Drug Addiction

[Running Bear]

I was once a Drug addict. I spent many years living in a very dark place and i often even thought of suicide. I tried going to rehab and I followed the 12 steps yet none of it seemed to help. It wasn't until i found psychedelics that i cleaned up my act. Now I'm highly motivated, built a career,and have done things that people can't possibly imagine. To me addiction is a disease and I know first hand what its like to live in that hell. I feel in my heart that I need to help other addicts but i'm not sure how to go about it. I truly believe that psychedelics such as ayahuasca could save peoples lives. How should I get this out there? Should I make a youtube video? Any ideas?

 

[null24]

Your desire to be of service is admirable and understandable. As one who can relate to your story, I can grok that.

Ive found that simply sharing my story has spread a little light where its needed. I do not agree that addiction works through a disease modality, but avoiding that discussion, it can be called a sickness. People in that place of suffering can hardly see beyond it.

As a heroin/methadone addict, I was surrounded by people who seemed they would always be, and I feel simply being an example is enough.

Where do you live? Is there any lical community of people using entheogens? Perhaps you could go online somewhere like meet up .com and start one.

 

[skoobysnax]

I was once a Drug addict. I spent many years living in a very dark place and i often even thought of suicide. I tried going to rehab and I followed the 12 steps yet none of it seemed to help. It wasn't until i found psychedelics that i cleaned up my act. Now I'm highly motivated, built a career,and have done things that people can't possibly imagine. To me addiction is a disease and I know first hand what its like to live in that hell. I feel in my heart that I need to help other addicts but i'm not sure how to go about it. I truly believe that psychedelics such as ayahuasca could save peoples lives. How should I get this out there? Should I make a youtube video? Any ideas?

My journey to recovery has been a long one. I am a few days shy of 8 years away from cocaine, opiates and alcohol and a bunch of other behaviors that lead me to hate myself. IME the 12 steps do work but only if they are worked. Meetings alone could not keep me clean but I did find the work (writing and sponsorship) a force of radical self exploration when I applied all of my issues and didn't focus on particular substances. I learned drugs were not the problem but that it was me all along. To be honest it was only other addicts sharing clean living experiences that could help me get clean and stay that way. Earth folk just don't know what it is like to be in the grips of addiction without even free will to not use, to not steal etc... etc... I was a true low bottom addict. A menace to society. I would steal from you and then try to help you find it. Homelessness, the works. Whether one agrees with the disease concept it worked for me as an approach to recover even if it is only anecdotal. Just like cancer it can be put into remission. I know for a fact I am always a decision away from waking that rat bastard up.

Odd as it is I remain in the rooms at least twice a week to sponsor newcomers and to remind me where I came from. It is a very practical place to be of service IMHO. As the addage says to keep what I have I have to give it away.

I spent 2 years in complete abstinence because I even mis-used good meds like cannabis, MDMA and LSD. Everything had lost its magic. After 2 years I began cannabis again. I rarely ever use it before 9pm, never wake and bake or before a gig. I found it to be most useful with the right protocol and I can make an ounce last for 4 months. I didn't even begin to explore entheogens until 3 yrs had passed and then very cautiously.

I had the good fortune of learning about the Shulgins and began to apply a protocol to using psychedelics. MDMA is no longer a party drug for me. It is very healing when used properly. Then finally when I was ready DMT found me and it took my work to a whole new level. It has a way of destroying the ego standing in the way of truth and gratitude and definitely will not tolerate abuse without issuing a hard hyperslap. I keep telling myself I will start to compile my different protocols in written form. My life is very full these days. I would love hear more from others with similar backgrounds and share my knowledge.

Here's to another day above ground!!

 

[entheogenic-gnosis]

I feel ayahuasca and ibogaine both have vast potential in healing addicts...

The pro-psychedelic plant position clearly is an anti-drug position. Drug dependencies are the result of habitual, unexamined and obsessive behavior; these are precisely the tendencies that the psychedelics mitigate.” -terence mckenna

Psychedelics tend to offer one an ability to review their unexamined compulsive behaviors and habits from an objective standpoint. However these compounds being investigated seem to have other pharmacological properties which aide in treating addiction.

