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New to ibogaine? You’re in the right place.

Most people find this site because someone they love is struggling, or because something isn’t working and they’re looking for a different answer. This page is built for you. Read it in order. Skip ahead if you already know something. By the end, you’ll know enough to ask the right questions.

The lay of the land
1
What is ibogaine?
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2
Does the science hold up?
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3
What are the real risks?
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4
Is it legal?
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5
What does treatment look like?
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6
How do you pick a clinic?
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The three questions most people ask first
Is ibogaine legal?

Not in the US. It’s Schedule I — the same category as heroin. Most people who pursue treatment travel to Mexico, where it’s unregulated and widely available from licensed medical providers.

Read the full explainer →
Does it actually work?

The evidence for addiction interruption and PTSD is real and growing — including a peer-reviewed Stanford study. It’s not a cure and it’s not for everyone, but the data is serious enough that Congress and the Pentagon are paying attention.

Read the science →
Is it dangerous?

Yes — ibogaine carries real cardiac risk, and deaths have occurred at poorly run clinics. At a properly screened, medically supervised program, the risk profile changes substantially. The distinction matters enormously.

Read the honest answer →
1
Stage 1 of 6
What is ibogaine?

Before anything else, get the basics clear. Ibogaine is a compound derived from a central African plant called iboga. It is not a standard psychedelic, it is not an opioid, and it works through mechanisms that are genuinely unusual. Most confusion about ibogaine starts here.

Objective Understand the difference between iboga root bark ceremony and a clinical ibogaine flood dose — they are not the same thing
The Experience
Iboga vs. Ibogaine: What’s the Difference?

Iboga root bark ceremony and ibogaine HCl flood dose differ in setting, risk profile, dose range, and who each is right for. The distinction matters before you evaluate anything else.

7 min read Read →
Objective Understand where ibogaine came from and why it’s being taken seriously by researchers after decades of suppression
Research Hub
The Science and History of Ibogaine as an Addiction Treatment

Ibogaine was discovered to interrupt addiction in 1962. Here’s the full story: where the research went, why it stalled, and why it’s back.

9 min read Read →
2
Stage 2 of 6
Does the science hold up?

The claims made about ibogaine range from carefully evidenced to wildly oversold. This stage shows you the strongest data that actually exists — and what it does and doesn’t prove.

Objective Read the most rigorous clinical study on ibogaine to date, and understand what its findings actually mean
Research Hub
The Stanford Veterans Study: What It Found and What It Means

Stanford’s 2024 peer-reviewed study on ibogaine and SOCOM veterans is the strongest clinical evidence in this space. Here’s what they measured and what they found.

8 min read Read →
Objective Understand how ibogaine compares to psilocybin, ketamine, and MDMA so you can evaluate it against alternatives
Research Hub
Ibogaine vs. Other Psychedelic Therapies

Ibogaine is not the same as psilocybin-assisted therapy or MDMA for PTSD. The differences in mechanism, risk, and evidence base matter when you’re making a decision.

8 min read Read →
3
Stage 3 of 6
What are the real risks?

Ibogaine has a genuine safety risk that is worth taking seriously and understanding clearly. Read this stage before you read anything else about clinics or treatment. Knowing what the risks actually are is what lets you evaluate a clinic’s safety protocols intelligently.

Objective Understand the cardiac risk clearly — what causes it, when it matters most, and what good clinics do about it
The Experience
Is Ibogaine Dangerous?

The honest answer is yes. Here’s what that actually means: which risks are real, which are overstated, and what the difference between a safe program and a risky one looks like in practice.

9 min read Read →
Objective Know what the documented fatalities actually reveal about when and why ibogaine deaths occur
Research Hub
Ibogaine Deaths and the Safety Record

Documented ibogaine deaths are real and worth understanding. Here’s what the case record actually shows — what went wrong, what it tells us about risk factors, and what it implies for choosing a program.

10 min read Read →
4
Stage 4 of 6
Is it legal?

