The novel treatment of depression and social anxiety.

[MeDieViL]

The novel treatment of depression and social anxiety.

Currently the standard treatment for social anxiety are the SSRI antidepressants however the effectiveness of them is very limited and barely reaches significance against placebo wich leaves many depression and social anxiety sufferers untreated.
For social anxiety the second line treatment is the use of benzodiazepines wich inhibit anxiety making people feel more relaxed in social situations however this treatment faces several severe issues and also dont target a special subgroup of ppl with social anxiety, mostly referred too as those suffering fron avoidant personality disorder.
The problem with benzodiazepine treatment is the long term addiction they cause the tolerance issues and the semi pernanent protracted withdrawals however with certain interventions those issues can be counteracted; more on this later.
The subgroup suffering fron avoidant personality disorder mostly face reward related issues rather then anxiety making then feel uncomfortable in social situations. A novel treatment of this is the use of amphetanine wich is available as dexamphetanine in europe and adderall; dexedrine and desoxyn in the US. Desoxyn is methamphetanine wich is supposedly a smoother more anxiolytic version of anphetanine.
Several concers have been expressed about methanphetanine due to its toxiticy however the only reason its more toxic then anphetanine is the 5HT release togheter with nore potent dopanine release both causing more hyperthermia then high doses of normal anphetanine. This is no issue in therapeutically prescribed doses as hyperthernia that way is avoided.
One must take in nind however that anphetanine on its own is not a working long tern treatnent for social anxiety; wich is due to the rapid tolerance issues rendering amphetanine ineffective within 2 weeks.
For the treatment of ADHD this is no issue as its therapeutic effect in that condition cones fron the D4 receptor wich does not downregulate with chronic activation.
In the case of social anxiety its the D1; D2 and D3 receptor mediating the therapeutic effect wich do rapidly downregulate with chronic activation.
Fortionally there's a solution for this (this also apply's to the use of benzo's) tolerance to those drugs is mostly nediated by nmDA and nitric oxide; the most popular used agent that targets nnDA and counteracts those tolerance issues is menantine. nenantine is a nnDA antagonist effectively preventing tolerance issues for the many people that have been using this agent.
One problen with this is that nmDA facilates fear extinction (wich is basicly getting over social anxiety by therapy and exposure) and nenantine will inhibit this.
A very pronosing alternative for this is the blue dye methylene blue; mB facilates fear extinction while also possibly more effectively preventing tolerance and withdrawal issues due to the depletion of glutanate and nitric oxide.
Also there's evidence that there is a connection between shizophrenia and avoidant personality disorder; AVPD is a negative synpton of those suffering fron shizophrenia; AVPD is a risk factor for shizophrenia and is sinular to a "limited" version of shizophrenia limited to only sone negative synptons.
Sinular to shizophrenia where amphetanine is the nost effective treatnent for negative symptons anphetanine is an effective treatnent for AVPD.
Pregnenolone is a effective treatment for negative synptons in shizophrenia; this neurosteroid is also deficient in people suffering from AVPD; the addition of pregnenolone is recommened in combination of chronic social exposure to allow the facilation of fear extinction possibly leading to not having to resort to amphetanine anynore.
The dopaminergic involvememt im social amxiety:
School avoidance and social phobia triggered by haloperidol in patients with Tourette's disorder
EJ Mikkelsen, J Detlor and DJ Cohen
Fifteen patients with Tourette's disorder developed school and work avoidance syndromes when treated with low doses (mean 2.5 mg/day) of haloperidol for short periods of time (mean, 8 weeks). The phobic syndromes disappeared completely with discontinuation or reduction of the haloperidol dose. Haloperidol's effects on dopaminergic functioning support a role for catecholamines in the pathogenesis of phobic syndromes. It is not known whether phobias are precipitated by haloperidol only in patients with Tourette's disorder as a consequence of the specific metabolic alterations in this disorder or are a medication side effect in other psychiatric disorders as well.
Altough this is about patients with tourette this further confirms that dopamine is highly implicated in social behaver, and that dopamine antagonism can significantly worsen symptons of social anxiety.
Study's have confirmed that people with social anxiety are at a much higher risk for developping parkinson (1), indicating that we are suffering from dopaminergic dysfunctioning. Dopamine has also been implicated in social status (2) and as last the D2 gene's have been associated with extrovertism (3).
This data supports that dopaminergics are the best treatment for social anxiety, possible options are either MAOI's (parnate, nardil), dopamine agonists (pramipexole, ropinirole) and stimulants (dexedrine, adderall etc).
Anecdotal reports confirm the effiacy of those treatments in social anxiety disorders.
1. Frequency of social phobia and psychometric properties of the Liebowitz social anxiety scale in Parkinson's disease. PMID: 18661550
2. Dopamine Type 2/3 Receptor Availability in the Striatum and Social Status in Human Volunteers Full text
3. Variation in DRD2 dopamine gene predicts Extraverted personality. PMID: 19897017

