Drugs of the Universe
Volume I: “The Big 12”
0 _ O MDMA —N
CLI K
— = 4 Nicotine LSD-25 CLI ei ry OH 3 Heroin eoeuseei HO é ro OH o A, * = OH HOme :
WAS (Xanax)
OH OH Caffeine " % : d9-THC ZA™ Sucrose Bae OH
Ethanol
Matthew Montana
I wish that I could have publish this book by traditional means, but it seems that the world could use this information sooner rather than later.
I hope that by putting this information out there for free, others will be encouraged to create similar Honest information-focused works of art that can benefit humanity.
If I could sum this book up in three sentences: KNOW your Drugs. KNOW your Source. KNOW Yourself.
Special thanks to:
“The One No Blade Can Pierce” - This person gave me the inspiration to write a book in the first place! Who knows where I would be without you.
“Yaw Chas” — Who mentored me spiritually more than I could have ever imagined. I wish I understood the importance of these lessons sooner, but I suppose everything will happen exactly when it is supposed to, won’t it?
“The Powers that Be” - The wisest teacher I have ever met. He taught me to question the world and my place in it. I am blessed to have met you.
And special thanks to all my friends and family, who stood with me through all difficult times in my life. I love All of You!
Now, learn something if you can!
If this information has helped you, or if you want to support me, please check out my GoFundMe:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-free-and-honest-exchange-of-information
Credit to ChemSpider for the depictions of drug molecules on the cover of the book
Included in the back of the book is a Glossary where bold-faced words will be defined. Please use it when you need!
Table of Contents
PART I - Opening
4 - Disclaimer!
5 - The List - What drugs have I done?
9 - Preface
16- About Me
22- Addiction
26- “Graphing” Addiction (My visual view of addiction) 34- Getting “High” Without the Drugs
PART II - Safety
38 - Safety 1 — Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
45 - Safety 2 — Do’s and Do nots of drug use
46- Safety 3-— Sample Steps to take drugs
49- Safety and Suggestion for Various Routes of Administration (RoA) 55 - How to use this Book
PART III — Drug Chapters 63 - Sugar (17pg)
80- Caffeine (17pg)
97 - Nicotine (22pg)
117 - Alcohol (23pg)
140 - Cannabis (22pg)
162 - Benzodiazepines (23pg) 185 - Amphetamines (28pg) 212 - Cocaine (22pg)
234 - Opioids (40pg)
274 - MDMA (27pg)
301 - Ketamine (22pg)
324 - LSD (24pg)
348 - Glossary
Disclaimer
Before proceeding, some things need to be addressed. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not continue to read this book!
1. Speaking from personal experience, I have read about many types of drugs, which resulted in me trying them
a short time later. This led me to wanting to share my experience. Reading about drugs can sometimes inspire a
curiosity and the desire to experiment with a drug. I will not be named responsible for individuals who decide to partake in the use of drugs by reading this book.
2. Not all information in this book may be true. I did my best to explore multiple sources and look at multiple sides of an argument, in order to make sure it is valid to the best of my knowledge, but the sources I have used may have been ill-informed themselves or simple mistakes could have been made with data when it actually came to me writing. Doing your own research is fundamental whether the reader wants to embark on the adventure of drug-taking or not.
3. I am not responsible for any personal injury or death that may result from a user experimenting with a drug that they read about in this book.
4. My experiences are my own and certainly do not guarantee that others will share them. We are each different people, with different feelings, different histories, and different body chemistries. Therefore, drugs could have completely different effects for the user from the ones that I have described for myself.
5. Iam not a medical professional, therefore any “advice” or “recommendation” that I may make is based solely on my personal experience and research of what I found effective. This essentially means that this advice is FOR MYSELF, but it is possible for the reader to learn from it as well. Just because I mixed two drugs together and lived does not mean that the reader should attempt to do the same. This advice is more for myself, and my personal experience, but I share it because it I believe it would be beneficial to the community at large.
There is a VERY high probability that you are downloading this book for free, because that is how I intended to release it. Everything that is written here was intended to provide benevolent assistance to humanity, but it is up to the reader what they decide to do with this information. If the reader possesses Any malevolent intent after getting this far, I personally forbid you to read any further!
In the simplest of terms, be respectful — to yourself, to me, and to those around you.
List of Drugs that I have Knowingly and Personally Consumed
The current count is 100, and I am certain I am missing a few! Not to mention the drugs I have consumed unknowingly. Not all of these drugs are covered in this book, but in future volumes, they will likely all be elucidated.
Cannabinoids (Synthetic and natural) [15 substances] S5F-AKB48
S5F-PB-22
5F-UR-144
AB-Chiminaca
AKB48
Cannabis [A9-THC, A8-THC, CBD, CBN, etc] CP-47,497
CP-55,940
JWH-018
JWH-073
JWH-122
JWH-210
PB-22
STS-135
UR-144
Stimulants [17 substances]
4-EMC [4-EthylMethCathinone]
4-MEC [4-MethylEthCathinone]
4-MeMABP
4-MMC [Mephedrone, 4-MethylMethCathinone]
Amphetamine (Racemic) [Street-Grade Speed (In Europe commonly)] [Adderall] Butylone
Cocaine
Dextro-Amphetamine [Dexedrine] [Vyvanse - Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate] Ethylone
Ethylphenidate
Hex-Methylphenidate [Focalin]
Methamphetamine
Methylphenidate [Ritalin, Concerta]
Methylone Phentermine Pseudoephedrine Wellbutrin
Stimulants (Plant Derived) [11 substances] Bacopa Monnieri Caffeine Cordyceps Ginseng
Lion’s Mane Maca Root Nicotine
Nutmeg Rhodiola Rosea Sugar
Yohimbe
Psychedelics and Empathogens [14 substances] 25-B NBOMe
25-C NBOMe
25-I NBOMe
2C-B
2C-I
4-AcO-DMT [Psilacetin]
4-HO-MET
DMT [Di-Methy] Tryptamine] LSD-25 [Lysergic Acid Diethylamide] MDA
MDMA
Mescaline (Synthetic form) Mushrooms [Psilocybin]
Salvia
Dissociatives [4 substances] Dextromethorphan [DXM] Ketamine [Special K]
Nitrous Oxide Methoxetamine [MXE]
Relaxants/Depressants (Non-Opioid) [19 substances]
1,4-BDO (GHB-type drug)
Alcohol
Benzodiazepine-type drugs Alprazolam [Xanax] Clonazepam [Klonopin] Diazepam [Valium] Etizolam Librium [Chloradizepoxide] Lorazepam [Ativan] Temazepam [Restoril]
Buspirone
Diphenhydramine [Benadryl]
Doxylamine Succinate [NyQuil]
Eszopiclone [Lunesta]
Gabapentin [Neurontin]
GBL
GHB
Phenibut
Promethazine
Zolpidem [Ambien]
Opioids/Opiates [12 substances] Buprenorphine [Suboxone] Codeine [Tylenol-3]
Heroin [Di-Acetyl Morphine] Hydrocodone [Vicodin] Hydromorphone [Dilaudid] Loperamide [Immodium A-D] Kratom
Morphine Sulphate
Opium (Raw form)
Oxycodone [Percocet/Oxycontin] Tramadol [Ultram]
U-47700
Nootropics/Other [8 substances] Alkyl Nitrate (Poppers) Aniracetam
Ashwagandha
Blue Lotus
Kava Kava
L-Theanine (Synthetically derived) Modafinil
Piracetam
If you paid attention to what was written so far, then you may have noticed that I have done pretty much every commonly known substance! The only one that comes to mind that I have not done that is commonly known of is PCP [Phencyclidine], also known as angel dust. I also have not smoked Crack Cocaine.
Preface
“Mightier than either the pen or the sword, is the pill” -Aldous Huxley Drugs that Shape Men’s Minds
Before we begin...
Please, I urge you, if you are serious about trying drugs and want to jump right into different drug chapters to explore their individual effects, please at least read the chapters in PART IJ — Safety. I do not often go into every possible safety risk of every drug in every chapter, because most of these can be grouped into a broad category of harm reduction. For instance, using drug testing kits (reagent kits) to test your drugs to make sure the product is what it was sold as, and not some obscure drug that might kill you. This is a good idea for almost any substance, but it is not discussed within specific chapters very often, hence the importance of reading over PART II — Safety. Having researched and done drugs for more than ten years, I have learned so much in terms of keeping myself safe. Pay careful attention to these sections so that you may reduce your chances of hurting yourself or someone else as much as possible.
Alright, let’s do it!
This book is as much about me trying to discover myself, as it is about me sharing my knowledge with the world. While I tried to be as honest as possible with everything in this book, I would still heavily encourage the reader to do their own research.
I thought the best way to open this book was to do a brief FAQ segment, because it gets right to the heart of why I did the things I did, and why this book exists today.
Where did the motivation come from to write this book?
From my observation, drugs are vastly misunderstood. I will certainly not claim to understand everything about them, but throughout the years I have observed the same trend: The amount of people who consume drugs without having done substantial research on the drugs they consume is staggering. This has led to easily observable accidents, such as panic attacks, extreme physical discomfort, unconsciousness, hospitalizations, and even death. Indeed, I have unfortunately lost several friends to drug overdose.
This lack of knowledge has filled me with anger. I am angry that we live in a world where proper education about these drugs is not encouraged, resulting in the aforementioned unintentional self-harm. I am angry that finding True and Valid information on these drugs is difficult. And I am angry that there is a legal system that can imprison people for obscene amounts of time because a person decides to ingest a substance into their body.
So, L asked myself — what can I do? I have a very vast array of experience with drugs, both positive and negative, so I believe I should share it with the world. My hope and purpose for this book is that at least one
person will not make the same mistakes I did, and that maybe, I can cause positive and lasting change on a larger scale.
Why would anyone consume 100 unique drugs?
This is probably the most popular question I am asked when I discussed the process of writing this book with others. To be honest, it started out with simple curiosity, then grew into an intense fascination. I was awestruck by drugs and the variety of effects they had on my mind and body. The more drugs I tried, the more curious I became. As time went on, I grew to enjoy documenting these drug experiences and a thirst to learn more persisted beyond anything I imagined. After years of research, the most intense question of my studies came down to this: How could a tiny pill or small bit of powder alter consciousness so remarkably?
Drugs can have a plethora of effects. There are drugs that can virtually eliminate the feeling of pain, as with opioid analgesics (such as prescription pain-killers and heroin). Methamphetamine is notorious for its extraordinary stimulatory properties. Taking a high dose of can cause a user to stay awake for days without sleeping. In the opposite vein, benzodiazepine drugs, such as alprazolam (Xanax) or diazepam (Valium), can cause such sedation at high doses, that a person could become comatose for days or longer. Mood altering drugs, such as MDMA (ecstasy) or LSD (acid), cause euphoria and a potential lasting change in perspective that is said to help with depression and PTSD. In an extreme case, there also exist drugs in today’s world, such as the malevolent Devil’s Breath or Barandanga (active drug: scopolamine), which when ingested, is rumored to cause a user to have their will bent to another's desires — in other words, essentially — have their mind controlled.
With such a variety of effects, it seems as though drugs are the most profound way to alter the mind in the shortest amount of time. It is this aspect that has really drawn me to drugs more than any other.
If drugs are so powerful, why would anyone take them?
Knowledge of these powerful or harmful drug effects may cause some to question: Why would people want to do drugs in the first place? Aside from being told by a doctor or other professional to take a certain drug, I believe the desire to do drugs stems foremost from curiosity, a natural part of life. For instance, we may have heard a drug like caffeine is a stimulant, and we have a desire for stimulation. Curiosity will cause us to explore this drug. This quest for unknown knowledge is not unique to humans, and incidentally, we are not the only species to be fascinated by mind altering chemicals. Dolphins will take turns passing around a puffer fish which secretes venom so that an intoxicated state is produced [BBC]. Reindeer have been known to eat amanita muscaria, one of the various types of psychedelic mushrooms present in our world, and behave as if intoxicated [DrugDisc]. Cats can enjoy a buzz as well. When they smell or eat catnip (nepeta cataria), they can become playful, aggressive, relaxed, and experience sexual excitability [PetMD]. Even vervet monkeys, a closer evolutionary relative to humans, will consume alcohol for pleasure, and have been known to steal it off unknowing vacationers by the beach [Monkey].
Curiosity also likely caused ancient humans to discover the psychoactive effects of natural plants and mixtures. Some of these drugs have been in use for thousands of years. Intentionally fermented rice wine was found in China more than 9,000 years ago [NatGeo 2017]. Coca leaves, used to make modern day cocaine, were chewed 8,000 years ago according to some researchers [BBCCoca]. There is some evidence in drawings in the Sahara Desert of a “mushroom cult” revolving around psychoactive mushrooms more than 7,000 years ago [Arte]. Based on the depth of this history, drug use is not a recent phenomenon, and I believe we can expect its use to continue, especially as newer and more dangerous drugs are created.
Aside from curiosity, a perhaps equally likely reason that a person may ingest drugs is due to peer pressure. Friends have a powerful influence over each other. As humans are growing, especially when they are young, they are often vulnerable to the thoughts and actions of those closest to them, while simultaneously sometimes ignoring authority figures such as parents or teachers. If your closest friend is using drugs and enjoys them, it makes the drug seem that much more appealing. If they tell you to take it, and you have placed a great trust in them, then the likelihood of taking that drug increases even more.
Why use drugs if they are illegal?
Perhaps the desire to use drugs is natural and ingrained in our past, but I am often asked another question: why do people do drugs if they are illegal? Quite simply, it seems people do not think they will get caught — and most do not. Also, despite severe consequences for breaking the law, and the United States’ infamous fifty year “War on Drugs,” some people generally do not seem concerned with consequences. The law has not stopped vast quantities of drugs from traveling around the world. In fact, some of the latest statistics say that people are ingesting some drugs at higher levels than ever before. Opium and cocaine, two of the most notoriously dangerous drugs, have seen the highest production on record: According to the World Drug Report 2019, estimates of global cocaine production were 1,976 tons in 2017 and estimates of global opium production was around 7,790 tons in 2018 (most recent statistics).
Those numbers alone do not mean as much, so sometimes, a picture can help convey the message. For a frame of reference, this is two tons of sand, with a banana for scale: Sah te mt; 7%; j ages ae = POE nes ines =
ab ss
Now, imagine 1,000 times this much to get an idea of how much cocaine was produced in one year. For opium, it is nearly 4,000 times as much.
Needless to say, drugs are not leaving the world anytime soon.
What sets this book apart from other similar books?
I am certainly not the first one to do something like this, but my method is a bit different from others. Some books, such as The Drug Users Bible contain information on far more drugs than the twelve classes that I have elaborated on in this book, and while a great read, are not as detailed as I have been here. Others contain a more medical perspective, such as Buzzed: The Straight Facts. Some of these books are biased towards medical science, and the general view that “Drugs are Bad,” which I of course, outright disagree with.
So, what are my credentials to write this material? I do not have any medical degrees or certifications with regard to drugs. Where does the credibility lie? Quite simply, it lies in the vast amount of experience that I have gained, and the fact that I documented countless experiences on drugs. I can give a perspective that is perhaps more relative to the average drug user. Naturally, I have my own bias, but I try to acknowledge it whenever possible. There are also many sections on what it is like to COMBINE drugs with other drugs. Many other books do not do this, especially with the level of precision and detail that I have.
How do we know that the information that you have printed is true?
Well, quite simply, you cannot know. In the Information and Technology Age we live in, anyone can post a news article or forum post, saying whatever they want to say. Maybe it is “fake news” or utterly ridiculous. Maybe the information printed is true, but it is slandered by another news source — and thus becomes as if it were false. How can we know?
I try to use citations when absolutely necessary. There is the element of personal bias obviously, because I am trying to make a point! However, much of the information you find in the following pages is My Truth to the best of my ability. Some may disagree with what is said, but when it comes to reporting the facts — such as how long the effects of a drug lasted in my body — well then it is as true as I can make it. My hope is that my truths will help unveil more information about these substances.
Okay, but why should we take your word for it?
As said earlier, you should not! You must do your own research, but I must tell you, the way the information in this book is being circulated is a bit different. This information here is FREE as I intended, and I do not know what has happened in your life, but when I am provided valuable information for free, I am usually far more inclined to believe it. The moment money comes into the equation, I instantly throw my guard up and become more hesitant to believe what is being communicated to me. Whether it is about the economy, politics, health, fitness, or any other topic of conversation, if money is to be made from information provided, I use caution.
Basically, I am saying that because I am spreading this information freely, this might lend to greater credibility. I leave that for the reader to decide.
Why do you cite sources from users on Reddit or other uncredible websites?
The fact is that detailed information about drugs is hard to find, especially for illicit drugs. I believe there is a great power in the anecdotal drug experience. Of course, we cannot generalize drug effects to the entire population based on one person’s experience with a particular drug, but we can, however, see it as a new perspective that can help us understand more about the substance.
There is the possibility that some of the information I cited is false, so take my information with a grain of salt and do your own research!
Are there even that many people still using drugs?
There are some who doubt that drug use is prevalent. I have heard, “Not that many people are using drugs! Your book won’t appeal to anyone!” According to the CDC, that is simply not true. In America, 53 million Americans over the age of twelve — that's roughly 20% of the U.S. population — reported illicit use of drugs or misuse of prescriptions in the year 2018 [CDC 2018]. This does not count the percentage of people using legal drugs like nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol — which are substances that are later addressed in this book.
We are faced with some truths: People continue to use drugs at increasing rates and nothing has worked to stop this. Not fighting a War on Drugs. Not making stricter laws. Not making longer sentences. Nothing.
So... What can I do?
This circles me back to why I wrote this book and my main purpose and motivation. Through years of experience and observation, it seems the best defense against harm from drugs is clear: Education. | am not referring to the type of education one might get in school about drugs, such as the “Just say NO!” campaign, or learning an abstinence-only approach. These have not worked, as people continue to use drugs. While there is now a greater push for a “Safety-first” approach to drugs in some schools [DrugP], I believe the program is still lacking and adults outside of a school setting will need proper drug education as well.
In the pages ahead, the reader will find a wide variety of possible drug effects that I have experienced, as well as some background information about some of the most popular drugs in today’s world. I hope to help prevent others from making the mistakes that I have made. In other words, the primary reason that I have compiled this book is for Harm Reduction.
May you take away the lessons you need to from this book.
Peace to All.
Sources:
Arte
The Oldest Representations of Hallucinogenic Mushrooms in the World http://www.artepreistorica.com/2009/12/the-oldest-representations-of-hallucinogenic-mushrooms-in-the-world- sahara-desert-9000-%E2%80%93-7000-b-p/
BBC Dolphins — Spy in the Pod: Pass the Puffer https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01pfwhk
BBCCoca Coca leaves first chewed 8,000 years ago, says research https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment- 11878241
CDC 2018 Drug Surveillance Report https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/pdf/pubs/2019-cdc-drug-surveillance-report.pdf
DrugDisc Why Reindeer Love Magic Mushrooms http://www.drugdiscoverytoday.com/view/14778/why-reindeer-love-magic-mushrooms/
DrugP Real Drug Education https://www.drugpolicy.org/issues/real-drug-education
NatGeo 2017 Our 9,000-year love affair with booze. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/02/alcohol-discovery-addiction-booze-human-culture/
Monkey Drunk Monkey - Horizon: Do I Drink Too Much? - BBC Two https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w4RmbX4WR8
PetMd
What Does Catnip Do to Cats?
https://www.petmd.com/blogs/thedailyvet/jcoates/201 1/june/cats_and_catnip- does_it_really_get_them_high_and_why-
11271#:~:text=Nepetalactone%20is %20the%200i1%20that's have%20to%20smell%20the%20catnip. &text=Oth er%20cats %20will %20display %20active, playfulness %20o0r%20sometimes %20even%20agegression.
PharmaCom 2018 Global pharma spending will hit $1.5 trillion by 2023, says IQVIA https://pharmaceuticalcommerce.com/business-and-finance/global-pharma-spending-will-hit- 1 -5-trillion-in-
2023-says-iqvia/
SurgGen
Highlights from the Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs and Health: At a Glance https://addiction.surgeongeneral.gov/sites/default/files/report-highlights.pdf
About Me
If your goal when reading this book is to determine how a particular drug might affect you, remember that drugs can affect each of us differently based on a variety of factors. Some of these factors are discussed in the PART IT — Safety, and that is why I urge you to read over that section before embarking on any adventures.
The PURPOSE of this chapter is to give the reader an idea of who I am, and why my experiences with various drugs have unfolded the way they have. There are many drug experiences contained in this book at the conclusion of each chapter. Having a general background knowledge about my past, written as it is here, may help illustrate why I experience certain drugs a certain way. My hope is that by providing an explanation of some of my past life experiences in this chapter, it will help give a frame of reference about my drug experiences for the reader, so they may better relate a drug experience to themselves. Always consider your own past life experiences, with respect to your current life situation, and then consider how a potential drug experience may unfold. Of course, always remember that it is impossible to know how a drug will affect you until it is actually taken.
Well then, how did I arrive at the place Iam now? Why did I end up using all these substances? This segment will focus on how I came to be the person I am today, with a heavy focus on the drug-related aspects I have experienced.
My Youth
I grew up in a very privileged environment. I was the only child of two married parents and lived in a relatively large house. As for my hometown, there were few community problems to speak of. I did not witness poverty until I ventured into nearby New York City when I grew older, and violence was virtually unheard of. I grew up in one of the top ten richest counties in the United States, so I was undoubtedly sheltered for much of my youth. I am sure this influenced how I thought about the world as a child and even through adulthood, as I knew very little about the hardships of life or much else outside of the bubble that I lived in. I traveled with family occasionally, but still I did not process too much of what it was like for others to live until I went to college and spoke with friends from different parts of the country.
My home life was healthy. I believe I was raised well, with good morals and values, and like many parents teach — to stay away from drugs. Seldom would my parents drink alcohol, perhaps a glass or two of wine with dinner once a week. I do not recall ever seeing them drunk. My first exposure to the effects of high-level alcohol consumption was at family gatherings where I witnessed my extended family members drinking. Still, I did not fully understand the effects. I was often off playing games with my cousins, only to come back to the rest of the family for dinner and witness how the volume of my uncle’s voices would change throughout the evening. They would grow rambunctious, get red-faced, and laugh a lot. My parents vaguely explained the change in behavior was as a result of drinking beer and other types of alcoholic drinks, but I was young and could not grasp the concept.
