In Waves and War tells the story of Navy SEALS who are deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan time and time again, only to return stateside and experience a different type of war: a battle on their bodies and brains. The documentary, which premiered at the DOC NYC film festival, reveals how nightmares, explosive outbursts, severe pain, alcoholism and depression consumed the lives of these wartime heroes. Hopelessness and suicidal thoughts were the only way out, until they discovered an experimental treatment called ibogaine.
Directors Jon Shenk and Bonni Cohen describe the arduous physical and mental demands of training endured by these highly specialized servicemembers through the lenses of three SEALS, Marcus Capone, Matty Roberts and DJ Shipley. Through interviews, flashbacks and animation, we learn about the devastating impacts of multiple deployments to combat zones on the physical and psychological wellbeing of these SEALS, some of whom were only 17 when they first joined.
In one harrowing scene, Roberts’ “arm is blown off.” In rehab, his many diagnoses include traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Discharged due to injury, Roberts was riddled with survivors’ guilt and frustration with his inability to help his brothers in arms on the battlefield. Shipley describes 2005-2010 as a “very busy time,” being deployed to nearly 200 missions. He later struggled with a constellation of symptoms including depression and memory loss but “didn’t tell anyone for five years.”
Veterans Health Crisis
For over a decade, I have treated multiple veterans in my roles as a former primary care physician and now as an addiction medicine specialist. Nearly every veteran patient shared the same experiences as the SEALS did in this film. Chronic back pain, headaches, panic attacks, memory loss, depression and substance use disorders (SUD) were just a few of the many health problems faced by my patients.
In fact, veterans’ mental health is a national health crisis. PTSD and depression are the most publicized mental health problems but anxiety, schizophrenia, SUD and increased suicidality are also common. Roughly 20 veterans die each day by suicide. According to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, the suicide rate among veterans is 57% higher than that of the general population. In addition, 88% of veterans’ caregivers report increased stress or anxiety. Treatment is available but many veterans don’t access the help they need and deserve. Others receive all sorts of medicines and therapies without much success, including the SEALS featured in this documentary.
An Experimental Treatment To The Rescue
After countless tours and a whirlwind of health issues, Capone asked for a medical retirement. Reasons noted in the letter included a life permeated by alcohol, depression, nightmares and guilt. “I grabbed my pistol every time the doorbell rang,” recalls Capone. Thoughts of taking his life consumed him: “I thought my family would be better off without me.” At the VA hospital, Capone underwent a cornucopia of diagnostic tests including sleep studies and brain imaging as well as treatments such as talk therapy and ten different medications.
He was getting worse, which prompted his wife, Amber, to seek alternatives online. She found a program in Mexico where veterans were getting better after receiving ibogaine, a psychoactive compound found in the root bark of Gabon, Africa, and 5-MeO-DMT, a psychedelic substance secreted by the Sonoran Desert Toad. In fact, I first learned and wrote about these ibogaine treatment centers in Mexico from Lucy Walker’s documentary, Of Night and Light: The Story of Iboga and Ibogaine, which premiered at the Tribeca Festival The film told the story of Howard and Norma Lotsof and their heroic, pioneering efforts in increasing research and safe access to ibogaine in the United States.
Why Mexico? Despite decades of research showing psychiatric and medical health benefits, psychedelic drugs such as ibogaine remain as Schedule I by the Controlled Substances Act. That is, the federal government deems these substances as having no medical benefits and having high “abuse” potential.
But if you ask the Navy SEALS in Waves, they’ll tell you a different story, one infused with hope. All three SEALS travelled to Mexico and underwent five days of ibogaine treatment followed by 5-MeO-DMT. Their traumatic experiences—from childhood to war—came to life through animation in deeply personal and individualized ways. Each individual was monitored closely by staff, before, during and after the medications were administered. Afterwards, each SEAL felt that the psychedelics helped them. They felt uplifted, as if a dark cloud was lifted. They saw the world from a different perspective, not one laden with guilt, shame, loneliness or depression. “It was a new day,” reflected one SEAL.
Ibogaine In The U.S.?
In the film, Nolan Williams, MD, a psychiatrist and researcher in the Stanford Ibogaine Brain Study, describes TBI as the signature injury among these veterans. His team published a study early this year in Nature Medicine of 30 U.S. special forces veterans who showed a significant reduction in PTSD, depression and anxiety after treatment with ibogaine. “We have a tool that can mend the mind,” explains Dr. Williams.
But if you ask the Navy SEALS in Waves, they’ll tell you a different story, one infused with hope. All three SEALS travelled to Mexico and underwent five days of ibogaine treatment followed by 5-MeO-DMT. Their traumatic experiences—from childhood to war—came to life through animation in deeply personal and individualized ways. Each individual was monitored closely by staff, before, during and after the medications were administered. Afterwards, each SEAL felt that the psychedelics helped them. They felt uplifted, as if a dark cloud was lifted. They saw the world from a different perspective, not one laden with guilt, shame, loneliness or depression. “It was a new day,” reflected one SEAL.
In fact, the health benefits of psychedelics have been long known to scientists. Clinical applications of ibogaine include management of depression, addiction and psychological trauma.
The biggest challenge in the U.S. remains regulatory, not medical. Ibogaine’s classification as a Schedule I controlled substance prohibits easy access or availability. Another challenge is administration. Unlike other chronic conditions such as diabetes or hypothyroidism that can be treated with a daily pill, patients receiving ibogaine must do so under medical supervision due to the drug’s potential cardiac toxicity and other side effects. I would also like to see wider use of the medication as trauma, sadly, is not limited to veterans. Survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and natural disasters such as earthquakes and tornadoes could also benefit from psychedelic therapy. We need a lot more research, advocacy as well as declassification of psychedelic substances.
In the meantime, there is reason for hope. Speaking to these brave Navy SEALS and their equally courageous wives reinforced my belief in the human spirit in the face of hardship. We just need to keep on fighting for health and humanity.