 

[colors]

The subgroup suffering fron avoidant personality disorder mostly face reward related issues rather then anxiety making them feel uncomfortable in social situations.

I suffer from this, though never seen it defined as such. I wish I'd read this when I was in therapy! I think there's a huge difference between this and what is commonly referred to as 'anxiety'.

I was originally prescribed venlafaxine (SNRI) and it did help but a really heavy cost (felt like a totally different person, erectile dysfunction, horrible discontinuation, etc). After discontinuing, I was prescribed clonazepam which eased inhibitions but really did not work well for engaging socially or the tendency for avoidance. After abandoning all scripts I tried adderall through friends. The adderall got me chatting (no hesitation to engage) but I felt emotionally needy and a little humorless and literal. Less than ideal.

What ended up helping immensely was tramadol! Literally a miracle drug for me. I do enjoy opiates in general, but I think of them as a private thing and they make me kind of antisocial/grumpy and lethargic. Tramadol was a totally different experience. I had lots of energy and could function as normal in total absence of any depression/anxiety/avoidance. For the two years that I was on it, I really feel like I fulfilled my full potential as a human being. I moved and lost my resources after those two years and haven't had a chance to use it since unfortunately. This past year I was using MXE medicinally and found that it helped similarly although it's hard to not be noticeably fucked up on it. Also the MXE abuse had some nasty side effects (mainly dyskinesia ... yikes).

There was a post here recently about the potential of acetaminophen for treating anxiety/avoidance. There was a study at UCLA a few years ago too that echoed the article you posted in that it proved that emotional pain and fear of rejection impact the same parts of the brain that perceive physical/bodily pain. So in theory, any analgesic should help with this problem.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Currently the standard treatment for social anxiety are the SSRI antidepressants however the effectiveness of them is very limited and barely reaches significance against placebo wich leaves many depression and social anxiety sufferers untreated.

In my honest opinion, if I were a doctor, I would ignore any complaints of social anxiety before I'd pull out my pad and scribble ZOLOFT in that "I'm a drunk dysfunctional doctor" scribbled handwriting.

wich is due to the rapid tolerance issues rendering amphetanine ineffective within 2 weeks.

That's just incorrect. I don't use methamphetamine anymore, nor do I plan on it - it's not the best thing for socially anxious people IMO. However, methamphetamine isn't rendered ineffective within 2 weeks, that's a bunch of bullshit.

That's like saying HEROIN or COCAINE is ALSO rendered ineffective within 2 weeks due to that staggering tachyphylaxis. No it's not! People just take exceedingly higher dosages, if tolerance happens - at all!

When I used methamphetamine - for a long time - I never got a tolerance increase when I had highly potent crystal methamphetamine. That's not to say I encourage anyone to use methamphetamine, however. I just like to point out inaccuracies here.