Ibogaine is illegal in the US. Understanding why, and what that means practically for someone who wants access to it, is necessary before you start contacting clinics.

Objective Understand why ibogaine is illegal in the US, what Schedule I actually means, and where people go for treatment instead
Policy Tracker
What Schedule I Actually Means for Ibogaine

Schedule I is supposed to mean high abuse potential and no accepted medical use. For ibogaine, both designations are being actively challenged. Here’s the legal landscape as it actually stands — and what it means for access.

7 min read Read →
5
Stage 5 of 6
What does treatment look like?

Before evaluating any clinic, understand what the treatment process looks like: the timeline, what happens during the session, what to expect in the days after, and what it costs.

Objective Know the timeline and what physically and psychologically happens during treatment
The Experience
What to Expect During an Ibogaine Session

The timeline, physical effects, visionary experience, and what reputable clinics do to keep you safe. What actually happens from check-in to recovery.

10 min read Read →
Objective Understand the cost range, what drives it, and what low prices should tell you
The Experience
What Does Ibogaine Treatment Cost?

Ibogaine treatment runs $6,000 to $17,000 and up. Here’s what is actually driving that range, what the price is buying, and what should make you suspicious when it’s too low.

7 min read Read →
Objective Understand that treatment is the beginning, not the end, and what the weeks after look like
After the Flood
What Happens After Ibogaine Treatment

Ibogaine initiates a process that unfolds over months. The post-treatment window is critical and often underestimated. This section covers integration — what it means and why it determines outcomes.

Section hub Explore →
For family members specifically

The Family Guide to Ibogaine Treatment

If you’re not the one considering treatment yourself, but a parent, spouse, or sibling trying to understand whether this is real and how to support a loved one through it, this is the article to read first. It covers what to expect, how to prepare, and what the weeks after treatment actually look like.

Read the family guide →
6
Stage 6 of 6
How do you pick a clinic?

By this point you know enough to evaluate clinics critically. The quality gap between programs is wide. These two resources give you the framework to ask the right questions and read the answers correctly.

Objective Know the specific questions that separate careful clinics from risky ones — and what the answers should look like
Clinic Directory
What to Ask Before Choosing an Ibogaine Clinic

Not all ibogaine clinics are equal. Here’s what to look for in medical staffing, cardiac safety protocols, pre-screening rigor, aftercare, and pricing before you commit to a program.

9 min read Read →
Objective Browse reviewed clinics with independent editorial notes on what each one does well and what to watch for
Clinic Directory
Browse the Ibogaine Clinic Directory

Independent editorial profiles of ibogaine clinics, written after interviews with founders, medical directors, and patients. Not advertising. No paid placement.

Directory Browse →
If your loved one is on opioid medication

Suboxone and methadone create a specific complication. Read this before anything else.

Medication-assisted treatment (Suboxone, methadone, buprenorphine) interacts with ibogaine in ways that most sites don’t explain clearly. The taper-down process is real, it takes time, and it needs to be managed carefully. If your loved one is on MAT, this article is not optional reading.

Objective Understand how opioid maintenance medications affect ibogaine candidacy and what the preparation process requires
The Experience
Suboxone, Methadone, and Ibogaine

Medication-assisted treatment complicates ibogaine in ways most sites don’t explain. Here’s the honest picture: why it matters, what the taper looks like, and how to approach it safely.

8 min read Read →
Common questions

Things people ask before they start.

Short answers to seven of the questions that come up most often. Click any to expand.

How many people have died from ibogaine?

As of the most recent literature review, approximately 30 ibogaine-related deaths have been documented globally. The majority involve cardiac events, most often in patients who were not screened for pre-existing QT prolongation or cardiac conditions before treatment.

Context matters here. A significant portion of documented deaths occurred in unmonitored settings, with contraindicated medications on board, or without any cardiac workup. The fatality rate in medically supervised programs with proper screening is substantially lower, though not zero.