Easing out of childhood and entering middle school, there was one thing I had become very good at: competitive running. I was on multiple teams and raced against towns, rarely winning, but always near the front of the crowd. It was very exciting, but also stressful as I did not enjoy the competition behind it. It gave my mother a sense of pride, so I continued.
Hobbies at the time included excessive videogame playing. I was not very on top of my studies. Homework was either done on the bus ride to school, or in other classes, that way I could maximize the time spent playing video
games after school. Already, I was looking for the instant gratification that some may characterize as an addictive tendency.
High School
My transition to high school was more painful. I lost a lot of friends while trying to discover who I was as a person. One of my greatest hardships (relative to my very privileged life), was coming to terms with my homosexuality. It was not easy for me, and there was a hard pushback from my parents for months. I occasionally felt unloved and unappreciated, resulting in this part of my life becoming much more difficult than I thought it would be.
Having found new friends in high school that I could be open and honest with, I began to feel more comfortable with myself. It was easy to confide in them as I was coming into adulthood. My expanding social circle gave me satisfaction, which allowed me to behave comfortably however I wanted. I always thought I was funny, trying to make jokes in even the most inappropriate situations. Occasionally I was disruptive, both in social conversations and in classrooms. My friends would try to explain to me when I was being irrational, but I would not listen. I was self-centered at times, even downright mean to others, but never realized it. Fortunately, I became aware of this years later. Looking back, I do not like how I behaved, but I must acknowledge it.
Throughout this whole high school experience, I felt happy. I never experienced the anxiety or depression that a lot of my classmates felt, and I definitely never felt suicidal. I woke up ready to go to school each day, and came home feeling good. I was still running, and even more competitively now as a high schooler. Perhaps it was the daily running practice that gave me a positive endorphin kick which allowed me to come home with an optimistic mindset every day, or perhaps I just really liked who I thought I was.
I still had a social life. I would do what most teenagers were supposed to do (from my understanding) with their friends: go out for pizza, watch movies, hang out at the mall, and talk about other people from class. These were simple activities — no drugs and alcohol were present here. Intoxication was not even talked about among my main group of friends. Among my closest friend circle, we were vaguely aware that other people from our class were partying and indulging in drugs and alcohol, but we did not really know any of them personally.
My school work was still completed whenever I could fit it in — on the bus, or in another class. Video games and the pleasure that brought me were still a top priority. As for which classes I liked, psychology was probably my favorite. There was a strong fascination with understanding the way the mind worked. I also excelled at mathematics, always enjoying how a problem could be solved perfectly. Computer programming was another class that I enjoyed, mostly because it was another problem-solving class, and gave me hope that I might design a computer game in the future.
When it came time for graduation, I was in the top 10% of my class, though I feel this was undeserved, as I had cheated occasionally. All my good friends placed higher than me, and I felt a little behind, but I was still happy with how I performed and excited for college.
So, when was I finally exposed to drugs and alcohol?
Pre-College and Freshman Year
What I would consider my first real experience with intoxication was from alcohol, shortly before I left for college. I was 18 years old at the time. My main friend group was at the top of the class academically, likely correlated with a lower incidence of consuming alcohol and other drugs. When a different group of friends were throwing an end-of-summer party and invited me to come along, I was very nervous since I knew there was going to be alcohol and I would feel the peer pressure to drink.
When I showed up, whatever thoughts about “alcohol is bad” disappeared, and the desire to “fit in” flourished. I remember taking the first sip of a Mike's Hard Lemonade nervously, and trying to enjoy the flavor. It was that
first sip that set me off for the night. I drank all different types of drinks: beer, wine, mixed drinks — if it was there, I would try it! I would venture to guess that I had maybe six or seven standard drinks throughout the evening. I was acting so ridiculously - saying things to mere acquaintances that I rarely told close friends, being loud and obnoxious, running around, and butting into conversations. I suppose that for my personality, these effects were not surprising being drunk for the first time, but I really felt like an idiot the next day thinking back to how I behaved the previous night. That, and the mild hangover I felt the in the morning were what I recall most from that night.
After this experience, I felt "ready" for college. Part of the experience of college was going to parties and getting intoxicated — right? There was a determination to take full advantage of this and I certainly did not miss out! I would go to parties once or twice a week and drink and drink, thinking this was me being rebellious and going against the grain, doing what I was not supposed to do. The truth, however, was that many other people were doing exactly what I was doing. I was not very rebellious at all. I definitely liked the effect of alcohol and during that first year of college, I felt like I was doing it right, having all the fun while still getting my work done. I had a determination to never try other drugs, thinking that all of them would make me stupid or give me a mental disorder. Little did I know at the time just how deep into the drug lifestyle I would get.
Several months passed during my first year at school, and I found out some of my new college friends would occasionally consume cannabis. I had been offered a few times but always said "No!" just like I was taught in school growing up. But of course, I am curious person. What is the appeal? What does it feel like? Why do you do it? My friends who are getting high seem to be enjoying themselves, so how bad could it be?
As alcohol lowers inhibitions and affects a person's ability to make decisions, and with a lot of peer pressure from my new friends, I gave in one night after a bit of drinking, and decided to smoke cannabis. I took a few puffs of the drug from a glass pipe my friend had and felt an intoxicated feeling that I had never felt before. I got the spins from the combination of alcohol and cannabis and felt overall unpleasant and highly intoxicated. Looking back, I wish my friends would have let me know that this could happen (another testament to this book — knowing about the ill-effects of drugs before experiencing them!), but it was not the worst feeling. All the thoughts of "weed makes you stupid" and "weed kills brain cells" were forgotten. I even first tried a cigarette for the first time the same night and enjoyed the headrush it gave me! I had stepped over the line that I had drawn for myself, and once a line is crossed, it is hard to “uncross” it.
A little discouraged after my first cannabis experience because it was so overwhelming, I did not try the drug again for a few weeks, until I was with someone who suggested I try the drug sober from alcohol. "Just take two hits, and wait," I was told. So I did, and then I felt a wonderful warm and floating sensation. There was some euphoria, and introspective thinking among other positive emotions. I happened to really enjoy this experience and desired to repeat it again.
Since I liked the drug so much, it was not long after this that I was using cannabis at least a few times a week. And not even a month after that, I evolved into a pot-head or a stoner, slang terms for someone who would use the drug on a daily basis. I used multiple times a day and for any reason. Wake up — smoke. Eat breakfast — smoke. Go on a run — smoke. Do homework — smoke. Hang out with friends — smoke. I loved it, and I got all my school work done and maintained a good GPA. I did not think this would cause any problems, so I kept on using. This habit continued for several years.
Sophomore Year
When sophomore year came around, I was hanging out with another friend of mine who had been prescribed Adderall, which is essentially just pure amphetamine. She claimed it helped her perform amazingly well on her school work. I knew others in college who used the drug, with some boasting it to be a "life-saver" in terms of getting work done on time. As a sophomore in college, the workload increased, as did my desire to party, and again, I gave into my curiosities about a new drug and tried a 10 mg tablet the night before a paper was due.
The drug was incredible! How did I not know about this sooner? Caffeine was an utter failure in comparison. I finished a six-page paper about a topic I did not care about, complete with citations and references in less than three hours. To top it off, when the professor handed back the paper, I ended up getting an "A-" and I felt very accomplished. Perhaps if I was not still smoking so much cannabis, which can diminish focus and other mental abilities, I would not have felt the need for this other drug, but regardless, I developed a new habit. Adderall was consumed once or twice a week, and for the duration of effect of the drug (4-8 hours, depending on dose) I would rapidly complete all my schoolwork. If I was not on the drug, schoolwork felt difficult or impossible to complete. Thinking to myself that I had it all figured out, I kept this habit going for much of my college experience.
At the age of 19, in addition to Adderall, I was also exposed to ecstasy, the tablet form of a drug that allegedly contains MDMA. I went to my first music festival, knowing very little about how this drug was going to affect me. Some research was done, but for the most part, I was going into this experience blindly. I took the drug at the festival and felt a type of euphoria I had never felt before. As this was my first dose, I think the drug affected me strangely, but it was enjoyable even though my memory of the event is somewhat hazy. The dose I had taken was rather mild, and to this day I do not know if it contained pure MDMA, but my interest was piqued and a few weeks later I sought after the drug for future parties. Recovering successfully without any perceivable side effects, any thought that ecstasy was like "taking ice cream scoops out of your brain", as I once heard someone say, was just not true. In fact, I read from several sources online that if the drug was used responsibly, there was a low chance of any long-term damage happening.
I was in love. The experience of being at a festival or party while under the influence of the drug was powerful. I became dedicated to finding ecstasy or molly (slang for MDMA) and enjoying myself as much as I could. The types of parties I went to changed from the fraternity parties I went to my freshman year of school. Rarely did I go to a college frat house or other similar party like I used to. I was now going into New York City or Philadelphia and watching DJ’s play music. Sometimes the DJ was well known, performing in a popular concert hall, but most often it was in a warehouse-type party, often referred to as a rave.
Thanks to some drug testing kits (also known as reagent kits), I came to find out my main "molly" supplier did not have any MDMA at all, but instead had a cheap alternative that gave a similar effect: methylone. Since I acquired these testing kits, I became a more cautious drug user. Gone were the days where I would take a drug without knowing about it. I began reading about different drugs that I wanted to consume before taking them, so I could be better informed about the risks.
Discovering that the "molly" I had been taking was in fact methylone was a bit disheartening. Were there any drug dealers that actually had pure product? Of course, the answer was yes, and with a little more searching, I found a genuine MDMA supplier. The price was good, the product was stellar, and thus my partying frequency increased.
Constant Partying Leads to Additional Drug Use
Frequent MDMA use, which I defined at the time as more than three times per month (Note: This is too frequent! Keep it to once a month maximum if you MUST), had its downsides. The party was great and I would feel amazing every time while the drugs were exerting their effect, but the resulting come-down was a disaster! The negative effects would not hit me the day after, or sometimes even two days after, but always by the third day after a party I would be struck with a minor depression. There was nothing to be upset about, but the sad feelings would come. Cannabis helped alleviate some of the sadness in the beginning, but with more MDMA use, any benefit of smoking cannabis to make myself feel better disappeared.
Some come-downs were so harsh, that I eventually turned to the anti-anxiety medication, alprazolam (Xanax), at the suggestion of a friend. This drug eased the nasty side effects that I would experience from taking MDMA frequently. Having looked up other drugs that could make the hangover feel better, I stumbled upon opioids. I had oxycodone (Percocet) and hydrocodone (Vicodin) from surgeries in the past, but never thought to use
them as recreational drugs to alleviate negative feelings. These drugs worked to great effect, and allowed me to keep partying. Fortunately, I did not become dependent on these drugs unlike some of my friends, as I only used them to counteract the negative effects of drugs like MDMA at the time.
Since I had built up my collection of drug experiences, I was curious to try even more. The rave scene seemed determined to help me out, whether I wanted to try something new or not. Ketamine, cocaine, magic mushrooms, 2C-B, and other miscellaneous drugs that you will find in this book, or in the upcoming Volumes, were sampled and enjoyed on various occasions. LSD also found its way into my life, and just as I began taking MDMAA less due to the negative side effects, I began to take LSD more. It was used at least two times a month for at least five months at the height of my abuse, but sometimes I would indulge two or three times in a week! The tolerance build of LSD is very steep. I learned that if you wanted to repeat the experience you had one day, two or even three times the dose needed to be taken the next day to achieve similar effects. I used this drug primarily to party, seeing very little come-down effects in the days after use, whereas MDMA would have caused me emotional pain for days.
Having researched many of the drugs that I had tried to various extents, I began to take an interest in the experience reports compiled by various individuals. Erowid, PsychonautWiki, Drugs-Forum, and Blue- Light, were several websites that were of great use to me. It was also around this time that I began to document my own experiences with drugs. I would measure out a dose of a chemical, sit with myself or with friends, and write about how I was feeling as the experience unfolded. I enjoyed doing this because I felt like it was a way to “collect” the experience, so that it could be looked at later, similar to how a person has a coin collection that they admire. Perhaps this desire to document my experiences grew from my already-present interest writing in general, as I would avidly journal every aspect of my life, so that I could look back on my life and remember what I really enjoyed.
Other drugs sampled included rare psychedelics like 2C-I or 25-C-NBOMe, and synthetic cannabinoids such as JWH-018 or UR-144, sometimes found in “Spice” or “K2” products. Truly privileged I was to be able to try them all, and some of them I would document extensively. My fascination with and knowledge of drugs and their effects on the mind and body only increased. I would be able to talk about substances non-stop at various events I would attend, and some people would turn to me and wonder how I knew what I knew. I wondered if there was a potential benefit to all my experiences in this field.
Between the rave scene, and friends coming to me with new drugs, the number of drugs on “The List” of drugs that I tried increased. It was at 15, then 20, then 30... I could hardly believe it. I even tried the drug with one of the worst stigmas in the world, a drug that I had promised several friends that I would never try - heroin. I quite enjoyed the feeling. There was an inner warmth that was vaguely comparable to oxycodone, but much stronger. I understood why people would turn to this drug as a means of escape or to hide away. Having known a few people who used heroin, I resolved that I would never become addicted to it, and I never was. Since this time, I have averaged using the drug on just one or two occasions per year.
Around this time, perhaps at the age of 22 or 23, I was also gripped by a strange sensation of anger and agitation. Why are there drug laws put in place the do not allow the exploration of consciousness with drugs like LSD or ketamine, but the consumption of alcohol is completely permissible and even encouraged in some instances? Why are so many people addicted to drugs? And why, despite going on for decades, has the War on Drugs not been successful? The unknown answers to these questions, combined with my general interest and appreciation for the way drugs affect people motivated me to research even more about drugs and other substances. I had become a walking and breathing encyclopedia about almost any drug, educated about current events, with the desire to share information with anyone!
Unfortunately, my drug knowledge, experiences and adventures did not come without consequences. I have had multiple legal issues with a multitude of drugs, which resulted in me spending time in multiple county jails. I was fortunate to avoid prison time with the amount of charges that I accrued over the years. Probation was a
way of life for me for a long time. Between incarceration and the watchful eye of my probation officers, I grew even more angry at the way the system works.
Worse than my time in jail was a psychotic episode I faced in my early twenties. I was ingesting a wide variety of synthetic cannabinoids on a daily basis at very high doses (do NOT do this!) along with numerous other drugs, and my concept of reality bent and shifted to something unrecognizable. I thought some humans were robots or aliens or both. I thought I had special powers. I thought random strangers recognized me on the street. I thought the government was looking for me. I read some of the darkest conspiracy theories that exist and believed them whole-heartedly. The paranoia and schizotypal behaviors I exhibited were terrifying. It was a difficult time for me, my friends, and my family.
The only thing that resolved this problem was putting down the drugs. As I was sobering up, which gradually happened over TWO months (it was not immediate), conventional reality started coming back to me, and I was mortified that I had behaved in such a way. Looking back now, I am grateful to have had these experiences, to see where drugs can really take the body and mind. Of course, I am even more grateful to have come back mentally, as there are many individuals who do not.
Since that time, I stagnated. While initially recovering from that psychotic experience was wonderful, I ended up with drugs back in my life and the legal system following me yet again. I abused drugs on and off for several years, not knowing how to save money, and changing jobs multiple times. I was deprived of a sense of purpose and surrounded by individuals that ingested drugs frequently. Undoubtedly, this spiraled me into worse patterns of drug abuse.
The on and off battle continued until I decided to complete this project that you are reading now — this desire to share what I have done with others. I feel filled with a sense of purpose and meaning. Despite all my experiences with drugs, pleasurable or painful, I have devoted my life to studying them. It is clear that drugs in our society are not going anywhere, no matter how illegal they are. If I can help even a few people by explaining the struggles I faced, then everything I have been through will have been worth it.
Addiction
A Different Look at Addiction — It is not the drug that causes it.
If there is just one part of this chapter that you read, let it be this one. There is something that spiritual teacher, Teal Swan, addresses about addiction that made me deeply consider why it happens. She says that addictions do not inherently stem from the drug itself, but rather, from an internal conflict within the individual. Drugs and other pleasure-inducing activities serve to cover up the pain that an individual is trying to escape. This can be from the loss of a loved one, feelings of loneliness, past trauma, or from other arguably negative experiences. She says that until these deep-seated issues are dealt with, whether by intense self-reflection, therapy, or otherwise, an addiction to a particular substance may stop, but the former user may just move to another drug or addictive behavior. These could include sex, over-eating, excessive exercise, or non-stop bingeing of television. It is vital to deal with the pain inside in order to conquer addiction.
Drug Addiction — My View and Basic Experience
I wish I could say I have never been a drug addict or abuser, but that would be an outright lie. Considering my experiences with drugs, I believe it would have been very difficult to try the 100 drugs that I have, combined them countless ways, and not developed some type of addiction along the way. Since I was always an avid researcher of drugs and their effects, at one time I believed myself immune drug addiction. How could I make a mistake if I was informed about the negative consequences? My pride was my downfall, and I succumbed to brief periods of addiction with several different substances at different times in my life. Details of separate addictions are elucidated in the individual drug chapters contained in the rest of this book.
The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the overall topic of addiction. Having been through several rehabilitation centers, spoken to professionals, and attended various meetings, I learned many things about the topic throughout my life. While it is true that almost any activity that brings some level of pleasure could be addictive, such as sex, exercise, gambling, or even technology, the process behind drug addiction differs. When drugs are consumed, the release of chemicals in the brain induces pleasure, reinforcing the behavior with even greater strength, making drug addiction arguably the most powerful type of addiction. This can be contrasted to the act of watching TV, which causes the release of positive chemicals in the brain, but without ingesting a foreign material to cause that release.
Before going any further, I want to examine a few definitions of drug addiction/abuse. I pulled definitions from multiple arguably credible sources.
“The essential feature of a substance use disorder is a cluster of cognitive, behavioral, and physiological symptoms indicating that the individual continues using the substance despite significant substance-related problems”
-Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-S5)
“A chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive (or difficult to control) drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences, as well as long-lasting changes in the brain. In the past, people who used drugs were called “addicts.” Current appropriate terms are people who use drugs and drug users.”
-National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
“(Addiction is] Repeated use of a psychoactive substance or substances, to the extent that the user (referred to as an addict) is periodically or chronically intoxicated, shows a compulsion to take the preferred substance (or substances), has great difficulty in voluntarily ceasing or modifying substance use, and exhibits determination to obtain psychoactive substances by almost any means. Typically, tolerance is prominent and a withdrawal syndrome frequently occurs when substance use is interrupted.”
-World Health Organization (WHO)
The way I see it, there is an easily observable theme: The desire to use drugs persists even when drug use is causing problems in daily life. But what constitutes problematic use? How much is really too much? There are a multitude of books written about addiction, so I will not fully elaborate on all the details here, but this is really a question for you to answer yourself, if you believe you are a drug addict or have a problem with drugs (or even if you do not think you have a problem!).
Questions for Consideration:
*Does the person who has a glass of wine every night have an addiction? What if it is two glasses a night? What if it is four glasses twice a week?
*Does the person who smokes a pack of cigarettes every day have an addiction? What if it is just one cigarette a day? What about one cigarette a week?
*Does the person who has a cup of coffee a day have an addiction? When does it become a problem? Three cups? Five cups a day?
*Does the person who smokes one hit of cannabis a day have an addiction? What if it is two joints a day? *Does the person who takes a daily prescribed dose of alprazolam (Xanax) have an addiction? What if it is taken "as needed” per the doctor more than once a day? Is it a problem if the drug is taken once a week off prescription?
*Does the person who ingests heroin three times a week have an addiction? What about once a month?
*Are some drugs more addictive than others?
*Are some drugs good and others just bad?
The purpose of posing these questions is to make you think about your own choices surrounding drugs, or about the choices of another person, if you think they may have a drug problem. The spectrum is vast and not clearly defined, but a good starting place is to ask yourself or someone else you have concern for if you/they think they have a problem with drugs.
Examples of Problematic Drug Use:
A few examples of problematic drug use that I have witnessed, possibly indicative of addiction:
*Coming in late to work because drug use the night before caused you to sleep in.
*Missing a family or social gathering that you promised you would attend weeks before just to use drugs. *Getting into an accident because of drug use, either from the effects of a drug used the night before, or from being under the influence.
*Desiring to use drugs when you have friends or family expressing concern about your use.
*Lying about your use of drugs or attempting to conceal use from others.
*Believing you need to be under the influence of drugs to socialize or accomplish something.
*Using drugs to dull emotional pain.
These are only a few examples of possible problematic drug use. Again, the answer is found inside you, after properly educating yourself.
Do you possibly have a drug problem? Admit it to yourself. Acknowledging this is powerful.
Does someone you know possibly have a drug problem? Confront them, but make sure you are coming from a position of care. Do not be insulted if the person is initially aggressive or declines assistance, as this is common due to the very nature of the problem. Everyone’s situation is different so research needs to be done, geared toward your specific troubles, before confronting the individual in order to get a chance at the best possible outcome.
What is the solution? I definitely do not know how to properly remedy general drug addiction, but I have learned some lessons! Due to the vast scope of potential addictions discussed in this book alone (cannabis, cocaine, caffeine, alcohol,
heroin, etc.) it is hard to give specific advice. As stated before, details about addiction to each drug will be provided in the subsequent chapters. However, what I can do is provide some general tips based on my experiences.
Methods to get out of Drug Addiction
Cold-Turkey:
Arguably, the most difficult ways to avoid addiction would be to go “cold-turkey”. This means to stop using a drug immediately regardless of the habit. This is extremely difficult for those addicted to heroin or cocaine, but can be life-threatening for those using high doses of benzodiazepines or alcohol for a long period of time. I have successfully stopped using several drugs that I have been addicted to by this method.
Tapering:
Another method would be to taper. This method involves gradually reducing the dose of a drug over a period of time. For instance, if someone is taking 15 pills of oxycodone a day and wants to quit the habit, the next day they will take 14. Then 13 the following day, until they get down to one pill a day, and eventually cease taking the drug completely (Note: this is just an example — I do not know how to adequately taper oxycodone). This is extremely hard to do without medical assistance, which I would highly recommend, especially in the case of opioids or benzodiazepines.