 

[MeDieViL]

If you stay at therapeutic doses of prescribed amp the effiacy for sa and depression disappears; recreational doses may be another story

 

[MeDieViL]

I suffer from this, though never seen it defined as such. I wish I'd read this when I was in therapy! I think there's a huge difference between this and what is commonly referred to as 'anxiety'.

I was originally prescribed venlafaxine (SNRI) and it did help but a really heavy cost (felt like a totally different person, erectile dysfunction, horrible discontinuation, etc). After discontinuing, I was prescribed clonazepam which eased inhibitions but really did not work well for engaging socially or the tendency for avoidance. After abandoning all scripts I tried adderall through friends. The adderall got me chatting (no hesitation to engage) but I felt emotionally needy and a little humorless and literal. Less than ideal.

What ended up helping immensely was tramadol! Literally a miracle drug for me. I do enjoy opiates in general, but I think of them as a private thing and they make me kind of antisocial/grumpy and lethargic. Tramadol was a totally different experience. I had lots of energy and could function as normal in total absence of any depression/anxiety/avoidance. For the two years that I was on it, I really feel like I fulfilled my full potential as a human being. I moved and lost my resources after those two years and haven't had a chance to use it since unfortunately. This past year I was using MXE medicinally and found that it helped similarly although it's hard to not be noticeably fucked up on it. Also the MXE abuse had some nasty side effects (mainly dyskinesia ... yikes).

There was a post here recently about the potential of acetaminophen for treating anxiety/avoidance. There was a study at UCLA a few years ago too that echoed the article you posted in that it proved that emotional pain and fear of rejection impact the same parts of the brain that perceive physical/bodily pain. So in theory, any analgesic should help with this problem.

A certain subtype of sa sufferers benefit from opiates indeed.

 

[Hammilton]

Study's have confirmed that people with social anxiety are at a much higher risk for developping parkinson (1)

There's just so much to say about inaccuracies and misreadings in all of this- even ignoring the spelling errors- but it's 4am here and I need to get to bed.

Anyway, the study you're citing finds a higher rate of anxiety in Parkinson's patients. That might indicate a role for dopamine in anxiety, but this study doesn't allow for any sort of conclusions to be drawn on the matter. It's just as likely that Parkinson's patients are socially anxious because they're self conscious given the fact that they don't move right anymore.

As far as I can tell, there is no evidence that those with anxiety disorders are more likely to develop Parkinson's as they age.

If you want to try reducing social anxiety by increasing dopamine it makes more sense to try selegiline or sinemet, not methamphetamine. If you have mice, you put out mice traps, you don't grab an eight gauge. This seems like silly justification of drug use. and not even very good justification.

 

[MeDieViL]

This is a international forum; i live in a country with english as my third language.

Yes you are correct; however there are other study's showing dopamines importance in social behavor; wich makes it more likely that its the da issues causing the higher SA rate.

Selegiline or sinemet wont work for social anxiety; take in mind that AVPD is like a mini version of shizophrenia where only amphetamine works for the negative symptions; amphetamine works because it both releases glutamate wich is hypoactive in shizo like disorders and induces phasic dopamine wich is also why selegiline of ldopa wont help sa; to elaborate; there's excessive tonic da in shizo wich causes the positive symptions; and a lack of phasic da causing issues like AVPD; amphetamine is the only intervention that can restore phasic dopamine.

If you dont really know me; youll soon realise that i dont use excuses for using substances that can have abuse potential; i still take my drugs for what reason? To get high; im not pathetic using therapeutic effects as a excuse.

 

[edgar07]

My opinion on the issue, using drugs long term to manipulate the brain into unnatural states really isn't the way to cure depression/anxiety. That's not to say I don't think drugs can be useful, they can definitely have lasting, therapeutic properties when used correctly. I've found LSD to be IMMENSELY helpful in sorting out my anxiety, in the past I've been so crippled by it I could barely talk to anyone for days, just in horrible thought loops. First thing that helped me out was a doctor telling me to just make the effort to engage in activites that lower stress - at this point I was pretty desperate to get a benzo script just to make the anxiety go away, but instead I just went and got some st johns wort, had a relaxing bath, chilled out and played video games, and at least felt a little better, enough to the point where I could function. Then after taking LSD on multiple occassions I gradually eliminated the irrational anxiety - i still do get anxious sometimes of course, but that's as a healthy reaction to some situations. I'm far more confident now and cope with social situations far more easily than i did before.

