here is an example of a typical conversation I have with a patient 6 months after their treatment:

Me (Ben) "You still brush your teeth every day right?"

X addict "Yea of course" they respond with a question mark in their voice

Ben "why do you do that" at this point I can hear them giving me the is this guy a dumb ass look through the phone.

X addict "Because I want good white teeth, and more importantly so I don't murder people with my breath."

Ben "That makes total sense. So what do you do every day to make your brain feel happy and keep the depression away?"

At this point, they usually give me excuses about how they use to meditate or do yoga but do not have time for it anymore because of work or their family. Great, these things are a super important part of living a normal life and being human. However, it is really not enough. Your brain is reaching to find what makes life worth living. Before Ibogaine that thing was always drugs, so that is the default thought "oh duh I'm having cravings for drugs". NO that is wrong your having cravings for life. You need to find something creative and fulfilling to fill the void in your soul that used to be filled with drug use. The people that go out and do something they love with their life, do yoga every day or make real meaningful connections are the ones that really succeed and continue to fully develop. The transition from Ibogaine forcing you to want to be clean to your life natural pushing force is seamless.