Rehabilitation Centers (Rehab):
Drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities exist, but many people will not go voluntarily. Due to legal consequences or trouble in the workplace, some people are mandated to these centers. Some facilities are meant for outpatient treatment. In these places, a person will usually attend anywhere from one to five times a week and receive counseling in a group setting about drug problems and addictive tendencies. There are some facilities designated for inpatient treatment, where a person will essentially live there for a week, a month, or even longer. A sleeping space and food are provided. These institutions are usually intended for those with a more serious addiction, or those who have failed outpatient treatment previously. These places can be expensive with varying degrees of effectiveness. Health insurance has been known to cover treatment in some cases. In other cases, individuals may be fortunate to enter these institutions for free, but this is difficult.
Personal Counseling/Therapy:
A more expensive means to get treatment would be to have a personal counselor. I believe this to be the most effective, but unrealistic for the average drug addict or abuser. Ideally, these counselors can provide an insight into the deep personal issues in the individual, and can help correct them, healing the pain that the individual is experiencing, perhaps resolving the addiction.
Attending Free, Open-Community Meetings:
Another option would be to attend Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings. These meetings are held around the world to help those suffering from drug addiction wherever they may be. They use a 12-step program to achieve success, and have a more spiritual approach. There is no cost to attend, although they ask for a small donation if possible. Success rates for preventing relapse or recovery are a bit lower than the above-mentioned treatment options, between 5 and 10%, according to Dr. Lance Dodes and Zachary Dodes in their book The Sober Truth: Debunking the Bad Science Behind 12-Step Programs and the Rehab Industry. Regardless of their success rates, I am grateful that places like this exist, as they have helped several of my friends.
Using Other Drugs, such as Psychedelics:
For a truly alternative way to get rid of drug addiction, some will pursue the use of psychedelics. Ibogaine has been said to “reset the opioid receptors” in the brain, virtually mitigating withdrawal and diminishing craving for opiates. Other psychedelics like Ayahuasca, LSD, or psilocybin mushrooms may be effective as well. However, be warned, these drugs can have unpredictable effects which the user may find undesirable. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to do research!
CAUTION!
Sometimes, a drug addict may cover an underlying mental condition, such as depression, with substance abuse. This can be very troublesome, especially if the depressed individual is suicidal. CAUTION! If you or someone you know is suicidal, please contact the suicide hotline (USA): 1-800-273-8255. Drugs used outside of a medical setting can exacerbate depression in the long run and increase the likelihood of suicidal ideation. You do not want to stand idle when something could have been done to save the life of another. Believe me — I have experienced it.
A Graphical Representation of Addiction
When I was in high school, I learned a basic principle in my psychology class, and that is that humans will operate at a 5/10 emotional state on average. Good things happen, such as passing a test, or getting a car, which will temporarily boost that emotional status to 7/10 or higher. Bad things also happen, such as failing a test or getting into a car accident. This will turn the emotional state of the human down. The interesting part about this principle is that because humans are such adaptable creatures, most of the time we will eventually grow to accept our successes and failings, and find that 5/10 equilibrium again. There are exceptions to this of course, such as clinical depression, or other mental disorders which greatly skew the emotional state, but from my observation, most humans will fit into the “normal” category of adjustment at a 5/10 equilibrium.
I sketched out multiple graphical examples of what I feel will best illustrate the example. I came up with this by myself, and my art skills are less than perfect so please, work with me! On the emotional scale, the ‘0’ indicates a terrible depressive state, while the ‘10’ indicates pure ecstatic bliss. Along the timeline, you will see letters. These letters will correspond to descriptions listed below to indicate why the emotional state is altered.
Please accept my Microsoft Paint style graphs. In future versions of this book, I am sure the quality will improve substantially!
Image 1: A “normal” person, having a “normal” day Timeframe: One day
_ ©
Emotion
©
Time
A — Wake up in the morning, feeling pretty “normal” B — There are some leftovers from your favorite dinner, which gives a little mood boost! C — There is a lot of traffic on the way to work, bummer!
D — Your day at work proceeds as it usually does, nothing good, nothing bad. E— You grab fast-food on the way home and it is delicious! F — Unfortunately, you now are experiencing indigestion because of the unhealthy food. Boo!
This is the baseline graph for which the rest can be compared to. This is ideally an average person, with little emotional ups and downs throughout the day, but is overall at peace with life.
Image 2: An example of a lasting positive emotional state Timeframe: Three Months
_ ©
Emotion
©
Time
A — You just bought a new car! Congratulations!
B — There is still an elevated emotional state every time you see your car.
C— As you get used to getting in your car and going to work every day, there is a bit less joyfulness
D — This joy wanes even further as you realize you are now subject to all the issues that other drivers are.
E— Months after the purchase, you essentially reach emotional equilibrium, having fully adjusted to your new car.
In this graph, we can see that getting a new car can cause extreme joy! You will not be euphoric at this level for the rest of your life because of this new car. There will certainly be a lasting emotional increase for a period of time, which varies from individual to individual, but eventually you will reach baseline. I say this speaking from past experience. The day I bought my first new car, it was one of the most satisfying feelings in my life! But months later... it was much less exciting.
Image 3: An example of a lasting negative emotional state Timeframe: Six Months
_ ©
Emotion
Ob A B
Time
A — One of your close friends has tragically passed away in a car accident. The tears come and you cannot stop them.
B — It has been a month, but the pain still feels very real. You start going to therapy. The crying decreases in frequency.
C— The memories are still burned into your mind, but you begin making peace with the loss.
D — You have been hanging out with friends, trying to keep yourself feeling better.
E — While the underlying pain will never go away, you have accepted the event and will finally move on.
This is not to say that everyone will make peace with the death of a loved one in six months, but that overtime, many people will adjust to the loss. Some truly do not, but they are usually a rare exception.
Image 4: Someone suffering from clinical depression Timeframe: One day... and beyond
_ ©
Emotion
0 Time
As you have noticed, there are no letters here, because it is nearly the same shape as the “normal” person, but in this case, the individual is suffering from a debilitating mental disorder, such as depression, crippling anxiety, or something similar. Their baseline emotional state is not a 5/10, but more of a 3/10. The euphoric ups of life barely bring them to 5/10, and the lows really bring them down.
This is a book about drugs right... so where do they factor in with these graphs!?
Image 5: One time drug/alcohol use Timeframe: One day
_ ©
Emotion
D
©
Time
A — You take a dose of a drug, and it produces happy chemicals in the brain.
B — The high begins to wear off as the day goes on
C— The come-down phase begins, and the positive effects drop off.
D — There is a slight hangover from the drug that persists for several hours, including anxiety and agitation. E — After eating a healthy meal, you are feeling much better
F — Baseline is reached.
For this example, any drug can be ingested. We can see how this differs from the “normal” person in Image 1, because here, the positive emotional state seems to be amplified and longer lasting. However, here we also notice an equal and opposite reaction in the form of a hangover, where the consequences of the drug’s enjoyable effects are felt. Equilibrium is usually achieved a short time after, unless the dose of drug was fairly large, or if a drug was taken that is more prone to uncomfortable hangovers.
Image 6: Drug addiction Timeframe: Several Weeks
_ © D>
Emotion
©
Time
A — In the beginning of a drug addiction, the initial effects are always the most enjoyable and memorable.
B — There are some consequences to getting extremely high on a drug, such as an extreme hangover.
C-— As time continues and tolerance builds, the user will never get as high as they used to. The strength of the high diminishes.
D — As the addiction persists, the addict now uses the drug just to achieve baseline at 5/10.
E — If the addiction gets severe enough, then the user is not even reaching 5/10 baseline, and is instead stuck in a vicious cycle of trying to feel not like absolute shit.
F — The graph fizzles out to a 2/10 equilibrium, as the users fights to escape addiction.
We can see how addiction is quite a beast. Emotional states can flip back and forth, seemingly without cause to the observer of the addict. With serious addictions, time can seem to pass faster, creating an even more tumultuous condition.
Image 7: Drug Addiction with Mental Illness Timeframe: Several Weeks
_ ©
Emotion
©
Time
A — The addict starts at a disadvantage (See Image 4), as they have an underlying condition such as anxiety or depression, which prevents them from maintaining equilibrium at 5/10 like the “normal” people.
B — While the high is not as powerful as it would be for someone who maintains 5/10 equilibrium, there is still a mood boost.
C — Having a taste of this positivity, the user is much more likely to repeatedly take the drug, but they will never get as high as they once did. Tolerance builds, and the high fades.
D-E — This is a more extreme circumstance of the above example (Image 6). The addict keeps using to try to feel good, but is now trapped in the vicious cycle of addiction.
This illustrates why those who suffer from mental illnesses are likely more susceptible to addiction. When they find a substance that brings them joy, they do not want to live without it. Addiction in the face of mental illness is a far harder beast to beat.
Image 8: Can Psychedelics help with Addiction or Mental Illness? Timeframe: One Week, to One Month, or maybe More?
_ ©
Emotion
©
Time
A — In this case, perhaps there is mental illness, perhaps there is drug addiction, but this person in the example is operating at a 3/10 equilibrium for one reason or another.
B — They experience the ups and downs of life, but in a more negative way due to their underlying condition, C-D —A psychedelic drug is taken. Sometimes the experience is not overall positive, and can be quite chaotic! This is especially true for novice users of psychedelics. The graph bounces up and down viciously on this day because there are moments of intense euphoria, followed by opposing emotions that are equally intense (at least for me!).
E — There is usually a lasting afterglow for psychedelics, where there can be lingering positivity. Sometimes, the inverse can happen!
F — This positivity will fade in time, but can sometimes leave an almost permanent change in equilibrium. This is an ideal case, but the fact is that more research is coming out in support of psychedelic drugs for helping individuals to return to some type of equilibrium.
I can only speak of this example from past experience, both personal, and from what I have witnessed in others. Psychedelic drugs have helped in finding normalcy. CAUTION! Experimenting with psychedelics can still be dangerous. It is recommended you find a trusted professional to help you with this type of therapy if it something you truly want.
I hope at the very least, I encouraged you to do some research!
Getting High Without the Drugs
While this book is about drugs, particularly the ones that alter the mind, I believe it is also equally important to acknowledge that there are ways to alter the mind that do not involve taking drugs into the body. All of these methods are all more difficult than taking drugs — which you can easily and instantaneously inhale, sniff, or swallow — but I believe can be vastly more effective for spiritual gain. I practice some of these every day, and others when I can. So, what are they?
Exercise
Speaking personally, this is by far the easiest and most effective way for me to alter my mind. The accompanying endorphin release when partaking in physical activity does wonders for my emotional state when needed. I can push my limits as far as necessary in order to achieve various altered states. After the exercise is complete, feelings include euphoria, relaxation, and positive mindset. From an evolutionary standpoint, this is quite logical
Eating
Please do not confuse this with sugar abuse, as you might see in the Sugar chapter. When I talk about eating here, I mean eating wholesome healthy foods, which varies depending on the individual’s dietary needs. While I follow a healthy diet, the feeling I get after a solid meal is unexplainable. I feel full in body and mind. My energy increases, as does my motivation, and I want to succeed. Eating to excess can lead to euphoria, and euphoria in this case is wholesome. This is in stark contrast to over-eating on toxic high-sugar substances — which can cause drug-like effects, resulting in hangovers in the short-term, and obesity and death in the long- term.
Fasting
The opposite of eating! With fasting, you are not eating anything at all. Can this really cause a change in consciousness? YES. People have looked to me and said, “But, if you are not eating you must be experiencing depression! Food is good!” The fact is though, is that our ancestors from generations ago would have to go for periods of time without food and water. Does it follow logically that they would get more depressed the longer they went without food? Losing motivation? No. They would die if this was the mentality. In fact, from my observation, I actually experience quite a bit of euphoria, focus, and motivation from not eating for periods of time (the longest I have gone was three days). It makes sense that our ancestors would feel similarly, so they might be inspired to forage for berries, or hunt for animals. Please see the detailed experience report presented at the conclusion of this chapter for proof.
Meditation
I am quite a novice meditator, I must admit. However, the times when I have managed to bring myself into a genuine meditative state, the feeling is pure bliss and understanding. It can be described as magical. There are many levels of meditation. Some can bring happiness and relief from stress or anxiety, while other levels can bring enlightenment and transcendence.
Breathing
There are various breathing exercises that can be done that can cause drastic alterations of consciousness. Some involve rapid short breathing, such as hyperventilation, while others involve prolonged periods of breath holding. I was a skeptic at first, but then I tried out some of these breathing methods and the resulting change in consciousness was shocking! Check out some YouTube videos on the subject matter. The Ice Man (Wim Hoff) was my main inspiration.
Sleep Deprivation
This one can get dangerous, and is more likely to be observed while under the influence of stimulant drugs for extended periods of time, however, it is possible to deprive yourself of sleep without the aid of drugs. Effects include minor visual and auditory hallucinations, time dilation, and euphoria.
Conversation
This is a deviation from the above-mentioned means, as it involves other individuals, but I think this is one of the more profound methods to alter consciousness. Think about this for a minute. When you talk to someone, it is possible for them to tell you the best information of your LIFE — or the worst... The simple act of them communicating this information to you may cause dramatic changes in mood and perspective.
Due to my fascination with all types of altered-mind states, I will probably make a separate book just dedicated to altered consciousness that is independent of substance intake, but that will not be for some time now...
Experience Report: Fasting
Extended Fasting while already in a Ketogenic State
Drug/Dose: Fasting, 72+ hours (incl. 60 hour dry-fast [no food OR water])
RoA: N/A
Date/Time: August 3" @ 13:00
Diet: I have been carnivore (Beef only) plus heavy pink salt for a full three weeks. I had been following this diet on/off for several months prior, but this is the strictest I have been recently. Electrolytes almost daily (magnesium, potassium, and sodium bicarbonate), with iodine used on occasion. I usually (5-6 of 7 days a week) eat once a day (OMAD), and usually in the early afternoon, therefore, the transition to a fasted state should be easier.
Recent Drug Use: I am in a period of full-substance sobriety — taking no medications, caffeine, or even sugar/carbohydrates. I am a full three weeks in without any mind-altering drugs at the start of this fast. I have only used hard drugs a few times in the last six months.
Mental: I have been feeling quite well lately. Optimistic. Driven. Motivated. I am pursuing my ambitions with joy and avoiding distraction. Meditation has been happening frequently.
Physical: Weighing 175.8 to start, full of food and water. I feel quite healthy, still with some residual congestion (hoping that goes away with continued dieting). No pains, aside from a slight soreness from regular workouts. I have been doing a daily one mile+ run per day (rarely longer than such). I lift weights 4-5 days a week, though not with very high volume or beyond 40 minutes, and play tennis for a few hours once a week. Setting: The fast will be done in the comforts of my Los Angeles home.
Expectations/Questions: I plan on continuing electrolyte supplementation, which I believe is especially important since I am going to continue exercising throughout this fast. I believe it will be easier to fast while already in a ketogenic/fat-adapted state (my body is accustomed to using fat as a source of energy. I ate my last meal for the next few days several hours ago, so I will not be hungry again for perhaps another 20 hours. I hope to receive improved focus while working on my ambitions. I am curious about how my mood will be. Confounding variables could possibly be my daily running and meditation — for which I have been routinely enjoying about 30 to 60-minute sessions per day (this only started a week or so ago).
Experience:
T=0: Last meal was consumed at 13:00
T+5:00 (hours): There was little to comment on in the last few hours as my schedule has been incredibly routine for the last few weeks. I will likely update more after the first meal is missed, about 20 hours from now. Small bowel movement.
T+21:00: I awoke a bit hungrier than usually, maybe it is my brain trying to get a meal in, knowing I will be abstaining from food, or because I played tennis quite vigorously yesterday and did not have a grand amount of food. My weight was 174.0 this morning (roughly what it has been for the last three weeks since starting this diet).
T+23:00: Hunger is beginning. This is usually the time of day that I have started or finished my workout. I also did not have my electrolyte blend this morning which usually serves to ward off hunger. I really want to see the benefits of this fast, so I think I will go ahead with it. At this point I am also T+14:00 without water as well.
Some say dry fasting can be beneficial (if I am becoming problematically dehydrated, I will of course have some water!)
T+30:00: I felt hungrier earlier in the day, but it has diminished overtime. Interestingly, having not consumed anything of any kind, food or water, in nearly 24 hours, I feel remarkably okay. Smelling dinner cooking from the kitchen is quite tantalizing, even though I know it is food that I would not usually eat.
T+32:00: There seems to be an increased sense of focus, and my mood is quite stable. I am working intently on problem solving for computer programming, seemingly with more enjoyment. The hunger is present, but easy enough to ignore. It seems easier to feel colder.
T+43.00: And with nearly 36 hours without consuming liquids, I feel strangely not thirsty. There is some xerostomia (mouth dryness), but it is not unbearable. I weighed 170.0 pounds this morning. There is a slight weakness feeling to my body. My mind also feels surprisingly sharp, but slightly slowed. Last night before sleeping, there was even a slight euphoric buzz. Some of that has carried over until today. It was difficult to fall asleep, but once I fell asleep, I stayed asleep, although the duration was shorter than normal. My daily Wim Hoff method breathing exercises this morning felt more empowering and self-connective. I seem to be more open-minded. After my partner discussed some of my flaws, I believe I was more willing to accept them rather than provide confrontation.
T+44:00: I seem to be working with a more intense focus. Strangely, I just burped, quite a few times — despite the great lapse in consumption of food or water. I am hoping this is a sign that my body is moving things along nicely. My motivation for learning is increasing
T+47:00: After my one mile run and several sets of pushups and pullups, I am beginning to get a bit thirsty. If I can make it ten more hours, it would be a solid 48 hours dry-fast — something I did not think someone would be able to do with such ease. I still feel focused, but a bit slower. My mood is relaxed... very relaxed, and slightly elevated, but with a general tiredness. Taking deep breaths is one of the more rewarding activities at the moment. Interesting how priorities change with different depravities. Food is even farther from my mind now that I have deprived myself of water.
T+49:30: My heartrate has been consistently around 58-68 bpm. My blood pressure feels low, I believe, though I am not sure exactly what that feels like? My mind is not moving as quickly as I would like it to. There is a definite altered state of mind present, though I think this is more from the lack of water and electrolytes. I have since committed to a 48-hour dry fast (ends in seven hours), with a potential to do it until the next morning. I still feel very relaxed.
T+52:00: Definitely feeling slower. It is harder to use brain power to teach myself computer programming. I will still meet my goal for the evening, but will not attempt a once considered 72-hour fast through the day tomorrow.
T+54:00: Feeling lazy. Dry fasting does not support enhanced focus on passive activity. My mood is fluctuating a bit more greatly, when I thought I would experience more euphoria. There is an aspect of gratitude — appreciate for the food and water that I can get whenever I want, and however much I want. I am experiencing some time dilation. It as if sometimes time is moving a bit faster, but at other times it is slowing down. T+67:00: After nearly 60 hours without water, I am desiring it more. Before falling asleep even six hours ago, I was Starting to think more intently about consuming it and almost did. Now that I have awoken, I feel it is time. As I look now at the water, it feels more precious and sacred. Sleep quality was poor, and I still feel slow and tired, but relaxed. Mood is not quite positive or negative.
The first few sips taste wonderful. I am trying to drink this first bottle (about one quart/liter) slowly, as my body has not had anything for quite some time. I thought my desire to chug the water would be high, but surprisingly not so much. Drinking plain water actually seemed to make my mouth feel drier. After about two cups, spaced out over 30 minutes, I drank a third cup with seven grams of pink salt. I feel much more awake, aware, focused, and content. There is a slight mood lift and I feel ready to go about my day.
T+69:00: As the salt makes its way into my body, I feel more focused and motivated. It is a welcome feeling after the lack of energy I felt as the day wore on from dehydration yesterday.
T+71:00: Taking six grams of potassium citrate has brought more peace and relaxation for me.
T+72:00: Taking four grams of sodium bicarbonate seemed to cause some stomach gas and mild discomfort. Comparatively, the pink salt and potassium went down much more smoothly. I am still feeling a focused boost of energy despite this. Baking soda seemed to clear my sinuses a bit! A welcome feeling.
T+73:00: After a four-gram dose of magnesium glycinate (120% RDV Mg) with a supplement of iodine (100% RDV), I feel an even greater sense of relaxation. I think I will end my food fasting later today after an intense workout. Mood lift is definitely present, and increased focus is quite observable.
T+75:00: Running after electrolyte consumption was much easier today. There was a bit of feeling more connected to myself as I ran. I was able to do a fairly traditional chest and tricep workout using free-weights that were almost the same weight that I would use if I had been eating regularly, which was somewhat surprising. I even felt a burst of energy after I had lifted.
T+77:00: As I finish my steak, I am left with great satisfaction. Although I was not as hungry as I thought I would be, the meal was still enjoyed immensely. Interestingly, I ate less than I usually would with my OMAD beef-only style of eating at the moment.
T+79:00: Interestingly, I am finding it harder to concentrate after eating, though that could be from other extraneous stresses in my life. There are those who believe that fasting is unhealthy, which may have taken away from my fasting buzz slightly.
T+81:00: I’ve been experiencing little bursts of diarrhea about every half hour so. The frequency is uncomfortable, but I can only hope that it is a good sign, perhaps a type of “cleansing”.
After-Thoughts: It has now been more than 24 hours since I broke my fast. I have had one large meal yesterday, and one today. I believe I feel more focused and motivated in general, but that could be due to a placebo, as I have read countless reports about people who improve overall health and energy after fasting. The diarrhea lingered into the early parts of today, which I can only assume was the residual gurgles I felt throughout the dry fast of things moving along in my body. I caught up on sleep last night, and have remained fairly positive throughout the day, and perhaps a bit more emotional (in a good way). I would love to repeat this experiment again (without extensive dry-fasting). My digestion seems to have improved somewhat, though again, it will be hard to compare until more time has passed.
Safety 1 — Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
This is a compilation of questions I am asked the most often about various drugs. I broke up the safety section into several parts. The first details the most commonly asked questions people have to help keep people safe. The second adds on some more general advice and harm reduction practice principles. The third has some basic Do’s and Do Not’s. PLEASE read all parts if you are debating on taking drugs. It could just save your life or someone else’s!