Best cure for depression/lack of motivation, take up a cause you care about. You can take a start at spreading information about the pharmaceutical companies that push garbage SSRIs that a) in clinical trials have the same efficacy as placebo, b) increase suicidal thoughts, c) induce manic states and impulsive behaviour. Then there's all the sexual side effects, etc. They feed you poison and promise you happiness, and make a fuckload of money doing it. Or there's the governments feeding you neurotoxins (flouride, aluminium in vaccines (has a half life in brain tissue of 7 years, produces free radicals and is an excitotoxin - would you inject that into your bloodstream?) just to name a couple) that most likely have a great deal to do with your depressive symptoms. You can reverse some of this damage by taking neuroprotective agents like the racetams.

Also if you're not sorting out your diet before looking at altering your brain chemistry with pharmaceuticals, you're fucking nuts. Vast majority of people are defficient in essential fatty acids and protein (cooked protein is not a good source, raw complete proteins like whey are much better) which are required for production of all the major neurotransmitters (except aCh which requires a choline source). Spending some time in the sun is also a good idea, vitamin D is a wonderful substance and unfortunately people are now afraid of the sun so much even in Australia where I live where it's really quite sunny, many people are vitamin D deficient.



Vast majority of health problems are due to dietary and toxicity issues, but most drug peddling doctors won't ever tell you that (many are never taught this - always baffles me why pharmacists have to study biochemistry but doctors don't). They'd just rather mask your symptoms and not fix the root problem.

 

[/navarone/]

I've also heard that some dopamine receptors downregulate also with antagonists. Can someone confirm this?

My psychiatrist who decribed me as a "hyperphoric dopamine craving psychonaut" and I think he is also suspicious that I'm bipolar since he prescribed me lithium (which I quite honestly hate and think on stopping), has prescribed me tiapride, a benzamide with significant D2 and D3 antagonist activity with minor effects on D1 and D4, also it is a GHB receptor agonist supposedly helpful for my drinking problem.
It does reduce slightly my cravings for alcohol though it brings my mood down quite a bit and it lowers my social tendencies too. Not that I feel anxious but rather numb and empty. I know though on the other hand that agonizing heavily dopamine receptors can lead to hypersexuality and other kinds of compulsive behaviorus including drug seeking behaviours.
My doc says he might put me on bupropion later on and that puzzled me, why planning to first put on on antidopaminergics to latter give a NDRI.
I don't know what goes on in his mind but he has had a lot of experience with recovering addicts so I trust him a bit. Let's see how bupropion can help me.

I've read a lot about pregnenolone, is it really that effective? Has anyone here been on it? Reccomended?

 

[Smyth2]

SSRIs can be worth experimenting with to get an idea of how they affect your biochemistry but I dont see them as stable long-term treatment option for the treatment of depression. If you read the dopaminergic section to the SNDRI article on wikipedia you will see that it is possible to use dopaminergic agents for the treatment of depression even in the absence of any serotonergic component. (Actually read the refererences and not just the notes) As example, I ask you to consider the compound RTI-229.

For some reason, the citations dont show up on the main SNDRI page but they can be accessed from here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Nuklear/SNDRI

Here's one of the abstracts I scrubbed:

The mesolimbic dopamine reward circuit in depression.

Nestler EJ, Carlezon WA Jr.

