FunctionalOlfactio
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2013
- Messages
- 239
Over the years I have harboured the suspicion that psychedelic users are predisposed to an increased susceptibility to the destructive effects of drugs that cause an increase in dopaminergic activity.
Having observed the poisoning of The Grateful Dead community with amphetamines and opiates in tandem with Jerry Garcia's personal struggle with heroin I began to look for a omitted detail to explain this unexpected deterioration. Was this community simply abnormally weak willed or reckless? In my opinion their behaviour suggest otherwise.
My understanding (though this was before my time) is that The Grateful Dead were unique in the level of civility intrinsic at their shows relative to the level of recreational drug use. The Altamont Free Concert demonstrates that this was representative of a fundamental set of values directed towards peaceful assembly. The Grateful Dead refused to play due to violence. Contrastingly The Rolling Stones took the stage anyway. Had The Rolling Stones shared the moral perspective of The Grateful Dead and followed their lead the situation would have been neutralized. I've also heard first hand that the community was close-nit and supported each-other, directing the wayward towards common ground and responsibility. I observed externally that this deteriorated progressively as amphetamines and opiates became more prevalent.
I believe as the mass medication of America became common place a latent physical vulnerability became exploited. I purpose the trademark warm glow and deep nature of Jerry Garcia was a positive symptom of heavy psychedelic use. The desensitization of glutamateric activity caused by psychedelics knocked out the cold and amoral attributes characteristic of glutamateric activity leaving the characteristic warm afterglow of serotonergic psychedelics (possibly including some nootropic benefits). This is a positive in moderation until other variables are introduced. Glutamateric activity appears to have a mediating effect on dopaminergic activity. Therefore, decreased glutamateric induced dopaminergic inhibition could lead to increased sensitivity to dopaminergic drugs. As America began to flood with broad spectrum medication of the population some members The Grateful Dead community were exposed to chemicals that increase dopaminergic activity. Subsequently increased susceptibility combined with opportunity to associate a feeling with a behaviour and the introduction of dopaminergic drugs lead to a perfect storm scenario. For a physical neurobiological reason it appears heroin was Jerry and the communities kryptonite.
I have held this belief for a while. The medical literature was lacking specific research involving psychedelics in this regard so I kept this information to myself due to a lack of objective support. Recently a scientific foundation presented itself.
"So it kinda made sense. Then the question was, if you had a dopaminergic effect, what could be the basis for that? It turns out that, at least in rats, if you pretreat them with something like either DOI or LSD, and you wait two hours--Danuta did a time course, and we did this in rats that were trained to recognize the effects of amphetamine--their response to amphetamine is increased; the potency of amphetamine increases. What this means is, pretreatment with a 5-HT2A agonist causes a delayed sensitization of dopamine systems; that's the way that we interpreted it. It's consistent with what happens with MDMA--the way it turns on dopamine by activating 5-HT2A receptors. So that would fit."
-David Nichols
(http://www.erowid.org/culture/characters/nichols_david/nichols_david_interview1.shtml)
Consequently I do not use opiates or amphetamines ever. I experimented with these things when I was younger and as I grew older naturally, and fortunately, became bored with getting high and began to pursue psychoactives for other motives.
All of this is said to support a pre-emptive warning. The nootropic effects of traditional psychedelics are real and supported by the creative output of those who use them responsibly. Despite their benefits and abnormally high safety profile even this class of psychoactives bears some risk. One of those risks is an increased susceptibility to the negative consequences of dopaminergic drug abuse.
I chose to attempt to learn from the past mistakes of others and forego the seductive allure of heroin in favour of a more edifying experience lest I learn to like to much of a good thing. I hope others consider the past as they make decisions affecting their future likewise.
*For reference (heroin and dopamine): http://www.cnsforum.com/imagebank/item/moa_heroin_mu/default.aspx
--------------------
http://www.shulginresearch.org
http://www.freeleonardpickard.org
http://www.maps.org
http://www.erowid.org
Having observed the poisoning of The Grateful Dead community with amphetamines and opiates in tandem with Jerry Garcia's personal struggle with heroin I began to look for a omitted detail to explain this unexpected deterioration. Was this community simply abnormally weak willed or reckless? In my opinion their behaviour suggest otherwise.
My understanding (though this was before my time) is that The Grateful Dead were unique in the level of civility intrinsic at their shows relative to the level of recreational drug use. The Altamont Free Concert demonstrates that this was representative of a fundamental set of values directed towards peaceful assembly. The Grateful Dead refused to play due to violence. Contrastingly The Rolling Stones took the stage anyway. Had The Rolling Stones shared the moral perspective of The Grateful Dead and followed their lead the situation would have been neutralized. I've also heard first hand that the community was close-nit and supported each-other, directing the wayward towards common ground and responsibility. I observed externally that this deteriorated progressively as amphetamines and opiates became more prevalent.
I believe as the mass medication of America became common place a latent physical vulnerability became exploited. I purpose the trademark warm glow and deep nature of Jerry Garcia was a positive symptom of heavy psychedelic use. The desensitization of glutamateric activity caused by psychedelics knocked out the cold and amoral attributes characteristic of glutamateric activity leaving the characteristic warm afterglow of serotonergic psychedelics (possibly including some nootropic benefits). This is a positive in moderation until other variables are introduced. Glutamateric activity appears to have a mediating effect on dopaminergic activity. Therefore, decreased glutamateric induced dopaminergic inhibition could lead to increased sensitivity to dopaminergic drugs. As America began to flood with broad spectrum medication of the population some members The Grateful Dead community were exposed to chemicals that increase dopaminergic activity. Subsequently increased susceptibility combined with opportunity to associate a feeling with a behaviour and the introduction of dopaminergic drugs lead to a perfect storm scenario. For a physical neurobiological reason it appears heroin was Jerry and the communities kryptonite.
I have held this belief for a while. The medical literature was lacking specific research involving psychedelics in this regard so I kept this information to myself due to a lack of objective support. Recently a scientific foundation presented itself.
"So it kinda made sense. Then the question was, if you had a dopaminergic effect, what could be the basis for that? It turns out that, at least in rats, if you pretreat them with something like either DOI or LSD, and you wait two hours--Danuta did a time course, and we did this in rats that were trained to recognize the effects of amphetamine--their response to amphetamine is increased; the potency of amphetamine increases. What this means is, pretreatment with a 5-HT2A agonist causes a delayed sensitization of dopamine systems; that's the way that we interpreted it. It's consistent with what happens with MDMA--the way it turns on dopamine by activating 5-HT2A receptors. So that would fit."
-David Nichols
(http://www.erowid.org/culture/characters/nichols_david/nichols_david_interview1.shtml)
Consequently I do not use opiates or amphetamines ever. I experimented with these things when I was younger and as I grew older naturally, and fortunately, became bored with getting high and began to pursue psychoactives for other motives.
All of this is said to support a pre-emptive warning. The nootropic effects of traditional psychedelics are real and supported by the creative output of those who use them responsibly. Despite their benefits and abnormally high safety profile even this class of psychoactives bears some risk. One of those risks is an increased susceptibility to the negative consequences of dopaminergic drug abuse.
I chose to attempt to learn from the past mistakes of others and forego the seductive allure of heroin in favour of a more edifying experience lest I learn to like to much of a good thing. I hope others consider the past as they make decisions affecting their future likewise.
*For reference (heroin and dopamine): http://www.cnsforum.com/imagebank/item/moa_heroin_mu/default.aspx
--------------------
http://www.shulginresearch.org
http://www.freeleonardpickard.org
http://www.maps.org
http://www.erowid.org
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