Ibogaine acts on opioid receptors, relieving withdrawal, and it's antagonist action at the NMDA receptor may also contribute to its anti-addictive actions...

DMT acts on more than the 5HT2a/c receptors, DMT also acts via sigma-1 receptor agonism, which has been said to play a role in anti-addictive or therapeutic affects of compounds which hit this receptor site...

Targeting sigma receptors: novel medication development for drug abuse and addiction

Psychostimulant abuse is a serious health and societal problem in industrialized and developing countries. However, the identification of an effective pharmacotherapy to treat it has remained elusive. It has long been known that many psychostimulant drugs, ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Welcome to the DMT-Nexus

Ibogaine in the treatment of substance dependence - PubMed

Ibogaine is a psychoactive alkaloid derived from Tabernanthe iboga, a plant used in initiatory rituals in West Central Africa. Largely because of ibogaine's status as a Schedule I substance in the U.S., the development of ibogaine's use in the treatment of drug addiction took place outside...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Ibogaine in the treatment of substance dependence.

Treatment of acute opioid withdrawal with ibogaine - PubMed

Ibogaine is an alkaloid with putative effect in acute opioid withdrawal. Thirty-three cases of treatments for the indication of opioid detoxification performed in non-medical settings under open label conditions are summarized involving an average daily use of heroin of .64 +/- .50 grams...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Treatment of acute opioid withdrawal with ibogaine

Combating substance abuse with ibogaine: pre- and posttreatment recommendations and an example of successive model fitting analyses - PubMed

Ibogaine is an indole alkaloid derived from the root bark of the African shrub Tabernan the iboga and it has been used for many years as a medicinal and ceremonial agent in West Central Africa. Furthermore, both anecdotal observations and recent studies suggest that ibogaine alleviates...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Combating substance abuse with ibogaine

As for ayahuasca, the DMT, the harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmaline have all been shown to be beneficial in helping addicts...

Hypotheses regarding the mechanisms of ayahuasca in the treatment of addictions - PubMed

Ayahuasca is a medicinal plant mixture utilized by indigenous peoples throughout the Amazon River basin for healing purposes. The "vine of the soul" or "vine of death," as it is known in South America, contains a combination of monoamine oxidase inhibitors and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT). When...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Possible mechanisms of ayahuasca' s anti-addictive properties discussed.

The Therapeutic Potentials of Ayahuasca: Possible Effects against Various Diseases of Civilization

Ayahuasca is an Amazonian psychoactive brew of two main components. Its active agents are β-carboline and tryptamine derivatives. As a sacrament, ayahuasca is still a central element of many healing ceremonies in the Amazon Basin and its ritual ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Therapeutic Potentials of Ayahuasca

Ayahuasca-assisted therapy for addiction: results from a preliminary observational study in Canada - PubMed

This form of ayahuasca-assisted therapy appears to be associated with statistically significant improvements in several factors related to problematic substance use among a rural aboriginal population. These findings suggest participants may have experienced positive psychological and behavioral...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Ayahuasca-assisted therapy for addiction

Psychedelics as medicines for substance abuse rehabilitation: evaluating treatments with LSD, Peyote, Ibogaine and Ayahuasca - PubMed

Substances known as psychedelics, hallucinogens and entheogens have been employed in ethnomedical traditions for thousands of years, but after promising uses in the 1950's and 1960's they were largely prohibited in medical treatment and human research starting in the 1970's as part of the...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Psychedelics as medicines for substance abuse rehabilitation

-eg

 

[Orbiting]

thank you for that reply entheogenic-gnosis very interesting reading

as an addict in recovery i feel that the community aspect helps greatly, much like on here all the different perspective and technical knowledge propel us into the future.

squatting bear

I truly believe that psychedelics such as ayahuasca could save peoples lives. How should I get this out there? Should I make a youtube video? Any ideas?

