Holistic Addiction Treatment for the 21st Century:

This article was written by John Giordano, one of the owners and founders of the Holistic Addiction Treatment Program and published in the FORENSIC THERAPIST, Vol 2, ISSUE 3

The Holistic Approach to Drug and Alcohol Detox and Treatment

In years past, addiction treatment centers have focused primarily on treating the psychological aspects of the disease of addiction, while neglecting to address the delicate inter-connective balance of the body, mind and spirit. Most individuals who enter into a 28-day treatment program receive education about their addiction, they scratch the surface of the issues that underlie their addictive behavior, and are introduced to the program of AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), NA (Narcotics Anonymous), and GA (Gamblers Anonymous). After treatment, clients are encouraged to live in a supportive environment such as a ¾ way house. However, most return to their homes and lives unprepared to live in a life without drugs. In some cases, this traditional approach to treatment may be effective. Usually, the success rate of traditional addiction treatment is very low. The wisdom of Western Medicine is that if you have a symptom, treat it. If a person has a headache they take Ibuprofen/Acetaminophen to alleviate the symptoms but never determine the root cause of the headache. The Holistic approach to medicine and treatment holds that human beings have a body, a mind and a spirit. These elements of the human being are intertwined and exist in a delicate balance that determines positive or negative physical/mental health. The holistic method respects this balance and approaches treatment with the understanding that in order to achieve positive results this equilibrium must be restored. An exciting new detox treatment that deals primarily with painless detox from drugs and alcohol known as Ibogaine has experienced particular success in the holistic approach to treatment. This treatment is used for the detox of Crack cocaine, Heroin and Methadone. Typically, it takes about seven days to three months in order to detox an individual who is addicted to Heroin and/or Methadone; detox treatment with Ibogaine lasts between 24-36 hours with little to no side effects.

Ibogaine is a rain forest alkaloid derived from the root of the Tabernanthe iboga (Apocynacea family), which is a shrub indigenous to West Central Africa. Ibogaine is used by the native people in low doses to relieve fatigue, hunger, and thirst. The pharmacogenic effects of Ibogaine have been researched for over 100 years. The anti-addictive properties of Ibogaine were first reported in 1982. People who are substance-dependent have stated that Ibogaine treatment puts them into a waking dream state. These Ibogaine-induced dreams are usually centered on early childhood traumas and other important developmental events that occurred during turning points in their life. Once awakened from these dream-like visions, insight into interpreting the root causes of their addictive personalities are often revealed. At the end of the Ibogaine treatment, opiate, alcohol, and cocaine-dependent individuals experienced some relief or the total cessation of the drug or alcohol craving, and opiate-dependent clients stated that their opiate withdrawal symptoms were alleviated.

Dr. Deborah Mash from the University of Miami, funded under a NIDA (National Institute of Drug Addiction), is a Neuro Scientist and is Chief Researcher of the Ibogaine Project. Dr. Mash has been in collaboration with me, John Giordano, for the last six and a half years to create a new holistic treatment approach to addiction that is more effective than current methodologies. This alliance formed against drug abuse encompasses Ibogaine treatment along with other modalities that work cooperatively to restore healthy body, mind, and spirit functioning.