Ibogaine’s fatality record is part of the case for rigorous medical supervision: not a reason to avoid it categorically, and not something to wave away either.

Read the full safety record analysis →
Does ibogaine work for everyone?

No, and this is important to be clear about. The Stanford PTSD study showed 83% of veterans reporting significant improvement at six-month follow-up. That means roughly 1 in 6 did not. Other studies show similarly varied results across populations and conditions.

Non-response to ibogaine is real. Factors that appear to correlate with better outcomes include: strong preparation and intention-setting, quality integration support afterward, the right clinical setting, and absence of certain medications. But the honest answer is that researchers don’t yet fully understand what predicts who responds.

Anyone who guarantees results is overselling. The existing evidence is genuinely promising (especially for opioid use disorder and treatment-resistant PTSD), but ibogaine is not a guaranteed cure for anything.

Do I need cardiac screening before ibogaine?

Yes. Non-negotiable. Every legitimate ibogaine program requires cardiac screening before any session. Ibogaine prolongs the QT interval (a measure of the heart’s electrical cycle), and patients with pre-existing QT prolongation, certain arrhythmias, or structural heart disease face significantly elevated risk of fatal cardiac events during a session.

Standard cardiac screening includes a 12-lead EKG, review by a cardiologist, and basic bloodwork. Some programs also require a stress test or echocardiogram depending on age, medical history, and risk factors. Expect this to be required 1–4 weeks before your session date.

If a program offers to skip this step, for any reason, that is a red flag. Walk away.

Read the full cardiac screening guide →
Can I do ibogaine if I’m on antidepressants?

Almost certainly not without a washout period first. SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, and several other antidepressants interact dangerously with ibogaine through QT prolongation, serotonin syndrome risk, or by blunting ibogaine’s effects. Most programs require a complete washout before treatment.

Washout timelines vary by medication. SSRIs typically require 2–4 weeks; fluoxetine (Prozac), due to its long half-life, often requires 4–6 weeks. MAOIs are the most serious concern and may require 2+ weeks. Do not stop psychiatric medications without working with your prescribing physician. Abrupt discontinuation carries its own risks.

The preparation window for patients on antidepressants is often longer than people expect. Factor this into your timeline planning.

See the full medication list and washout windows →
I’m on Suboxone or methadone. Can I still do ibogaine?

Yes, but the preparation process is significantly more involved than for most patients, and the timeline is longer than most people anticipate.

Both buprenorphine (Suboxone) and methadone are long-acting opioids with high receptor binding affinity. Before ibogaine can work as an opioid receptor reset, these medications need to be tapered off and cleared. Methadone, in particular, requires an extended taper and washout (often 6–8 weeks or more) because of its very long half-life.

This process should be done under medical supervision. Many people use short-acting opioids as a bridge during taper before completing the final washout before ibogaine. Your program’s medical team should guide this process. Do not attempt a cold-turkey cessation of methadone or Suboxone without supervision.

Read the full guide for MAT patients →
How long does an ibogaine session last?

The active ibogaine experience typically lasts 24–36 hours from administration to resolution. The acute visionary phase (intense visual and introspective experience) usually runs 8–12 hours. This is followed by an extended processing phase where the effects gradually taper but remain significant.

Most patients are not ready to stand up, eat normally, or engage meaningfully with the world until 24+ hours after dosing. The day following the session is typically spent resting and beginning to integrate what came up. Full programs at clinics usually run 5–10 days to accommodate this recovery arc.

Will I get in trouble with US law for traveling to Mexico for ibogaine treatment?

Receiving ibogaine treatment in Mexico, where it is legal, is not a federal crime for US citizens. The Controlled Substances Act prohibits possession and distribution within US jurisdiction, not receipt of legal treatment abroad.

There is no credible history of US federal prosecution of individuals for undergoing ibogaine treatment in Mexico. That said: bringing ibogaine back into the United States would be a federal crime. Do not attempt this.

This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change, individual circumstances vary, and this site does not provide legal counsel.

More questions? See the full FAQ →

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