A Thematic Analysis of the Subjective Effects and Phenomenology of Ibogaine Administered in a Clinical Setting
Joseph T. la Torre, Step Cheung, Ariana Kam, Nathan Sackett
Research Square November 5, 2025 preprint DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8022144/v1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 236 |
| Population | Participants enrolled in an ibogaine-assisted treatment program at a specialized healthcare facility in México |
| Intervention | Ibogaine-assisted treatment |
| Topics | Ibogaine Philosophy of mind |
| Keywords | Phenomenology philosophy Thematic analysis Perception Interpretative phenomenological analysis Experiential learning Transformative learning Psychotherapist Cognitive psychology Portrait Lived experience |
| Key findings | Common themes among ibogaine experiences include emotional amplification, life review, perceptual and sensory alteration, visionary states, and experiences of ibogaine's perceived character and agency. |
Abstract
Abstract Drawing on an unprecedentedly larger sample (N = 236) than previous studies, we investigated the subjective effects of ibogaine by asking a series of three original, open-ended questions to participants enrolled in an ibogaine-assisted treatment program at a specialized healthcare facility in México. The objective was to characterize the overall phenomenology of the subjective ibogaine experience. We found common and recurring themes among the responses, such as emotional amplification, life review experiences, perceptual and sensory alteration, visionary states, and experiences of ibogaine’s perceived character and agency. The findings offer an in-depth and empirically grounded portrait of ibogaine’s experiential landscape and demonstrate its unique capacity to evoke structured, meaningful, and potentially transformative states of consciousness. This study distinguishes itself through its large sample size, rapid data collection, use of ibogaine in a safe and clinically controlled setting, analysis of reports from patients carefully prepared for their ibogaine experience, and use of open-ended phenomenological questions designed to capture the full range and depth of ibogaine’s subjective effects.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on ibogaine, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The ibogaine medical subculture. Individuals who had taken ibogaine in the global medical subculture | 2008 | Ethnographic study with systematic quantitative data collection | n = 3,414 |
| A phenomenological analysis of the subjective experience elicited by ibogaine in the context of a drug dependence treatment Patients with substance-related disorders | 2017 | Qualitative study | n = 22 |
| A Mixed-Method Analysis of Persisting Effects Associated with Positive Outcomes Following Ibogaine Detoxification. Patients who received treatment for chronic opioid use in Mexico between 2012 and 2015 | 2018 | Retrospective mixed-methods study | n = 73 |
| Treating drug dependence with the aid of ibogaine: A qualitative study Patients with substance use disorders, including psychostimulant users | 2017 | Qualitative study | |
| A phenomenological investigation into the lived experience of ibogaine and its potential to treat opioid use disorders Individuals who underwent ibogaine treatment for an opioid use disorder | 2018 | Qualitative study |