Plant Medicine and Recovery: Being Sober and Healing with Psychedelics

In traditional recovery spaces, sobriety is often synonymous with total abstinence from all mind-altering substances, included plant medicine. But what if some of those plant medicines, used intentionally and ceremonially, could help us heal the root causes of addiction? Where do we, as people in recovery, choose to draw the line between medicine and drugs?

Plant medicines like ayahuasca, psilocybin mushrooms, and iboga are increasingly being explored as powerful tools for trauma healing and addiction recovery. While some in the recovery world view them with suspicion, others have experienced profound healing, clarity, and reconnection through their ceremonial use.

We believe recovery isn’t one-size-fits-all. For some, plant medicine can be a valuable, sacred ally. For others, it’s not the right path! That’s okay too. We all have to find what healing tools work for us.

What Is Plant Medicine?

“Plant medicine” refers to naturally-occurring psychoactive substances traditionally used in indigenous healing rituals.

These include but are not limited to:

Psilocybin mushrooms (used for spiritual insight and trauma release)

Ayahuasca (an Amazonian brew with DMT that induces deep introspection)

San Pedro/Huachuma/Peyote (cacti used for long, heart-opening, psychedelic experiences)

Iboga/Ibogaine (used for addiction interruption, especially opioid detox)

Kambo and Rapé (purge-based medicines used for energetic cleansing)

Cacao (heart-opening and sensual)

These aren’t party drugs. When used responsibly, in a ceremonial or therapeutic setting, they can act as catalysts for deep emotional processing and spiritual healing.

What is a plant medicine ceremony?

Plant medicine ceremonies are ways that facilitators administer traditional medicines. The ceremonies should aim to honor where the medicines come from, and in the case of some, are necessary for the medicines to work correctly. For example, in Ayahuasca ceremonies, guides sing and play icaros, songs that are said to have come from the medicine. During the ceremony, the icaros guide the experience, often pushing you deeper and helping you to land. They say if you are feeling lost or stuck, focus on the music.

Is Plant Medicine Compatible with Sobriety?

This is a complex and personal question. For some in recovery, especially those following a traditional 12-step model, any altered state may be seen as a violation of sobriety. However, intention and context matter deeply. We believe that what is medicine for some could be poison for others.

Using psychedelics to escape is very different from using them to heal. When done in a supported, ceremonial, or therapeutic container, many people in recovery find that plant medicine actually enhances their recovery journey. By addressing the underlying trauma, beliefs, or disconnection that fueled their addiction, some sober individuals are able to find something that just wasn’t obtainable though traditional methods. Many equate the value of one expertly-guided Ayahuasca ceremony with years of talk therapy.

Even Bill Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, believed this. In the 1950s, Bill W. experimented with LSD in supervised psychotherapy. He believed it helped him reconnect spiritually and advocated for its potential in breaking ego defenses and enhancing spiritual experiences, elements that are core themes in 12-step work. Though controversial, his interest shows that the founders of recovery weren’t strictly dogmatic about abstinence, rather they were curious, spiritual seekers.

What the Science Says About Psychedelics and Addiction

The last two decades have seen a renaissance in psychedelic research, with promising findings for addiction recovery.

🔬 Johns Hopkins University: Psilocybin for Smoking Cessation: A groundbreaking 2014 pilot study from Johns Hopkins showed that psilocybin-assisted therapy helped long-term smokers quit at unprecedented rates. 80% of participants remained abstinent at 6 months, compared to ~30% success with traditional methods. The psilocybin sessions were combined with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and participants described a profound shift in perspective and self-compassion.

🔬 Other Promising Studies:

Ayahuasca and Addiction: Observational studies in Peru and Brazil found that ayahuasca ceremonies (especially with integration support) significantly reduced cravings and substance use in people with alcohol and drug dependencies.

Ibogaine for Opioid Addiction: Though not legal in the U.S., ibogaine clinics in Mexico and Canada have shown promising results in interrupting opioid dependence with minimal withdrawal symptoms. Research suggests one dose can reset brain chemistry, although the risks require careful medical screening.