As this book is meant to be a reference manual, you may see me repeating information multiple times. This is for emphasis, and to stress just how important safety is. It is also because I may forget where I have mentioned information previously, and I would rather err on the side of mentioning too much! :)
Questions:
Q1: Should I take drugs?
Q2: How do I know that the drug I purchased really is the drug that I want? Q3: How much of a drug should I take?
Q4: What factors determine how a drug will affect me?
Q5: Oops, I took too much. What do I do?
Q6: I was once able to get high on just one pill or one line. Now I need four or five times as much to achieve similar effects. What happened?
Q7: Can I mix “Drug X” with "Drug Y” safely?
Q8: How do I avoid becoming addicted to drugs?
Q9: I think I am addicted to drugs. What should I do?
Q1: Should I take drugs?
Any advice about whether or not the reader should take drugs to begin with, should be left up to the reader. It is hard for anyone, especially me, to tell you to take something or not take something. You must take a personal inventory of yourself and decide if this is the correct decision. Perhaps trying drugs at this time is not for you. Drugs have caused me many personal problems when I was not in the right state of mind. The choice to take drugs is a decision that rests with you — and you alone. But if you do want to take drugs, do your RESEARCH! There is some wonderful information included in here, and please read everything you can to help yourself, but it barely scratches the surface. Use the internet to your advantage and make sure you have an even better idea of what you are getting yourself into.
Q2: How do I know that the drug I purchased really is the drug that I want?
Great question. How do you really know? Especially if the drug comes as a white powder. There are literally hundreds of drugs that can come as a white powder. There are several methods to determine this, with varying levels of safety and financial cost.
Method 1: Try it out!
SAFETY LEVEL: HIGH RISK, COST: NONE
The worst and most dangerous thing you could to would be to smell or taste test it, or just consume it. This is risky because if it is an unknown drug with unknown power, sometimes even a taste could cause an overdose (as with the case of fentanyl — which can cause overdose at TWO milligrams). Also, only seasoned drug users who are familiar with what a drug might taste and smell like would be able to benefit from this method. Lastly, even if the drug tastes or smells “right,” it could be cut with other substances, altering the effects and increasing the risk for harm to come to you. Avoid this method if at all possible.
Method 2: Use a drug testing kit/reagent kit. SAFETY LEVEL: MODERATE, COST: MODERATE
The next best idea would be to invest in drug testing kits. These can easily be purchased online from BunkPolice, DanceSafe (both highly recommended) or other online vendors. By using the kit with a small amount of a drug, a chemical reaction takes place that causes a color change. Using multiple kits will increase the likelihood of determining if the drug you have is indeed the drug you want.
For a very detailed way of conducting this test, please visit this YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2Rp95plkL4
Please note, that just because a drug reacts a certain way, it does NOT mean that there are no additional drugs or cuts in the product. Some cut drugs will be invisible in test kits, but can cause death in the unexpecting consumer.
Method 3: Send a portion of the drug to a registered drug testing facility!
SAFETY LEVEL: RELATIVELY SAFE!, COST: HIGH
The last, but safest method to determine the quality of your drug is to send a small sample to a verified lab such as Energy Control in Spain. They will send you back a full report with the contents of the drug: adulterants, other drugs, and fillers. It is very detailed and very helpful for the truly concerned drug user. However, it can be very expensive. Covid-19 has probably ruled out this method of verifying quality of drugs unfortunately.
For prescription pills, the drug that it is can be found by looking it up online. For instance:
Typing the number/letter combination into a search bar “E 197 white pill” and you will find that this is 2mg of XR (extended release) alprazolam (Xanax).
CAUTION! Just because a pill has certain numbers or letters pressed into it and LOOKS like a prescription pill, does not mean that it actually is. It is becoming increasingly more common for drug dealers to have a pill press, which can be used to create their own pills, nearly identical to prescription pills, with whatever cocktail of drugs or substances they desire. Only recently, I had a friend who overdosed because he believed he was taking two five-milligram oxycodone (Percocet) pills, but they really both had high doses of fentanyl, nearly costing him his life. Be careful!
Q3: How much of a drug should I take?
Iam so glad you asked! So, if we made it to this point, we hopefully have a good idea that the drug we have is the drug we want because we did some testing, but how much do we do? Knowing the dose that you want to ingest is very important. Take too little of the drug, and the effects will not be felt, but take too much and you could experience painful consequences such as anxiety, panic attacks, unconsciousness, or even death by overdose. I like to call it the "goldilocks effect" where the goal is to take just the right amount, not too much, and not too little.
Unfortunately, finding the amount that is ideal for each individual varies from person to person. There are some simple physical factors to consider, such as height and weight, body fat percentage, age, and metabolism. There are also other
factors to consider such as a person’s mental state and overall preference of drug strength. Two individuals may be the same size and age, but one may prefer the effects of a massive dose of the drug, while the other may prefer surface level effects. Starting with a low dose is important. Perhaps you are hypersensitive to the effects and a small dose feels overwhelming and uncomfortable. This is why it is important to err on the side of CAUTION. The golden rule is: If you start with a low dose of a drug, you can always add more to increase effects, provided there is more available. However, if you take too much and find the effects unenjoyable, you cannot usually remove it from the body! Too many times have I accidentally taken too much of a drug that I thought was going to provide enjoyable effects and ended up feeling absolutely terrible! This is also how people overdose and die. It is extremely important to remember to start low, even if a close friend says otherwise. The uncomfortable effects of taking too much of a drug can be painful, even lethal. Do not give into peer pressure. DO WHAT YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITH.
How low should I go? For most chapters, I include a dose suggestion (low — moderate — to high), but keep in mind, this is dosing that I have found familiar for myself. If you weigh 30 pounds less than me, and have never used drugs, you may want to start even lower than the lowest dose. This is an excerpt from the MDMA chapter:
Duration of Effect (DoE) in an intolerant user with empty stomach [full stomach] (Average dose ~80-120mg) Come-Up: 30-60 [45-90] minutes (Extreme cases for over 90+ minute come-up have been observed) Duration of Effect: 2-4 [3-6] hours Peak @ + ~75-125 minutes after dose
Come-Down: 2-3 [2-3] hours
Afterglow: 2-5 days, in some cases positive mindset can last weeks after a session.
According to what I have stated here, the low side of dosing is 80mg. If I were new to the drug, and of average weight and size, I would consider starting with perhaps 60mg, and waiting at least two hours before deciding whether another dose should be ingested. Always give the drug ample time to kick before taking subsequent doses.
CAUTION! Some may be familiar with the term “eye-balling”. This is where a user will estimate the amount of a drug just by using their eye. This is very dangerous! Please, please, please: invest in a scale. A very cheap and effective milligram (0.000g) scale is a Gemini Jewelry Scale. I use this one personally and it seems to be correct (+/-) a few milligrams.
2a: JF) @/
¥ Operates with 2 x AAA batteries (included)
Calibrates with 2 x 10g weights (included)
For drugs that have doses in the low or sub-milligram dose, such as LSD or fentanyl, volumetric dosing is helpful.
What is volumetric dosing? It essentially involves dissolving a set amount of a drug into a set amount of liquid, and then taking the liquid in drop doses. For instance, 10mg of LSD, is roughly 100 comfortable doses. Measuring out a tenth of a milligram (.0001g) would be virtually impossible without a scale that costs an exorbitant amount of money. Therefore, if you weigh out 10mg on your Gemini scale, then dissolve it in a certain amount of liquid, you can do calculations to find out exactly how much LSD is in one drop of liquid. Please. PLEASE do not eyeball powdered LSD, fentanyl, or other drugs that have sub-milligram (nano-gram) doses! Check out this YouTube video for relevant information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= 5pogNzBhC4
Q4: What factors determine how a drug will affect me?
There are a multitude of factors that can determine how a drug will affect an individual. I separated these factors into three different types and phrased them in the form of questions you may ask yourself, to give you a better idea about how drugs will affect you. Note: these are not all the possible factors to consider before taking drugs. Do your research!
Physical
Are you considered underweight or overweight? Does your body have a greater fat percentage than the average person? Are you young or old? Are you sick? Do you have a stuffy nose? Headache? Digestive issues? Did you sleep well? Are you hydrated and well-nourished with wholesome food? Is your stomach full or empty?
Mental
How do you feel right now: happy, sad, angry? Are you clinically depressed? Do you have a predisposition for schizophrenia? Does anyone in your family have a diagnosis with a mental disorder? Have you had traumas in my life? Are you ready to face these traumas should they arise during a drug experience?
External What is the environment like where you are taking drugs? Is it a comfortable space? Is it a dangerous space such as a mountain or rooftop? Are there others around you that may influence your experience?
These factors are what make up the set and setting. This term was coined by psychedelic explorer Timothy Leary in the 1960’s, but still holds value today. For more information on other factors that can influence a drug experience, check out PsychonautWiki’s entry [https://psychonautwiki.org/wiki/Set_and_setting].
These are just a few of the questions that one needs to ask themselves before taking a drug. I will say it again: I highly recommend going online and doing your own research before making the choice.
Generally speaking, for physical factors, those with good health and average size, who are well-rested, nourished, and hydrated, will derive more positive relatable effects to my dosing recommendations. Mentally, those that are happy and optimistic, of sound mental health, with no family history of mental disorders will derive positive relatable effects. Externally, if you are in a safe location surrounded by friends you Trust, the likelihood for experiencing enjoyable effects will increase.
Those who have suffered past trauma or abuse should be wary of heavy drug use, as they may want to suppress whatever pain has been caused by said abuse, leading to more complex side effects in the near or distant future. CAUTION! Conversely, if taking a psychedelic drug such as LSD or mushrooms, these traumas can be brought to the forefront of the mind, without the ability to block them out, and cause the user to almost relive the experience. This can be very painful, but many have reported to have “come-to-terms-with" these issues after the drug wears off. Tread carefully.
Q5: Oops, I took too much. What do I do?
Shit, I dislike when this happens! CAUTION! If you or someone you know took too much of a drug, you may experience an overdose, which can be fatal. If this threat is legitimate, call the police and get medical attention as soon as possible! I do a small section about Overdose Effects and Lethal Dose in each chapter for each drug. Knowing about these effects before you try the substance would be to your advantage, so that you may avoid overdose. If there is not a physical threat to the life of the individual who consumed too high of a dose, it may still be a good idea to go to the emergency room where medical staff can provide assistance in counteracting the overdose effects. It is so important to be honest with medical professionals in order to get the best assistance possible.
In most instances where too much of a drug is taken, overdose does not happen, but feelings of discomfort can occur. Feeling uncomfortable is part of the process of having taken too much, and usually the simple passage of time will be enough to stop the unenjoyable effects and return to a normal state. However, there is a section in each drug chapter, entitled Negating the Effects of the Drug that will give advice specific to each drug about how to mitigate the excessive effects.
Q6: I was once able to get high on just one pill or one line. Now I need four or five times as much to achieve similar effects. What happened?
Congratulations, you have gained drug tolerance. Loosely defined, tolerance means you will need more of the drug that you took previously to achieve desired effects. This effect is more easily observed with regular use. For instance, if I smoke one cannabis joint once a week, I will likely get very high every time. If, however, I decide to smoke one cannabis joint a day, I will likely experience less of a feeling of being high as the days progress, and then a second or third joint throughout the day will eventually be needed to bring me to my desirable level of high.
Of course, over time with certain drugs, the tolerance can build so severely, that the user will never be able to achieve the level of high that they once experienced.
Q7: Can I mix “Drug X” with "Drug Y” safely?
CAUTION! Combining drugs together is generally DANGEROUS! Just because you can does not mean that you should. The dose of each drug, X and Y, is probably the most important. From my experience, many drugs are able to be combined without life-threatening consequences, if the dose is kept low. I will say it one more time. Most drugs can be combined with relative safety, if the dose is kept low. For information on various drug combinations, I have a special section at the end of each drug chapter called Combining with Other Drugs that may help you. I do not describe every possible drug combination, as there is not enough room in this book, but I try to pick what I believe is most popular.
To see a general guide of which combinations are safe (relative to dose), check out tripsit.me: https://wiki.tripsit.me/images/3/3a/Combo_2.png
TRIPS/T Guide to Drug Combinations
The chart is difficult to see in this book, but a trip to the website is highly recommended!
Q8: How do I avoid becoming addicted to drugs?
I do not think that anyone has this answer. I do not know anyone who started using drugs saying “I want to be an addict!” Addiction is a possible risk, and you must accept that if you decide to embark on the adventure of taking drugs. Your best defense against drug addiction is part of what this book is about — being well informed and avoiding harm. I included a separate chapter on the topic of addiction all by itself. For me, I have had varying degrees of addiction with many substances in this book. I address the specific drugs in an Addiction and Withdrawal section in each chapter. For reference about my experiences in addiction with a particular drug, please check the corresponding chapter. See what mistakes I have made, and then avoid them if at all possible.
There is no guarantee this will work. For instance, [am someone who has sampled heroin on several occasions (about five or six times) and not become addicted. However, there are people who are hooked the moment the drug enters their body. Take the advice with a grain of salt.
Q9: I think I am addicted to drugs. What should I do?
Admit it! It is the most powerful thing that can be done in this situation. Admit that you are addicted to drugs. It is nothing to be ashamed of. Countless people have been addicted to drugs of all kinds. To give you some comfort, I have mentioned some of my struggles with addiction to various substances in this book. If you have a real addiction, please consider seeking medical assistance. If it is unaffordable, there are options that exist to help users out. The information below is repeated from the Addiction chapter that precedes this one.
Alcoholics/Narcotics Anonymous (AA/NA). These are groups that are run by drug and alcohol addicts, meant for drug and alcohol addicts. They are free to attend, though they ask for a donation if you can. It is not mandatory. They use a 12- step program, and have varying degrees of success depending on the severity of the addiction, and the desire of the addict to get help.
Drug Rehabilitation Programs. Some of these programs are free to attend if you have proper insurance. Some are cheap or free under certain circumstances. It depends on your region and qualifications. I have been through multiple programs of this type. There are outpatient programs, where people still live at home. Attendance to these programs usually happens several times a week, for a few hours a day during the daytime or night. During a session, a counselor will provide knowledge about drug addiction to a small group. Inpatient programs are essentially live-in rehabilitation programs. The attendee will sleep in a room, have food provided, and listen to lectures about drug and alcohol addiction.
Therapy. Sometimes, a one-on-one discussion with a therapist is best. This is usually the most expensive form of treatment for a drug addict, but possibly the most effective. An adept therapist will be able to ask the correct questions and get to the bottom of why the addict might have the addiction.
Psychedelic Drugs. I may get some criticism for recommending psychedelic drugs, but there have been studies done that show that psychedelic drugs, such as LSD, peyote (mescaline), or ibogaine, to be effective against drug addiction [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25563446]. Before you go trying to take these drugs, it is highly advised you do plenty of reading on the subject matter first.
Sometimes, a drug addict may cover an underlying mental condition, such as depression, with substance abuse. This can be very troublesome, especially if the depressed individual is suicidal. CAUTION! If you or someone you know is suicidal, please contact the suicide hotline (USA): 1-800-273-8255. Drugs used outside of a medical setting can only exacerbate depression in the long run and increase the likelihood of suicidal ideation. You do not want to stand idle when something could have been done to save the life of another. I can almost guarantee you will regret it for the rest of your life.
Safety 2 — The Do’s and Do Not’s of Drug Use
I like to think of this as the Commandments of drug use. Again, even though I have stated this many times already, this is merely my feelings of what is important, based on what I have learned so far.
A lot of these options can be applied to life without drugs, and I believe are generally good advice, such as eating well and exercising. Taking these basic suggestions into account can increase the likelihood of positive drug experiences, while hopefully minimizing the chance of a negative experience.
DO NOT drive or operate heavy machinery while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
DO NOT take drugs if you have an underlying mental disorder without researching the interactions.
DO NOT take drugs if you are a young person, as it can cause significant and lasting changes to brain chemistry.
DO drink water.
DO eat healthily — find out what your body best enjoys. This will make for better drug experiences (and better life experiences).
DO know your electrolyte needs based on diet. Electrolytes are important for adequate bodily function.
DO NOT exercise under the influence of drugs, unless you are of particularly excellent physical conditioning, or have done adequate research.
DO NOT do drugs if you’re pregnant!
DO NOT do drugs around children.
DO NOT try to compete with others using drugs. Drugs skew decision making. Competition leads to increasingly higher doses and risk of serious injury or death.
DO check the interactions between prescription drugs or other drugs you are taking and the drugs you want to experiment with. Not checking interactions can cause serious injury or death.
Always remember, the ABSOLUTE Safest amount of drugs — is no drugs at all.
Safety 3 — Sample Steps that can be Taken to Ensure Safety
While it is a bit idealistic to assume that novice drug users will follow all these steps before deciding to ingest drugs, I hope that at least some of you try your best to at least acknowledge the existence of these steps.
This example tracks the drug, Pseudoephedrine, and proper safety measures that I go over in my mind, or take action on, before I ingest it.
Step 1: Research
I have spent many hours researching pseudoephedrine (PSE) on many occasions. I have taken the drug before. I know it is a stimulant. I know it clears the sinuses. I know it can used to make methamphetamine (MTA). I may potentially have caffeine later in the day, which I am aware is a safe combination if the doses are both low.
Step 2: Question
Do I want to take this drug? Yes. I have not documented the experience in a minute-by-minute style like I have for other drugs in this book. While not technically an amphetamine, it can be used to make one (MTA) so I am curious to see if any of the effects are paralleled.
Step 3: Examine your physical health, mental well-being, and the environment
Iam of average weight and height. I usually eat well, but last night, shortly before bed, I decided to eat cookies and ice- cream! My quality of sleep suffered a little as a result. My mindset is positive going into the experience. Stomach could be feeling a bit better. My environment is comfortable. I am around people I trust.
Step 4: Check for Confounding Variables that may Alter the Drug Experience
I have been having caffeine fairly frequently, on an almost daily basis. I plan on abstaining today, but there may be a slight stimulant cross-tolerance? Unsure. Also, since I am avoiding caffeine today, there may be slight agitation that throws off the effect of the drug, as I do have a slight caffeine habit. My stomach is also still not completely empty after the junk food I ate last night. Some diphenhydramine (Benadryl — 50mg, two pills) was taken last night to ease me into sleep after eating that way.
Step 5: Test the Drug and Measure the Dose Appropriately Having purchased the drug from a pharmacy that I have acquired it from multiple times, I can be fairly certain that the drug is what is displayed on the box.
Step 6: Make a Plan and Discuss Expectations
I plan on waking up, hydrating, and then taking two PSE pills. I have some errands to run tomorrow, so this task should easily be accomplished without detracting from drug effects. I expect to be a bit more wakeful, stimulated, and perhaps slightly more focused. There may be some mood elevation, based on prior experiences. Depending on how the experience is going, I may augment it by adding two more PSE pills later in the day. I expect my nose to be clear!
Step 7: Take the Drug! Take the drug and think about how it affects you. You do not have to. You can simply enjoy the effects if you wish. This comes to personal preference.
Step 8: Reflect on the Experience
PSE was stimulating, that much was clear. Perhaps just as much as five milligrams of Adderall after taking the second dose of two pills. The mood elevated “high” was much less however, but produced an interesting altered state of mind. The duration of effect was also much shorter than I thought — perhaps two hours of noticeable effect, then quick dissipation over the next hour. I really enjoyed the clearing of the sinuses, especially since I ate junk food the night before which usually produces sinus congestion. Even now, eight hours after the last dose, it is still easy to breathe through the nose. Could be a useful alternative to caffeine, but I think the PSE actually improved my focus slightly more!
When you see drug experience reports throughout this book, you will see some detailed reports, such as the one below. Others may be less detailed. I tried to go over the above eight steps briefly before each experience.
Drug/Dose: Pseudoephedrine (PSE), 60mg + 60mg 2:30 after
RoA: Orally consumed
Date/Time: 4/4/2020, 9:05AM
Diet: Carnivore diet recently, not very strict, last night had sugary junk food
Recent Drug Use: Caffeine on a nearly daily basis, not today, 50mg diphenhydramine (DPE) last night, PSE maybe once last week
Mental: Positive mindset, a little tired
Physical: Slight congestion, otherwise healthy. Heart rate was normal (about 70bpm), REM 90+, Deep sleep 90+. High levels of positive sleep despite junk food and DPH before bed.
Setting: In a waiting area, waiting for my car to get serviced. Comfortable chair. No one with me. Moved back home, sitting all day.
Expectations: I have taken this drug many times so I am familiar with its usual effects. Taking DPH last night may dampen some of the stimulation.
Experience:
T=0: Two pills swallowed with a glass of water. No food consumed. Heartrate: 70
T+15: Feeling a slightly more wakeful effect, trace stimulation.
T+20: Slight desire to be productive.
T+25: Barely perceptible tingle in my spine. Sinuses are getting clearer, easier to breathe.
T+30: Stimulation is not placebo, increase in focus, heightening awareness of environment.
T+37: Noticeable but mild increase in heart rate. Enjoying the increased focus while reading and writing. Slightly amphetamine-like (AMP), but less of a buzz.
T+50: Stimulated. Difficult to sit still and not want to do something. Sinuses are very clear. Some toe tapping. Reading is very enjoyable.
T+55: Trace anxiety, very easy to ignore.
T+1:00: I would not say the music is enhanced, but I have a desire to move to it. Having used PSE as a party drug, this is not overly surprising. Although I could sit back in the chair, I find myself leaning forward, hunching over my phone to read and write.
T+1:05: Focused reading on the Coronavirus feels like wasted effort. I know it is not a good thing. Focused reading on my book feels better.
T+1:13: Standing up for the first time gave a head rush that seemingly boosted the stimulation. I enjoy typing on my phone. Writing would also feel good as well. Despite being able to breathe deeper, I found my breathing a bit shallow at times (characteristic of amphetamine drugs). Reminding myself to take a deep breath brought relief.