i think that you just posting that question here and the responses that have been generated are constructive already! i know people in recovery and people who may very well be there in the future because of their sick brains & i don't think everyone is into these kinds of experiences its awfully intense and reality shattering, this initial post is what motivated me to join this community. however if we want to forge ahead spiritually we must confront uncomfortability in our lives and these chemicals can help that process begin or extend. i think it has to be done thoughtfully and on an individual basis

i dont know if youtube is the best venue but thank you for posting it here this certainly 100% is !

it almost reminds me of aa they took it easy on the advertising and let the merits of the protocol attract those who were interested
my thinking is that so many people watch youtube -- not that many by comparison make it to forums like this

 

[skoobysnax]

Whatever approach one takes to healing it is important to remain vigilant. After some time it is easy to forget and fall into old patterns and seek old comforts,places and playgrounds. Recovery, whatever road one takes, is a spiritual path. Supporting and being supported go hand in hand. For me recovery has no shelf life. I have to keep it fresh and engage myself in the work. It is not as grim as it sounds. I had one friend who went to Guatamala for Iboga treatment. Got better for a while but without actively working on himself eventually just went back to his old ways. He wanted a magic bullet but it does not exist. The ibogaine set his feet on the path but it did not do the walk for him.

 

[Running Bear]

I think addicts do need something intense and reality shattering. I don't think people stop abusing drugs until they see that the consequences outweigh the benefits. Sometimes the only way you can see those consequences is if you look deep within your self.

 

[DmnStr8]

I think addicts do need something intense and reality shattering. I don't think people stop abusing drugs until they see that the consequences outweigh the benefits. Sometimes the only way you can see those consequences is if you look deep within your self.

Rock bottom. Only one way to go when your at the bottom. UP!!

 

[zknarc]

I think addicts do need something intense and reality shattering. I don't think people stop abusing drugs until they see that the consequences outweigh the benefits. Sometimes the only way you can see those consequences is if you look deep within your self.

This seems to be a theme. An accident, family members passing away seems to shake people up in a good way, I guess the cliche term is 'wakeup call'

I think psychedelics can do the same as they make many (and me anyway) really look at the wider picture - who I am and where I'm going and the big questions in life.

 

[332211]

this guy figuered the mechanism of addiction out:

allen carr
forever non-smoker

if you really want to help addicts, use it and find the formula for dopamine addiction:

dopamineproject.org

 

[Orbiting]

I'm not entirely sure about that website it seems more of a bunch of opinion and thought-provoking pieces rather then rocksolid science I was just cruising the website for about 15 minutes and I read a bunch of articles I failed to read anything about the Nero bio causes of addiction namely the plorofieration and build up of delta fos b in response to increases in synaptic dopamine and genetic factors that precipitate the phenomenon. Additionally I wonder really when the not so complicated mode of addiction in humans and other animals for that matter becomes common enough knowledge that we as a society can begin to treat addiction from an evidence-based medical standpoint instead of in what my opinion is the equivalent of bloodletting/leaching

the fact that rehabs are a first-line treatment of alcoholism and a cute drug dependence is ridiculous, obviously people need to be safely detoxified and educated. My problem is the ultra high relapse rate, thousands of insurance (or out of pocket dollars) yield basically no better result than doing nothing (save the safe detox factor which is only important in terms of alcohol, bento and probably some hyper obscure drugs like propofol or probably ghb which no ones doing anyway)
The fact is many people abusing drugs wind up in "rehab" however that event doesn't satisfy the necessity that the addicts conditions deteriorate faster than they can lower their own standards to meet their devolving reality

 

[332211]

addiction is is the false asumption, that the substance/behaviour one indulges in brings any kind of satisfaction (if you smoke tobacco, try to smoke a cigarette consciously and describe, where the "joy" lies).

If one rationalizes the addiction to "x", the usual approach is to stop by willpower. but the false asumption is so strongly brainwashed (usaully by the person her/himself) into the subconscious, that the illusion of an advantage fron "x" persists. which makes it nearly impossible to stop.

but, if one understands, that there is no value in repeatedly ramming a red hot knife into her/his shoulder - causing his/her pain and agony, it is not a problem to stop, but the most freeing feeling one can experience.

