Kambo: Interrupting Dependency

When somebody gets in touch to ask about Iboga for addiction interruption, we have a conversation along the lines of what I’m going to share here.

The information shared in this article is most suited for somebody who is highly functioning drug user, who has a regular habit, are able to stop periodically, but continue to relapse.

This article is also for those who have a pharmaceutical drug dependency, you will find some suggestions on the use of Kambo to help you to relieve emotional overwhelm that can come up when deciding to reduce the dosage, or dealing with the physical side affects of stopping due to the dependency.

And lastly, this article has information in it for those who are honest about their addiction or dependency. Regardless of the intent to stop, they are able to acknowledge the vulnerabilities, self sabotage, beliefs and challenges that hold them back from making a change.

Often enough, many people aren’t ready to let go addiction. There are hopes and fears that go along with the idea of quitting a habit. Making sabotage and self doubt a bit of a hurdle at times. Or the fear of letting go of a habit that has a glamour, attached identity or a lifestyle. Sometimes, we like our community and friends who come with the habit.

Sometimes its not yet an easy or clear path in how to create supportive boundaries and commitments to the changes that need support in the vulnerable early months and year or two after quitting a recreational or abusive habit.

Within the process of making changes, Kambo does an incredible job at detoxing the body from impact of pharmaceutical and others drugs which cause dependency. Kambo helps to keep the momentum on what can be an arduous and emotional change. Kambo is often called a Reset medicine for the ‘addiction interruption’ effect it has on the body mind. After the sessions, it is reported by clients how certain foods, beverages and drugs have lost their delicious appeal or buzz. And sometimes they taste down right terrible, even with a quick onset of nausea!

Kambo reduces the side affects of withdrawals, when reducing frequency and dose of the drugs. Kambo helps with sleep irregularity, overactive mental activity, mood regulation and calming the nervous system. It offers effective pain relief and and anti inflammatory effects.

One of the main reasons why Kambo is so effective in helping to stop addiction and depression is the strong stimulation of the pituitary gland and the adrenal axis, assisting in the regulation of the heart and functioning as an anti-depressant. The pituitary gland is also referred to as the master gland because of the basic functions it performs over the whole body and helps the body’s capacity to face stress and challenging situations.

There’s more, however let’s look at why work with Kambo first; when Iboga is the plant medicine renowned for addiction interruption?

Kambo helps to cope with the withdrawals. Sometimes people have concerns about stepping down the dosage and the impact of withdrawals on the ability to maintain momentum to work and support oneself or family. Kambo helps to keep you attention and concentration clear. Energy levels are more stable.

The main reason I encourage people to experience Kambo to deal with physical detox and breaking the addiction in the body, is that it does it incrementally; there is room to process the responsibility that comes with wanting to change things. And see where changes in the organisation of home, life and work and friends that need to unfold step by step.

Where as the sudden and immediate change of Iboga can shift someone from being addicted to sober and sensitive as they were before ever using drugs. This can be such a dramatic change that it isn’t always clear to the recipient how to integrate the newborn being that they now are.

Most people are not able to step out of their life for more than a week or two. They have family, work or other responsibilities. This can mean that attending a lifestyle detox facility is an unlikely and expensive choice.

Another reason for Kambo being a great choice to support a detox process is the expense. Compared with the cost of Iboga, Kambo is a fraction of the cost. The commitment to change with Kambo will require regular sessions, over a period of time. Yet the cost is marginal compared to Ibogaine detox which is upwards of USD3000 -10,000, depending on where you go.

The frequency of your Kambo sessions will need to be closer together than one month, perhaps every week or every two weeks at first. For detox, cleansing and withdrawal support it will be necessary to have regular Kambo sessions for the next 2- 3 months. Understandably, the Kambo process can be off putting after a difficult gut hauling purge, and it will take determination to come back for the next session. Usually the benefits are worth the brief discomfort in the bigger picture of things. However, Kambo will test you! And it will reward and support you too for continuing the process.

