Ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT Treatment in Mexico: Adverse Events, Suicidal Ideation, Mental Health, and Psychological Flexibility Among United States Military Veterans
Alan K Davis, Nathan D. Sepeda, Stacey B. Armstrong, Angela Douglas, Benjamin R. Lewis, Yitong Xin, Tina Romanella, Sara EllisBackground/Objectives
Retrospective survey and clinical chart review studies have demonstrated the real-world effectiveness of ibogaine and 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) in addressing a range of mental health challenges among military Veterans in the United States (US), but no prospective research study has examined safety and effectiveness in this population.
Design/Methods
We prospectively followed Veterans (n=113; male=95%; Age=45.7 [SD=6.9]) planning to attend an ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT treatment in Mexico to evaluate safety (i.e., adverse events and suicidal ideation), mental health outcomes (post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], depression, and anxiety symptoms; psychological flexibility) from baseline (i.e., pre-treatment) to 1-week, 3-months, and 9-months post-treatment, and to explore whether changes in psychological flexibility mediated relationships between acute drug effects and mental health outcomes.
Results
Adverse events were transient and infrequent (4–9% per timepoint). Significant reductions in PTSD (η
p
2
= 0.74), depression (η
p
2
= 0.64), anxiety (η
p
2
= 0.64), and suicidal ideation (η
p
2
= 0.24) were reported from baseline through 9-months (all
Conclusion
Despite the lack of objective reports, data suggest ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT treatment is experienced as safe and has potential to provide prolonged improvements in self-reported mental health conditions among Veterans, with durable effects for up to 9-months. Future randomized controlled trials with larger, more diverse populations are urgently needed before this treatment is made available in the US.