• Psychedelic Drugs Welcome Guest
    View threads about
    Posting RulesBluelight Rules
    PD's Best Threads Index
    Social ThreadSupport Bluelight
    Psychedelic Beginner's FAQ

Psychedelic Therapy for Alcoholism

Pfafffed

Pfafffed

Moderator: PD
Staff member
Joined
Jun 30, 2015
Messages
1,596
A friend of mine has a frightening problem with binge drinking. Despite being super opposed to psychedelics, they recently decided that they'd try anything. What psychedelic should they consider?

I recognize that psychedelics aren't a magic bullet, and have talked to them about cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness meditation, social and community support, changing environments, medication assistance, etc, etc. This is just a question to see that if they decide to go for a chemical-induced transpersonal experience, which would be the best option.

Top of the list for me would be mescaline (long history of use for alcoholism,) ayahuasca (BDNF promotion for neuroplasticity for mood,) ibogaine (GDNF promotion for neuroplasticity for compulsive behavior,) or 4-AcO/PO-DMT (because mushrooms are safe and deep as all hell.)

Not sure about ibogaine, just because it isn't nearly as safe as alternatives and the results with alcoholism aren't jaw dropping. Any thoughts?
 
I personally overcame a nightly drinking habit of ~5 years with mescaline. It was through several months of tripping every weekend. I’ve now gone about 6 months without drinking.

I highly recommend it. San Pedro cactus usually isn’t too difficult to find/order. IMO mescaline is a pretty “easy” psychedelic to handle, much more so than shrooms or certainly ibogaine.
 
Mescaline anecdotally does have a strong track record against alcoholism, but I don't know if there are studies done on it. Then again, I enjoy drinking on mescaline. I suppose it matters what the root of the problem is. If your friend is drinking to cover up trauma or something, then I think something warm and loving like mescaline could be very well-suited, something that is a gentle healer that allows honest and loving connection to your own emotions. But nothing has ever come close to changing my subconscious thought patterns and impulses as much as ibogaine, I will say. However you're right, it is more dangerous. I didn't find it frightening though, I have been far more afraid on mushrooms than I ever was on ibogaine, even though I have probably never been so far gone as when I did my flood dose. I came back from it a changed person, not just opiate addiction, but I suddenly wanted to get in shape and eat well and pursue my passions, and I did. It really changed my life moreso than any other psychedelic (or any experience) in terms of my subconscious mind and behaviors.
 
Wouldn't recommend it. Your friend could easily end up drunk AND psychotic.
Also, alcohol withdrawal is fatal and psychedelics will make matters worse, not help.

This sounds like a really terrible idea. There is no logic why psychedelics would make any difference at all and they can be a very unpleasant experience. Tell your friend to enjoy their seizure.
 
Not all binge drinker alcoholics are physically addicted to alcohol. The idea of psychedelics is to help someone achieve a different mindset/have a personal breakthrough, while they're sober. If this person is physically addicted to alcohol then I would agree with you, they need to get through withdrawals first. But Pfafffed knows that so I assumed this was more of a "when I drink I binge hard" type thing (which to be honest is me sometimes too... I can not drink for weeks but then when I do I drink more than I meant to usually - cost me a DUI last year, alcohol is something I want to not use but it's hard. But I've never been physically addicted to it).
 
Maybe have a look here:

News - ALCOHOL | Alcohol linked to more cancers than previously thought, study ->

The beneficial effects of LSD on alcoholism by Nick Collins In the 60s and 70s several clinics ran trials to determine whether LSD could help alcoholics overcome their dependence with varying degrees of success. The supervisors of one trial noted: It was rather common for patients to...
www.bluelight.org www.bluelight.org
 
Not a pure psychedelic, also not a typical dissociative considering its safety profile, but DXM is peculiarly incompatible with alcohol. Then again, it's a weird substance, and easily disliked by most.

I can drink on most substances, in case of psychedelics at least on the tail end of the experience. But DXM? No thank you. Extravagantly nauseating of a combo, and the clearheadedness afterwards itself makes crude downers feel like a bit of a shame. Also physiologically there's just no craving for alcohol during the afterglow. These levels are worked upon in parallel, not to mention the fairly therapeutic insights.

So a bit of a long-shot, and takes commitment to build up to the right dose, but quite effective in case of a match.
 
TL;DR
mr peabody said:
Among other things, the University of Alberta history of medicine professor has found records of the psychiatrists' research that indicate a single dose of the hallucinogenic drug LSD, provided in a clinical, nurturing environment, can be an effective treatment for alcoholism.
Click to expand...
This was one of the arguments I used on my mom when she found out I’d been taking acid (ok, ok, it wasn’t a single dose, but hey).
Funny, never ever got into drinking. Feels too hard on my system. Acid at 14 maybe did that, though.

