Amy Fillinger is a travel agent and mom of three living in Arkansas. When Amy discovered ibogaine through social media, she assumed she’d learned about it to help her ex-husband who was suffering from alcohol use disorder, until she realized it was a tool that could help her on her own healing journey. She underwent ibogaine treatment at Beond about six months prior to the recording of this episode to help her heal from codependency and post-traumatic stress. 

What we discuss:

• Codependency and the idea of “relationship addiction”

• Amy’s path to the medicine and her first impression of ibogaine

• How Amy was feeling mentally, emotionally and physically before her ibogaine treatment

• Amy’s understanding of her codependent behavior before treatment

• Her intentions for the ibogaine experience, including facilitating forgiveness and letting go of anger

• The insights Amy received in her journey about her life, and particularly about her future

• Amy’s use of social media to document her (continuing) journey

• Using movement as an integration tool

• The self-limiting beliefs Amy experienced as a result of being in a codependent relationship

• How Amy’s relationship with family and romantic partners have shifted since her treatment

• Amy’s advice for other people who may be struggling with codependent behavior

Why it’s important: 

Codependency is a learned behavior that can be passed down from one generation to another. It is an emotional and behavioral condition that affects an individual’s ability to have a healthy, mutually satisfying relationship. Codependency is sometimes referred to as “relationship addiction” because people with codependency often form or maintain relationships that are one-sided, emotionally destructive or abusive. It often affects a spouse, parent, or sibling of a person suffering from substance use disorder. Some estimates suggest that over 90 percent of the American population demonstrates codependent behavior from time to time. Amy’s experience with ibogaine is another example of how this powerful psychedelic medicine can help us work through an incredible gamut of struggles, issues and maladaptive coping mechanisms, whether we’re dealing with an addiction to a substance, a behavior, or a way of thinking. 

Relevant Links:

• Codependency explainer on Mental Health America
• Prevalence of codependency in the United States
• Study: Living with Addicted Men and Codependency: The Moderating Effect of Personality Traits
• Amy’s Instagram