Posted by geno on May 14, 2002, at 16:48:29
This is a subject that iv been reading up on. Im going to give you all some of my litature of what i read:
GHB and Alcohol are similar but different in many ways. They are both CNS depressants. GHB and alcohol both hit neurtransmitters seratonin, dopamine, gaba, acytylcoholine. GHB is metablolized by sussinic acid via Krebs cycle. THis is non toxic effect via kidneys liver. Alchol is metabolized by acytlhyde, a nerve irratant and very toxic to liver and kidneys.
GHB and alcohol both increase seratonin levels, ALTHOUGH alcohol depletes seratonin. GHB does not.
ALcohol releases dopamine in the brain, where ghb Suppresses dopamine temporarily, causing a buildup of dopamine, then is released when ghb wears off.
GHB and Alcohol both increase gaba. This is why both substances relax one and feel more social and less anxiety.
GHB increases acetylcholine in the brain, where alcohol deplete such, which is responsible for memeory and thinking.
GHB also releases a substance called oxytocin which is responsible for social states. Alcohol does not.
Alcohol causes depression, and due to the process which the body metablolized alchol, its a nerve irritant and lowering of seratonin, this is why people who are drunk want to fight, get aggressive and such. When a user is under the influence of ghb, there more happy, calm, peaceful, more effectionate, caring, almost like a love for life.
Both alcohol and ghb combined is a no no. Both decrease the respiratory system, and in large amounts can cause respiratory failure, cause ones gag reflexed to fail, and ending up choking on there own puke.
GHB has a very high dose response curve, meaning just a bit more of a dose, causes one to fall into a deep sleep, which is rem sleep. alcohol inhibits rem sleep and causes one to wake up unrefreashed, where a ghb user wakes up very alert and refreshed.
ghb will be a perscirbed drug soon called xyrem for narcolepsy/catypelepsy. people suffering from such illnesses, cannot achieve proper rem sleep, or stage 5 dream sleep. i noticed when i fall aleep from ghb, i dream very very vivid, moresoe nightmares, then wake up suddenly due to the dopamine rebound effect.
i feel ghb is not a good antidepressant due to the dopamine rebound effect, and a very short half life (30minutes) requiring repeated dosing.
also frequent use of ghb, causes too much dopamine to be stored and released, causing anxiety, panic, schizo like symtoms.
Though i feel ghb is very very usefull in people suffering from extreme depressed states where suicide is a factor, or acute panic attacks.
geno
poster:geno
thread:106385
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020510/msgs/106385.html