The neural circuitry that mediates mood under normal and abnormal conditions remains incompletely understood. Most attention in the field has focused on hippocampal and frontal cortical regions for their role in depression and antidepressant action. While these regions no doubt play important roles in these phenomena, there is compelling evidence that other brain regions are also involved. Here we focus on the potential role of the nucleus accumbens (NAc; ventral striatum) and its dopaminergic input from the ventral tegmental area (VTA), which form the mesolimbic dopamine system, in depression. The mesolimbic dopamine system is most often associated with the rewarding effects of food, sex, and drugs of abuse. Given the prominence of anhedonia, reduced motivation, and decreased energy level in most individuals with depression, we propose that the NAc and VTA contribute importantly to the pathophysiology and symptomatology of depression and may even be involved in its etiology. We review recent studies showing that manipulations of key proteins (e.g. CREB, dynorphin, BDNF, MCH, or Clock) within the VTA-NAc circuit of rodents produce unique behavioral phenotypes, some of which are directly relevant to depression. Studies of these and other proteins in the mesolimbic dopamine system have established novel approaches to modeling key symptoms of depression in animals, and could enable the development of antidepressant medications with fundamentally new mechanisms of action.

This one i good if u can get it: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17339521

If you give me email address I can mail u a copy.

 

[apsig]

My opinion on the issue, using drugs long term to manipulate the brain into unnatural states really isn't the way to cure depression/anxiety. That's not to say I don't think drugs can be useful, they can definitely have lasting, therapeutic properties when used correctly. I've found LSD to be IMMENSELY helpful in sorting out my anxiety, in the past I've been so crippled by it I could barely talk to anyone for days, just in horrible thought loops. First thing that helped me out was a doctor telling me to just make the effort to engage in activites that lower stress - at this point I was pretty desperate to get a benzo script just to make the anxiety go away, but instead I just went and got some st johns wort, had a relaxing bath, chilled out and played video games, and at least felt a little better, enough to the point where I could function. Then after taking LSD on multiple occassions I gradually eliminated the irrational anxiety - i still do get anxious sometimes of course, but that's as a healthy reaction to some situations. I'm far more confident now and cope with social situations far more easily than i did before.

Best cure for depression/lack of motivation, take up a cause you care about. You can take a start at spreading information about the pharmaceutical companies that push garbage SSRIs that a) in clinical trials have the same efficacy as placebo, b) increase suicidal thoughts, c) induce manic states and impulsive behaviour. Then there's all the sexual side effects, etc. They feed you poison and promise you happiness, and make a fuckload of money doing it. Or there's the governments feeding you neurotoxins (flouride, aluminium in vaccines (has a half life in brain tissue of 7 years, produces free radicals and is an excitotoxin - would you inject that into your bloodstream?) just to name a couple) that most likely have a great deal to do with your depressive symptoms. You can reverse some of this damage by taking neuroprotective agents like the racetams.

Also if you're not sorting out your diet before looking at altering your brain chemistry with pharmaceuticals, you're fucking nuts. Vast majority of people are defficient in essential fatty acids and protein (cooked protein is not a good source, raw complete proteins like whey are much better) which are required for production of all the major neurotransmitters (except aCh which requires a choline source). Spending some time in the sun is also a good idea, vitamin D is a wonderful substance and unfortunately people are now afraid of the sun so much even in Australia where I live where it's really quite sunny, many people are vitamin D deficient.



Vast majority of health problems are due to dietary and toxicity issues, but most drug peddling doctors won't ever tell you that (many are never taught this - always baffles me why pharmacists have to study biochemistry but doctors don't). They'd just rather mask your symptoms and not fix the root problem.

You know, doctors DO study biochemistry. I don't know where you got the idea they don't. THat said, some doctors don't tend to retain much of it after medical school, but they are certainly required to take the course. Additionally, why do you claim cooked protein to be inferior to raw protein? Any protein ingested, whether raw or cooked, will be broken down into individual amino acids upon digestion. The difference is that cooked protein is already partially broken down via heat denaturation and to some extent, proteolytic cleavage. In either case, intact (raw) proteins are (a) not absorbable and (b) broken down in the digestive tract, so there's really not a lot of opportunity for them to exert "superior" health effects.