 

[endlessness]

What works for one person might not work for someone else, gotta always keep that in mind. 332211, I can understand you have identified a lot with a certain theory or philosophy but please be aware of how you put your theories and ideas out as if they were established facts. Having E-Prime in mind and not talking in absolutes might be a better approach to build bridges with other people's opinions and establish good communication since it recognizes that nobody knows anything really so we can all learn. We are all just sharing theories and experiences, and making conclusions based on the mosaic of information we receive from different sources.

As for the original topic... Squatting Bear, there is this thread with tips for quitting addictive substances, feel free to contribute so others can make use of the info: Quitting opiates/addictive substances - Tips, strategies, complementary tools - Health & Safety - Welcome to the DMT-Nexus

Working online can be a great thing. But if you are really interested I also suggest finding a local organization that works with harm reduction or addiction treatment or whatever, and see if you can make a difference there. At the very least you probably learn a lot from the experience

 

[obliguhl]

I think the most valuable thing you can do is to "out" yourself to friends and family. They are the ones who care about you the most and the ones who are most likely to bring about cultural changes because of the trust they have in you.

 

[332211]

It's not a theorie anymore - if you can believe their success rates. Their in-field-data, namely cured smokers from their curses, validate their model of addiction with a whopping 96% success-rate.

It is really worth it to put some time into validating these facts by yourself.

There is a lot to learn about the human mind and how it forms our reality and influences the body (e.g. "withdrawal symptoms").

I am currently trying to apply the principle to internet/porn/novelty addiction, which some of us may really be interested in ^^.

 

[Orbiting]

It's not a theorie anymore - if you can believe their success rates. Their in-field-data, namely cured smokers from their curses, validate their model of addiction with a whopping 96% success-rate.

It is really worth it to put some time into validating these facts by yourself.

There is a lot to learn about the human mind and how it forms our reality and influences the body (e.g. "withdrawal symptoms").

I am currently trying to apply the principle to internet/porn/novelty addiction, which some of us may really be interested in ^^.

:? :? :?

So in your option is there a neuro bio basis of addiction or what's happening there I'm trying to understand

Additionally I like what endlessness said what works for one may not work for others, there's protective factors and factors that make people less resilient to addictive behaviors as well you friend smokes tobacco I'll ask him to do some writing/ introspection and see how it works

 

[EssCee]

It works for every reason common sense would dictate it wouldn't.

Part of my Aya-Haoma journey was due to knowing people who's addiction has gotten in the way of the every day. Taking care of kids etc. We have helped get them setup for rehab, taken kids fo months etc.

I wanted to go first to see what it was all about.

It is something most addicts will be completely ok with as well. It is SOOOOOO much easier to talk an addict into taking a trip to Peru and having a "quick fix" on a psychedelic than to have them work on themselves and their issues one step at a time or having them attend rehab.

I have doubts about the long term affects of Aya without continuous reinforcement, I absolutely believe this works for those who are mentally strong but physically weak against addiction. People who can plan properly and that actually want to be free from addiction. People who take reintegration seriously.

I also think the main "theme" works really well in this situation. Most addicts have a power inner voice they have to squelch just to bare with the day to day. This lets that voice out. And no one else is telling them what to do. They are telling themselves.

I have had the same thoughts. What I have found is just keeping enough tea on hand for when someone needs that kind of experience rather than searching out those who may or may not take is seriously. Almost like a "I'm here when you want to be too".

Also, I have ben trying to research bad experiences for other so I can try to make sure when they point back to me for questions, if they are urgent I am not fumbling around in Google while they are in crisis mode. I have a friend who we wonder if they will be violent but has had alcoholism for a long time, his wife wants me to take him out. He wants me to as well , but I will not until he has at least 2 mini-experiences first at 1/4 then at 1/2 . (usually those last 30minutes and an hour respectively) and are not strong. If he is comfortable then we will wait another week and do it then.