T+1:20: Definitely increased stimulation. Reminder — breathe deeply. Sometimes I am surprised this drug can be purchased OTC. Trace shiver in my body. More sensation of AMP-like stimulation, but without the euphoric buzz. T+1:40: [have been glued to a book for 20 minutes, pulling my head up as if in a stimulant trance. If I had a coffee right now, I feel as though it would tread into over-stimulation and unpleasantness. When not focused on reading, my thoughts are a bit scattered, moving from one thought to another. Heartrate: 72 sitting, average
T+2:20: The main effects I received lessened slightly. Stimulation is still present, with an increased desire for focus.
The box says to wait 4 hours between doses, but Iam going to take two more (60mg total) at 2:30. Taken with a large glass of pure fresh lemon juice (coronavirus protection!). Acidity of the lemon juice may diminish some of the effects of redose.
11:35AM
T+2:30: Blood pressure feels like it is rising, stimulation increasing already, likely because the two pills were taken on an emptier stomach than the initial dose.
T+2:40: Stimulating rising, bit mood elevation, slight “high”. Heartrate: 63 seated. Feeling comfortable, trace of anxiety, barely perceptible. Desire to focus is very high. Standing produces a temporarily heightened degree of stimulation. Even easier to breathe deeply, sinuses even clearer.
T+2:55: Time seems to be moving faster, especially when absorbed in various tasks.
T+3:10: When tasks are paused and I try to sit still, thoughts are very scattered. Stimulation is very apparent. Strong desire to be productive, but not extremely easy to focus on each task.
T+3:25: Sex happened — enjoyable, but perhaps the orgasm was less intense or altered somehow. Mucus in my sinuses loosened, and blowing it into a tissue allowed my sinuses to be clearer than I could have hoped for! Very easy breathing.
T+3:45: The slight elevated buzz I felt has passed, though I am still very stimulated. Background stress felt. There is a sensation felt in my eyes, difficult to describe. I can probably best describe it as this: if a higher dose of the drug was taken, my vision would start to blur. Light sweating.
T+4:30: [just laid down for about 20 minutes. Despite a sensation of stimulation, I felt the need to put my head down. I have not eaten yet (I usually eat once or twice a day) and it is around my feeding time. Perhaps eating will cause a boost in energy. Remarkably unfocused almost 5 hours after dosing. Perhaps related to the DPH taken 16 hours ago? Effects of DPH can linger in my body for quite some time.
T+5:15: Lam desiring caffeine, but believe the stimulation will be overwhelming even if I just had one cup of coffee. Most of the effects have subsided. Sinuses are still very clear. I smelled flowers outside for the first time, though they have been in bloom for several days.
T+7:15: Just awoke from a half-hour nap. Stimulant effects definitely subsided. Going to have some coffee
After-Thoughts: The pseudoephedrine was stimulating, that much was clear. Perhaps just as much as five milligrams of Adderall after taking the second dose of two pills. The mood elevated “high” was much less however, but produced an interesting altered state of mind. The duration of effect was also much shorter — perhaps two hours of noticeable effect, then quick dissipation over the next hour. I really enjoyed the clearing of the sinuses, especially since I ate junk food the night before which usually produces sinus congestion. Even now, eight hours after the last dose, it is still easy to breathe through the nose. Could be a useful alternative to caffeine, but even with a caffeine habit, I feel my focus was better than while taking PSE.
How to Use this Book
In order to facilitate an easy way to look up information, I tried to make the layout as simplistic and consistent as I could. The basic outline of each of the drug chapters is below, with descriptions of what is contained in each section following beneath.
For an even greater ease of use, I have included an in-depth glossary at the end of the book. I have bolded words that are defined in the glossary so that the drug naive reader may become more familiar with drug terminology.
Sentences or paragraphs that are preceded by a big red CAUTION are meant to be observed even more closely than other advice given in this book. It means I have likely suffered an ill-effect by not listening to this advice, or I know someone who has. Please try to read over any section that mentions CAUTION at least two times to really familiarize yourself with possible risks or ill-effects, before indulging in the consumption of a substance.
The general outline for each substance is as follows...
Drug Title Heading
Introduction
History
Legal Status
Route of Administration Duration of Effect
Dose Comparison Physiological Effects Psychological Effects Comparison to Similar Drugs Overdose Effects and Lethal Dose Negating the Effects Addiction and Withdrawal Personal Experiences
Drug Combinations
Personal Opinion
Sources
Below follows an explanation of what each section will entail:
Drug Title Heading
The Drug title is usually the name of the drug. For certain drugs, such as methamphetamine, they will be found in a close relative’s chapter — amphetamine. If you are unsure of which chapter to find a certain drug in, check the glossary, or just Google it — it's probably faster.
An image of the molecular structure of the drug(s) will be found here as well. Other pictures include tests done with reagent kits (if possible) and possibly pictures of what the drug looks like in real life.
There will be a short one-paragraph summary of the drug. Some notable quotes, both positive and negative, may also be found here.
Drugs covered in this chapter: This segment is not in every chapter. As mentioned above, if there is an encompassing drug class, such as opioids, other drugs with similar traits will be noted here as well (oxycodone, fentanyl, heroin, etc.)
Slang: Any applicable slang terms may also be included here.
Introduction
A very basic introduction to the drug chapter is provided here. Initial misconceptions about the drug are sometimes elucidated. I also try to explain some modern-day issues with the drug, along with some interesting facts, graphs or statistics. Sometimes an interesting story or mention of the drug in mainstream media will appear.
Additionally, I try to provide information about where the drug is found throughout the world, along with how it can be found (pills, powders, etc.).
Occasionally, I detail some notable or famous individuals who used the drug or perhaps lost their life to it. Some terminology may be included in this section so that the reader may be familiarized with the content that follows.
History
If the drug is naturally derived, as in the case of cannabis or tobacco, when is some of the first evidence of use? If the drug was derived through man-made chemistry, as in the case of ketamine or LSD, who first synthesized it? What are some markers throughout history that are worthy of mention with regards to this particular drug? What about some of the other drugs covered in this chapter?
Legal Status
This section will describe the legal status of the drug. I try to go into detail about which countries have what status (Schedule I, I, or III, Schedule A, B, etc.) depending on the region. Some basic history about the legal restrictions may also be detailed in this section, such as the Prohibition era for alcohol in America, as well as some of the legal penalties. When possible, I include the legal status of similar drugs that may or may not be covered in the chapter.
The penalties of legal systems vary widely from country to country. In places like the Czech Republic, people can possess small amounts of cannabis or heroin for personal use. In Portugal, all drugs were decriminalized, so that instead of going to jail, there are merely fines for possession. Inversely, in the United Arab Emirates, individuals can go to jail just for having trace amounts of the drug in their urine [ https://drugabuse.com/addiction/drug-abuse-penalties/]. In the most extreme cases, in the country of the Philippines, under leadership of Duterte, drug users can be killed.
Route of Administration
This section details the different ways a drug can be ingested. The most common forms of ingestion are smoking (combustion) and vaporization, drinking or eating (oral), snorting (intranasal/insufflation), and injection (intravenous or intramuscular). Drugs can also be absorbed sublingually or buccally, where the drug enters through the membranes in the mouth. Some drugs, such as LSD (specifically in its liquid form) and nicotine (in the nicotine patch), can absorb through the skin (transdermally). Perhaps the least common RoA is plugging or boofing a drug, slang terms for intrarectal administration, where a small amount of the drug is inserted into the rectum and rapidly absorbed. This method is often underestimated because it seems so bizarre, but a relatively large amount of the drug is absorbed very quickly which could lead to accidental overdose if care is not taken. For advice and suggestions about the techniques behind various RoA’s, please see the previous Safety and Suggestion for Various Routes of Administration (RoA) chapter.
Duration of Effect
LSD — ORAL
Comparing a low dose (50-100 micrograms (mcg)) to a [moderate/high dose] (200-400mcg) in intolerant users with an empty stomach. Having food in the stomach will delay onset if the drug is swallowed. With sublingual absorption, stomach contents usually do not matter.
Come-Up: 45-120 [30-120] minutes — It can take longer than two hours for a full come-up in rare cases
Main Effects: 7-10 [8-12] hours Peak @ + ~2.5-4 hours after dose
Come-Down: 2-4 [3-5] hours
Afterglow: Some users report lingering changes in perception and mental state for days or weeks following a dose.
Please note that for the given doses provided throughout this book, keep in mind that this is from my experiences based on personal experimentation and observation of others. Iam around an 80kg (1751b) male, with no underlying health conditions, who eats well, has a fast metabolism, and exercises regularly.
Traditionally, users who are sensitive to most drugs, such as those who are smaller in size and lower in weight or naturally low in tolerance, will expect a longer duration in the given range, such as the 12-hour duration of effect. Less sensitive users, such as those with higher body mass or generally high drug tolerance, will experience the lower side of duration (8 hours). Effects will also likely be more powerful for sensitive users, and a moderate 200mcg dose for me will feel like a high 300-400mcg dose for another. Please take your body weight, metabolism, diet, and tolerance into effect.
The Come-Up describes how long it takes the drug to begin taking effect. Some drugs come up quickly, and some take a little longer. This is generally the timeframe for when I feel the first flicker of a drug, to when the (hopefully) desirable effects start to set in.
The Main Effects describe how long the desirable effects last. This incorporates the peak. When the peak is reached, effects will likely plateau (stay the same), and then slowly decrease over time in this duration.
The Peak is when the (generally) desirable effects are likely at maximum and occurs after the come-up. Usually, the main effects start to decline from the time that the peak is reached. Most drugs do not have a substantially lasting “peak”, so there is a much smaller timeframe given.
Come-Down effects are when the desirable effects of the drug have worn off, but there are still some lingering sensations felt. Usually, at the conclusion of the comedown, the user is at baseline, or perhaps facing a hangover if the dose for the experience was high.
For some drugs, like MDMA or LSD, there are persistent and minor residual effects for several days in some cases. This Afterglow sensation describes when a usually positive experience was had with a substance. There can be lingering effects long after the drug has worn off completely. Users may have a new perspective on life or an increased motivation that persists. Under negative circumstances, users may develop lasting fear or distrust.
Dose Comparison I usually briefly discuss what might be a good idea before taking the drug, such as having an empty stomach, or making sure you are in a comfortable environment.
Drugs can have different effects at different doses. In this section, I try to include what a low dose, moderate dose, and high dose feel like compared with one another. The details are very general, as the bulk of the effects are explained in the
Physiological/Psychological Effects section.
For some drugs, sometimes trace doses or micro-doses (as in the case of LSD) are explained here. Mega-doses can also be described (again, as in the case of LSD).
Physiological Effects
*A quick note on Effects:
It must be stated right away — drugs can vary tremendously in effects from one person to another. Effects can even differ for the same person at the same dose at a different time. When considering the potential effects of a drug on a person, there are a multitude of factors that can determine what happens. Before looking too closely at what some potential effects might be, please reference the Safety 1 - FAQ’s chapter to get an idea of some factors that could cause a change in effects.
Even though the focus of this book is on the psychological effects, I think it is important to note the physiological effects, as they can have a profound impact on the experience. Included here are any effects that may be perceived in the body, rather than the mind. Effects on heartrate, digestion, urination, defecation, and breathing are just a few aspects that are taken into consideration.
Psychological Effects
*Make sure you read the note on Effects above
Likely the most frequented section of each chapter and the longest, what is found here are the most common effects of the drug. Does it make a user tired, awake, shaky, anxious, or stimulated? Does this boost or diminish sexual effects?
Are there any unpleasant side effects such as nausea, shallow breathing, or increased heart rate? How does a low dose compare to a high dose? This section is often the longest due to the shear variation of effects a user may expect to find as well as the multitude of side effects that can vary based on RoA, frequency of use, and size of dose.
What does it look like to be tolerant to the drug?
Long-term effects for single or continuous use are noted here sometimes as well
Comparison to Similar Drugs This section is not in every chapter, but I think it is important to draw similarities and differences between allegedly similar drugs, such as stimulants: for instance, amphetamines versus cocaine, and cocaine versus caffeine.
Overdose Effects and Lethal Dose
This is possibly the most important section when it comes to harm reduction, because if you are not careful, a high dose of drugs can kill you. We live in a time when the heroin that is available on the street is riddled with cheap and potent fentanyl and its analogs. Fentanyl and chemically related drugs are roughly 100 times as potent as heroin, milligram for milligram, and therefore extremely dangerous if the dose is miscalculated. Drug dealers will also press their own pills, looking like prescription pills or ecstasy tablets, with countless different drugs. This section will indicate what an overdose looks like physically for each drug, what signs should you look for, and what you could do about it. Knowing signs of various drug overdoses can be vital to a safe experience.
Also in this section, when I have found the information, I try to identify what the lethal dose is - in other words, how much of the drug is needed to kill a person. Sometimes referred to as the LDS50, the lethal dose required to kill 50% of a population, this statistic is often very hard to find because the LDS50 is usually only measured in animal models. Some extrapolation can be done to relate the dose in a rat to a human for example, but there is still a difference in biochemistry, and so these results are speculative at best. Another important aspect to consider when determining lethal dose is tolerance. While a tolerant opiate user might be able to handle 30 bags of heroin just to get high, the same amount of heroin may kill many intolerant users.
It is worth saying that the limits of the lethal dose should never be tested. I want to end this section with a plea. If you witness an overdose, please, do not leave the person, especially if there is still
a chance they can be saved. There are some laws in place in various parts of the world that protect someone from reporting a drug overdose, such as the Good Samaritan Law. While this law varies depending on your location, the
general idea is that a bystander who reports an injury as a result of drug use is exempt from criminal prosecution, even if they are in the same environment as the victim (also using drugs). Unfortunately, immunity from trouble with the law is not always the case. There have been individuals who had good intentions when reporting the overdose of a friend, but received legal consequences.
Before you leave someone, remember that once a person has passed, there is no hope of getting them back. If you are in a position to do something, do it! Not only might you save someone’s life, but you do not spend the rest of your life regretting what you could have done. It may haunt you forever.
Negating the Effects If the effect of the drug is causing overdose effects (see each drug chapter to see what this looks like) as mentioned above, seek emergency medical attention. Even if you are unsure if it is an overdose, it is far better to err on the side of safety!
If it is not a medical emergency, just extreme intoxication, reading through this section can be useful. Why would someone want to negate the effect of a drug? Sometimes, whether intentionally or not, we ingest too much of a drug and desire to cancel the effects. Here I will confront what happens when a drug user is overly-intoxicated in order to mitigate, diminish, or dampen the high. In some cases, taking another drug to negate the effects of one drug can be successful at remedying the discomfort. One example is if an individual takes a high dose of amphetamines and experiences potent anxiety, heart racing, verging on panic attack, then taking a dose of benzodiazepines such as alprazolam (Xanax) or clonazepam (Klonopin) will mitigate some of the unpleasant effects. When it comes to a high dose of ketamine, the unexpecting user may find the experience incredibly disorienting and desire a way to lessen the effects. A spoonful of table sugar is known to be helpful in this instance. CAUTION! Attempting to remedy the effect of one drug with another is extremely dangerous and can create even more problems if the user does not know what they are doing. Except in the case of emergencies, this should only be attempted in a professional setting.
Most of the time these options are not available to users to take other drugs, and so the only available option is to just wait it out. All drugs will eventually leave the body; it is just a matter of time. Taking deep breaths, relaxing the mind, keeping well hydrated, and trying to eat some food will increase metabolism and expedite the process of getting back to baseline.
Addiction and Withdrawal
All of the drugs in this book have addictive potential, but some may be arguably “more addictive” than others. I hesitate a bit to say something like this, as all individuals are different. Someone who tries heroin on several occasions may not become addicted to the substance, but perhaps this same person cannot go a day without cannabis, a drug that is often deemed not "physically addictive". Each of us is different and may become chemically or physically dependent on anything. I will try my best to comment on what addictive effects seem to be the most common and how to avoid them.
Withdrawal, a directly related result of addiction, will be detailed in this segment as well. Withdrawal could be defined as the effects felt when a person using their drug of choice constantly, usually over an extended period of weeks, months, or longer, suddenly stops using this drug. Examples include a cocaine addict feeling a lack of energy and depression upon cessation of a three-month bender. A heroin addict may suffer withdrawal effects in the form of diarrhea, shaking, sleeplessness, anxiety, and sweating after sudden cessation of a six-month addiction. One common trend I have noticed with withdrawal from almost any type of addiction, is that there is usually an intense craving for whatever drug or action has been ceased. If trying to stop taking the drug regularly, distraction from the craving can be effective.
An entire chapter was dedicated to addiction before the chapters on individual drugs, as I find the issue so important to
address in a book about drugs. Please reference it if you or someone you know might have a problem with addiction. And as always, I ask you to do your own research, as every addiction is different depending on the individual.
Personal Experiences
Out of all the sections, I probably enjoyed putting this one together the most. I have been able to document some of my favorite drug experiences, as well as recall memories of some of my least favorite. The greatest pleasure is that I can share these experiences with others and hope that lessons can be learned, so that the curious drug explorer does not make the same mistakes that I have made.
Some reports were written years ago and may be less detailed than more recent reports. They also likely reflect a different time in my life and the experience will likely reflect my mental state. If you are curious about how a particular drug may affect you, as it will likely differ from my experience, I would advise you to read my About Me chapter and then my drug experience that you are curious about. This will help to give you a frame of reference of what that drug might do to you based on your own past experiences, with respect to what a drug has done to me based on my past experience. CAUTION! There is still no guarantee of how a drug may affect you. Even if the same drug at the same dose was taken by the same person, effects may still be different at different times. The only 100% safe experience, is to not take any drugs at all.
I try to go into detail about every feeling during an experience, minute-by-minute if possible, so the reader is given as much information as I can give them when learning about various drugs. Not all drugs will have the in-depth format illustrated below, but having such a format is helpful to illustrate the confounding variables during my experience, such as having a full stomach, being poorly rested, or having a less ideal mental state. Some experiences may be just a few sentences, but if I felt an experience worthy of mention, I tried to put it here!
Ihave said it multiple times already, but please remember that my experiences are my own and definitely do not guarantee that you will experience a particular drug the same way.
For more recent detailed experience reports, I try to document them as such, although most experiences won’t have nearly as much information:
NAME OF THE EXPERIENCE. If [LIVE] is mentioned, then the experience was recorded while the drug was taking effect, rather than noted down later as most other experiences are
Drug/Dose: Name of the drug and dose administered.
RoA: By which route was it administered?
Estimated Purity: I am XX% sure that the drug is XX% pure (50% sure the drug is 80% pure)
Evidence: Failed a drug test? Similar to another experience/drug?
Date/Time: Date and Time
Diet: Type of diet followed, how long? Supplements?
Recent Drug Use: Have I used drugs recently?
Mental Status: What is my mood? Positive or negative? Any recent trauma?
Physical Status: Healthy? Sick? Any pain? Sleep? Heart rate? Headache? Ketosis? Stomach contents?
Setting: Where did I take the drug? Safe space? Comfortable? With anyone?
Expectations/Questions: What do I think will happen? Any confounding variables? Any questions I might have about the experience? Will they be answered?
Experience:
T=0: How was the drug taken (Time = 0, the moment of start)
T+time:
In this case, ‘time’ refers to how many hours or minutes have passed since the start. T+5: indicates that five minutes after T=0 when an effect was mentioned, if “T+1:30:” this is an hour and a half after start.
After-Thoughts: A detailed reflection of the experience is provided.
This complete documentation will attempt to address any confounding variables or other situations that might alter the drug experience, to give the most honest and explicit experience possible. It cannot be stated enough. My results are my own and should only be viewed this way. Use this as merely a reference point. Your experience may be completely different.
Combining with other Drugs
Having personally combined many of the drugs I discuss in this book with other drugs, and having seen others do the same, I find it prudent to have an entirely separate section that addresses this topic in each drug chapter. Whether it be my personal experiences, or any information I have found regarding what it is like to combine certain drugs, I try to address it here. When possible, if a combination is noteworthy, even if the drug is not mentioned in this book, such as GHB, phenibut, or DMT, it will be included in the necessary drug chapters.
COMBINING DRUGS IS GENERALLY DANGEROUS — BUT CAN BE DONE WITH RELATIVE SAFETY Combining drugs can be very dangerous, however many people combine “common drugs” without giving much thought of safety. Drugs such as alcohol, caffeine, and sugar are generally regarded as safe to combine. These drugs are commonly combined together and socially acceptable. It helps to know that these relatively common combinations are usually not done to excess and can be combined relatively safely in the short term with a reasonably small dose, but the possibility of taking too-high of a dose of even these legal drugs is possible when the user lacks self-control. The best example of this could be illustrated by the 4-Loko situation that hit the United States and other countries around the year 2010. These alcoholic beverages also contained plant-based stimulants, like caffeine, taurine, and sugar. This caused a multitude of instances where consumers went to the hospital due to over-intoxication (I personally knew a few instances myself), because it was easier to drink to excess since alcohol was not as sedative due to the combination of effects from the other components of the beverage.
Do you still want to combine drugs? KEEP THE DOSES LOW!
From my past experience, combined with much research online, most drugs can be combined with each other if the doses of both are kept low and the frequency of combination is rare. Please take this statement lightly, as I do not want to encourage anyone to combine drugs together. However, if one is to make this decision, my goal is to reduce the harm that a person may cause themselves. CAUTION! CAUTION! CAUTION! Stated three times for effect: Just because I was able to safely combine certain drugs does not mean that other drug users will be able to. Remember, the only 100% safe level of drug use is - NO DRUGS AT ALL!
EXAMPLE — ALCOHOL AND GHB
Some individuals I talk to are aware that combining alcohol and GHB can be dangerous. I was under the impression that two hits of GHB and two beers would cause a combined drug overdose, and so I lived in fear of mixing these drugs. They both bind to similar neurotransmitters causing similar depressant effects, so why would I even consider it? Well, in writing this book I have done my share of research and found that these drugs have been combined many times by many people safely, as long as the doses of each were always kept low.
I tried this combination myself and kept the doses low. I had perhaps two glasses of wine and a hit of GHB. I felt amplified effects of both drugs, but no dangerous effects worth noting. I could see how danger could increase as my inhibitions were lowered, my ability to make healthful decisions decreased, and I felt more of a desire to continue dosing with both drugs. Fortunately, I had the self-control to stick to my upper limit and what I said I would do. The experience was overall enjoyable.
