Posted by Michael Bell on May 28, 2004, at 21:43:09
In reply to Re: GHB(xyrem) vs. ALCOHOL » Michael Bell, posted by zeugma on May 28, 2004, at 21:01:16
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Sure, I definitely drink alcohol. Not often, but I consume a lot on the occasions that I do drink. It is extremely prosocial for me, especially when taking Picamilon. However, the prosocial effects are short-lived and tolerance does build up quickly.Regarding GHB, I believe it is a substance already found in the body. So the question is, if it is so effective for social phobia, could there be a GHB receptor/transmitter disfunction that Xyrem "fixes"? I'll probably never know, or at least not until I have a full understanding of all the safety issues.
For me, social phobia = social anxiety + reward deficiency. Acute alcohol intake seems to address both aspects. Benzos take care of the anxiety, but are not prosocial (and even seem to add to anhedonia).
Michael,
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> Have you never tried alcohol? As a social phobic, I find tolerance to the anti-phobic qualities of alcohol builds up frighteningly quickly- that 'comfortable feeling' i get around others after several drinks tends to be the signal that A) I am getting very drunk and B) that 'feeling' is in the process of dissipating, resulting in either resignation to the fact that social phobia/inhibition- though hardly sobriety- is about to descend, or a higher- and soon much higher- 'dose' is required. This shows that 'intoxication' and anti-phobic effects are discrete, and for me at least, alcohol is a promise that never really delivers.
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> GHB has been mentioned to me by my therapist, since although I have never been formally diagnosed, I seem to have a pretty bad case of narcolepsy. Its anti-cataplectic actions can be mimicked by TCA's and by Strattera, and its anti-social-phobic- though not pro-social- effects might be in the same league as clonazepam's (wouldn't it be great to have these two go head to head in a study?). I probably will never take it for my narcolepsy or social phobia, so I will probably never get to compare the two. I have heard that it is one of the most unpredictable of molecules. But I also cannot imagine alcohol 'working' for social phobia. Are there any social phobics who got more than momentary relief from their SP, before they wound up on the floor?
poster:Michael Bell
thread:351654
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040527/msgs/351681.html