Additionally, I suspect the half-life of aluminum you quote is for ground-state aluminum, while vaccines contain aluminum salts such as aluminum hydroxide, which are water-soluble and far easier for the body to eliminate. I also doubt they easily pass the blood-brain barrier. The average vaccine contains about 4 mg of Al, which is dwarfed by the amount one ingests in food (yes, even organic foods will contain Al)...

 

[MeDieViL]

After another long period of chronic social exposure (wich has permanently improved drastically after i got on a effective sup regime combined with exposure) it seems i cant improve any further; there's still a "wanting to get out feeling" and also anhedonia makes it alot less pleasurable. Dont get me wrong exposure likely is the key for many; but others need additional meds On TOP of exposure; otherwise you might as well use all the money you saved for the sups for a nice hooker as it would be wasted money.

Currently i take:
4 gram Phenibut
Ethylphenidate (cant get my meds prescribed with this nhs shit)
3200mg nac (i see nac as another goodie like methylene blue that can help tolerance but again there arent much reports supporting this)

Will add:
Cymbalta
Mirtazepine (as a sleep aid)

 

[alkap555]

My opinion on the issue, using drugs long term to manipulate the brain into unnatural states really isn't the way to cure depression/anxiety. That's not to say I don't think drugs can be useful, they can definitely have lasting, therapeutic properties when used correctly. I've found LSD to be IMMENSELY helpful in sorting out my anxiety, in the past I've been so crippled by it I could barely talk to anyone for days, just in horrible thought loops. First thing that helped me out was a doctor telling me to just make the effort to engage in activites that lower stress - at this point I was pretty desperate to get a benzo script just to make the anxiety go away, but instead I just went and got some st johns wort, had a relaxing bath, chilled out and played video games, and at least felt a little better, enough to the point where I could function. Then after taking LSD on multiple occassions I gradually eliminated the irrational anxiety - i still do get anxious sometimes of course, but that's as a healthy reaction to some situations. I'm far more confident now and cope with social situations far more easily than i did before.

Best cure for depression/lack of motivation, take up a cause you care about. You can take a start at spreading information about the pharmaceutical companies that push garbage SSRIs that a) in clinical trials have the same efficacy as placebo, b) increase suicidal thoughts, c) induce manic states and impulsive behaviour. Then there's all the sexual side effects, etc. They feed you poison and promise you happiness, and make a fuckload of money doing it. Or there's the governments feeding you neurotoxins (flouride, aluminium in vaccines (has a half life in brain tissue of 7 years, produces free radicals and is an excitotoxin - would you inject that into your bloodstream?) just to name a couple) that most likely have a great deal to do with your depressive symptoms. You can reverse some of this damage by taking neuroprotective agents like the racetams.

Also if you're not sorting out your diet before looking at altering your brain chemistry with pharmaceuticals, you're fucking nuts. Vast majority of people are defficient in essential fatty acids and protein (cooked protein is not a good source, raw complete proteins like whey are much better) which are required for production of all the major neurotransmitters (except aCh which requires a choline source). Spending some time in the sun is also a good idea, vitamin D is a wonderful substance and unfortunately people are now afraid of the sun so much even in Australia where I live where it's really quite sunny, many people are vitamin D deficient.

Haha. You are prob one of those people that bought into that nonsense about Vaccines and autism. Even though the research has been debunked, study retracted and it came out that the principle investigator manipulated data, ignorant parents are refusing to vaccinate their children...and guess whats happened? Measles and Mumps outbreaks, which can be quite serious.

Yes nutrition is important as is educating yourself about the drugs you consume, but I think it is YOU who needs to stop spreading misinformation.

 

[donoharm]

I honest to god felt more depressed through the period i was on 2-3 mg of clonazepam a day (rx'd for depression when i was too skinny for SSRI's to be effective) than any other point in the last few years. I've been on vyvanse for about a year now for treatment resistant depression, which combined with an SSRI has been working fucking wonders. I honestly don't know why, but I really don't care. It's seriously the only drug that helps act as a mood stabilizer without inducing a zombie-esque daze or a euphoric "high".

