Presley Gerber said he was ‘absolutely terrified’ when he underwent controversial addiction treatment six months before his death as he was praised by his family for ‘facing what I had been running from’
Presley Gerber described feeling “absolutely terrified” before undergoing an ibogaine treatment in Mexico for addiction and mental-health difficulties, six months before his death aged 27. His family publicly praised his courage and his willingness to confront the problems he had been avoiding, making the post particularly significant in light of his later death at a rehabilitation centre.
Gerber underwent a high-dose “flood dose” of ibogaine, a psychoactive substance derived from an African shrub and claimed to help with withdrawal symptoms. Ibogaine is a Schedule I controlled substance in the United States but is used in specialist clinics in Mexico; the treatment programme he attended reportedly cost from $12,500 for 10 days. Gerber said he hoped it would be the last time he needed such treatment, while acknowledging the risks and difficulty involved.
- Presley Gerber described ibogaine treatment as frightening but transformative.
- His family praised his courage and openness about addiction.
- He later died aged 27 after long-running drug and mental-health struggles.