Ray Peat On Addiction / Alcoholism

[j.]

For some reason, that quote Charlie posted reminded me of the best Ray Peat quote of all times, from one of his books.

Being alive is good for you.

 

[charlie]

For some reason, that quote Charlie posted reminded me of the best Ray Peat quote of all times, from one of his books.

Being alive is good for you.

[glow=red]Ray Peat right again![/glow]​

 

[aquaman]

I've taken tianeptine and have never felt as good taking anything else, which leads me to believe that my serotonin must be high.

Who told you to do this? And what's the thinking behind it lowering Serotonin?

 

[aquaman]

...... which leads me to believe that my serotonin must be high.

And thats why something like cyproheptadine or tianeptine can speed up the healing process. Too much serotonin is a huge problem. When you can break that cycle of too much serotonin, and move towards generative energy as opposed to degenerative energy. The body can then start repairing whats wrong and moved towards a robust metabolism.

Interesting!

 

[solaire_of_astora]

I've taken tianeptine and have never felt as good taking anything else, which leads me to believe that my serotonin must be high.

Who told you to do this? And what's the thinking behind it lowering Serotonin?

Well, I've read that Tianeptine is considered an SSRE (selective serotonin reuptake enhancer). From wikipedia: A selective serotonin reuptake enhancer (SSRE) is a type of drug which enhances the plasmalemmal reuptake of the neurotransmitter serotonin, leading to a decrease in its synaptic concentration and therefore a decrease in serotonergic neurotransmission.[1]

I came across Tianeptine in a post by Pranarupa on his blog.

 

[Ben]

I've taken tianeptine and have never felt as good taking anything else, which leads me to believe that my serotonin must be high.

Me too. What's unusual though is that I can take it everyday, but then forget a dose and feel okay, no withdrawal symptoms. It's said that it's non-addictive. Coffee is usually more addictive, and I get learned helplessness from it, opposite to what RP claims it does, and I think it's due to cerebral allergy. Some people are allergic to caffeine, and the adrenalin/cortisol can cover up the histaminergic reaction, since adrenalin directly acts against histamine, and cortisol is anti-inflammatory.

 

[honeybee]

Dopamine, or lack of it, plays a HUGE role in addiction. I think alot of Peat "protocols" involve normlizing Dopamine, either as a direct consequence or indirectly.

 

[Jib]

BingDing mentioned the Rat Park. I thought the comic was pretty good:

http://www.stuartmcmillen.com/comics_en/rat-park/

And this article about it:

http://globalizationofaddiction.ca/arti ... -park.html

"It soon became absolutely clear to us that the earlier Skinner box experiments did not prove that morphine was irresistible to rats. Rather, most of the consumption of rats isolated in a Skinner box was likely to be a response to isolation itself."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Videogames, porn, compulsive masturbation, and more recently, alcohol. I can definitely attest to the idea that resolving the underlying stress can 'cure' addiction. When there's nothing to escape from, there's no urge to escape.

Sexually frustrated fruit flies turning to alcohol for relief and sexually frustrated dolphins curb stomp porpoises and play with their dead bodies for relief (they assume so, anyway -- I don't think the researchers could prove they were sexually frustrated, but why else would they do it, right?).

So you see, to get over my addiction problems, I just need to hook up with some fruit flies and dolphins, and go on a drunken killing spree.

Or wait...hm. I think I miscalculated something there? That doesn't sound quite right...

XD

 

[Ben]

I'm happy to see that my thread about carrot addiction is in the "similar topics", haha.

I think RP would agree that sitting alone and playing video games is better than sitting alone and playing nothing, since it provides stimulation. Stimulation is good for the brain. Drawing or writing is also good, since you learn to synthesize, while TV makes you a zombie. I had thoughts about sex/masturbation/porn, but I'll start a new thread since it's kind of off-topic.

 

[answersfound]

I find this fascinating. I always wondered why I needed so much alcohol in social situations just to feel comfortable. Only under the influence of alcohol did I truly feel like myself. Like the version of me I always wanted. Since using Cyproheptadine I don't crave alcohol at all, and I now understand why alcohol is called a depressant. When you have no stress hormones to depress, you feel wiped, similar to taking too much cypro. So many people struggle with alcohol and tobacco addictions, but the cure is so simple.

 

[Parsifal]

So physical addiction of hard drugs doesn't exist and withdrawal symptoms could be alleviated by raising our metabolism rate?

 

[PeatThemAll]

The fact that a taste of chocolate can provoke a wild lust for more chocolate, or that once cigarette renews the addiction, does not mean that the presence of chocolate or nicotine in the blood creates a craving. Rather, it is that an organism in an unstable state perceives the availability of something which promises to partially restore the desired stability.