EXAMPLE — HEROIN AND COCAINE
Another example is the infamous “speedball” — a combination of heroin and cocaine. These two drugs are well known and are heavily stigmatized — especially when used in conjunction with each other. [have known many people who have tried it successfully, but also many people who have overdosed on one drug or the other unintentionally — sometimes resulting in death. Since the RoA for this combination is often intravenous, it is even more dangerous! An intolerant user will most likely experience overdose effects and runs the risk of death, even with a low dose of each drug.
WHAT IS THE TAKEAWAY HERE?
The moral of the story with combining drugs is to do your research and know your dose! The ability to cause harm to oneself is increased to an even greater level when combining drugs, than when using one drug on its own. If you happen to be on one drug and someone pulls out another, stop yourself and ask if this is the correct time to try mixing these drugs. Do you know what will happen? Can the person offering you a drug offer any insight? Ideally, when in doubt about a drug combination, simply refuse to take the drug! This is not always easy, especially if you are a drug addict or in an altered state of mind, but try to put yourself in a sober state of mind and question what you would do. If possible, excuse yourself and do some quick internet searching to see what you are getting yourself into.
WHICH CHAPTER DO I FIND DRUG COMBINATION INFORMATION?
There is a question that arises. If you desire to combine two drugs mentioned in this book, ketamine and cocaine for example, what chapter can you find information on this combination: the ketamine chapter, or cocaine? I put an [X] in front of the drug where the combination is NOT described. There is an [O] for if the drug combination description exists in that chapter.
Please be careful!
Personal Opinion
While I tried to keep the other subsections as unbiased as possible (even though it is virtually impossible), this is my chance to let you know how I really feel about a particular drug! I do not believe any drug is inherently "bad" or "good". I believe every drug can be used responsibly, but it does not mean that it should be! I will let you know what I enjoyed or did not enjoy, as well as any other opinions I have about the drug chapter.
I might discuss some of my more cherished experiences here, and some of the horror stories, even if they were mentioned in the Personal Experiences section earlier.
Sources
Much of the information contained before the experiences section had to be discovered from various sources, including books, articles, and even on internet forums. While some of the sources may be questionable to the reader, I have tried to cross-reference as much information as possible with other sources, as well as with my own personal experiences. Some information may not be correct, but I did try my best to provide the most honest information that I could.
Safety and Suggestion for Various Routes of Administration (RoA)
What is a route of administration (RoA)? RoA’s describe the various routes, methods, or ways that a drug can be administered to enter the body. For instance, drugs can be swallowed (oral consumption), snorted (insufflation/intranasal), or smoked (combusted), among other means which will be elucidated below. Each method varies in safety, effectiveness, and onset of effects. It is up to the reader to decide what is agreeable for them, based on what drug they are taking (explained in individual chapters), and how much risk they are willing to take.
What I believe is also of relevant discussion, is the idea of “crossing a line” that cannot be uncrossed. Speaking personally, when it came to taking drugs in general, originally, I was never going to take them. “I will never cross that line,” I had said. Then I tried one, and the line was crossed. After that, it became even easier to try more drugs. The line could not be uncrossed.
The same could be said for various RoA’s. For me, I said I would never snort drugs, but it ended up happening one day while I was intoxicated. From that point on, it became easier to snort every other drug! Again, the line could not be uncrossed.
While I have never injected drugs, I assume it is much the same: once one drug is injected, it becomes easier to inject many other drugs.
Please think about the consequences of your actions before you take action.
Combustion (Smoking):
Safety: Varies by drug. Cigarettes and cannabis are safest. Crack cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine are probably the most dangerous. Many other drugs possess greater degrees of DANGER when smoked.
Efficacy: Smoking is an EXTREMELY efficient way to get drugs into the body. Because the lungs have such a great surface area, drugs are very easily absorbed by this method.
Onset and Duration: Since drugs are such a thin veil to the human body, effects can be felt within seconds. This is why the effects of the first drag or puff of a cigarette can be felt almost instantaneously.
Method: For me, the best way to absorb a drug via this RoA would be to start by exhaling about 70% lung capacity. Next, with the lips firmly placed around the device/drug (cigarette, joint, glass piece), ignite the substance, and inhale for about half of a second at first, then pull the device away, and then breathe in clean air deeply. In the mind, try to picture the smoke that was pulled into the mouth going deeply into the lungs as clean air is inhaled. Some individuals report not getting high while smoking certain drugs (usually cannabis). While the product quality could be low, what I have found is that they are perhaps not inhaling deeply enough. By design, the human body does not want to inhale smoke. The user will have to fight this internal chemistry in order to adequately achieve effects from drugs through inhalation. With more experience, the user should be able to inhale for longer than half a second off a device, and then inhale even deeper for more powerful effects.
Cannabis smoking pipe:
Vaporization (Vaping):
Safety: Varies by the drug. Nicotine and Cannabis vaporizers are again most likely the safest. Heroin and methamphetamine can also be vaporized, among other drugs. Many other drugs possess greater degrees of DANGER when vaporized.
Efficacy: Similar to smoking, vaporization is very efficient for getting drugs into the body. The lungs have a great surface area, allowing drugs to be easily absorbed.
Onset and Duration: Similar to smoking, onset usually occurs within seconds or minutes.
Method: Vaporization involves heating a drug to a hot enough temperature to melt it from a solid into a liquid, then vaporize it into a gas. If a flame is involved, it should not be touching the drug directly (that would be combustion). The most common drug vaporized would be nicotine in electronic cigarettes.
I have found the best way to vaporize drugs, whether in a glass pipe, over a piece of foil, or with another device, is to start by holding a flame a distance below the heating surface, leaving more than an inch (3 cm) between the tip of the flame and the surface. Since different drugs vaporize at different temperatures, slowly move the flame closer to the heating surface until you see the drug begin to melt (if solid) into a liquid, then vaporize into a gas. Holding the flame too closely at first will result in cooking the drug at too high a temperature, possibly causing some of the drug to get destroyed rather than absorbed, or the drug will burn your mouth as you inhale. Please do research for how best to vaporize certain drugs.
These are “oil burner” pipes, which can be used for crack cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and other drugs:
Oral (Eating/Swallowing):
Safety: This is one of the safer means to ingest drugs. Prescription drugs, such as amphetamines and benzodiazepines are usually meant to be ingested this way. The DANGER lies in the delayed onset. Impatient users will take more of a drug to try to achieve a stronger effect, before their previous orally consumed dose has come to peak. This can lead to accidental overdose.
Efficacy: Absorption through the stomach can seemingly weaken the drug by almost half according to some reports. It also takes longer for the drug to be fully absorbed, which can lead to diminished effects.
Onset and Duration: Because the drug needs to get through the lining of the stomach, or get to the intestines to be absorbed, this greatly increases the time until onset of effects. Some drugs, such as MDMA have taken upwards of two hours to fully come up. Stomach contents greatly effect onset of action in most drugs. However, the duration of effect is usually longer when consumed orally.
Method: For best effects when taking drugs orally, in most cases, the stomach should be empty and the drug should be taken with a glass of water. Avoid using acidic beverages like soda, coffee, or alcohol to take drugs orally, as the acidity of these beverages can destroy drugs. Especially avoid alcohol due to unpredictable effects from combining drugs!
CAUTION! Certain drugs, such as prescription opioids can cause intense stomach pain when taken on an empty stomach. Ironic, isn’t it? Drugs that are meant to kill pain can cause an excruciating amount of pain in an intolerant user’s stomach.
Ecstasy pills, intended for oral absorption:
Insufflation (snorting):
Safety: This is arguably safer than smoking (depending on the drug chosen), but more dangerous than oral absorption, due to the fact that a drug will enter the body at a higher concentration. The safest drug to insufflate in this book may be ketamine, whereas the more dangerous ones are cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.
Efficacy: Because there is only a thin membrane in the nose slowing the spread of drugs into the brain, it is a much more effective means for getting drugs into the body than oral consumption. In some instances, as is in the case with oxycodone, less of the drug will actually be absorbed than if it is taken orally. Many other drugs are absorbed more effectively in the nose versus the stomach.
Onset: Onset for most drugs is usually in 3-15 minutes, depending on the drug. Some drugs, even when insufflated, such as my favorite psychedelic, 4-AcO-DMT, can take 20+ minutes until trace effects even begin. Duration is shorter than that of oral ingestion, but usually longer than when combusted.
Method: Ensure the nasal passages are clear. Sometimes blowing the nose into a tissue is not enough. Using a device to rinse the sinuses such as a nasal irrigator, neti pot, or nasal spray can prove effective. If your nose is congested, the drugs will not absorb efficiently and the product will essentially go to waste, caught in mucus. There have been times where I have insufflated drugs and felt no effects due to severe congestion.
This next step is very important. If the drugs are not crushed into a fine powder, they will not absorb correctly! If there are any rocky bits, shards, or tiny pebble-appearing pieces, these will either go straight down the throat, or get stuck in the nose and not be absorbed. Please make sure your drugs are crushed adequately.
After the insufflation session has been concluded, preferably right after finishing, I highly recommend using a nasal irrigator to clear away built-up drug debris, dried mucus, and blood (if the drugs caused the nose to bleed). Doing so the next day will still likely be beneficial.
The nose could become easily congested from insufflated drug abuse. Avoid using topical nasal spray oxymetazoline (Afrin), as this could cause rebound congestion after the effects wear off, leading to even more sinus congestion than was initially present. It is acutely effective, but can potentially lead to lasting damage.
A rolled-up dollar with drugs:
Sublingual / Sub-buccal (Buccal):
Safety: There is an added element of safety to this method. Since the drugs are in the mouth, if the user knows what the drug should taste like, they will be able to tell if the drug is what it is supposed to be. This is still DANGEROUS as the drug could be cut with any number of other malevolent drugs.
Efficacy: Depending on the drug, this RoA feels similar in efficacy to insufflation. Tasting the drug for an extended period of time is usually the worst part about this method.
Onset: These RoA’s are usually faster in onset than oral, but slightly slower than insufflation. The added bonus here is that if the drug does not get absorbed through the mouth, it can be swallowed and then orally absorbed.
Method: These RoA’s consist of letting a drug dissolve in the mouth, and allowing it to absorb through the mucous membranes. Sublingual refers to under the tongue, while buccal refers to absorption between the cheeks and teeth, or between the lips and teeth. This RoA usually causes an unpleasant taste, as most drugs do not taste pleasant, and the drugs will be right next to the taste buds. Some drugs need a few minutes to be dissolved, while others may need 15 minutes or longer. Please do your research.
Intrarectal (Slang: Boofing, Plugging)
Safety: Since this is likely the least common RoA, it may also be the most dangerous. Drug users can have a lax way of approaching this RoA because it seems so bizarre, however, absorption of the drug into the body can be faster and more powerful than all other RoA’s, besides intravenous injection, from my knowledge. This means that a smaller dose should be used than a user might be used to using with other RoA’s, such as insufflation.
Efficacy: There are many sources that report that this method will allow for nearly 100% of a drug to be absorbed, compared to oral absorption or insufflation, which can usually have a much lower percent. Again, budget for this when allocating for the size of dose.
Onset: Despite this RoA’s stronger efficacy than other routes of administration, the onset can take a bit longer, sometimes 20+ minutes or more, though it is usually more rapid than that. Effects can be jarring, especially if the user is unfamiliar with dosing drugs in this manner.
Method: For best effect, empty the bowels completely. Feces are not usually contained in the rectum, but sometimes, it is useful to use an enema or another bowel-voiding instrument to make sure there is no fecal matter there. If there are feces, the drugs that are inserted could get stuck, and the effects of the drug will be greatly diminished, even nonexistent. Dissolve the drug in a small amount of water (emphasis on small), perhaps 2-3 mL. Find somewhere comfortable to lay on your side on the ground, as you will be here for about 10-15 minutes. After the drug has been fully dissolved, using a small enema or plastic syringe, insert about one inch into the rectum, and release the fluid inside. Since you are laying on your side, there will be a greater surface area for the drug to enter the body against the walls of the rectum. Depending on the drug, effects will begin to build after a period of time.
I know this can seem like a rigorous process, but I cannot stress enough how important it is to begin with a much lower dose than is commonly used by other RoA. Please do extensive research online to find that dose depending on which drug is consumed. Having someone nearby to monitor you in the case of an overdose is very useful as well. They will likely need to be a close friend or partner due to the intimate nature of intrarectal drug use!
The rectum is the tan/brown area, and the blue tube is the maximum distance to be inserted into the rectum:
<>
Intravenous, IV (Injection into the vein):
Safety: The most important things to remember here are where you inject, who you inject with, and the environment you are in when you decide to inject. Other important factors include needle and syringe safety, having clean needles, the importance of not sharing needles, and how to prepare a drug for injection. There are of course, a multitude of other risk factors, like gangrene, or other infection that can occur from improper injection technique.
Efficacy: This is usually regarded as the most effective means for getting drugs into the body. Just ask any intravenous heroin user, and they will likely agree. With great power, of course, comes great DANGER.
Onset: As with combustion/vaporization, effects are nearly instantaneous from the time the drug enters the body.
Method: While I have no experience with this RoA personally, I found a document that may be helpful, however, it is a very long read. The IV users that I have spoken to have said this is a worthwhile guide to read. https://harmreduction.org/issues/safer-drug-use/injection-safety-manual/
Avoid using this RoA if at all possible. Once you turn down this path, it is very hard, if not impossible to turn back.
A generic picture of drugs and a needle:
Intramuscular (Injection into the muscle):
Safety: This RoA is arguably safer than intravenous administration, but since you are piercing virtually all defense mechanisms of the body, it still comes with great risks, similar to those of intravenous use.
Efficacy: The efficacy is somewhat diminished when compared to intravenous use. The rush is usually not as strong.
Onset: The onset is slower than that of intravenous administration, since the drug will take longer to spread from the muscle to the rest of the body. It is for this reason that this is the preferred method for ketamine injection, because if ketamine is used intravenously, it can cause unconsciousness before the injection is complete, which can cause damage at the injection site.
Method: The only drug that I know that is commonly taken this way is ketamine. Ketamine is most commonly insufflated from my experience, but abusers of the drug desiring a stronger and longer lasting effect will inject it into the muscle, rather than into the vein. Examine the safe injection guide mentioned above in the Intravenous section.
Where intravenous use goes in at an angle, intramuscular injection goes in at a 90-degree angle:
Su gar (Sucrose) CH2OH
ER
- os A sucrose molecule, and my hae flavor of sugar — Cookies and Cream.
Sugar is found naturally in fruits and vegetables, but also in processed food as a way to enhance flavor. It is commonly combined with caffeine in soft drinks (sodas) or coffee to increase palatability and to provide heightened stimulation. This drug is also often found in conjunction with alcohol. It has stimulant effects.
“Sugar abuse is the world's least discussed and most widespread addiction. And it is one of the hardest of all habits to kick... After alcohol and tobacco, sugar is the most damaging addictive substance consumed by human beings.” -Terrence McKenna, Food of the Gods
Introduction DEFINING SUGAR AS A DRUG BUT SUGAR IS A FOOD! SUGAR IS EVERYWHERE (NEGATIVE HEALTH EFFECTS) IT IS NOT JUST PURE SUGAR CAUSING PROBLEMS SUGAR AND CARBOHYDRATES ARE NOT NECESSARY FOR HUMAN HEALTH SUGAR IS A UNIQUE DRUG History HONEY — THE FIRST GATHERED SUGAR SUGAR SLAVERY ADVERTISEMENTS FROM DECADES AGO ENCOURAGE CONSUMPTION ADDING ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS SUGARCANE IS STILL PRODUCED AND SPREAD
Legal Status SUGAR IS LEGAL
Route of Administration ORAL OTHER ROA
Duration of Effect COME-UP MAIN EFFECTS AND PEAK COMEDOWN HANGOVER AFTERGLOW
Dose Comparison
BEFORE YOU TAKE THE DRUG
TOLERANCE
LOW-TO-MODERATE DOSE — LOW TOLERANCE (One serving of sweet food: brownie, slice of cake, etc.) VERY HIGH DOSE - LOW TOLERANCE (Bingeing on junk food)
Physiological Effects APPETITE DIGESTION NAUSEA/VOMITING URINATION DEFECATION RESPIRATORY CARDIAC SENSATION EXERCISE ANALGESIA
Psychological Effects STIMULATION TO SEDATION AWARENESS MOTIVATION DISINHIBITION AND SOCIABILITY SEXUAL DECISION MAKING FOCUS AND ATTENTION ANXIETY ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS — SAFER ALTERNATIVE?
Overdose Effects and Lethal Dose OVERDOSE EFFECTS LETHAL DOSE
Negating the Effects IN EXTREME CASES OF DISCOMFORT — VOMITING TAKING AN ANTACID DRINK WATER LAY DOWN AND BREATHE - OR GO FOR A WALK WAIT IT OUT
Addiction and Withdrawal ADDICTION — BINGE EATING DISORDER CRAVING — COMPULSIVE DESIRE TO RE-DOSE LONG TERM EFFECTS (HEALTH EFFECTS) WITHDRAWAL
Personal Experiences [LIVE] PURE SUGAR — MEASURED DOSE OF SUGAR WITH NO TOLERANCE SUGAR CUBES — CONSUMED MANNY WITH LOW TOLERANCE — HIGH INTOXICATION (~2016?) COCA-COLA — AN EXPERIENCE WITH A 200z BOTTLE (2017?)
Combining with Other Drugs [XxX] ALCOHOL [X] BENZODIAZEPINES [O] CAFFEINE [O] CANNABIS [X] KETAMINE [O] NICOTINE [O] OPIOIDS
[O] PSYCHEDELIC DRUGS (LSD, MUSHROOMS)
[O] STIMULANT DRUGS — GENERAL COMMENTS (Amphetamines, cocaine, MDMA)
Personal Opinion
SUGAR IS A POWERFUL DRUG SUGAR AS A GATEWAY DRUG WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT SUGAR? BETTER YET, GIVE IT UP ENTIRELY!
Sources
Introduction to the Drug
DEFINING SUGAR AS A DRUG
Since putting sugar in a book about drugs may raise some questions, I believe it is first important to define how sugar can be a drug. When sugar is consumed, it will cause a release of dopamine, which some refer to as the “reward and pleasure’ neurotransmitter. Cocaine, amphetamines, and other narcotic drugs will also affect this neurotransmitter, providing the “high” that is sought after by drug users. While the “high” from sugar is not as powerful, I personally find perceivable changes in my behavior.
?
BUT SUGAR IS A FOOD!
While this is true, just because something can be consumed and used as energy for the body does not mean that it cannot also be a drug. If you want to test if there are perceptible effects, | would try to lower my tolerance as much as possible by avoiding anything with sugar or carbohydrates in it. Personally, when I have refrained from sugar consumption for an extended period of days or weeks, and then decide to consume the substance, I can easily observe stimulation and mild mood elevation. This could be described as the notorious “sugar-high” that many are familiar with, which some may use to describe the effect is has on children. Interestingly, when I went to research more about the effect of sugar on children, according to some studies, the “sugar-high” in children is a fabricated myth and "Sugar does not affect the behavior or cognitive performance of children” [SugarHighBS]. Similar findings are described in other studies upon further research. I find this hard to believe, having felt psychological effects of sugar myself, but I will leave the choice of what to believe up to you.
SUGAR IS EVERYWHERE (NEGATIVE HEALTH EFFECTS)
Sugar pervades every part of the world today. Its consumption is even encouraged in many settings: in food at family gatherings, in sweet drinks with a meal, with a dessert after dinner, or as a snack while watching a movie. It is everywhere. For such a widespread drug, I question if people know how truly harmful it can be. Excessive sugar consumption can lead to type II diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and fatty liver. It can also a major cause of obesity [NHS 2014]. Sugar can also lead to increased anxiety, a compromised immune system, and early death [HuffPo]. It even impacts memory formation and causes tooth decay [LiveSci]. Simple internet searches will yield consistent negative results that might make you question why sugar is as prevalent as it is.
IT IS NOT JUST PURE SUGAR CAUSING PROBLEMS
Complex carbohydrates, such as starches (think bread, pasta and potatoes) in general, are converted into sugar when taken into the body. When looking at obesity over time, according to a 2011 study in The New England Journal of Medicine that tracked 120,000 participants over 30 years, the largest weight-inducing food was in fact the potato chip. Starch is more easily absorbed than even plain sugar! All this starch causes glucose (a type of sugar) levels to spike which generate cravings for more of the drug [NYT].
SUGAR AND CARBOHYDRATES ARE NOT NECESSARY FOR HUMAN HEALTH After mentioning in conversation that I have been able to eat a diet free of sugar and other carbohydrates, I have had some people challenge me: “Carbohydrates are necessary for the brain and body to function!”
This is simply not true. I have personally lived for months off virtually no sugar or carbohydrates whatsoever, sustaining only on animal protein and animal fat. I felt completely fine, actually — I might even say — better than fine: sleep was restful, energy levels were high, muscle building continued, and my mood was positive (If curious look up a ZeroCarb lifestyle or the Carnivore Diet).
It is also a misconception that dietary sugar is necessary for brain function. In the absence of glucose, the brain will use stored ketone bodies from fat cells to function. This is where we get the name for the kefogenic diet. In fact, it has been argued that ketones as a source of energy are actually better for brain health than glucose [PsychT].
SUGAR IS A UNIQUE DRUG
What sets sugar apart from most other drugs is the desirable taste. Humans are wired to enjoy the taste of sugar, as it would have provided an evolutionary advantage over time. Fruit tastes sweet? Good — eat it and stay alive. However, the danger with today’s food, is that now much of it is processed and loaded with sugar that is refined, concentrated, and pumped into a wide variety of foods at disproportionate levels. This skews our taste buds to enjoy a sweeter taste and creates a powerful effect on our brains. I believe that what is initially desired from sugar is the taste of whatever it is that is sweet, but the other effect that reinforces the enjoyment of sugar might be coupled with the dopamine release in the brain providing mild feelings of euphoria or stimulation.
Admittedly, I have consumed sugar with the core desire to experience drug effects, with some of the more prevalent experiences recounted at the end of this chapter. I hope that if you do not consider sugar a drug at this point, that you will begin to accept it as a possibility by the end of this chapter.