I do agree that it *could* help, but likely only in the context of a therapeutic session.
If you go this route, stay in touch with the friend and be close and available.
 
I was a binge drinker for years. Sometimes drinking daily.
I have never used ibogaine and my trials with aya (pharma) the doses werent proper.
I have used a variety of substances, both recreationally and therapeutically during my course off the wagon.

4 Aco-DMT and mushrooms really helped to highlight some of my issues of the time, but I find them rather pushy and dysphoric. Though after I always felt much better for the catharsis. Addiction is quite multifaceted though and I found little relief from my depressive state using these substances.

DXM on the other hand provided lasting relief from my depression and allowed me to investigate, if I chose, in a much less intrusive way. Adding a medium dose of 4 aco dmt at the peak of dxm was the best of both.

But I find one off experiences are a thing of studies, at least when compared to myself.
Given how ingrained my addictive habits had become over 10 years, a one and done experience to provoke lasting effects seems absurd, though Ive read lots of reports - check out Mr Peabodys threads in Psychedelic Medicine. I found that I had greatest positive effects by alternating psychedelics/disassociatives/edibles, to lessen tolerance issues, (sometimes weekly, depending on the previous weeks experience) allowed me to sort of reprogram myself away from alcohol.

Im now 8 months with no alcohol
 
Thanks guys
I didnt mean to derail this thread. Just wanted to show that if those options dont work dont be afraid to try other, available, means.

Ketamine is being offered for depression now too. Though I find disassociatives to be rather compulsive. Or perhaps it is just I who is compulsive lol And my last trip, with Eth-lad was really beneficial. I bonded with my daughter and later I really opened up to a friend about a some things. After, I was glowing for weeks and I actually began integrating a lot of things that Ive been neglecting.

So I guess what Im trying to say is just keep an open mind and set your intentions
And dont be discouraged by lapses. Your addiction took time to achieve and itll take time to generate new positive habits. So just keep at it

Anyways, keep us posted
 
Well, they're in inpatient rehab right now, so it'll be a while before we can or should broach the subject again
 
I am disobeying my religious learning by doing this but I am stockpiling psychedelics to wage war against this drinking compulsion so help me Mother Nature.

Who knows I might quit everything again one day and I might die before that happens but trying to use a psychedelic to improve myself I would be fine dying on as opposed to drinking like a complete loser jerkface. Drinking turns me into an idiot bum dude.

Holy shit what am I saying and how. Why. This is no laughing matter but humor is medicine and sorry if I just seem cracked and unfunny. Not out to offend honestly. Just bored kinda but also interested in discussing topics like this.

Obviously psychedelics are far safer than alcohol and if you don't see it that way I won't argue but am thinking how wrong you are.
 
Last edited:
Pfafffed said:
Well, they're in inpatient rehab right now, so it'll be a while before we can or should broach the subject again
Click to expand...

Since this got resurrected....how is your friend doing now?

I'm late to the party as I am always and shall be forevermore, but I think mushrooms helped me quit smoking last year. Can't be sure because it wasn't exactly a proppa medical trial but I was able to quit cold turkey/overnight at a time when I had started thinking about quitting in the previous few months AND had started semi-regularly drinking mushroom tea of mid-range potentcy.
However, I still binge drink though perhaps that is because unlike with the smoking I haven't been thinking of quitting drinking at the same time as using mushroom tea.

Think I might give it a go though later this year.
 
He's doing really well. He got into a really great comprehensive residential treatment program for a month. It was holistic and deep and has robust aftercare. He's still doing well all these months later, better even than the last time he stopped drinking. I imagine that thirty days of intensive holistic trauma informed care and therapy would do most of us a world of good
 
Pfafffed said:
better even than the last time he stopped drinking.
Click to expand...
That’s great news to hear!
That reminds us that it often takes multiple attempts to quit things. So no matter what, while you’re quitting, you are reducing harm. Just tobacco took me several attempts, relapses, re-attempts; just kept hoping and it finally stuck, after a couple years really trying. Haven;t smoked a cig since 1996!
Best luck and power to your friend!
 
Good to hear about your friend, @Pfaffed! I hope he gets it done proppa. All the best to him.

Also, congrats on not smoking in 24 years @DrumTripper.

Fucking alcohol and darts...the unholy combo....sooo gooood though. ;)

I feel super good about having quit smoking though I was worried about drinking after quitting smoking because I didn't think I could do it. Couldn't be easier. It was a complete psychological change.

I feel like if I quit drinking as well I'll just be the best version of me ever so I have to lay off that for a bit still maybe so I don't peak too early or overachieve. Not my style. 🙃
Besides, the binge drinking-induced brain damage is kinda what makes me who I am at this point so it might be a scary change.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top