Do you only feel truly well on opioids?

[AdMech]

Originally Posted by opioids.com

A significant minority of the population only feel truly well on opioids. ... It would indeed be extraordinary if - alone among the neurotransmitter systems of the brain - the endogenous opioid families were immune from dysfunction.

***

I've always had some mental/emotional problems, of uncertain origin: I can't concentrate on things, I'm gloomy and depressed, and I'm anxious because of anything and/or everything. I've tried every orthodox approach to treating these problems, from trying to just "deal with it" to Adderall to benzos to SSRIs. Some approaches have been more efficacious than others; I've been able to attend a university and make some friends and so forth, but it is by the skin of my teeth. I force myself to attend class and do my homework and go out, but it's sheer misery, and every so often I find myself taking a little vacation from reality.

Adderall gives me energy, but doesn't really help me concentrate. Benzos sedate me enough so panic attacks don't bother me, but then I can't do anything else. Nothing else has really had any effect... except opioids. And opioids, I have come to realize, fix all of my problems at once. I used to think that to have a normal life, I'd have to be on a complex cocktail of drugs, but eventually I noticed that even 5mg of hydrocodone completely changes me - and the change lasts for far longer than any euphoria. Apathy and depression vanish; I become outgoing and interested in learning; tasks such as going to lab or doing some math problems turn from insurmountable obstacles to pleasures. Hell, even my usually irritable bowels calm down.

In short, one treatment cures all three problems (and a minor physical one), and I think this is a good sign that this treatment is getting at the root of the matter. It's a shame that the psychiatric possibilities of opioids have gone largely unstudied. I want to know if anyone else feels the same way. If there are indeed disorders of the endogenous opioid systems, I would bet some users of opioids in BLTC (er, NFHC) have them.

Also... in before "you're just a junkie trying to justify his habit".

[Dionysus]

Opioids definatly medicate me into a functioning person. I can still operate the same way I usually do mentally, except with a pleasent detatchment that keeps any kind of depression or mood swings from clouding my thinking. I would imagine that it is the same for everyone though.

[AdMech]

Originally Posted by Caesar

Opioids definatly medicate me into a functioning person. I can still operate the same way I usually do mentally, except with a pleasent detatchment that keeps any kind of depression or mood swings from clouding my thinking. I would imagine that it is the same for everyone though.

Yeah, the euphoria bit makes it sort of a cure-all. It will certainly eliminate sadness for a while, but I suggest that when someone has a group of seemingly unrelated chronic problems that even sub-recreational doses of opioids fix, there might be an endogenous opioid dysfunction going on. This is not entirely my own theory, but I found that website while looking up the idea.

[iMagiNation]

On a small to medium dosage of opiate I do in fact feel like I'm where I should be.

[The Chuggernaut]

Yes, I only feel amazing when I'm on opiates. Or when I'm getting a bj.

But really, if you're gonna try and cure depression, anxiety, AND AD/HD with opiates, you're gonna get addicted.

And I doubt there exists any endogenous opoid disorder, and if it does exist, its probably very, very rare and life threatening.

[iMagiNation]

But really, if you're gonna try and cure depression, anxiety, AND AD/HD with opiates, you're gonna get addicted.

Unlike with amphetamine, right?

Or benzos?

[Roxi39]

If I did not need the Opiates for real pain, then I would consider getting off all drugs in a minute. I still may find a way to get over all of it and hopefully find a new non narcotic type drug that is safe.
I hate feeling depended on medication to live and function. like a SLAVE.
Its a bad feeling to need them so badly and know its all a chemical type reaction that is screwing you up.
People wonder why Addicts cant quit,wont quit or committ suicide.
Its a viscious cycle with these pills, one after another, after another. F Me.

[Loophole]

Hell yeah, but only on a low dose, if I'm on a nod dose I can barely walk and burn myself with cigarettes.

[Hooky the Cripple]

Opioid interventions tend to be abusable, and any medication with the slightest potential for abuse is very difficult to market. Hence, drug companies probably don't consider it worthwhile to go in this direction with their research. At the end of the day, it's what's good for the drug companies' bottom lines, not what's good for patients, that determines what treatments we end up with.

[Konglomo]

Originally Posted by Ivan Ooze

Hell yeah, but only on a low dose, if I'm on a nod dose I can barely walk and burn myself with cigarettes.

Whatchu talking about, thats when I feel most alive

[Loophole]

Yes but I am not functional really except maybe a little tiny

[Roxi39]

Admech
I fully agree with you, long story short, yes, I only feel truly well on the opiates! I hate that its true but ,,,IT IS WHAT IT IS, RIGHT?