History of the Drug
HONEY — THE FIRST GATHERED SUGAR
The earliest evidence of honey, a naturally-produced and potent sugar made by honeybees, being gathered by humans dates back 9000 years to cave paintings in Spain. There has been evidence found for beekeeping, where bees were “farmed” dating back to 2400 BCE in a sun temple in Cairo, Egypt. The ancient Egyptians used honey as a sweetener and made it into cakes for their gods, as did the ancient Greeks [HoneyHis].
SUGAR SLAVERY
Sugar also has a dark history with slavery. “The early importation of African slave labor into the New World was for one purpose only, to support an agricultural economy based on sugar. The craze for sugar was so overwhelming that a thousand years of Christian ethical conditioning meant nothing” [FoodGods]. Millions of people were taken from Africa to become slaves in the 1500s.
ADVERTISEMENTS FROM DECADES AGO ENCOURAGE CONSUMPTION This advertisement for Domino Sugar in the 1950’s actually encouraged sugar consumption for the purpose of diet. “It’s smart to stay slim and trim and get Domino’s ‘Energy Lift’ too!”
Your reducing diet calls for sugar ?
It's smart to stay slim and trim and get Dymo ‘Energy Lift’ too!
Which. is Less Fatteuing ?
4 oi
1
Yes,3 teaspoons of Suga i
contain fewer calories than |
One Boiled Egg! |
RSS |
en -JonWillia sort com” | SWEETEN IT WITH DOMINO—AMERICA'S LARGEST SELLING SUGARS
. | FREE! new pomino pier sooxter The Amaritan Super Refining Co, Box 203, MY.5,.MY, |
[BuzzFDom]
ADDING ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS
In 1981, the artificial sweetener aspartame was approved for use in food products. Despite controversy in the 1990’s, moderate amounts of aspartame are still safe to drink [Time 2009]. Since this time, there have been multiple varieties of artificial sweeteners that have emerged on the market, with varying degrees of potency and effects on health.
SUGARCANE IS STILL WIDELY PRODUCED AND SPREAD
In 2018, there were almost two trillion tons of sugarcane produced (1,907,024,730) [FAO]. This does not include the amount of sugar that was produced from other sources such as corn or beets.
Legal Status
SUGAR IS LEGAL As far as my research has led me, sugar itself is not illegal anywhere in the world, however, the amount of sugar in
consumer products does need to be disclosed. In the United States, according to the Nutrition and Labeling Education Act of 1990, the amount in grams of sugar needs to be labeled on consumer food products [SugarLabel]. Please note that this does not hold true for alcohol, where no “Nutrition Facts” need to be disclosed, besides the alcohol content.
Nutrition Facts
Servin Per Container: 1
Amount Per Serving
Calories 260 Total Fat 0 g 0% Sodium 50 mg 2% Total Carbohydrate 65 g 22% Sugars 65g Incl. 65 gAdded Sugars (130% Protein 0g
INGREDIENTS: WATER
;
NATURAL FLAVORS, ARTIFICIAL COLORS, PHOSPHORIC ACID.
As you can see, the quantity of sugar is listed in grams under the “Carbohydrates” section. This makes it easy to find the
desired “‘dose’’.
Route of Administration
ORAL
What is the proper way to “take” sugar? Sugar is almost always consumed orally in food or drink.
Intolerant user, moderate dose (100-200g sugar) empty stomach Come-Up: 5-20 minutes
Main Effects: 2-4 hours ~+10-30 minutes until peak Come-Down: 2-4 hours, easing into laziness
OTHER ROA Sugar can also absorb sublingually, by letting it sit under the tongue. I elaborate on why this is useful in the Ketamine chapter.
I doubt there is useful effect for taking sugar by any other method. A friend of mine was also given a sugar solution intravenously, but this was due to a medical complication from diabetes. I am unsure if anyone has tried injection of sugar for recreational purposes.
Duration of Effect
COME-UP The come-up phase is mild compared to some other drugs. There will be an increase in heart rate, and a light increase in energy.
MAIN EFFECTS AND PEAK Some users will experience heavy stimulation when eating sugary foods, while others may feel sedated (dose depending). There will usually be some mood lift, but it is usually very slight.
COMEDOWN As the mood lift fades, there may be a desire to consume more of the drug. This is one of the addictive tendencies of sugar —it makes the user want to consume more.
HANGOVER
For those who consume low to moderate amounts of sugar on a regular basis, you may never experience this effect. For those who occasionally consume higher doses of sugar (even if it is not to the excess that I describe in later sections of this chapter) shortly before bedtime, they may wake up feeling effects that are almost similar to an alcohol-related hangover. I have experienced headaches, anxiety, dehydration, nausea, and a general laziness that can persist until a healthy meal is consumed, sometimes even longer. Finishing food at least five or six hours before going to sleep is optimal, and makes avoiding the hangover effects much easier.If you ever wake up confused about why you feel terrible, think back about what you ate the night before and how late it was.
AFTERGLOW I have never noticed a perceivable afterglow from the consumption of sugar.
Dose Comparison
BEFORE YOU TAKE THE DRUG
As sugar is hardly intoxicating, especially for those who have a tolerance to its effects, there is little preparation that needs to be done. If you are about to eat a large sugar-filled meal, drinking water before the meal is consumed is more beneficial than after. The water will help your body to be better able to handle the foods that you will consume. Drinking water after a large meal, especially if that meal causes indigestion, can dilute the digestive enzymes in the stomach, impeding digestion, and creating a bloated effect. The last point to address would be to ask yourself if you really want to consume this substance. Are you trying to lose weight? Does sugar trigger an addictive eating episode? Will consuming this drug make it harder for you to sleep? Question yourself before you partake in the consumption of sugar.
TOLERANCE
It becomes difficult to say what the effects will be for each person due to the history of personal consumption of the user. If someone consumes several bottles of Coca-Cola a day, they will have likely developed a massive tolerance to the effects of sugar. If someone consumes less than 20g of sugar (carbohydrates) a day, as one might while following the ketogenic diet, and then decides to ingest four bottles of Coca-Cola, the effects of sugar will be much more powerful.
LOW-TO-MODERATE DOSE — LOW TOLERANCE (One serving of sweet food: brownie, slice of cake, etc.)
When taking a low dose, sometimes I feel an increase in heartrate and a rise in blood pressure. This is especially apparent if I cease eating sugar-filled foods for several days or weeks then proceed to eat something very sweet like ice-cream or cake. I get a mild euphoric rush. I feel energized, awake, though my thoughts might be a bit scattered. My eyes open a little wider and I feel a state of excitability. This is the “sugar high” that I experience. It can sometimes bring me some mood lift and increased energy. My stomach does not digest high sugar/carbohydrate items well so it can bring a slight physical discomfort, but if consumption is a rare occasion, I can usually come back easily from the negative effects.
VERY HIGH DOSE - LOW TOLERANCE (Bingeing on junk food)
At a certain point with a high enough dose, I will have to stay seated, finding it extremely difficult to move (and I am very in shape!). I will fluctuate between emotions — including happiness, sadness, or even slight anger. Sometimes I will feel extremely sedated, and other times I will feel rather stimulated. Breathing may become shallow and uncomfortable, giving rise to anxiety. Digestive discomfort can persist for hours, sometimes lasting into the next day after a full night of sleep, if I was lucky enough to get a full night. If I consume this much sugar before bed, my sleep will be interrupted, occasionally causing nightmares or other upsetting dreams. My REM and deep sleep will be impacted (as indicated by my FitBit) negatively and I feel like I had a less restful sleep.
Physiological Effects
APPETITE
Sugar has this amazing power to make me want more of it. If I start eating some chips (which turns into sugar as they are digested), I usually just want to eat more and more. The same goes for ice-cream, cakes, cookies, candy, or anything else with a moderate dose of sugar in it. There will be times when I feel physically full, but my brain is still searching for more of this drug. I would not say it has a direct effect on appetite, as my stomach is full, but sugar seems to disrupt the signals to the brain that are typically alert for fullness.
DIGESTION
Digestion is remarkably slowed when I have excessive amounts of sugar. It creates a stomach-too-full feeling, even when just a little bit of sugar has been consumed. I generally do not tolerate high-sugar foods well, and am sometimes greeted with acid reflux, or GERD. For a long time, while I was a sugar-consumer, I thought it was perfectly normal to have food come up my esophagus that I had previously swallowed. Sometimes a mouthful would be so big, that I could almost chew it again before swallowing (Do not do this, digestive acids are bad for teeth).
When I switched my diet to animal protein and fat, I no longer experience this. If I do decide to go back to the junk food, having this food come back up into my esophagus is an unpleasant side effect, and most often not worth it.
NAUSEA/VOMITING
Only when sugar was consumed in food that did not digest well do I get nauseas, or if my stomach is too full. There are a few times where I have consumed so much of the drug that I had to vomit as if my body were rejecting the substance like a poison.
URINATION When I have consumed Coca-Cola soda before, I actually found it a bit more difficult to urinate. Sweet foods will likely absorb water from the body, and decrease the frequency of urination,
DEFECATION Sugary foods and drinks will usually slow down my digestion through to the end, creating occasional constipation. Occasionally I have the opposite effect — diarrhea, depending on what type of food and how much of it was consumed.
RESPIRATORY
If I eat past the point where I say I am full, the volume of my stomach will be so immense, that taking deep breaths becomes difficult. Also, I believe I may have some food intolerances, because after certain foods are eaten, my breathing can occasionally become shallower. It is usually not uncomfortable, but reminding myself to take deep breaths usually sooths this effect.
CARDIAC My heart will beat at a much faster rate if I have eaten sugary foods. The greater the size of the meal, the greater the increase of heart rate. My blood pressure will also feel like it increases as well.
SENSATION Besides consumption of the drug, which usually has a significant impact on the sense of taste, I do not believe this drug has a strong effect on the other senses.
EXERCISE
Sugar can provide energy for exercise. This is why some athletes will consume a sugary substance shortly before a major sporting event. Before giving up sugar, I used to do this with beneficial effects. There were times where I have had so much sugar that I have felt the need to “burn it off’ and exercise. Internet searches will tell you which activities are best for burning calories consumed. Very high doses of sugar make it harder to exercise, due to stomach discomfort and potential laziness.
ANALGESIA
After I experienced pain relief from an oral dose of sugar during one of my experiences in the Personal Experiences section below, I decided to do some research. It seems that I am not the only one that derived a pain-killing effect from the consumption of sugar, although the exact mechanism of action is unknown.
Psychological Effects
STIMULATION TO SEDATION
Going from stimulation to sedation is a common theme throughout several chapters in this book. This can happen with alcohol, cannabis, opioids, and for some people, even caffeine. Usually, low doses of the drug can cause a user to become stimulated and more wakeful, whereas higher doses can cause drowsiness or apathy. If I were to have just a few small bites of cake, I may become a bit more stimulated, but if I had three large pieces, I will likely want to lay down and perhaps fall asleep! I feel Iam quite sensitive to sugar compared to others so these effects may be slightly magnified.
AWARENESS
As sugar can be stimulating, there may be an increased likelihood of observing the surroundings, but sugar can also cause me to be easily distracted. I personally feel Iam less aware of events transpiring around me when I am under the influence of a high dose of sugar. The drug can also make me less aware of the thoughts and feelings of friends and others who are around me.
MOTIVATION
Over-consuming sugar usually robs me of motivation. If Iam completely involved with eating something, Iam most likely not trying to think about other tasks I could accomplish. When my stomach is over-loaded with sugary foods, I often become lazy and have no desire to do much of anything.
DISINHIBITION AND SOCIABILITY
Users may become more friendly and talkative when consuming the drug, a characteristic that is common among stimulants like cocaine, amphetamines, or caffeine. This increased sociability is mild in comparison to other drugs, but since sugar is mostly non-intoxicating, it is typically easy to control oneself in a group of people.
SEXUAL If I have not eaten anything for an extended period of time, my desire for sex diminishes. I find that if Iam following a standard diet (a variety of meats, vegetables, fruits, and sweets), and I consume a high-carbohydrate or sugary food, my
sexual appetite will increase. Even if I have abstained from the drug for weeks and then consume sugar, I notice an increase. However, having too high a dose of sugar will have the opposite effect. As was stated earlier, I will feel a heavy body load and desire to stay still and not move.
DECISION MAKING
Since sugar does not have a potent intoxicating effect, it does not seem to have a strong impact on the ability to make decisions. Driving is usually safe under the influence of sugar, but if the user is intolerant to the drug, they may want to pay extra attention while on the road. Consuming the drug does definitely impact my ability to stop myself from having more of it.
FOCUS AND ATTENTION
Consuming high doses of sugar will make me easily lose focus. Even if there is a sensation of energy that is permeating my body as a result of the intake of sugar, my attention span often gets shorter. Sometimes, low doses can seemingly cause an increase in focus.
ANXIETY
Only when I have consumed very high doses of the drug, have I developed anxiety strong enough worth discussing. Very high doses can cause a very rapid increase in heart rate and shallow breathing. This can lead to anxiety. This anxiety is best remedied by deep breathing when possible, or a healthy meal after the stomach begins to empty.
ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS — SAFER ALTERNATIVE?
Even though a Time article says that aspartame (in Equal brand), saccharin (Sweet ‘N Low), and sucralose (Splenda) are not dangerous when consumed in moderate amounts. Despite hundreds of tests, there were no health risks detected, not even an increased risk for obesity [Time 2009].
According to a more recent article, artificial sweeteners can still increase cravings for real sugar. As the brain is desiring sugar, if someone consumes artificial sweeteners, they may be tempted to eat more than normal, as they are not satiating the brain craving for real sugar. Also, when someone goes back to eating real sugar, it can be harder for the body to break down. The study still said that responsible use of artificial sweeteners is likely not harmful, but consuming excessive amounts can skew brain function [Kids].
Overdose Effects and Lethal Dose
OVERDOSE EFFECTS
It is difficult to say what might constitute a sugar overdose. Many of the sources I explored referenced sugar overdoses as having side effects of obesity and shortness of breath, but these are mostly long-term effects of consistent use. I usually tend to think of overdoses as a bit more life-threatening. What I have seen most often is that if I have eaten enough sugar that it might make me sick, I have gotten sick, and thrown up. This may save people from any possible sugar overdoses, if extremely high doses of sugar were consumed.
LETHAL DOSE
How much sugar can it take to kill you? The Overdose Effects and Lethal Dose section here is likely more relevant in later drug chapters; however, it is still an interesting question with regards to sugar. The LD50 (amount of drug it would take to kill 50% of the population) is about 29.7g per kilogram (13.5g per pound) in rats [SpecSuc]. Rats are often used in studies to mimic human models because they have a similar genetic make-up to humans and it would be quite unethical to test how much sugar would kill a human! If we translate the LD50 of sugar in a rat to a 170-pound human, we get a dose of 2,295 grams of sugar, roughly five pounds! Also, to have the real potential for toxicity, this would have to be consumed nearly all at once —a very difficult feat to accomplish. And even if someone happened to get anywhere near this far, they would likely vomit before completion. Needless to say, worrying about acute sugar overdose is probably wasted energy.
Negating the Effects
IN EXTREME CASES OF DISCOMFORT — VOMITING
Is there a way to mitigate the feeling of having too much sugar? In extreme situations, vomiting could be induced to get excess sugar out of the stomach, but this is not recommended and can lead to unhealthy behaviors. Vomiting after bingeing on sugar or other food is characteristic of the eating disorder, bulimia nervosa. I have induced vomiting on a few occasions where I have consumed so much of the drug that it made me sick.
TAKING AN ANTACID Another option would be to consider taking an antacid like Tums or Pepto-Bismol. I have never been a fan of these substances and cannot honestly remember the last time I took them, but people will swear by their effectiveness.
DRINK WATER
For me, if I had too much sugar and I am feeling uneasy or anxious, I first try drinking some water. Other drinks that have had varying degrees of efficacy for me include apple cider vinegar, lemon infused water, and hot tea to speed up digestion. These can work for some, but if I really had way too much sugar, my stomach might be too full, which could create more discomfort if extra liquids are consumed.
LAY DOWN AND BREATHE — OR GO FOR A WALK
If the effects are really overwhelming, the best option I have found is to lay down on my back with the head perhaps slightly elevated and take deep slow breaths. This will calm the likely racing heart and alleviate some of the physical anxiety caused by excess sugar consumption. Slow breathing may increase the rate of digestion. Sometimes laying down can cause extra discomfort due to the stomach being overstuffed. If this is the case, going on a walk may prove helpful. Walking can sometimes increase the rate at which food is digested.
WAIT IT OUT
Just like with most drugs, the best way for negative effects to pass is to just wait it out. This can often be the hardest method, but it is usually the most effective. As time passes and food leaves the stomach, it is also important to not go back to eating sugary foods! The power of sugar is undeniable, but as its negative effects start to dissipate, try not to bring them back by eating more!
Addiction and Withdrawal
ADDICTION — BINGE EATING DISORDER
If you have not experienced sugar addiction yourself, perhaps you know someone who has. At a party you may observe someone... “A few bites of cake... That is all I will have,” he says to himself. Later, you see him hunched over another piece, then another. Perhaps that is not all; when he goes home — there is more tasty sweets to be had.
Some argue that sugar addiction is not real, but I have had my own struggles with the topic. People may not have guessed since I have never been overweight, and generally look like I am in good physical health, but I believe I had some level of binge eating disorder. It was never formally diagnosed, but when I read about it, I displayed all the typical symptoms: eating far after I was full, eating excessively alone, and doing so multiple times a week.
There were times when I would consume an entire box of Oreo’s mixed with some ice-cream... and all this after I finished my dinner (which was never small)! At some of my more intense bouts with disordered eating, I would occasionally go on junk food binges of 5,000 or more calories in a sitting! It sometimes felt like I was not even fully aware of what I was doing, but I could not stop myself. This is addiction.
I suppose I was more susceptible to this type of eating, having been addicted to drugs previously and also having unresolved conflicts in my life. It amazed me the power sugar had over my mind. If I was not eating it, sometimes it was all I could think about. I can recall clearly times when I would be sitting in my room, almost arguing with myself about whether or not to go out and buy junk food. The feeling of giving into the desire was so liberating at first, but after finishing the binge I was filled with shame and disgust. My stomach would be overstuffed, my heart would race, and I would have to lie down in a pit of anxiety due to the unpleasant side effects of sugar.
Fortunately, this brief phase did not last more than a few months for me.
CRAVING — COMPULSIVE DESIRE TO RE-DOSE
Perhaps unsurprisingly, there is more elaborated on the effect of compulsive dosing in the cocaine and amphetamine chapters. A compulsive desire to re-dose roughly translates to an insatiable desire to keep taking the drug, even if perceived desirable effects are already felt. Sugar can cause the user to want to consume more sugar. I have experienced this on countless occasions. Even when I know my stomach is full, the desire to consume more sugary products is persistent! This effect does not happen to everyone, and may be more prone to happen in those with addictive tendencies.
LONG TERM EFFECTS (HEALTH EFFECTS)
What happens if you consume high levels of sugar every day for an extended period of time? Unlike most drugs in this book which usually suppress appetite and can sometimes result in inadvertent weight loss, consumption of sugar can lead to appetite stimulation and weight gain. In addition to putting on excess fat, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, poor dental health, and type II diabetes are all potential road blocks for the avid sugar consumer [SugEffect2014]. I have not consumed sugar often and regularly enough to give enough personal input, but these effects can be observed in overweight adults, and in some cases even children, especially in the United States.
WITHDRAWAL
If sugar has addictive effects similar to other drugs, then does it have withdrawal effects? I can comment on this from personal experience as well. There have been consecutive days where I would binge on sugar, telling myself, “This is the last bite I am going to take of this junk food!” And then, since my body had grown a little accustomed to the habit of sugar consumption, the next day I would have an insatiable desire to consume it! If I did not get it, I would be slightly irritable and think about it non-stop.
This withdrawal feeling would persist for a few days after I halted sugar consumption, but would come back with a vengeance if I went back to bingeing on sugar. Withdrawal from drugs is characterized by having an intense desire for the drug upon cessation of use — and I certainly experienced this during my sugar addiction. Also, characteristic of other drugs, the longer I would stay “sober” from sugar, the less the desire to consume it would be. Some will say you can cure your sugar addiction after just a few days, but I would recommend staying two weeks sugar-free (including high-starch foods) to really get past the addictive nature. Keeping additive sugar out of the diet is beneficial for almost everyone.
Personal Experiences
[LIVE] PURE SUGAR — MEASURED DOSE OF SUGAR WITH NO TOLERANCE
Drug/Dose: Sugar (100g)
RoA: Orally consumed
Date/Time: 3/27/2020, 9:00AM
Diet: Predominantly carnivorous diet (Less than 30 g of sugar/carbohydrates in last week), high protein, high fat, mostly beef. I generally feel amazing on this diet.
Recent Drug Use: No recent hard/heavy drug use, caffeine 3 out of last 7 days, no drug use yesterday
Mood: Feeling good, calm, still waking up, optimistic, slight concern about coronavirus fears, but enjoying unemployment
Physical: Body is very sore from 4 hours of tennis yesterday, and working out the last two days before that after having taken a two-week exercise break, slight sun-burn, empty stomach, no food for 12+ hours, in ketosis (confounding variable) well-rested (7:06 total, 60+ REM, 80+ Deep), current HR: 70 BPM
Expectations: Being in ketosis, there may be an altered effect... perhaps the sugar will absorb differently, however, it is PURE sugar (Domino brand!). I’m expecting stimulation, mild euphoria, and scattered thinking, based on past experiences
Experience:
T=0: Woke up 45 minutes ago, Combined 100g of Domino sugar (weighed out) into a cup of water. Stirred until dissolved. Drank one cup of water upon waking.
T+0: Holy shit this is sweet! This sugary taste reminds me more of the sugar in cereal I used to eat as a child, rather than other sugary substances I have eaten.
T+1: Almost finished the beverage, eyes open wider, feeling more aware
T+3: Slight increase in heart rate, 73 BPM, feeling more awake.
T+5: Stomach feels very slight unease, have not consumed that much sugar in a while
T+7: Definitely more awake. Heart rate drops to 65 BPM. Excitability increasing
T+11: Burping keeps happening, not used to digesting sugar!