 

[belfort]

err all i know is this, i can force myself into social situations every day but that will never cure me..i will still be avoidant when it comes down to it as i simply dont enjoy socializing for the most part.i dont avoid people out of anxiety although anxiety is poresent, i avoid them because i see no purpose or reason to socialize..i find socializing draining most of the time and im usually always left with a 'what is the point of this?' feeling when talking..so i assume im not rewarded properly..

GHB is the best med/drug i have found for this problem..it makes socializing much more rewarding.

alcohol makes me less social these days..

stims taken alone make me want to be more social but the increased anxiety makes it worthless..

benzos taken alone make me even more asocial than i already am..

im on welbutrin now(i also use phenibut) and it seems to increase my interest in socializing but nothing dramatic..welbutrin seems like a low level adderal high without the intense crash at the end..

 

[belfort]

donoharm-if i were to take only benzos every day i would become a depressed, lazy mess of a person.i would be a complete recluse..benzos make me apathetic towards almost everything..

 

[the_art]

Pregnenolone is a effective treatment for negative synptons in shizophrenia; this neurosteroid is also deficient in people suffering from AVPD; the addition of pregnenolone is recommened in combination of chronic social exposure to allow the facilation of fear extinction possibly leading to not having to resort to amphetanine anynore.

low doses (mean 2.5 mg/day) of haloperidol for short periods of time (mean, 8 weeks). The phobic syndromes disappeared completely with discontinuation or reduction of the haloperidol dose.

"Pregnolone and short-term haloperidol" screams 'sigma-1 receptor.' Among other things. Brains; ugh.

 

[MeDieViL]

I honest to god felt more depressed through the period i was on 2-3 mg of clonazepam a day (rx'd for depression when i was too skinny for SSRI's to be effective) than any other point in the last few years. I've been on vyvanse for about a year now for treatment resistant depression, which combined with an SSRI has been working fucking wonders. I honestly don't know why, but I really don't care. It's seriously the only drug that helps act as a mood stabilizer without inducing a zombie-esque daze or a euphoric "high".

J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv.
2012 Feb;50(2):11-4. doi: 10.3928/02793695-20120112-03. Epub 2012 Jan 20.
The use of dopaminergic and stimulant drugs for the treatment of depression.

Howland RH.
Source

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. [email protected]

Abstract

The brain reward system consists of extensive neural pathways that mediate reward behavior such as pleasure and motivation. These pathways may be involved in the development of symptoms such as apathy, anhedonia, and cognitive dysfunction seen in patients with major depression. These pathways are served primarily, although not exclusively, by the chemical neurotransmitter dopamine, which has suggested a therapeutic role for drugs that influence dopamine activity. A small number of clinical trials using various dopaminergic and stimulant drugs for the treatment of major depression and bipolar depression have demonstrated some benefit when combined with standard antidepressant drugs. Based on this work, several ongoing trials are investigating the use of the stimulant drug lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse®) as an adjunctive treatment for depression.

Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

Here we go.

 

[MeDieViL]

If you want to try reducing social anxiety by increasing dopamine it makes more sense to try selegiline or sinemet, not methamphetamine. If you have mice, you put out mice traps, you don't grab an eight gauge. This seems like silly justification of drug use. and not even very good justification.

Increasing phasic dopamine release here is what helps depression or social anxiety; only stimulants can do this its not just about "increasing" dopamine its far more complicated.

And yes i would agree with what else you said.

As for GHB its too euphoric and mentally addictive(physically too) even ignoring its short half life and that its easy to overdose on so its hardly therapeutic; however im curious how treating alcoholics with GHB in Italy actually pans out with the combo with naltrexone having the best results. The naltrexone may attenuate the addictive property's of GHB.