Cindy Crawford son, Presley Gerber was on cocktail of drugs, including illegal ‘ibogaine psychedelic’ to ‘assist treat addiction’ before suspected overdose death at Los Angeles rehab clinic.
An unearthed interview Presley Gerber, the son of supermodel, Cindy Crawford and celebrity businessman, Rande Gerber, had given late last year just months before his suspected drug overdose death revealed the male model was on a cocktail of drugs to ‘assist’ him deal with drug addiction and mental health issues.
Presley Gerber, 27, according to Dec. 1, 2025 interview said he was taking medications like Valium, buprenorphine and Xanax to treat various mental health and substance abuse issues in the months leading up to his death.
‘Here’s some clarity for ya – the truth will set you free (hopefully) haha. I’ve had a lot of loss in many different forms recently. That is not an excuse, but it’s the reason — or part of —why I am where I’m at now,’ he captioned a since-deleted Instagram upload on Dec. 1, 2025, according to Just Jared.
Son of Hollywood couple turns to cocktail of drugs to help treat substance abuse and mental health woes
According to Presley, he was taking Valium to help calm the central nervous system, buprenorphine to treat pain and opioid use disorders and Xanax for ‘when the panic attacks [were] really, really bad.’
‘Every psychiatrist I’ve had — and I’ve had, like, 15 — they’re all like, ‘Here’s 20 medications. Take this if you feel like this, take this as needed,’‘ he explained, addressing the challenging task of managing the various prescriptions.
‘And I’m like, ‘No, don’t give me that much leeway. I need some direction,’ Gerber explained.
Presley also noted that he had heavily cut back from drinking — as alcohol was ‘no longer serving’ him — and was focusing on having ‘good influences’ around him as he battled addiction issues.
‘I’ve grown up in Hollywood, and there’s a lot of people around that I love to death, but right now, I try not to be around them,’ he explained without indicating who he ‘may have been hanging around with.’
‘I’m hoping this reaches people in many ways so you feel like you’re not alone, because that is how I feel most of the time,’ he concluded. ‘I have a feeling if I say all of this, a lot of people will at least know that there’s someone else going through it.’
Unconventional methods to beat substance abuse
The revelations follows news of Gerber dying on Sunday of a suspected overdose while at staying at undisclosed Los Angeles rehab facility.
Authorities have yet to disclose what drug(s) the 27-year-old was taking at the time of his death, while social media speculated if narcotics had been smuggled or given to him while staying at the rehab center.
His parents — supermodel Cindy Crawford and husband Rande Gerber, along with daughter Kaia Gerber — confirmed the sad news and asked ‘for privacy during this very difficult and painful time.’
In his final Instagram post, shared on on Aug. 5, Presley smiled while posing in what appeared to be a garden while modeling an outfit from Vuori clothing.
Presley Gerber divulged in the months leading up to his death that he had turned to unconventional methods to beat his substance use issues, including the use of ibogaine — a West African root bark psychoactive that can be used for opioid addiction.
Ibogaine psychedlic ‘miracle’ cure to treat addiction and agony of withdrawal
Ibogaine is a psychoactive alkaloid found naturally in the root bark of Tabernanthe iboga, a shrub native to Central Africa. Iboga has a long history of ceremonial use, particularly in Bwiti spiritual traditions.
Ibogaine has attracted attention because some people report that a single, intense experience can temporarily reduce opioid withdrawal symptoms and cravings, and it has also been investigated for other substance-use disorders. However, the evidence is still limited; it is not an established, approved treatment for addiction in many countries, including the U.S.
Of note, The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classifies ibogaine as a Schedule I controlled substance. Under federal law, it is considered to have a high potential for abuse and not accepted for medical use.
Of further note, ibogaine is strictly prohibited in the United States and is illegal to possess, buy, sell, or administer ibogaine anywhere in the U.S. outside of heavily restricted, FDA-approved clinical research.
Last month, Presley’s sister Kaia, 24, whpraised her brother for his candid approach as he battled addiction, telling Vogue that he was the ‘greatest teacher’ for showing that ‘there’s only so much you can hide from the world.’
Of note, Kaia further revealed that she was also into ‘psychedlics,’ and praised its virtues, saying ‘she is really big into mushrooms and that they can really help you as therapy….’
An autopsy report has yet to reveal what may have led to Presley Gerber overdosing and suffering a cardiac arrest.
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