Lithium might have its uses for example in bipolar disorder, but as others have said, it is very dangerous and requires regular professional monitoring. online, people have been spreading unverified ideas about lithium being some sort of magical mineral that we can all benefit from despite the fact life has no confirmed need for this element.
The pharmacology of lithium, particularly its blockade of GSK3Beta is exactly how it achieves its anti-manic effect. yes, lithium does help some with bipolar depression, but it’s not very effective in that regard and is instead far stronger in suppressing mania. GSK3 inhibition has grasped the interest of many researchers and it’s almost always presented as a good thing, some sort of cure for every CNS disease imaginable. in line with this, one should be forgiven for assuming GSK3 is evil and anything blocking it is good. problem is, GSK3 activitie is vital downstream of D2 receptor signalling and it’s now been discovered to be essential for sending D1 receptors back to the membrane after being stimulated, otherwise they would be destroyed. with this in mind, GSK3 is necessary for all positive emotions and for motor activity. on top of that, GSK3 modulates AMPA receptor subunits and in doing so, restrain seizure activity, supports proper memory processing, can suppress anxiety amongst many others.
OP, your understanding that GSK3 inhibition by lithium will suppress dopamine signalling is absolutely correct. unfortunately, I don’t believe this will help you deal with cravings or impulsivity in the long-term, as it is unsustainable. this is because hedonic Drive and goal directed behaviour facilitated by dopamine are likely the main component of human happiness. I suspected this all along, but recently read an article that supported my beliefs. Basically, the pursuit of pleasure might be more important than the actual experience of pleasure which is mediated by other neurotransmitters in keeping us happy. Furthermore, I theorise that dopamine mediated impulsivity helps to prevent rumination of negative thoughts and help us cast aside negative emotions.
Apart from the potentially dangerous effects of lithium, my concern is that in trying to control your cravings, you will find yourself emotionally numb from the lithium and dissatisfied with life. it’s medically underreported, but many online anecdote suggest lithium causes anhedonia/dysphoria which makes people want to discontinue it. furthermore, although this is not well understood, stopping lithium can cause lithium resistance. this means that the next time lithium is started, it will have no effects on the brain, neurons simply won’t respond to it.
