166: Michael - Healing Beyond Abstinence

Michael’s Rock Bottom: Tequila, Rehab, AA, and Finding Sobriety Through Ibogaine & IbogaOn Rock Bottom with Ryan, Michael shares how his tequila drinking progressively worsened—especially during COVID—despite being a high-functioning husband, father of three, and long-time tech sales professional. With a family history of alcoholism and mounting anxiety and physical discomfort, he struggled to stop despite repeated attempts, including AA, psilocybin, and “California sober,” and eventually completed a 30-day rehab stay. After relapsing, he pursued ibogaine treatment in Mexico, which eliminated his alcohol cravings but initially didn’t last; a second ibogaine treatment on August 30, 2025 became his sober date. He then completed a seven-day iboga retreat, reporting broader lifestyle changes like improved diet, hiking, weight loss, reduced sugar cravings, and a stronger spiritual connection, while continuing AA for community and emphasizing integration work.00:00 Vacation Drinking Spiral00:56 Rock Bottom Intro01:25 Sponsor Sober Strong02:36 Meet Michael Sober Date04:09 Family History Early Signs06:18 First Drinks High School07:31 Work Travel COVID Escalation09:39 Hiding Bottles Red Flags10:48 Health Anxiety Rock Bottom15:45 Rehab AA Relapse Cycle18:35 Ibogaine Discovery Reset22:19 Iboga Retreat Transformation23:21 What Ibogaine Feels Like26:11 Bwiti Tradition Spiritual Shift27:30 Palapa Night Ceremony28:10 Iboga Retreat Breakthroughs28:34 Integration After The Reset30:32 Costs Rehab Versus Iboga31:42 AA Bridge And Pushback39:53 Risks Misconceptions Safety41:26 Clinics Demand And Big Pharma44:16 Daily Routine Wellness Tools48:59 Closing Quote And Advice