Frequently Asked Questions

When we first discovered Ibogaine and began using it to help treat those in need, we learned that after the sessions were over, our patients were being taken back to a state where they weren't suffering from any physical or psychological withdrawal. This was very interesting to us, because not other treatment process that we had encountered before allowed the person to truly be separated from the addiction that was influencing their actions and thoughts. Once placed into this pre-addictive state, the patient will not suffer from withdrawal or have a desire to again become involved with their substance or habit addiction.

What is ibogaine?
Ibogaine is a psychoactive drug derived from the root of an African plant. It is one of many psychoactive indole alkaloids that can be isolated from plants of the family Apocynaceae. Ibogaine is most abundant in the shrub Tabernanthe Iboga, which is found in parts of western Africa like Gabon and Congo. For thousands of years, the roots of the plant have been used for medicinal purposes as well as ceremonial agents for "rights of passage" for the native peoples. In recent years it has been increasingly noted for its ability to treat both drug and alcohol addiction. Scientific studies and widespread reports suggest that a single administration of ibogaine has the ability to both remove the symptoms of drug withdrawal and reduce drug-craving for a period of time after administration. In addition, the drug's psychoactive properties (in large doses it can induce a dreamlike state for a period of hours) have been widely credited with helping users understand and reverse their drug-using behavior by giving insight into their own lives and the root causes of their addictive behavior.
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How does ibogaine work?
Ibogaine is an intense psychoactive drug. It causes a mental deconstruction which allows the patient to self-analyze themselves in an intensive therapy session. Ibogaine also creates a metabolite that remains in the brain for weeks to months after the session. This metabolite fills the receptors that are stimulated by addictive substances and obsessive behaviors. Because the receptors are filled, after ibogaine, addicts will neiher experience any physical withdrawal nor craving of their drug of choice for a window of time. The removal of the physical withdrawal symptoms in conjunction with the intensive self-analysis allows for ibogaine's success in the treatment of addiction.
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How is ibogaine administered?
The patient must undergo an EKG and a bloodtest by a physician and provide this along with a medical and pschiatric history prior to the interview with the therapist. The patient should also reserve at least 3 consecutive days off from obligations such as work, childcare, and home maintenance duties. The Ibogaine session itself could take the full three days and many patients take an additional day or two for self reflection. Some patients do not require this amount of time. With this preparation, a family member or close friend is required to be at the actual ibogaine session with the therapist for comfort in case the therapy gets uncomfortably intense (remember, this is a psychoactive drug and so it would be psychologically uncomfortable, not physically). The patient can not eat for 12 hours prior to the session. For methadone or heroin addiction, methadone or heroin should be taken as far prior to the session as the patient can withstand; this may vary from 8 to 48 hours depending on the patient's addiction.
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Why should I choose the I Begin Again Center?
Our leading therapist, Eric Taub, has performed hundreds of therapeutic ibogaine sessions in the last ten years all over the world. He has been referenced in numerous scientific papers including Ibogaine: Proceedings of the First International Conference, The Journal of Primal Psychology, and also served as a contributing author for the Manual for Ibogaine Therapy. His interviews have been featured on such radio shows as the Conscious Café out of San Francisco and have also appeared in publications such as The Resonance Project and The London Times.

The following is taken from the Ibogaine feature in the London Times

"Devout ibogaine advocate Eric Taub used to treat people on a boat in international waters. He now has clinics in Costa Rica and Italy, and is the source of most satisfied experience reports."

-- The London Times

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What happens during the session?
The experience has been explained to occur by three parts. The first part is a four to six hour period, much like dreaming, where visual hallucinations dominate and thoughts of past events are experienced. The second part seems to be a time of reflection on the past that shaped a person's life. Finally, the person would feel residual stimulation followed by sleep.
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Is ibogaine recognized in the medical community?
Yes, ibogaine has appeared in several prestigious publications and medical journals. Clinical trials on humans were conducted at the University of Miami. Research has been done extensively at Syracuse University. Numerous universities around the world participate promising research on ibogaine and share their findings annually at the International Ibogaine Conference.

How does ibogaine provide insight into the user’s addictive behavior?
Ibogaine is an oneirophrenic (dream-creating) that activates the user’s long term memory, surfacing information from the subconscious and bringing forth vast insight into oneself. Therapists consider one ibogaine experience to be equal to years of talk or group therapy. Some patients describe their experience as being in a dream and watching a movie of their life. Other patients have described their experience as if they went into the file cabinets in their brain and reorganized. Ibogaine allows someone to see their true self and to Normally, persons only need to take ibogaine once to detox from opiates.

Why is ibogaine illegal?
Even though ibogaine has so much potential as a socially useful and beneficial substance, it has encountered numerous legal obstacles over the years.  First of all, patent options are much more limited for drugs derived from a natural source than they are for drugs that are synthesised.  In addition, drug companies are concerned that ibogaine's target population, drug addicts, are not financially stable enough to make up a sufficient client base for financial return.  Industry heads are also concerned about the introduction of ibogaine into society, asserting that developing medication for groups that are negatively socially marginalised may lead to their diminished overall public image.  Finally, corporate entities worry that ibogaine may lead to a "conflict of interests" with the alcohol and tobacco markets.  Thus, ibogaine's amazing potential has been harnessed by a number of legal and societal obstacles.

How much does it cost?
Our goal is to make ibogaine available at a very reasonable rate to as many people as we can as soon as possible. Our first priority is providing treatment to those who need it, and our cost is a fraction of any that we've seen. We are constantly working on ways to lower the cost to us and the cost to you. The cost includes the cost of the ibogaine itself, the therapist who will guide the patient through the session for between 30 and 72 hours, and the cost for lodging.
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How can I find out more?
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