A film about Navy SEALS, PTSD, addiction and psychedelics

In waves and war tells the story of Navy SEALS who are deployed again and again to Iraq and Afghanistan, only to return to the United States and experience a different kind of war: a battle for their bodies and brains. The documentary, which premiered on the DOC NYC film festival, reveals how nightmares, explosive outbursts, severe pain, alcoholism and depression consumed the lives of these war 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 tough physical and mental demands of the training these highly specialized soldiers undergo through the lenses of three SEALS, Marcus Capone, Matty Roberts and DJ Shipley. Through interviews, flashbacks, and animations, we learn about the devastating effects of multiple combat zone deployments on the physical and psychological well-being of these SEALS, some of whom were as young as 17 when they first joined up.

In a harrowing scene, Robert’s arm is blown off. During rehabilitation, his many diagnoses included traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Discharged due to injury, Roberts was riddled with survivor guilt and frustration over his inability to aid his brothers in arms on the battlefield. Shipley describes the period 2005-2010 as a “very busy time”, during which he was deployed on almost 200 missions. He later struggled with a range 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 role as a former primary care physician and now as an addiction medicine specialist. Nearly every experienced patient shared the same experiences as the SEALS in this film. Chronic back pain, headaches, panic attacks, memory loss, depression, and substance abuse disorders (SUD) were just a few of the many health problems my patients faced.

In fact, veterans’ mental health is a national health crisis. PTSD and depression are the most publicized mental health problems, but anxiety, schizophrenia, addiction and increased suicidality are also common. About 20 veterans die by suicide every day. According to the National Council for Mental Welfarethe suicide rate among veterans is 57% higher than that of the general population. Additionally, 88% of veterans’ caregivers report increased stress or anxiety. Treatment is available, but many veterans cannot access the help they need and deserve. Others are given all kinds of medications and therapies without much success, including the SEALS from this documentary.

An experimental treatment that offers salvation

After countless tours and a whirlwind of health problems, Capone filed for medical retirement. Reasons given in the letter included a life permeated by alcohol, depression, nightmares and guilt. “Every time the doorbell rang, I grabbed my gun,” Capone remembers. The thought of taking his life consumed him: “I thought my family would be better off without me.” At the VA hospital, Capone underwent a plethora of diagnostic tests, including sleep studies and brain imaging, as well as treatments such as talk therapy and ten different medications.

His condition continued to deteriorate, prompting his wife Amber to look for alternatives online. She found a program in Mexico where veterans improved after receiving it ibogainea psychoactive compound found in the root bark of Gabon, Africa, and 5-MeO-DMTa 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 Ibogainewhich premiered at the Tribeca Festival. The film told the story of Howard and Norma Lotsof and their heroic, groundbreaking efforts to increase research and safe access to ibogaine in the United States.

Why Mexico? Despite decades of research demonstrating psychiatric and medical health benefits, psychedelic drugs such as ibogaine remain under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. That is, the federal government believes these substances have no medical benefits and have a high “abuse potential.”

But if you ask the Navy SEALS in Wavesthey tell you a different story, a story steeped in hope. All three SEALS traveled to Mexico and underwent five days of treatment with ibogaine, followed by 5-MeO-DMT. Their traumatic experiences – from childhood to war – came to life in deeply personal and individualized ways through animation. Each individual was closely monitored by staff before, during and after the medications were administered. Afterwards, every SEAL felt like the psychedelics helped them. They felt exalted, as if a dark cloud had 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 US?

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 earlier this year Naturopathy of 30 US special forces veterans who showed significant reductions in PTSD, depression and anxiety after treatment with ibogaine. “We have a tool that can restore the mind,” explains Dr. Williams out.

But if you ask the Navy SEALS in Wavesthey tell you a different story, a story steeped in hope. All three SEALS traveled to Mexico and underwent five days of treatment with ibogaine, followed by 5-MeO-DMT. Their traumatic experiences – from childhood to war – came to life in deeply personal and individualized ways through animation. Each individual was closely monitored by staff before, during and after the medications were administered. Afterwards, every SEAL felt like the psychedelics helped them. They felt exalted, as if a dark cloud had 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.

The health benefits of psychedelics have been known to scientists for a long time. Clinical uses of ibogaine include the treatment of depression, addiction and psychological trauma.

The biggest challenge in the US remains regulatory, not medical. Ibogaine’s classification as a Schedule I controlled substance prohibits easy access or availability. Another challenge is the 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 broader use of the medication, as trauma is unfortunately not limited to veterans. Survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and natural disasters such as earthquakes and tornadoes can also benefit from psychedelic therapy. We need much more research, advocacy and declassification of psychedelic substances.

In the meantime, there is reason for hope. Speaking with these brave Navy SEALS and their equally brave women strengthened my belief in the human spirit despite hardship. We just have to keep fighting for health and humanity.