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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic

Harm Reduction The Brain and Addiction

neversickanymore said:

Drugs and the Brain | National Institute on Drug Abuse

The Science of Addiction on Drugs and the Brain
nida.nih.gov nida.nih.gov

Right in line with much of what discussed in this thread.

I have some reservations on the cause of negative emotions during withdraw. Withdraw heightens emotions, but emotions are manipulations our subconscious’s uses to drive us, the conscious experience, to fulfill its goals.

It’s layered. Drug use may be utilized to treat anxiety, pain etc and when the substance is discontinued the experience of these emotions will be perceived as strong. This is both because the base line experience has been reduced consistently be the drug and that the emotions power has been increased through the phenomenon of tolerance in an attempt to overcome the dampening effects of the drug.

This is only one part of the picture.

When we use substances to try and solve uncomfortable emotions we circumvent the system that’s intended to drive us to find the solution to the issues the negative emotions are indicating. If we don’t address the underlying issue that’s causing the negative emotion it won’t free us from eventually needing to address that issue.

If we fail to address the problems indicated by negative emotions and chronically use substances some of us can fall into behavior that goes against or underlying core beliefs. Without the substances effects we would not have behaved in these ways. Once the substance is removed our shield from the negative emotion associated with the behavior we engaged in that we, at core physiological level are genuinely opposed to, we can get hit with all the negative emotion resulting from all the behavior that is unacceptable who we really are.

Lastly, Emotion is an extremely powerful tool that drives us to accomplish the most important personal and species requirements. These needs are very strong drives that involve dopamine and the reward pathway. By the extreme dopaminergic effects caused by the substance we have logged, at least temporarily, it’s use into an important place on our list of drives.

Because it’s release of dopamine is so significant and that progression of dopamine release as we progress through reward learning, we can end up at times where the dopamine levels are so significantly increased that will power will have a very hard time maintaining control.
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Frankly I think an issue with addiction is lack of neurogenesis. Theirs evidence that ssris and celebrolysin can increase neurogenesis (so the creation of new neurons). Maybe this could help with breaking addictive habits and rewiring the brains reward pathway. I have started taking an ssri and noticed my drug cravings are now far more reduced and I am getting enjoyment out of normal life again including just talkin to people and walking in nature.

Compare that to before I only got enjoyment from drugs. I really think increasing neurogenesis and the creation of new neurons is a big factor in fixing addiction issues. It also may be why exercise is so beneficial to people in recovery (it also increases neurogenesis in the brain)
 
GulpingBatteryLiquid said:
Aren't there many cases of SSRIs turning people into alkies?
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There are negative cases with every drug but the reality its effect on neurogenesis is huge and ssris are very beneficial for allot of people. The negative stigma/talk around them is generally from people who know 1 person who had a bad experience and have read 0 of the scientific literature on them.
 
GulpingBatteryLiquid said:
Aren't there many cases of SSRIs turning people into alkies?
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I never knew this was a thing. I know SSRI's up-regulate either the GABA-A or GABA-B receptor and I assume that plays a part.

When I first used citalopram when I was 17 or 18 I drank loads when I'd go out on a weekend, to the point that cause of the amount I'd drink (Binge drinking) it'd be considered alcoholism.

I came off them after about a year and a half and my use plummeted but that's also partially because I started using Heroin and other opioids more so too.
 
I'm an addict. It started t about 40-45. I 67. Benzos and oxy. OC and clonaz' and my holy grails. Since my first time trying them changed my world. Warm, fuzzy, engerized by nt yper (as I'm a already hyper)

In my thinking (which may be clearly biased) I don't see it as "enjoying the high" It's that those 2 drugs that make me feel "normal." The mind has always raced away, even when trying to sleep. Hard to focus when me and the world are running so fast. Taking my OC and K pins slows down my world and gives me a big sigh, a peaceful. I can focus and concentrate that everything is slower. I almost feel like I'm on the specturm of autisic at times as well. Loud noise or dripping faucets, clicking clocks are oirture for me. Big crowds bug me. I'm def' figidty. being physical burns up that excess energy but the magic 2 pills mka things a hell of lot easier. When my scripts run out ( I usally have to wait a few days for my efil and I cheat just a bit) I go with withdrawl and it sucks. I'm 67, dnlt really want to quit. I have esvere aches and pains as well as I played lot of ice hockey so I'm pretty beat up. I get the OC from a doc for pain management, she curt me off k pins last June so I found a guy who gets pharma-grade Val 10mgs and I buy those. I'm old. I know the risk vs benefits of what I take. I wouldn't be taking this if I was in my 30s or 40s, prolly even 50s. I got what? another 7 to 10 years of life left if that? So my choice is to stay out of pain and have a better uality of life. My usage is not really recreationally driven. Thats not to say I don't enjoy them. But the reason I choose to take them is more based on pain relief, a relaxed brain and an overall better quality of life. I told that to my doc when she said she was cutting off my k pins but she wasn't changing her mind. The big OD scare of taking those 2 together are getting docs to stop scripting them. Not to mention just any opiods by themselves. Give me a fukn liability form and I'll release a doc and big pharm from any liabilities should I OD. At what age do you have to be to make choices on what you out in your body as long as you know the risks. Look at other drugs and their side effects...almost all of then can kill or maime you, BUT they script them out like candy...i.e vaccines, statins, heat meds and the new one thats going to fuck up people pancreases, Ozympic. I flat out told her, you are not savig lives by cutting off my k pins. You are causeing me to suffer and even bigger...you forcing people to go get what they need to the streets. Which we all know everythiing is being laced with fentanyl. I stared at her, she didn;t know what to say. I siad your just cutting me off to save your ass and your ritzy lifestyle if you lose your license. But you're fine letting people suff and go to the streets? That's OK? For you yeah. Not us. I just fon a new doc and she said she is OK with scripting oxys and benzos and each case is different. And she admitted I def fall inot a catagory of receiveing- and she prescribes the two without worries what the AMA, FDA and CDC.AS long as she has the documentaion to back up the need for what I take there ZERO issues for her. But most of the docs out there now are all brainwashed and uselesss fukn robots. The ony docs I see getting busted and losing their licenses are docs just writing tons and tons of scripts for opiods (mostly, and oher big boys to every patient that comes in their door. And thats pretty rare. These fkn newage doctors are useless. Thanks God theres a few who refuse to lick the boots of ther masters. I was on a waiting list to see this doc for over 7 months and just finally got to see her in 4 weeks. I checked her google reiews etc etc and shes not just a drug pusher, seems like a well rounded doc who truly gives a fck about people. Im worried my old doc is going to cut off my oxys next...esp. after my last visit with her. If this new doc wills cript me both I'll say goodbye to her and no lone use her as a PCP and let this new doc be my PCP. I think docs like patients assigning them as their PCP. They get kickbacks and bonus for referrals, etc etc. Long story, sorry....but back to the OP and his posting (and others) it's all good info. I just thought I'd give me point of view and when y'all get my age or older, you may look at it from m prosepective. Addiction or not, I choose to take 2 drugs that work well for me and atually enhance my life, eliminate pain and improve my quality of life. Avereage lifespan is 75 for men ( I think it y have dripped some since the Covid bullshit) I may have 7-8 yeras of life left so let me choose my form of pallitive care. And in quite honesty, my ealths probs are not all that great, I left a lot out. So I doubt I'll make it to 70-72. Seriously. maybe 4-5 more years of being here. Gimme' the goods. A far as genetics, I do think it's a factor for me. And an FYI I've been through a million docs over my lifetime and was a guniea pig for every drug out there. None worked, most made things worse and/or sick. Oxy and k pins are it.
 
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