23 May 2025
Seeking Real-World Voices
The Global Ibogaine Patient Survey
By: Alan K. Davis, Ph.D., and Stacey Armstrong, Ph.D.
Center for Psychedelic Drug Research and Education,
The Ohio State University
MAPS Bulletin: Volume XXXIV
When we launched the Global Ibogaine Patient Survey last April, we knew we were taking on something ambitious. As researchers at The Ohio State University’s Center for Psychedelic Drug Research and Education (CPDRE), we have spent years studying how psychedelics can help people heal. But with ibogaine, we recognized a unique challenge: while thousands of people worldwide have experienced this treatment, their voices have rarely been captured in a systematic way. That is what our survey aims to change.
Why We Are Doing This
Let’s be honest – there is a disconnect in ibogaine research. On one side, we have promising clinical studies showing ibogaine’s potential for treating opioid use disorder, PTSD, and traumatic brain injury. On the other, we have approximately 10,000 people who have actually undergone ibogaine treatment, many traveling internationally to access it. Their experiences hold invaluable insights that traditional clinical trials might miss.
As someone who has published extensively on ibogaine’s clinical applications (Alan), I have seen firsthand how patient experiences can illuminate aspects of treatment that controlled studies overlook. The psychedelic experience is not just about neurochemistry – it is about meaning-making, spiritual insights, and personal transformation. These subjective elements matter enormously for treatment outcomes, yet they are often relegated to footnotes in academic papers.
I have spoken with Veterans who describe ibogaine as the first treatment that allowed them to confront their trauma without being overwhelmed by it. I have heard from individuals with decades-long opioid dependencies who experienced not just physical relief from withdrawal, but a fundamental shift in their relationship to pain and suffering.
From my perspective as a trauma specialist (Stacey), understanding the full scope of patient experiences is crucial. Trauma does not exist in a vacuum – it intertwines with addiction, depression, and countless other challenges our patients face. When someone tells us ibogaine helped them process childhood trauma while simultaneously easing opioid withdrawal, that is data we need to capture and understand.
Traditional approaches to trauma often compartmentalize symptoms and conditions. But psychedelics like ibogaine seem to work more holistically, addressing multiple layers of suffering simultaneously. This is why gathering comprehensive patient reports is so vital – we need to understand not just what conditions improved, but how different aspects of healing interconnected during and after treatment.
What We Hope to Contribute
This survey represents the first large-scale attempt to gather comprehensive, real-world data about ibogaine treatment outcomes. We are not just asking whether it “worked” – we are exploring the nuances: Where did people receive treatment? What were their acute experiences like? How did it affect their substance use patterns, mental health symptoms, and quality of life over time? What adverse events occurred?
By collecting this information from thousands of participants, we aim to:
- Establish evidence-based protocols for screening, administration, and aftercare
- Identify which conditions respond best to ibogaine treatment
- Understand safety concerns in real-world settings
- Document the role of set, setting, and integration in treatment outcomes
- Provide data that could influence policy decisions about ibogaine’s regulatory status
- Create frameworks for culturally sensitive treatment approaches
The timing could not be more critical. With initiatives like the Texas Ibogaine Initiative gaining momentum and states reconsidering their approach to psychedelic medicines, policymakers need robust data to make informed decisions. Our survey will provide exactly that — real voices, real experiences, and real outcomes.
CPDRE’s Broader Mission
The ibogaine survey exemplifies what we are building at CPDRE. When we established the center at Ohio State, we envisioned a place where rigorous research meets community needs, where we could bridge the gap between academic inquiry and real-world application.
Our work extends far beyond ibogaine. We are conducting clinical trials on psychedelic-assisted therapy for depression, PTSD, and co-occurring conditions. Through our educational programs, we train the next generation of psychedelic researchers and clinicians and educate the public about psychedelic science and practice. Central to everything we do is making this field more inclusive and accessible.
Community engagement drives much of our work. We host public lectures, facilitate discussion groups, and collaborate with local organizations to ensure our research addresses real community needs. This is not just about publishing papers — it is about creating pathways for healing that work for diverse populations.
One of our core principles is that psychedelic research must be grounded in the communities it aims to serve. Too often, academic research happens in isolation from the people who could benefit most. That is why initiatives like the Global Ibogaine Patient Survey are so important – they give voice to those with lived experience.
The Bigger Picture
This survey sits at the intersection of several crucial conversations happening in psychedelic medicine right now. Questions of access, safety, efficacy, and cultural sensitivity all converge in the ibogaine space. By systematically documenting experiences, we are contributing to a more nuanced understanding of how these medicines work in the real world.
We are particularly mindful of the international dimensions of ibogaine treatment. Many participants have traveled to Mexico, Costa Rica, or other countries where ibogaine is legally available. Their experiences navigating different healthcare systems and treatment philosophies provide valuable insights into what works across various settings.
Looking Forward
As we continue gathering responses (the survey remains open at ibogainepatientsurvey.org), we are already seeing patterns emerge that challenge some assumptions about ibogaine treatment. We are particularly interested in understanding how ibogaine affects different populations – veterans with PTSD, individuals with long-term opioid dependence, and people treating stimulant addiction. This granular understanding will be crucial for developing targeted treatment protocols.
The role of integration is another area where patient reports are proving invaluable. Some participants describe months or even years of processing their ibogaine experience. Understanding these long-term integration pathways will be essential for optimizing treatment outcomes.
To participate in the Global Ibogaine Patient Survey or learn more about our work at CPDRE, visit ibogainepatientsurvey.org or our center website. The survey is open to anyone 18 or older who has taken ibogaine at least once and is fluent in English.
Alan K. Davis, Ph.D.
Dr. Alan Davis is an Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Psychedelic Drug Research and Education in the College of Social Work at The Ohio State University. Their research involves the exploration of psychedelic substance use in community, ceremonial/spiritual, and clinical settings. They conduct clinical trials examining the efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapy for treating depression, fibromyalgia, co-occurring depression and alcohol misuse, and PTSD. They also facilitate educational programming about psychedelic science for students, communities, and clinicians. They have published more than 90 scientific articles on topics from substance use/misuse, harm reduction and benefit enhancement, as well as several studies of the clinical use of psychedelics for mental health and substance use disorder treatment.
Stacey Armstrong, Ph.D.
Dr. Stacey Armstrong is Associate Director and Senior Researcher at the Center for Psychedelic Drug Research and Education at The Ohio State University. She earned her Ph.D. in psychology at Bowling Green State University after completing a clinical internship at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. Her clinical fellowship at the Traumatic Stress Center in Akron, OH, emphasized the utilization of evidence-based treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veterans and civilians, including cognitive processing therapy (CPT) and prolonged exposure (PE). She also completed a research fellowship at The Ohio State University evaluating the safety and efficacy of psilocybin, a novel investigational psychedelic drug, in treating treatment-resistant PTSD among US military Veterans.
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