Originally Posted by AdMech

***
've always had some mental/emotional problems, of uncertain origin: I can't concentrate on things, I'm gloomy and depressed, and I'm anxious because of anything and/or everything.

In short, one treatment cures all three problems (and a minor physical one), and I think this is a good sign that this treatment is getting at the root of the matter. It's a shame that the psychiatric possibilities of opioids have gone largely unstudied.

[AdMech]

Originally Posted by BasementBionics

And I doubt there exists any endogenous opoid disorder

I think it's pretty likely, actually. So many of these mental problems are treatment-resistant, resistant enough that MAOIs and ECT are still considered viable options... the equivalent of fixing a bump with a sledgehammer. Or something. You know what I mean. It seems like we're not getting at the root of the problem(s) in many cases.

Originally Posted by Hooky the Cripple

At the end of the day, it's what's good for the drug companies' bottom lines, not what's good for patients, that determines what treatments we end up with.

Unfortunate but true. The worst part is that some of it is just ingrained from birth - even doctors will balk at the suggestion of using opioids anywhere but as a last resort, yet think nothing of prescribing far more dangerous, or even addictive, substances... because these substances haven't been vilified from elementary on up.

Originally Posted by Ivan Ooze

if I'm on a nod dose I can barely walk and burn myself with cigarettes.

I didn't say they weren't fun to use in large amounts... But yeah, not functional past a certain point. Compare that to something like Haldol, though.

[iMagiNation]

I'm fairly sure that back in the 50's they actually used opiods for exactly the problems described, like depression. This was also back when you could buy amphetamine OTC. Then the 60's happened and a lot of hysteria-induced drug legislation was introduced. We're only now beginning to wake up from it...

[Sir Cornwell]

The only Ope I've done is codeine and 0.5g of opium I found, but I have a kind of bipolar thing where I get really uptight/sad. I just get totally involved in being bummed out about my fucked up head and life for hour after hour. I also have this characteristic of at other times totally digging into full memories of my past fuckups for a few minutes at a time and compulsively swearing.

Then both the long cycle and the short one resolve into feeling light and completely carefree. It's like I get a rush of endorphins and nothing at all bothers me. The things that bummed me out are like they never happened. The short cycle takes me from abject depression/hopelessness into the Summer Sun like walking into an August afternoon from being in a walk-in freezer.

Then it all wears off and I slump into apathy. I'm sure that I'd be perky on Percocet and more presidential than Obama on Oxy. No way am I paying street prices though.

[iMagiNation]

^^No way, I already exercise & eat well, and while it does help the relief I get from hiking for hours tends to last an exaggeratedly short amount of time.

[Hooky the Cripple]

Originally Posted by nutsack

Who gives a fuck about pharmaceutical companies? Poppies grow naturally upon the earth.

"Poppies" will never be prescribed as an antidepressant because they can't be patented. If a drug can't be patented, no one is going to pay for the development required to get it approved by the FDA. The only real chance we have of seeing antidepressants that target the opioid system is if new compounds are invented and trialled before the patent expires.

[intravenous]

Relying on drugs to get you through the day is not fixing any problems at all man. I can't tell you not to do it because it'd be fairly hypocritical but it isn't helping your problems, the drugs are just hiding them. Eventually your problems will come to the surface again and may even be exacerbated by a physical/mental dependency on opes.

rawr.

[iMagiNation]

and what if yr problem is a chemical imbalance that exists irregardless of anything else?

[xian]

No. I do opiates infrequently, although they're probably my favorite

[typedthiswithmytits]

I feel worse on the weak ones

[mr.poopypants]

You know what feels better than drugs? Sobriety, exercise, jogging, working, university, eating healthy. Do all those things in a year and stay consistent and tell me you're not happy, but you gotta be sober unless you drink at a party about 12 times a year(once a month ONLY).

GOODLUCK

[iMagiNation]

lol fuck your stupid and arbitrary rules

and why is drinking okay but smoking weed isn't? you're dumb as fuck. gtfo my nfhc

[tripcoastglide]

Originally Posted by 47%

You know what feels better than drugs? Sobriety, exercise, jogging, working, university, eating healthy. Do all those things in a year and stay consistent and tell me you're not happy, but you gotta be sober unless you drink at a party about 12 times a year(once a month ONLY).