MAPS & MDMA for Trauma: While MDMA is not a plant medicine, studies by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) have shown high rates of PTSD remission with MDMA-assisted therapy. This matters because unresolved trauma is often a root cause of addiction.

Sober podcaster, endurance athlete, and author Rich Roll just came out to his audience as having tried therapy with MDMA and psilocybin. He had always been a very “by-the-book” AAer, and had never had a psychedelic experience. After having many guests on his podcast who advocated for plant medicine, Rich eventually went to Mexico to try it for himself. He now speaks of it often, crediting it as one of the most spiritual experiences of his life.

Who Might Plant Medicine Be Right For?

You might consider plant medicine if you:

Have time and stability in your sobriety.
Feel stuck in traditional therapy or recovery approaches.
Have tried many modalities without accessing deep healing.
Feel called to explore a deeper connection to spirituality.

Plant medicine may act as a catalyst but it’s not a cure. It’s most effective when integrated with ongoing inner work.

Who Might It Be Wrong For?

Plant medicine isn’t for everyone. It might not be the right choice if:

You’re in early recovery (under 6 months)
You have a history of psychosis or mania.
You’re actively seeking escape or highs.
You are prescribed SSRI medications. Many psychological medications interact negatively with some plant-medicines.
You lack support for integration when you return home.
You’re feeling pressured or unsure. It’s ok to say no.

Plant medicine, although very healing for many people, is not the right choice for everyone. Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is say that it’s not for you. Do it when it feels right, or not at all. You’ll know. We all have our own path to healing.

How to Find Safe Plant Medicine Ceremonies

Seek out:

Experienced, trauma-informed facilitators. Ask trusted friends where they go.
Legal settings (like retreats in Peru, Brazil, Guatemala, or Oregon). In the United States look for the facilitators to be associated with a “church” which you don’t need to be apart of, but the church registration protects the Ayhuasqueros legally.
Ceremonies with intake processes, preparation, and integration support.
Communities that value consent, ethics, and safety.

Avoid:

Commercialized, ego-driven spaces.
Inexperienced or experimental facilitators without a years-long history of supporting participants in ceremony.
Ceremonies promising “instant healing” or other grand promises. The work sometimes takes time.
Anywhere that lets you sign up the day before. These ceremonies take preparation to be safe and powerful. There is often a dieta, or special diet that you must eat, especially with Ayahuasca. The Ayahuasca dieta is a way to cleanse your body and mind before actually consuming the plant medicine.

Integration, the most important part

If you do all of this work and then return home and do the same things that you were doing, you shouldn’t expect different results. These medicines create what’s known as “neuroplasticity”. This mold-able brain, which generally lasts for a period of time after psychedelic experiences, is a great time to create new habits in your life. If you sink back into your old habits, it could dig those grooves deeper. However, if you attempt to implement new routine into your life, this integration period has a higher chance of success.

Plant medicine integration ideas:

Daily yoga and meditation. Use your neuroplasticity to get yourself grounded and feeling good in your body and mind.
Eat right. Try to implement good eating habits in the days after a psychedelic ceremony.
Journal, sing, express, find different ways to release what is trying to get out.
Continue with any form of therapy or recovery support that has felt good for you in the past.

Can plant medicine do more harm than good?

Yes, it can—especially without the right container. Risks include:

Re-traumatization
Ego inflation
Psychological instability

But with proper screening, support, and integration, the potential for transformation is real. Healing takes time and there are no shortcuts. People in recovery can sometimes have a fear of getting “addicted” to something. While plant medicines do offer moments of bliss and joy, the work can be hard along the way. I’ve never come out of a ceremony just dying to hop back into another.

Final Thoughts: Many Paths, One Truth

Whether you choose to explore plant medicine or not, your recovery path is valid. Sobriety is more than abstinence. It’s about connection, integrity, and healing.

For some, plant medicine is a bridge back to self. For others, it’s not the way. That’s okay too!

Honor your truth. Be curious. Stay grounded. And above all, keep healing.

Thinking that a plant medicine retreat might be the next step on your healing path of recovery? Consider our next Plant-Medicine for Recovery retreat with Ayahuasca in Guatemala, January 4-9, 2026.