From: Why are PUFAs Delicious?

 

[PeatThemAll]

post 37458 I'm happy to see that my thread about carrot addiction is in the "similar topics", haha.

I think RP would agree that sitting alone and playing video games is better than sitting alone and playing nothing, since it provides stimulation. Stimulation is good for the brain. Drawing or writing is also good, since you learn to synthesize, while TV makes you a zombie. I had thoughts about sex/masturbation/porn, but I'll start a new thread since it's kind of off-topic.

I wish I could agree. To me, video games crank up the flight or fight hormones but ... here's the catch ... there's no physical release! It's like anticipitaging that a predator nearby or that a fight is imminent, but you never get the release. Might as well do something else. At least for me.

 

[haidut]

post 103901 So physical addiction of hard drugs doesn't exist and withdrawal symptoms could be alleviated by raising our metabolism rate?

Yes, pretty much sums it all. Withdrawal symptoms are caused by high serotonin and anti-serotonin drugs help. Even mainstream medicine admits that serotonin plays the major role in withdrawal crises. Most types of "addiction" mask symptoms of hypothyroidism and/or suppress (temporarily) stress hormones from too much stress. Many "depressant" drugs are GABA agonists and as such it is natural to crave them in times of stress/anxiety.

 

[Parsifal]

Yes, pretty much sums it all. Withdrawal symptoms are caused by high serotonin and anti-serotonin drugs help. Even mainstream medicine admits that serotonin plays the major role in withdrawal crises. Most types of "addiction" mask symptoms of hypothyroidism and/or suppress (temporarily) stress hormones from too much stress. Many "depressant" drugs are GABA agonists and as such it is natural to crave them in times of stress/anxiety.

Thanks for your reply haidut, this is VERY interesting to say the least. But don't amphetamines, cocaine or other stimulants drug raise the stress hormones a lot?

 

[Makrosky]

post 104016

post 103901 So physical addiction of hard drugs doesn't exist and withdrawal symptoms could be alleviated by raising our metabolism rate?

Yes, pretty much sums it all. Withdrawal symptoms are caused by high serotonin and anti-serotonin drugs help. Even mainstream medicine admits that serotonin plays the major role in withdrawal crises. Most types of "addiction" mask symptoms of hypothyroidism and/or suppress (temporarily) stress hormones from too much stress. Many "depressant" drugs are GABA agonists and as such it is natural to crave them in times of stress/anxiety.

I would put the same in another way: An addiction exists because you're using the "addictive" substance to counterbalance something in your metabolism/mind/soul that is not working properly. Once you correct the imbalance, then there's no need for the "addictive" substance.

Nevertheless, don't forget there are lots of "moral" issues regarding what is an "addictive substance". Specially with "drugs". Doctor's would never say you are addicted to insulin, or addicted to any other chronically administered big pharma drugs. You can take an aspirin a day for 40 years for blood issues and don't be called an addict. Smoke cannabis daily for a year and you're an addict.

 

[pepsi]

Ray Peat cured my alcoholism!
Ray Peat right again!!!

 

[tara]

Really? That's great!
Wanna tell more about how you did it?

 

[Parsifal]

post 27166 Hi all,

I seem to remember that in several of his articles Ray Peat talks about "addiction" and how he doesn't believe the condition actually exists. I think he said something along the lines that "people do things that they perceive making them feel better" and once the stressor is removed the "addiction" stops by itself. Well, a famous study done in the late 1970s seems to confirm that view

Haidut, what do you think about tolerance to the effect of a molecule like let's say caffeine? When I started drinking coffee the effects where really strong and now I'm drinking more and the effects are quite low. And if I spend one day without drinking coffee I get headaches and nausea as it is said from caffeine withdrawal?

 

[haidut]

post 109569

post 27166 Hi all,

I seem to remember that in several of his articles Ray Peat talks about "addiction" and how he doesn't believe the condition actually exists. I think he said something along the lines that "people do things that they perceive making them feel better" and once the stressor is removed the "addiction" stops by itself. Well, a famous study done in the late 1970s seems to confirm that view

Haidut, what do you think about tolerance to the effect of a molecule like let's say caffeine? When I started drinking coffee the effects where really strong and now I'm drinking more and the effects are quite low. And if I spend one day without drinking coffee I get headaches and nausea as it is said from caffeine withdrawal?

Well, if the cell became healthier it would be expected that it won't react to caffeine as strongly as before. The "tolerance" to a beneficial substance is usually simply improved cellular health. If you are hypothyroid, then stopping caffeine can get you back to a hypo state and explain the headaches. Migraines are primarily energetic phenomenon. That's why they respond so well to high doses vitamin B2 and anti-serotonin drugs. Google "riboflavin migraine" for more info.