GOODLUCK

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0521145516.htm

DISCIPLINE RULES EVERYTHING AROUND ME

SUBLIMATE THE OVER-REACTION

GET THE ENDORPHINS

IMPULSE, IMPULSE REFRACTORY PERIOD YA'LL

[elf omg]

oh, god.

[AdMech]

It's not like I need opioids to be happy, per se. Rather, they make me functional. Things like university, other people, eating right... these things are great, but it's hard for me to be a good friend or student in the first place.

Originally Posted by Sir Cornwell

The only Ope I've done is codeine and 0.5g of opium I found, but I have a kind of bipolar thing where I get really uptight/sad. I just get totally involved in being bummed out about my fucked up head and life for hour after hour. I also have this characteristic of at other times totally digging into full memories of my past fuckups for a few minutes at a time and compulsively swearing.

This is while on opioids, or before?

I have the compulsive swearing too although I couldn't tell you if I do it more while on or off dope. And there's nothing better than walking into the August sun after being in the cold... I used to go lay out in the sun after taking some morphine. Best combo ever.

Originally Posted by intravenous

Relying on drugs to get you through the day is not fixing any problems at all man. I can't tell you not to do it because it'd be fairly hypocritical but it isn't helping your problems, the drugs are just hiding them. Eventually your problems will come to the surface again and may even be exacerbated by a physical/mental dependency on opes.

This can be true. But I like to compare it to a crutch. Would you tell a man with one leg "relying on that crutch to get you through the day isn't fixing any problems at all"? The crutch isn't curing anything, but it is certainly fixing a problem.

Originally Posted by iMagiNation

and what if yr problem is a chemical imbalance that exists irregardless of anything else?

QFT.

Originally Posted by 47%

You know what feels better than drugs? Sobriety, exercise, jogging, working, university, eating healthy. Do all those things in a year and stay consistent and tell me you're not happy, but you gotta be sober unless you drink at a party about 12 times a year(once a month ONLY).

GOODLUCK

Yeah, these things certainly help. I can't say I've gone a year while being sober, exercising, and eating right, but I've gone maybe half of one doing that... and it helped, but in the end I returned to opioids. These problems have plagued me my entire life, so I'm not certain a lifestyle change is all that's required.

[intravenous]

Originally Posted by AdMech

This can be true. But I like to compare it to a crutch. Would you tell a man with one leg "relying on that crutch to get you through the day isn't fixing any problems at all"? The crutch isn't curing anything, but it is certainly fixing a problem.

Maybe. Unlike this imaginary one-legged man though, you can actually do something to try to help yourself from being dependant on a crutch. Even if he existed, he wouldn't be able to. I'd sure be willing to bet that every amputee on the planet would be down with having their limb back rather than using a crutch though, it's probably why prosthesis is so popular.

Do something to help yourself. Don't just be a bitch and cop out.

[takedrugs_killpeople]

I don't have all that much anxiety anymore, thanks to not doing any drugs except for opioids, but when I do have periods of anxiety, opioids will cure the living shit out of it. So yea I have to be on opiates to really feel good.

[AdMech]

Originally Posted by intravenous

Maybe. Unlike this imaginary one-legged man though, you can actually do something to try to help yourself from being dependant on a crutch. Even if he existed, he wouldn't be able to. I'd sure be willing to bet that every amputee on the planet would be down with having their limb back rather than using a crutch though, it's probably why prosthesis is so popular.

Do something to help yourself. Don't just be a bitch and cop out.

Maybe I can - or maybe I also have the problem of the one-legged man: a crutch (or prosthetic) is the best treatment available. I'd be 100% with you on this if I were saying I needed crack or meth, but it seems to be that an opioid habit can be basically harmless... if you can afford it.

[Trix Are For Kids]

Opiods give you pleasure...


...Wait, pleasure makes you happy?

You're just a junkie trying to justify his habit. And yes my friend, you are doing a damn good job justifying!

[Metaflux]

Originally Posted by AdMech

Maybe I can - or maybe I also have the problem of the one-legged man: a crutch (or prosthetic) is the best treatment available. I'd be 100% with you on this if I were saying I needed crack or meth, but it seems to be that an opioid habit can be basically harmless... if you can afford it.

You've got to be kidding me....

[AdMech]

Originally Posted by Trix Are For Kids

You're just a junkie trying to justify his habit. And yes my friend, you are doing a damn good job justifying!

Thanks buddy.

Originally Posted by Metaflux

You've got to be kidding me....

Are you suggesting that opioids are bad for you?

[fuckbiscuit]

I'm a callous, manipulative, paranoid and angry person. Opioids take all that away.