It is impossible to understand addiction without asking what relief the addict finds, or hopes to find, in the drug or the addictive behavior.
― Gabor Maté, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts
Whatever your opinions may be regarding America’s foreign policy, it’s difficult to find any disagreement that the men and women of our armed forces who are returning home, deserve the best possible care to assist their recovery from physical and psychological injuries they suffered while in the service of our country.
An estimated 22 veterans commit suicide every day, that’s one veteran every 65 minutes (according to the Department of Veterans Affairs). Some of our young men and women of the armed forces are returning home to us with psychological issues that are often left unaddressed utilizing traditional methods of counseling, which are ineffective for many.
If the situation wasn’t already grim enough, many veterans end up in a position where VA doctors have prescribed OxyContin or OxyCodone for physical pain-management issues, and then suddenly find themselves cut off from obtaining their medication by changes in the VA’s policies. This leaves veterans in an untenable situation wherein their access to a drug they are physically dependent on, which has been legally prescribed to them, is suddenly withdrawn, and they are left to fend for themselves without any effective options for detoxification.
Transcend Clinic is working with Bill Hewitt of the Train A Vet organization, to enable veterans to access ibogaine treatment utilizing partial scholarships and reduced fees. Train A Vet is a 501c3 organization, founded by Mr. Hewitt, to help veterans overcome the obstacles they face in the process of transitioning into the civilian workforce.
Ibogaine Treatment for PTSD
After meeting with one of our founders, Dr. Deborah Mash, during 1994, Dr. Carl Anderson, from Harvard Medical School, developed a theory as to why ibogaine may have considerable efficacy in treating PTSD.
Ibogaine has unique neuropharmacological and psychobiological properties — ibogaine works through multiple neurotransmitter systems to create [a] state of plasticity similar to states of plasticity existing during fetal development. This critical brain state may facilitate the consolidation of traumatic memories, reversal of abnormal hemispheric functions, and the dissolution of habitual motor patterns associated with addiction.
— Dr. Carl Anderson, Harvard Medical School
While further research is needed, even the most cursory search online, will unearth a small mountain of anecdotal evidence and first-person accounts supporting ibogaine’s putative ability to help individuals who suffer from PTSD.
At Transcend Clinic we have worked with veterans who are self-medicating their PTSD, and helped them resolve their drug-dependence issues, while making significant inroads into understanding and processing the trauma that may have contributed to their physical addiction. Most patients that we treat are dual-diagnosis, and many individuals are self-medicating co-occurring disorders. A patient’s primary problem may be opioid or stimulant dependence, but generally, once the physical dependence issue has been resolved, you are left with the hurt or trauma that is at the root of addiction.
Research into ibogaine’s efficacy for PTSD is ongoing. The data gathered to date, strongly suggests that other than helping individuals recover from their substance-abuse disorders, ibogaine may help patients experience a renewed enjoyment of life and gain a better understanding of the trauma or hurt at the heart of their addictive behavior. Moreover many guests experience a decrease in fear and anxiety, and an improvement in their relationships with friends, family, and loved ones.
Patients have expressed experiencing or re-experiencing traumatic events from their past, and reliving them from an observer’s point of view (a common experience while undergoing ibogaine treatment). This can open individuals to the possibility of forgiving themselves and others, obtaining much-needed closure, and moving on.
If you or a loved one who has served in the armed forces, are experiencing drug dependence issues, please reach out to us, and we’ll do whatever is possible to help you with your situation.
From everyone at Transcend Clinic & TrainAVet, we wish you a happy, healthy and safe Memorial Day.
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