As the Covid crisis emerged, we had no idea of the immense challenges 2020 would bring. Covid-19 And Ibogaine: How An African Shrub Can Help The World Cope With The Pandemic. When lockdowns, social distancing, increased anxiety, and economic uncertainty became the new normal, experts expressed deep concerns over the impacts the crisis would have on mental health and addiction. Isolation and alienation often lead to a host of problems, from depression to substance abuse, trauma, and anxiety disorders, and these days, many of us are feeling more isolated than we ever have before.
As flu season ramps up and holiday lockdowns take effect, social distancing, masks, and lack of physical contact are driving us further away from the sense of connection with others which gives life meaning and warmth. As we approach a holiday season which could be devoid of close contact with our loved ones, the challenges of dealing with life during the pandemic have never been greater. As this horrendous year grinds to an end, one source of hope is ibogaine, a substance derived from the roots of the tabernanthe iboga shrub which grows in Gabon and Cameroon. Read on to find more about how this remarkable plant can help guide us through the pandemic.
Mental Health, Covid, And Ibogaine
In the UK, researchers found that lockdowns had a severe impact on mental health, with 57% of those participating in surveys reporting increased anxiety, and 64% displaying common symptoms of depression. Reported causes of this worry, stress, and depression were fear of contracting the virus, feelings of loneliness, and “an inability to think positively.” In the US, a CDC survey found that 41% of respondents were struggling with mental health issues during the pandemic. “31% said they’d dealt with symptoms of anxiety or depression, 26% said they’d experienced trauma or stressor-related disorder symptoms, 13% said they’d started or increased substance use, 11% said they’d seriously considered suicide in the last 30 days.”
In a normal year, approximately 1 in 5 people, or 20% of the population, are suffering from a mental health condition, during the pandemic those numbers have taken an alarming leap. Nine months of COVID have massively increased reported rates of mental illness, and around the globe, health care systems are struggling to keep up. Dr. Ken Duckworth, chief medical officer of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, remarked that “you can conclusively say the adults are not alright in America…There’s a mental health crisis resulting from this pandemic.”
A recent article in The Economist noted that not since World War 2 have so many people been traumatised in such a short span of time. As the article states, some cohorts of the population are much more vulnerable to PTSD than others. In Spain, 1 in 6 of people infected with the virus are healthcare professionals, and many of them are already displaying symptoms of PTSD. In developing countries, incomes have dropped dramatically as workforces lack the capability to work from home. In Bangladesh and other countries where a great deal of the economy relied on public marketplaces, incomes dropped by up to 80%. Unsurprisingly, rates of stress and depression ballooned as the air went out of the economy.
Addiction, Mental Health, And The Pandemic
Research proving that mental illness and addiction go hand in hand has become undeniable over the past few decades. Ranging from Gabor Mate’s belief that addiction is rooted in childhood trauma, to Johann Hari’s theories positing that addiction is rooted in a lack of social connection, to a host of studies on the close relationships between PTSD, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Numerous studies have shown that approximately 50% of those seeking treatment for substance misuse also meet the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis. When mental illness is coupled with addiction, it’s defined as a Dual Diagnosis, and the evidence clearly illustrates that dual diagnosis individuals have much more complicated needs during treatment, and substantially higher relapse rates than other addicts.
There’s no doubt that trauma, PTSD, and mental illness create the conditions for substance abuse and addiction to take root, and this is a cause for very serious concern. With millions around the globe exposed to trauma, isolated from their loved ones, and suffering from stress and anxiety it seems undeniable that the third wave of the COVID virus will be a tsunami of addiction and substance abuse disorders.
Individuals already battling addiction are also struggling with the mental health challenges brought about by the pandemic. Anxiety and stress are two of the most powerful drivers of substance abuse, and there is no doubt that vulnerable populations have experienced sharp spikes in anxiety and stress recently. Rosemary Rooney, an addictions counselor at Davina’s Ark in Northern Ireland, reports that her center has lost clients to relapse, as well as lockdown, over the past few months. As Rooney notes, the pandemic has left addicts “in a very vulnerable place. A lot of them were going through counselling for previous traumas and this is another trauma.”
America is also seeing a huge spike in relapses. Dayry Hulkow, M.S., a therapist at Arete Recovery in Florida, says that relapses have been on the rise since the Spring. As Hulkow notes, “social support and active involvement in the program both play a huge role in recovery. In the absence of these, ‘isolation’ and ‘emotional distress’ can be significant ‘triggers’ to relapse.”
With a drug supply that seems deadlier than ever before, addicts using alone more often because of social distancing guidelines, and increased risks of fatal overdose for addicts whose tolerance has dramatically dropped during recovery, this is a recipe for disaster. We have already seen significant increases in overdose deaths during the pandemic. There has never been a worse time to use drugs, period.
How Ibogaine Can Help
Ibogaine has offered humanity relief from a host of ailments and enabled spiritual growth for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. It is a powerful oneirogenic substance which allows the user to explore and consider their own lives and choices, while also creating positive changes in the brain. It can reset levels of the hormone dopamine, a substance which has powerful effects on the senses of reward and motivation, a change which is hugely beneficial for those suffering from addiction, depression, and anhedonia. It has also enabled many addicts to experience a window of time free from cravings and withdrawal symptoms, allowing them to make life-altering changes.
Noribogaine, an alkaloid created in the body when ibogaine is consumed, has also been shown to increase neuroplasticity, a mental attribute strongly associated with learning, growth, and change. Many experts suspect this change enables the treatment’s effectiveness in dealing with stubborn mental challenges and toxic patterns of behavior. If you feel trapped by a stubborn affliction, it might be time to consider this revolutionary treatment.
If you are interested in exploring ibogaine to treat PTSD or addiction, or if you just feel the need to chat with a sympathetic and experienced counselor, get in touch with Tabula Rasa Retreat today!
For further information visit www.tabularasaretreat.com or call PT +351 965 751 649 UK +44 7961 355 530