Austin Shepard is opening up about the formidable challenges he confronted prior to his Love Island USA journey. During the Aug. 26 episode of The Journey Podcast, the 26-year-old alumnus delved into his years-long battle with addiction and the unconventional path he traversed to attain sobriety. "At the age of 22, in a desperate bid to escape opiate dependency, I embarked on an intense journey with Ibogaine, a psychedelic substance," Austin recounted, painting a vivid picture of his 18-hour odyssey as an "extraordinarily intense" experience.
"Within that realm, I lived out the remainder of my life as an addict, until the age of 64, enduring the relentless cycle day in and day out," he reminisced. "I envisioned having two children and a wife, only to witness my kids being taken away. Emerging from that 18-hour journey, I was struck with awe and dread, thinking, 'My goodness, I need to reclaim my life.'"
Historically utilized in healing ceremonies across parts of West Africa, Ibogaine has also been recognized for alleviating opioid withdrawal symptoms and temporarily quelling cravings, according to the Partnership to End Addiction. Austin traced the origins of his addiction back to his teenage years when he was prescribed Percocet—a medication containing the opioid oxycodone—to manage a hand injury.
"They prescribed it for two months, oblivious to the fact that I consumed it non-stop during that period," he confided. "When the doctor discontinued it, I was plagued with severe withdrawal symptoms. I was bewildered, thinking, 'What's happening to me?'"
Subsequently, the reality star—who admitted to attempting sobriety "a handful of times"—discovered leftover tablets of the prescription drug, which instantly alleviated his symptoms upon ingestion. "I was at a loss. I was just 17, barely understanding what was unfolding. I thought, 'This feels good. It relieves the pain in my hand and gives me an euphoric sensation,'" he recounted.
However, this experience left him wary of any substance consumption thereafter. "Once I achieved sobriety, I vowed, 'I don't want to be dependent on anything. I refuse to become attached to anything at all,'" he emphasized, adding, "There's no magic bullet. It undeniably takes effort and commitment to make any meaningful change."