If you know you are ready to make a change and the cost of Iboga as a detox process is out of your budget, then Kambo is providing you the opportunity to reset your body and mind, address lifestyle changes and have the support in your body to let go of the cravings or be resilient enough to weather the withdrawal symptoms. It can provide daily balance and energy to do the hard work of making changes in your habits and life.

But this is twist; if you want a silver bullet, neither Kambo or Iboga are your medicines. It is necessary to the long term success, to do the ground work to change your lifestyle after the ceremonies, or the relief will be temporary.

Set up a plan to support your detox process by eliminating triggers from your immediate home and surroundings, or social choices. Develop healthy mental and physical routines to process restlessness and emotions that come up through the detox process. Developing ways to ground, calm and cope with the ups and downs can help immensely. Suppressed thoughts and feelings will be more naturally experienced after the meds or drugs are out of the body.

Some people can be disciplined to activate self learning to maintain momentum in addressing challenges productively. Others need a to find advice and support to engage outlooks to make a big shift. Whatever the ability to change personal habits, from what I’ve observed the most successful detox processes happen for those who are so sick and tired of the habit and it’s impact on who they are and their life. Nothing motivates change better than being bored of a habit.

The Kambo alleviates the intensity of the detox and withdrawal process. The small satisfying victories of making good choices for yourself in the day which are supported with experiencing the clarity, emotional lightness and energy of Kambo, can truly overcome difficulties such as disbelief, doubt, sabotage, depression, pain and discomfort.

After 2- 3 months of Kambo, the majority of the detox work has been done with Kambo, it makes dealing with the underlying pain and trauma, the psychological addiction, that was masked by the physical habit far easier. The depth of this work is ready to happen with Iboga.

Regular Kambo treatments for interrupting substance dependency also helps to rebuild overall health and resiliency to stress. In my opinion, in order to benefit safely and profoundly from Iboga, a person addressing substance dependencies should be strong enough on both a physical and emotional level. Kambo helps to not only improve health, but to repair their entire integral energetic field, including improvements in mood and capacity to concentrate.

For more high use drug dependency, it will still be necessary to do a detox ceremony with Iboga or Ibogaine, but the chances of successfully letting-go of the cravings and avoiding a relapse will be significantly lower. If Kambo breaks the habit for a minimum of two months of more, then it becomes possible to attend a psycho-spiritual ceremony.

As you will have done the hard work of grounding your new life and changes of lifestyle before the Iboga. The relapse triggers won’t be as tempting afterwards.

And eventually, the Iboga ceremony will be deeper, with greater insight and less physical discomfort and disorientation; and perhaps most importantly, safer.

For detox from pharmaceutical medications where there is no addictive tendency to relapse (like for example SSRIs or anti anxiety meds, pain relief medication or sleeping tablets) it becomes possible to attend an Iboga ceremony once the body is clear from the residual effect in the body, rather than waiting two of more months. And a detox ceremony would not be required, as it is possible to attend a psycho spiritual ceremony. I will share more about why this is the case for pharmaceutical dependency but not for drug abuse dependency in another blog article.

It is important to have supportive people in your life to make the change. This could be a friend, family member, counselor or coach. Find a back up team to lean into for support when you start the process. And find a doctor or psychiatrist who is progressive and open minded about psychedelic therapies, about how to step down the from the meds or drugs. Find professionals who understand you, your interest in Kambo and your circumstances.

The Kambo process can work exceptionally well. It’s not an easy medicine to receive, it is considered an ordeal medicine after all! But the benefits for interrupting habits in the body and mind are simply amazing when you are ready to make the change. Part of Kambo’s special gift is how it builds an immense power and courage to know that you can do the hard work required. Fundamentally, it’s a medicine that clears the habits that keep us stuck. And it has helped many clients in our practice to let go of pharmaceutical and drug dependency.

I hope this helps you, should you be someone who needs to know more about the potential of Kambo.