What TIME Magazine Revealed About Ibogaine for PTSD, Trauma and Addiction

In April 2021, TIME published "Inside Ibogaine, One of the Most Promising and Perilous Psychedelics for Addiction," an investigation by Mandy Oaklander. It told the story of former Navy SEAL Marcus Capone, whose depression, anger and alcohol use lifted after ibogaine treatment in Mexico, and warned that the drug's cardiac risks make medical supervision essential. Since then, a Stanford study and new state research funding have moved ibogaine further into mainstream science. Here is what TIME reported, and what has happened since.

Key takeaways

• TIME described ibogaine as both highly promising and genuinely dangerous without proper medical care.
• Marcus Capone, a veteran of 13 years in the Navy SEALs, said ibogaine brought relief after years of failed treatments.
• TIME reported that clinics vary widely: some monitor the heart throughout treatment and others do not.
• In 2024, a Stanford study in Nature Medicine found large improvements in PTSD, depression and anxiety in 30 veterans treated with ibogaine plus magnesium.
• In 2025, Texas approved $50 million for ibogaine clinical trials.

Marcus Capone's story

After years in special operations, Marcus Capone left the military struggling with depression, anxiety, memory problems, impulsive anger and heavy drinking. According to TIME, his wife Amber had become afraid of him, and years of conventional treatments had not helped.

Amber eventually convinced him to try ibogaine at a clinic in Mexico. He was skeptical. Describing the experience, he told TIME: "You can't hide from the medicine. It's just going to go down there and basically pull up any traumas, anything hiding in your subconscious that may be affecting you that you don't even realize."

Afterwards, he said: "I was thinking clear. I wasn't impulsive anymore. I had no anxiety. I wasn't depressed." Amber described seeing him again: "His anger and his darkness and his whole demeanor had changed. All of that was gone. He was easy. He was light. He was present. He was happy."

The Capones went on to found VETS (Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions), a nonprofit that helps special operations veterans access psychedelic-assisted therapies, and their story was later featured in the Netflix documentary In Waves and War.

What TIME said about opioid withdrawal

TIME also described how ibogaine affects opioid dependence. Dr. Kenneth Alper, a longtime ibogaine researcher at NYU School of Medicine, told the magazine: "Ibogaine seems to resolve these signs of opioid withdrawal by a mechanism that is different from an opioid effect, and I think that is what is so interesting about it." The article also profiled a patient who stopped using heroin after treatment in Mexico and emphasized that he had to change his life dramatically afterwards to stay sober. We explore this in Ibogaine vs. Methadone and Suboxone.

The "perilous" part: what TIME warned about

TIME was clear about the risks. It reported that Americans spend thousands of dollars at clinics that "vary wildly in their practices and treatment standards," noting that some facilities use licensed physicians and monitor heart activity throughout, while others do not. It explained that ibogaine can affect the heart's electrical channels and cause fatal arrhythmias, and cited a New Zealand study in which one of 15 participants died during treatment.

The article also quoted a researcher noting that in controlled settings with medical support, ibogaine "has not really been associated with any kind of arrhythmia or significant adverse outcome." The lesson is not that ibogaine is safe everywhere, but that the medical setting makes the difference. Learn more in our guide to ibogaine side effects and heart safety.

What has happened since TIME's article

The Stanford veterans study (2024)

In January 2024, Stanford researchers published a study in Nature Medicine on 30 U.S. special operations veterans with traumatic brain injury, most of whom also had PTSD, depression or anxiety. They were treated at a clinic in Mexico with ibogaine given together with intravenous magnesium to protect the heart. One month later, participants showed large improvements in disability, PTSD, depression and anxiety, as well as better concentration and memory, with no serious adverse events. It is a small study without a control group, but it was one of the most rigorous looks at ibogaine to date.

New public research funding

In June 2025, Texas approved $50 million for ibogaine clinical trials aimed at eventual FDA approval, the largest state investment in psychedelic research to date. Other states have debated similar measures. Controlled trials are what ibogaine needs to move from promising to proven.

What this means if you are considering ibogaine

• Be skeptical of promises. Ibogaine is not a cure and results vary. Beware of anyone who guarantees success or says it is risk-free.
• Insist on medical screening. A full cardiac work-up and medication review should come before any booking.
• Ask who will be in the room. Is there a physician, ideally a cardiologist, on site? Is your heart monitored continuously?
• Plan for afterwards. Capone's story and the TIME article both point to what comes next: integration, support and real changes in daily life.

At Ibogaine Center Cancún, every session is overseen by a cardiologist on site, with continuous EKG telemetry, one-to-one ACLS nursing and a 90-day aftercare plan. You can see how the program works in what to expect during 7 days.

Frequently asked questions

Does ibogaine help with PTSD?

Early evidence is promising. The 2024 Stanford study reported large reductions in PTSD symptoms one month after treatment in veterans with traumatic brain injury. Larger controlled trials are still needed.

Where did Marcus Capone receive ibogaine?

TIME reported that he was treated at a clinic in Mexico, where ibogaine is not a controlled substance. It remains illegal in the United States.

Is ibogaine approved for veterans in the U.S.?

No. Ibogaine is not FDA-approved and is a Schedule I substance. Some nonprofits help veterans access treatment abroad, and state-funded trials may lead to future approval.

References

• Oaklander, M. "Inside Ibogaine, One of the Most Promising and Perilous Psychedelics for Addiction." TIME, April 5, 2021.
• Cherian, K. N. et al. "Magnesium–ibogaine therapy in veterans with traumatic brain injuries." Nature Medicine, 2024.
• Noller, G. E. et al. "Ibogaine treatment outcomes for opioid dependence from a twelve-month follow-up observational study." American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 2018.

Considering ibogaine for trauma or addiction? Start with a confidential medical screening with our team. Request your screening.