The first thing you have to understand about ibogaine is that it isn’t supposed to be a walk in the park, and while it will take away your withdrawals pretty much straight away, there’s still a lot of work you have to do yourself if you really want to get clean. Expecting to turn up at Harambe and take a magic pill to sort out all your problems while you enjoy a week of luxury is not the right attitude, so seriously, take notice of what Cathy and Bilal tell you, because they will give you what you need – even if it isn’t what you want.
Their house is the perfect place to take ibogaine if you are really serious about getting off drugs. There’s no Jacuzzi, swimming pool or five-star catering, and it’s completely no frills, which is exactly how this sort of thing needs to be done, because ibogaine forces you to face up to your demons and spend some time taking a good hard look at yourself. The less distractions, the better, and while it may be a harrowing and uncomfortable experience, there’s no way to get clean without going through this. In fact, the reason so many of us stay on drugs is because we keep avoiding our real issues and are too scared to face up to ourselves.
At Harambe, Cathy and Bilal won’t let you run away from yourself, and will force you to spend as much time as possible alone with yourself – so don’t fight them when tell you to go back to your room and lie down. Ibogaine is an amazing tool to help you achieve this, as not only does it make your withdrawals disappear, but it also brings you into contact with all the suppressed thoughts and feelings that you continually bury in your subconscious and try not to acknowledge. However, ibogaine alone can’t force you to face these suppressed thoughts, and lots of people who come to Harambe seem not completely misunderstand what they have to do. You are here to climb a mountain, not to have a nice time. I’ve seen people come here and complain about the fact that there’s nothing to do or that the facilities aren’t luxurious enough for their liking. But the truth is these are just excuses. Yes, the days after taking ibogaine are very uncomfortable. You won’t be able to sleep, you’ll feel exhausted, and you’ll feel hungry but won’t be able to eat.
It’s a weird feeling, but if you can’t handle a little bit of suffering then you probably aren’t ready to get off drugs – after all, the reason most of us get addicted to drugs is because they help us to block out the pain and suffering, we experience in our lives, rather than face it. While you’re here, Bilal and Cathy will give you tough love. Don’t ask them for junk food when you’re feeling a little uncomfortable, because they won’t give it to you – and you should be thankful to them for that. After all, ibogaine has just purged all the toxins from your body, so why do you want to start filling it with shit again? Stick to the healthy diet they give you, and man up and face yourself alone in the bedroom until they tell you it’s time to come out.
