An Article About Synthetic Pot

[OldSchoolGamer]

Marijuana is different than almost all other street drugs because it is not physically addicting. You don't go through physical withdrawals from it if you stop smoking. You can mentally feel depressed and have a hard time falling asleep though.

[bungholio]

That is a big plus point for it, no withdrawal. I don't know about alcohol for some people, but that also has no withdrawal effects on me. Since I've stopped, no severe episodes of depression, I fall asleep easier, wake up earlier, and don't feel as crappy when I do wake up, so there's a definite plus side to stopping for me.

[OldSchoolGamer]

That's good that you were able to stop. I don't know how much you drank nor for how long you were drinking, but you were lucky that you experienced no withdrawal. Alcohol is one of the few drugs that you can actually die from the withdrawal. You can also die from benzodiazepine (ex: xanax) withdrawal. Despite common belief, you CANNOT die from opiate (heroine, oxycontin) withdrawal. Although opiate withdrawal is the worst withdrawal to have to go through. Luckily for opiate addicts, there is a somewhat new drug called suboxone and subutex that can help take away withdrawal symptoms and help the addict to mentally crave opiates less. There are also new drugs available that an alcoholic can be prescribed by a doctor that will actually prevent him/her from getting drunk if they drink. There have been great advances in medicine to help addicts overcome their addiction.

[bungholio]

I'm guessing certain races are more unfortunate with alcohol? I drank 40 proof whiskey and vodka nonstop for over a year now, and it has come to a point of it having no enjoyable effect, so I'm thinking to stop for a while and maybe try the binge again in a month or 2 to see if it gives me that nice calm warm buzz. I'm doubting it though. At this point no hangovers and no passing out. All it does is make me sweat a little. Just keep guzzling it like mad and thinking to myself "why do I waste money on something that no longer does anything to me?" Yet I see things like Native Americans in reservations leaving their children in a park unattended while they run off and get hammered a lot and think that must have been the only place where you never hear anything about child abduction.

[BeyondTheStatic]

I drank 40 proof whiskey and vodka nonstop for over a year now, and it has come to a point of it having no enjoyable effect, so I'm thinking to stop for a while and maybe try the binge again in a month or 2 to see if it gives me that nice calm warm buzz. I'm doubting it though. At this point no hangovers and no passing out.

Same here (vodka), but I still get a good buzz. I drink some everyday (not 24-7), but every once in a while I go over the edge where it's not fun anymore. That usually occurs when I take some greenage on top of it, which can lead to a nearly uncontrollable "trip." It doesn't happen all the time, but when it does it's quite disconcerting. It probably doesn't help that I've taken many high-plateau DXM trips to boot. On the bright side of things, I can now enter into the best, most vivid visionary states while sleeping Not that I recommend anybody go to these lengths to get there, but it's a byproduct.

Concerning alcohol, there might come a point where you do pass out, or have sections of memory that you don't remember, but others can. I know people who seriously don't recall things that I can remember. It's pretty scary.

There have been great advances in medicine to help addicts overcome their addiction.

Have any of you guys heard about Ibogaine? Links: Wikipedia, Erowid. Evidently, it's a psychedelic plant/chemical from Africa that can cure all sorts of addictions (habitual and chemical), although it takes some upkeep after the initial experience (1-4 years). Unfortunately, instead of accepting this rather unorthodox form of treatment, it has been banned by many countries

[BeyondTheStatic]

I'm guessing certain races are more unfortunate with alcohol?

Yes, I believe this is so. Like you, I've heard Native Americans suffer greatly from this malady. It must be some sort of biological predisposition for lower ethanol tolerance, combined with a higher likelihood for dependence which causes all manners of social ills. It's very unfortunate, as you said.

I've got a high amount of "native" blood myself. My skin color isn't affected, nor is my hair color too much. At any rate, I still can't grow a full beard, not even at my "prime" age. Genes are very choosy.

All-in-all, I think society plays a greater role in substance abuse and co/poly-dependency than heredity. Our minds are like the surface of water: a pebble drops and there is a ripple. Instead of letting the ripple dying out, our minds can sometimes propagate these waves, and they will never stop unless we can discover the means by which they can be dampened.

[OldSchoolGamer]

Have any of you guys heard about Ibogaine? Links: Wikipedia, Erowid. Evidently, it's a psychedelic plant/chemical from Africa that can cure all sorts of addictions (habitual and chemical), although it takes some upkeep after the initial experience (1-4 years). Unfortunately, instead of accepting this rather unorthodox form of treatment, it has been banned by many countries

I think we briefly talked about that method/drug at the University. If I remember correctly, it is not scientifically proven. Personally, I think if someone takes a hallucinogen while they are going through withdrawals, it is obviously going to make them almost forget about their withdrawal symptoms because they are tripping. During the trip, a person might have a 'change of mind' and no longer want to continue being "sick and tired of being sick and tired". But that could happen with any hallucinogen, not just the one you mentioned. After taking a hallucinogen, it can make a person look at the world differently, analyze their own self, etc. and they may want to start to change their lifestyle, which could include to stop taking their DOC (drug of choice.) But I would never recommend anyone to take a hallucinogen to try to overcome their addiction. The combination of medication, rehab, 1 on 1 counseling, group counseling, therapy, exercise, healthy diet, safe environment, and positive people that you surround yourself with is definitely the best way to try to overcome a drug addiction.

[BeyondTheStatic]

I think we briefly talked about that method/drug at the University. If I remember correctly, it is not scientifically proven.

How many psychedelics have actual "scientifically proven" facts to back them, other than saying they mimic psychosis or schizophrenia? Psychedelics are probably the most misunderstood of all substances.

Personally, I think if someone takes a hallucinogen while they are going through withdrawals, it is obviously going to make them almost forget about their withdrawal symptoms because they are tripping. During the trip, a person might have a 'change of mind' and no longer want to continue being "sick and tired of being sick and tired". But that could happen with any hallucinogen, not just the one you mentioned.

From what I've heard, Ibogaine isn't you're typical psychotomimetic. It supposedly helps to reset certain pathways related to addictive behavior; it doesn't just give a person a different take on reality. It's deeper, and it's physical.

I would be totally willing to imbibe Ibogaine to test its effectiveness for myself, especially since these cigarettes and drinks are already killing me