Simon Catling
An influencer has claimed that the secret to her turning her life around and improving herself for the better was nothing other than toad venom.
Luxury fashionista and philanthropist Victoria Barbara has amassed nearly one million followers on Instagram to become a heavyweight influencer.
However, it's not always been easy for the 40-year-old and recently she told the New York Post of the depression she experienced last year, which she only managed to shift with a bit of toad venom - also known as Bufo.
Bufo is the practice of inhaling the vapours of toxic toad milk which supposedly launches the partaker on a voyage of self discovery. In other words, they go on a massive trip.
Advert
Barbara took the plunge on the ancient medicinal practice, apparently led by a discreet spiritual guide in the remote foothills of the Sierra Nevada, and she says it helped helped her deal with childhood trauma.
"I realised I had purpose in life," she said.
Barbara had tried normal therapy first, but after two years with her psychologist her mental health was worse than ever.
Thanks to a New Age follower, though, she took a different path.
“She says, ‘This will help you live your life'," Barbara said
She travelled to the small town of Mariposa in central California to see Rosa Ma Aguilar Cruz, who would be her spiritual guide while she got trippy on $1,500 ($1,100) a pop toad venom.
It comes from the Incilius alvarius toad, which is native to the Sonoran desert in southwest US.
Their venom oozes from their amphibian skin and contains 5-MeO-DMT (or O-methyl-bufotenine). It's said to help alleviate depression, anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder.
For Barbara it's worked wonders. Taking three hits of the venom, after it had been scraped from the toad's back, she transformed.
“You feel like you’re just reborn,” she elaborated.
Barbara has since gone to taken it multiple times and has described the results as 'incredible'.
If you're experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They're open from 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58 and they also have a webchat service if you're not comfortable talking on the phone