Namaste,

I have been depressed my whole life--well, since age 13. I have considered suicide, but never attempted it, at least not consciously. I have also always had mild ADHD and anxiety issues. I have tried various herbal remedies, but, due to all of the side-effects, I never ventured into the world of pharmaceuticals, though my psychiatrist suggested I try Valium. Some vitamins and herbal things seemed to help a bit, but I wasn't really sure if I was just imagining it or not. I think that certain people definitely have vitamin or mineral deficiencies, but I am not sure that is my problem.

Recently I learned about the "holy wood" called Iboga, which the President of Gabon declared a "national treasure." There is a whole religion centered around the rootbark, called Bwiti, which is centuries old.

Most doctors know about iboga (if they do at all) as the most effective interruptor of addictions of all kinds (including opiates, cocaine, alcohol, nicotine, sugar...). But that requires a "flood dose" --which is a prolonged, slightly dangerous, and very "difficult" psychedelic experience, which most people are probably not inclined to go through.

The interesting thing is that when the bark is consumed at low doses on a regular basis (anywhere from 60mg to 1g daily), people who are NOT addicted to other drugs or dependent on other psych meds, tend to report an incredible mental healing effect. Personally, I can tell you that it feels like my brain is allowing me to rewire it, or cleanse it, in every moment. I feel like a happy kid, and love to learn new things, and appreciate old things, just as I did as a kid. Also, iboga works right away, as soon as you take it, but it works even better the longer you take it.

It does have some side-effects at first, but those go away after a few days. For me, the side effects included difficulty breathing (not serious), insomnia, and mild vertigo (no driving!). One side-effect that seems to remain is increased libido. Also, I feel more spiritually "connected" due to it, but not everyone feels that. Despite the initial insomnia, sleep is better than ever when you get used to it (if not, maybe you are taking too much, or too close to the hour of sleep).

It has a half life of a few weeks, so it can build up in your system if you take too much (for example, after about a week of taking 1g/day, you may feel you have taken too much, and you may start seeing "tracers" and feeling odd).

Of course we are warned not to advise any specific drug or any specific dosing, but, in my opinion, It's best to start out with a "high" low dose such as 1g-2g a day (no driving, and work may be difficult), and then reduce to a lesser amount (for example, I sprinkle a bit (60mg) on my toothbrush each morning).

There are different qualities of rootbark available. Some are "better" than others--they feel "cleaner" --hard to describe.

Unfortunately, iboga is schedule I in a few countries, due to the ridiculous assumption that it has no medical value and that it is highly addictive. Neither are true. Not only is it good for you mentally, it is good for you physically, as it boosts the immune system and is an antimicrobial as well. As for the addictive part--I have not had any for a few months now. I would like to get some more, but in the same way that I would like to get some more pure country air to breath. It's not like a "gotta have my fix!" type thing.

Well, hopefully I have posted this in the right place. If you would like to share your experiences with me, I'd love to hear them!