Hi.

I'd like to reach out to anyone on the forum who has used Ayahuasca to aid recovery from addiction.

I'm an addict. I have at least three habits that I'm trying to break. Luckily, they are not to drugs, but they're serious enough to affect the quality of my relationships to others and the quality of my relationship to myself.

For about a month, Ayahuasca was a revelation. Weekly ceremonies with Syrian Rue and MHRB left me in what I'd describe as a warm embrace that made acting out my compulsions unnecessary. Recently however, my compulsions have risen again with a vengeance.

Giving in to my compulsions is slightly different know, because I do feel as if I can stand back as a third person, and observe myself. I believe there is a lesson in this which I hope to learn. But for now, it feels as if I've taken one step forward and two steps back.

I'd love to hear from anyone else who has used Ayahuasca to recover from addiction, but where their addiction resurfaced. What was your experience like? What did you learn?

Love.

Elvendream

I might expand on my experiences later, but psychedelics have shown limited potential in my recovery from addiction. Ayahuasca helped me limit my use for awhile but the key to a lasting recovery is to identify what makes you want to use in the first place and to make any relevant life changes. A trip can point you in the right direction but it is up to you to do the actual work. Addiction to drugs (especially long term) causes all sort of changes in the brain and I've been told by currently clean friends that it has taken 18-24 months for them to feel somewhat normal again after kicking a opiate, benzo, or polydrug habit. I have kicked drugs countless times but never got any substantial clean time under my belt. PAWS (post acute withdrawal syndrome) can become a huge hassle as well, I suggest researching it. I think besides simply wanting to be off drugs one also needs a viable support system to help them resist relapse in early recovery.

I have yet to work with Iboga but it is on my list of things to do. A "receptor reset" would sure be nice, but after spending over 15 years abusing drugs I question if something like this is even possible...

Good luck getting off whatever your drug of choice may be...

I can relate, but I cannot say I have solved it. I did iboga about a year ago and while that did actually seem to reset my receptors for a large part, it is only temporary and a few months later I was back where I left of unfortunately. It does seem true that you immediately lose all cravings/urges, but it is mostly a physical effect, so if your addictions are not physical.
Perhaps that I didnt take enough iboga, but while pretty interesting and confronting in several ways, the experience wasn't life changing enough to turn me around. All the experiences seemed to vary wildly in the group I did it with.

Though I am better at managing the continuous (and very tiresome) process of excess and then withdrawal (though the abuse isnt nearly as bad as two years ago), there seems to be something inside of me that isn't cooperating to take it a step further. So am I still looking for answers on that part and was/is hoping that Ayahuasca would reveal more than iboga (that, and iboga is expensive and very taxing). I am seeing a therapist, but I don't feel I getting the answers I am looking for.

I have tried Ayahuaca twice now, but so far I seem to be a bit resistant to it. The first time you can find in the first trip report, the second time last friday was with a double dose, but almost nothing happened.

Labeling yourself in this way can be very dis-empowering. When you identify with your behavior, you're limiting yourself to those "addict" behavior patterns.

Instead, why not make the decision to live a more balanced lifestyle- physically, mentally, and spiritually?

Don't let fear and labels drag you down; I bet you're stronger than that.

Hi.

Thank you to everyone for responding. I really appreciate it.

Your responses have given me some ideas on how to proceed. Thank you.

Keep trying! My third attempt was the one...Something so precious.

Great question by the OP. I slipped back into alcoholism after being "healed" by the sweet Aya. As someone else mentioned, it is up to each of us to keep working. Dmt helped me greatly. In fact, I was without the urge to drink for months and months, and completely sober. The ego forgets quickly, however. I assumed I was "cured." Big mistake. I haven't traveled for a few months. I plan to correct that, very soon.