T+12: Feel less pain from muscle soreness? Is it possible?
T+15: Energy not as enjoyable as a cup of coffee, but more relaxing, heart rate 81 BPM
T+18: Some mood lift, not as much as I have felt when eating sugar on its own previously
T+20: Stood outside, the air feels nice, it is sunny. My senses feel heightened, but I still have a somewhat glassy-eyed stare as if I am not fully awake. BPM still 81, hands have a very slight tremble. Feeling relaxed.
T+24: Feeling a little scattered in thinking, a bit lazy, a slight anxiety has crept up, perhaps from not actually doing anything besides noting my experience!
T+30: Difficult to focus on something when I do decide on something I want to do (reading/writing). My chest feels warm, feeling like I am about to start sweating. Gurgling digestion from stomach. HR: 70 BPM
T+35: Acid reflux. Appreciating outside more. Perhaps because it's cooler and my body has warmed up substantially. Definite decrease in pain from soreness, lower back in less pain. Senses still feel heightened. More relaxed than stimulated. Slight itchy sensation throughout the body.
T+40: Feeling hungry almost, even though my stomach feels full, warmth throughout the body. A light sweat has broken out over my body. Commonly happens after eating a large meal.
T+48: Played a shooting computer game, thought it would be a bit more exciting. Did not perform any better despite feeling an increase in stimulation. Feeling still pretty lazy. Stress from the game drove my heart rate to 83
T+57: Still burping up sugar, taste is unpleasant. I had acid reflux all the time before eating carnivore. Now it feels very unfamiliar. Light sweating increases, could be from playing a focused computer game. Could not even play the game too much! Focus broken. Hard to keep up writing the book. Craving for coffee rising which I have been trying to give up completely recently.
T+1:26: Drove a roommate to a friend’s house. Music sounded more appealing while listening in the car. Surprisingly not more of a craving for sugar. Did my body not absorb it as well? Have I grown more accustomed to not consuming it? Feeling a little heavy and slow, but still relaxed. Again, could be from not having caffeine. I only recently started weaning it out of my diet.
T+1:41: Finding it easier to focus, effects seem to be diminishing. HR 75 BPM
T+2:00: Effects mostly subsided, some stomach gas still occurring, digestion is mostly complete.
T+2:20: Increase in sexual desires — satiated the craving. Not a pronounced increase in orgasm, unlike with cocaine T+2:45: Back to baseline, feeling a bit of a “low” from the “high”. Not in a bad mood or any negative thoughts, but just staring at various inanimate objects blankly.
T+3:23: Pain from soreness seems to have resumed full force.
T+4:17: After a sizeable meal of lambchops, my energy is through the roof! Much higher than if I had not consumed sugar before. Did the high protein/fat meal help me metabolize sugar? Or is this just my energy level reverting to normal? Unsure
After thoughts: The relief of pain was the most surprising aspect of this experience. Sugar was disturbingly and unpleasantly sweet after not having consumed it for so long. I think I derived better effects from sugar when I was consuming it on a regular basis and not in a state of ketosis. Overall, not very enjoyable.
SUGAR CUBES — CONSUMED MANNY WITH LOW TOLERANCE — HIGH INTOXICATION (~2016?) My sugar tolerance had been fairly low recently as I was trying to eat as healthily as I knew how — lots of fruit and vegetables, salads, and a minimized intake of processed food.
While on a bit of a health kick, I decided to have some sugar at work one day — just pure sugar. I literally ate chunks of brown sugar. I really liked the way they tasted and melted in my mouth. This was not really something I had done before, so I figured I would try it. The exact dose of each sugar piece varied which makes it difficult to describe exactly how much was eaten. I knew of sugar's stimulating effects but never achieved effects like I did that night.
After eating maybe 5-7 sugar pieces, for the last few hours of my work shift, I was feeling energized. I was moving around quickly and talking animatedly. I then proceeded to eat another 5-7 sugar pieces before leaving work. At this point
it was as if some other internal desire took over me that wanted to keep consuming these sugar cubes, but after I went home this desire slowly ebbed.
When I got home, several of my friends were there. I was more excited to get home from a night of work than usual, and also had more energy. I talked non-stop, and was vaguely aware that I was a bit annoying to those around me. Having seen me on an array of different drugs before, I was questioned several times as to what drugs I had taken. Adderall? Coke? They said I seemed far more “up” than usual for that time of night. They insisted that I must have consumed a stimulant, but I reiterated that I had taken no stimulants, not even caffeine! All that I had taken was a high dose of sugar with no tolerance.
The energy and euphoria lasted for about 2-3 hours before gradually weakening. As I tried to lay down to go to sleep, I was kept awake by the sugar for about another 30 minutes longer than usual. Overall, the experience was somewhat enjoyable, however I would have rather been at a party or other social gathering where the high energy level would have been more appropriate.
I awoke the next day feeling a bit off, but not unpleasant. There was not much of a hangover, but I definitely did not feel as well-rested as I would have if I had not had so much sugar the night before.
Repeating this process over several days allows some of the negative effects to build up including anxiety and irritation, while the positive effects are usually no longer present.
COCA-COLA — AN EXPERIENCE WITH A 200z BOTTLE (2017?)
I remember the first time I had tried Coca-Cola at a friend's birthday party when I was perhaps seven or eight years old. My mother had never wanted me to drink it because she had said it was bad for you. After seeing all my friends drinking it, I did not want to be left out so I asked to try some. After just one sip, I hated it! "How did anyone like these bubbles!? They burn my throat and make me feel like Iam choking!" I can recall saying to myself. Undoubtedly, I may have overreacted as I was just a child, however, since that time in my childhood I had only had a few sips of any carbonated beverage until I got to college. And even in college, would I only ever have a couple sips of such a beverage after a shot of hard alcohol for the purpose of chasing down the more uncomfortable burning sensation in my throat from drinking. Suffice to say [had very minimal experience with drinking this much soda at one time. This may have added to why the effects were so pronounced.
It might be strange to think about Coca-Cola as having drug effects. I do not think I would have even thought about it as such unless I had such a vested interest in all different drugs. At the time of this experience, I had been heavily abstaining from all sugary foods and caffeinated beverages. I would only try a couple bites of something sweet if the opportunity presented itself to taste it. Caffeinated tea was occasionally consumed, but none for at least seven days prior to this experience. My sugar and caffeine tolerances were therefore extremely low. One day after work I decided to try drinking a 20-fluid-ounce bottle of Coca-Cola. I started feeling effects around 5-15 minutes after dosing.
Despite having biked around for several hours earlier in the evening, and it being nearly 11pm, I discovered a new found energy. What was this? I felt high! There was a euphoria I was unfamiliar with as I had not ingested any other drugs (legal or illegal) than this for the last year. I could tell there was caffeine and sugar in this beverage, but this experience feels different from other experiences. Why do I feel intoxicated? I feel sociable. I am unable to stop chatting with all my co- workers about random things, even co-workers that I would rarely speak with.
These effects were not incredibly strong, but they were definitely apparent. I would say I did not feel sober. Thoughts wondering how people could drink this frequently and achieve such effects were quickly chased away by a term I was all too familiar with: tolerance. Paralleling this to cannabis, just one hit would intoxicate me for several hours with no tolerance. However, if I took ten hits at my highest cannabis tolerance, the intoxicating effect would not last more than 30 or 40 minutes. I suppose a similar analogy could be made for sugar served in the form of Coca-Cola. If I drank a few bottles of this every day, Iam sure the effects would not be as desirable.
To try to let out some of this boundless energy, I went to a club, and danced around for hours without stopping. It's worth noting I would do this in a sober state of mind, but this experience differed in that this time I felt I was in a mildly intoxicated state. My favorite part was when someone tumed to me and asked, “What did you take?!” - And I said I had a
bottle of soda! Overall, the experience was enjoyable, but the quality of sleep I had that night was not optimal. Not only did I toss and turn, but I was not able to sleep more than five hours when I would have otherwise been able to sleep seven or eight hours without the soda.
Since this day, whenever I see someone drinking Coca-Cola or other advertisements for the beverage, I consider it as a possible way to get high, often reflecting back to this experience.
Combining with Other Drugs
ALCOHOL See the Alcohol chapter.
AMPHETAMINES Please see the Amphetamines chapter.
BENZODIAZEPINES See the Benzodiazepines chapter.
CANNABIS Some users who may feel as if they are too high from cannabis can have some of that discomfort mitigated by consuming something sweet. This could help quell some of the discomfort that is felt.
A friend of mine who is diabetic told me that cannabis can help with control of blood sugar. CAUTION! This should not be taken as medical advice. Please see a doctor if you want to help treat diabetes with cannabis.
CAFFEINE
This combination of drugs is usually enjoyed together, commonly already mixed in soda or as a little added sweetener to a coffee. This combination can create a two-fold stimulatory effect. Some people love this rush as it is affecting different parts of the brain to induce pleasure simultaneously.
KETAMINE Please see the Ketamine chapter. Sugar has a seemingly strange ability to negate the high associated with the drug.
NICOTINE
This may be just a placebo effect, but something I have noticed is that nicotine is not as enjoyable when following a low/zero-carbohydrate lifestyle. When I followed a standard high-carbohydrate diet, I think smoking cigarettes was far more enjoyable. If I smoke cigarettes without carbohydrates as a source of fuel in my body, I feel more anxious and stressed.
OPIOIDS
I have known many people to turn into massive sugar addicts after having been addicted to opioid drugs. I can recall watching one former user adding 20 packs of sugar to his coffee! Perhaps sugar has some effect on the opioid receptors in the brain? Generally speaking, sugar is consumed for quick energy. If an opioid addict is highly intoxicated, they may be more likely to reach for a high-sugar product to give them the very basic sustenance to sustain themselves while highly intoxicated. Also, their ability to realize that the sugary substance is unhealthy has been significantly diminished.
When I have taken oxycodone or hydrocodone previously, I often get “opiate-munchies” as | call them. As long as I do not have a stomach ache, my appetite increases. I would not eat as much as I would from getting the munchies from cannabis or benzodiazepines, however there is a general pleasure from eating — especially something sweet. Eating usually weakens the opioid high.
PSYCHEDELIC DRUGS (LSD, MUSHROOMS)
Sugar can be a very helpful drug to sort of pull a psychedelic user out of a difficult trip. Sometimes the user may appear stuck or lost in their own mind. Perhaps their blood sugar is low, and so having a sugary drink or something sweet to eat may give them the light jolt of energy they need to pull themselves back to a coherent version of reality.
STIMULANT DRUGS — GENERAL COMMENTS (Amphetamines, cocaine, MDMA)
I find sugar has value when providing energy while under the influence of stimulant drugs such as amphetamines or cocaine. Occasionally, I have found myself sapped of energy while still highly stimulated on drugs. Consuming sugar can bring back some of the energy that was depleted by these stimulants. A sugary drink can bring welcome relief to the user suffering from anxiety or other unpleasant feelings as a result of over-stimulation. In some instances, it has even brought back a high to an enjoyable level!
While sugar can replenish lost energy, I believe it is nowhere near the best choice. Being extremely well-nourished with a large meal of varied healthful foods has guided me through stimulant use better than sugar ever has as a supplement. On days or nights when I plan on using stimulant drugs, I will eat a much larger meal than I otherwise would, give myself plenty of time to digest and absorb nutrients, then ingest the drugs. This keeps the euphoria flowing and the energy levels high while simultaneously dodging most unpleasant side effects. For me, sugar is best used as a secondary resource if energy levels start to plummet.
Personal Opinion
SUGAR IS A POWERFUL DRUG
I consider sugar to be a powerful drug. Some have remarked that it is “More addictive than cocaine”. This may be a bit of a stretch, but a few arguments can be made to show just how powerful it is. If 60% of Americans are overweight or obese, and obesity is most often caused by consuming high-sugar food and drinks, would it not be the easiest to just cut out sweet foods and drinks? Of course! However, it is easier said than done due to sugar’s powerful drug effects. Many who try to go on diets to lose weight have partial success and then end up relapsing back onto high calorie sweet food.
Much to the criticism I have faced from others, although I did not create this analogy, I still like it — sugar is in some ways like a “new cigarette”. What do I mean by that? Decades ago, people did not think smoking was unhealthy, so many people continued to do it. Advertisements were on TV glamorizing the act and it seemed almost everyone was indulging. As negative health effects started to come into view such as addiction, troubled breathing, and heart problems, studies emerged which branded cigarettes as bad for your health. The tobacco companies fought back, but had to eventually concede: Nicotine, especially when smoked in cigarettes, was bad for you.
I hope that a similar revolution can be seen with sugar. People seem to be vaguely aware that sugar is unhealthy, but judging by the amount of obese people in my country, they seem to not care. Either that, or they do not know just how unhealthy this drug can be. As more and more studies come out, it is clear that sugar may be even more unhealthy than we previously thought. Just like the tobacco companies fighting these studies, the processed food industry is fighting back as well. They want to keep sugar in their foods, and by extension, addiction to their products.
SUGAR AS A GATEWAY DRUG
On a different topic, sugar seems to be the biggest gateway drug out of all of them! It is most commonly remarked that cannabis or alcohol is a gateway drug to more serious and addictive drugs. The way I see it, sugar, and to some extent caffeine as well, are the first substances people consume in their lives that have a powerful mind-altering effect on the brain. The flood of dopamine can produce a mild euphoria and stimulation that can cause the consumer to search for the substance over and over again.
Children are a prime example of early exposure to sugar as a drug: Take out the trash? Clean your room? Wash the dishes? Here is your sweet reward! Children desire the sweets because it tastes good, while simultaneously reinforcing good behavior. The effect of rewarding a child with sugar is more powerful than rewarding a child by letting them play with their favorite toy, because the sugar has a direct effect on the chemistry of the brain via dopamine, the reward-and- pleasure area. The reward of sugar is what I believe might begin to train the brain to accept other mind-altering substances as a reward, perhaps even leading to future endeavors with alcohol as a reward system. Pass your midterm? End of the
work week? Met one of your weekly goals? Time for a drink! I would be curious to test this hypothesis in real life, but due to the fact so many have consumed sugar in their youth, it would be hard to find a control group who has not!
WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT SUGAR?
Sugar should be consumed much less frequently than it is now. This would lessen the compulsive desire to consume more, and therefore the negative health effects of consuming sugar would be less common. Sugar can be enjoyed as its own individual drug at certain times as it can produce stimulation and euphoria, but when it becomes a habitual consumption it is much the same as any drug addiction. With my current lifestyle, sugar is not a part of my diet; hardly any carbohydrates are, in fact. I essentially follow a modified version of the ketogenic diet and I have never felt better. If I do make the occasional exception and consume sugar, it is rare and has a much more pronounced psychoactive effect, while simultaneously causing indigestion.
If you are a regular user of the drug, I suggest going two weeks sugar-free to see how you feel. If possible, extend that time even longer!
BETTER YET, GIVE IT UP ENTIRELY! The sugar industry, as I like to call it, made up of all the big cereal, candy, and other processed food suppliers, have no interest in your health. They want money — and lots of it. They will sell you whatever you can, and you will like it because
it tastes good, feels good, and makes you want to eat more of it.
If you can break out of this mentality, you can be free!
Sources
BuzzFDom https://www.buzzfeed.com/copyranter/one-of-the-biggest-con-jobs-in-advertising-history-part-2
FAO http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QC
HoneyHis A brief history of honey http://www.honeyassociation.com/index.asp?pid=9
HuffP https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sugar-weaken-immune-system_l_5e74ca2cc5b6f5b7c542a3be
Kids https://kids.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/frym.2019.00051
LiveSci https://www.livescience.com/how-sugar-affects-body-brain.html
PsychT https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201104/your-brain-ketones
SugarHighBS https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7474248
SugarLabel https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pke/STATUTE-104/pdf/STATUTE-104-P2¢2353.pdf
SugEffect2014 The wrong white crystals: not salt but sugar as aetiological in hypertension and cardiometabolic disease
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4336865/
SpecSuc https://(www.spectrumchemical.com/MSDS/C3981.PDF
NHS 2014 https://www.nhs.uk/news/obesity/is-sugar-causing-the-obesity-epidemic/
NYT https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/magazine/the-extraordinary-science-of-junk-food.html
Time 2009 Are artificial sweeteners really that bad for you? http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1931116,00.html
Dark Chocolate)
Caffeine (Coffee, Tea,
Caffine molecule, and the lifecycle of coffee. It is missing two things though: the person drinking the coffee, and the person (likely a slave) who had to pick the coffee beans, because that is the reality of the situation [CoffSlaveBrazil]. It is important to be aware of the ethical sourcing (or lack thereof) of your drugs.
Caffeine is a legal drug that is consumed by about ninety percent of the world in one way or another [FDAcaff 2007]. Many who consume it develop some level of dependence or addiction. Its effects are primarily stimulatory: increasing wakefulness, inhibiting sleep, and for some users, providing increased focus.
Introduction THE MOST POPULAR DRUG GETTING HIGH ON CAFFEINE THE CAFFEINE-FREE CHALLENGE THERE ARE OTHER NATURAL AND LEGAL STIMULANTS AVAILABLE
History MYTHOLOGICAL ORIGINS OF CAFFEINE REAL ORIGINS OF COFFEE THE BOSTON TEA PARTY — INCREASING AMERICAN CONSUMPTION OF COFFEE RECENT NEWS OF SLAVE LABOR AMONGST COFFEE PLANTATIONS THE PROFITS OF THE COFFEE INDUSTRY
Legal Status CAFFEINE IS LEGAL EVERYWHERE!
Route of Administration ORALLY INSUFFLATION INHALATION (Vaporization/smoking) SUBLINGUALLY Duration of Effect COME-UP MAIN EFFECTS AND PEAK COME-DOWN
HANGOVER AFTERGLOW
Dose Comparison BEFORE YOU TAKE THE DRUG LOW DOSE —- LOW TOLERANCE (20-50mg) MODERATE DOSE — LOW TOLERANCE (~100-150mg, about one average cup of coffee) HIGH DOSE — LOW TOLERANCE (250-350mg, two or three cups of coffee) VERY HIGH DOSE — LOW TOLERANCE (400+mg, four+ cups of coffee)
Physiological Effects APPETITE DIGESTION NAUSEA AND VOMITING URINATION DEFECATION RESPIRATION CARDIOVASCULAR SENSATION EXERCISE (WEIGHT LOSS AND INCREASED ENDURANCE) ANALGESIA LIFESPAN — LONGEVITY Psychological Effects STIMULATION AWARENESS MOTIVATION FOCUS AND ATTENTION ANXIETY AND PARANOIA SLEEP QUALITY AND DREAMING DECISION MAKING DISINHIBITION AND SOCIABILITY MEMORY HYPERSENSITIVITY/HYPOSENSITIVITY TOLERANCE — TOLERANT USERS VERSUS INTOLERANT USERS
Comparison to Similar Drugs AMPHETAMINES VERSUS CAFFEINE COCAINE VERSUS CAFFEINE
Overdose Effects and Lethal Dose LETHAL DOSE OVERDOSE EFFECTS
Negating the Effects THREE BASIC STEPS — BREATHE DEEPLY, DRINK WATER, EAT FOOD
Addiction and Withdrawal ADDICTION ADDICTIVE POTENTIAL LONG-TERM EFFECTS WITHDRAWAL READJUSTING TO A CAFFEINE-FREE LIFESTYLE
Personal Experiences AFTER A 30-DAY CAFFEINE AND SUGAR BREAK — NO TOLERANCE [LIVE] MODERATE-HIGH DOSE OF CAFFEINE, MIXED SOURCES, NO TOLERANCE (~300- 350MG?) HABITUAL COFFEE CONSUMER, CONSUMING A CUP OR TWO OF COFFEE DAILY DARK CHOCOLATE
Combining with Other Drugs [0] ALCOHOL
[X [O [X [O [O [O
BENZODIAZEPINES
CANNABIS
KETAMINE
LSD (and some other psychedelics)
MDMA
NICOTINE
[O] OPIOIDS
[xX] SUGAR
[O] STIMULANTS (AMPHETAMINES/COCAINE)
Personal Opinion WHY IS CAFFEINE SO POPULAR? FROM CAFFEINE ADDICT TO ABSTINENT
Sources
a a
Introduction
THE MOST POPULAR DRUG
Put simply, caffeine is everywhere and almost everyone is consuming it. To give some frame of reference of just how popular of a drug it is, coffee is the second most valuable worldwide legal exported product after oil [PBSCoffee]. As for tea, it is the most widely consumed beverage in the world next to water. In the US, it is found in approximately 80% of households [AwakeDoc]. According to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at least 90% of the adult world consume caffeine, and 80% of adult Americans take the drug every single day in one form or another [FDAcaff 2007]. When I first stumbled upon these statistics, questions sprung up in my mind pertaining to this drug and its rampant popularity. How is it that this drug has managed to circulate so deeply into society? Why does everyone seem to enjoy it so much? Why are other drugs not as acceptable?
GETTING HIGH ON CAFFEINE
In setting out to find answers to these questions, I discovered much about caffeine. It is undoubtedly a drug. While perhaps not as powerful as cocaine, amphetamines, or other (usually illegal) stimulants, it still has strong effects and I have experienced it personally. I know that if I do not consume caffeine for a couple weeks and keep my tolerance low, then consume a caffeinated beverage or food, I feel mild intoxication and even a little euphoric high. The feeling that caffeine elicits when I am intolerant to the substance makes me feel surprised that such a drug is even legal! However, just like with any drug, continuous and consistent use increases tolerance and mitigates the euphoria and the feeling of intoxication decreases. To the daily consumers of caffeine, they might appear surprised or doubtful that it is even possible that caffeine can cause such an intoxicating effect, but this is the nature of tolerance and this can be related to almost any drug.
THE CAFFEINE-FREE CHALLENGE
If you are reading this and a habitual caffeine consumer, which is statistically very likely, I would like to challenge you: put down any caffeinated substance (chocolate, coffee, energy drinks, etc.) for a full two weeks, and then after your tolerance has returned to baseline, go back to your normal dose of the drug (maybe start with half a dose if you are drug- sensitive!). I can almost assure you that the effect if will have on you will be profoundly different than during regular use. If you are unable to put down the caffeinated substance you enjoy on a daily basis, and still doubt that caffeine is a drug, you may have