Suicide remains a tragic crisis among US military veterans. A new documentary shows how psychedelic drugs may offer hope to elite soldiers facing post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.
“We’re not scientists, we don’t know exactly what’s happening,” said Jon Shenk, co-director of In Waves and War, which he made with his wife Bonni Cohen. “But it does seem like there’s something to it,” he told AFP.
The film, streaming on Netflix from Monday, follows three retired US Navy SEALs coping with the invisible scars of their tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Years under fire have left them struggling with PTSD, brain injuries, depression, and alcoholism.
They were prescribed antidepressant cocktails that often failed to help and left them unrecognizable to their families. Cohen says this brought loved ones to “a breaking point in their treatment of their own trauma.”
In search of relief, the veterans traveled to Mexico for experimental treatment using two psychedelic drugs: ibogaine, from an African shrub, and 5-MeO-DMT, from the Colorado River toad.
Rebooting the Mind
“It’s like a complete reboot,” said Marcus Capone, a former soldier featured in the film. “It kind of brings you back to your truer self, before you had any real struggles.”
His wife, Amber, described the treatment as “bringing hope to the hopeless.” Through their organization, Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions, the couple have helped over 1,200 US veterans access these treatments since 2019.
The documentary captures veterans’ initial skepticism toward psychedelics. Matty Roberts, another subject, said, “If this crazy hippie-ass shit helps, if it helped my friends, then maybe I should do it.” His journey—from nausea and emotional breakdowns to a renewed outlook on life—is shown in intimate detail, accompanied by animated sequences illustrating his inner healing.
Scientific Interest and Caution
Recent research has renewed interest in psychedelics like psilocybin, LSD, and MDMA for treating depression and addiction. The documentary shows Stanford University researchers intrigued by the veterans’ rapid mental improvement, though it does not explain how these substances work or their risks. Ibogaine, for example, can damage the heart.
“We wanted to make an emotional film that drew you in,” said Cohen. “Also the studies are really exciting, but they’re just at the beginnings.”
The veterans hope their stories encourage US lawmakers to allow more research. Marcus Capone said, “We need all these medicines to be researched more.” Amber emphasized that they are not calling for legalization, but for fewer barriers to study these treatments.
The appeal resonates across party lines. Oregon and Colorado allow supervised psilocybin use, while Texas recently allocated $50 million for ibogaine research.
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