Depression has long been one of the most common mental health conditions. Thankfully, there has been a lot of progress as far as finding treatments that work to manage depression. SSRIs and MAOIs are two of the most common treatments, but when those don't work, some patients are turning to an alternative: ibogaine. Ibogaine is a very different kind of depression treatment, and as such, patients have a lot of questions as they start to consider whether ibogaine might be right for them. The following are a few of those questions — offered up with answers, of course.

How is ibogaine different from SSRIs and other more conventional depression treatments?

Most depression treatments are medications that need to be taken daily. Ibogaine, on the other hand, is a treatment that you take once, in a supervised setting. (Some patients go through two or more treatment sessions with ibogaine, but each is an individual experience.) 

Ibogaine also works differently from other depression medications on a biochemical level. Rather than directly adding serotonin or other neurotransmitters to your system, it basically re-wires your brain, changing the neural connections that may currently be contributing to your depression. There is still research being done to determine exactly how ibogaine works.

What is it like to undergo ibogaine treatment?

Ibogaine treatment can be intense. This medication is a hallucinogen. When you're under its influence, you will dissociate, experience hallucinations, and gain a new perspective on your life and cognition. Scientists are working to develop a version of the drug that has the same therapeutic benefits of ibogaine without these hallucinogenic effects, but this substance is not yet available. 

When you undergo ibogaine treatment, you'll generally be in a facility and under observation for a 24-hour period. After this, you can return home, but you will need to rest and recovery for about a week as your body and mind process the treatment.

What are the risks associated with ibogaine treatment?

There is a chance of a so-called "bad trip" during which the patient experiences negative hallucinations and fear. Ibogaine can also lead to nausea and headaches. However, the risk of these side effects is minimized if you undergo treatment at a treatment center where you're being observed by doctors and other trained staff members. Patients should not attempt ibogaine treatment at home without proper supervision.

Hopefully, you now have a little more insight into the use of ibogaine to treat depression. It's a unique treatment, but for many depression patients, it is the treatment they need.