Psychedelics 

Australians have never been so medicated, or so unhappy. Almost one in ten adult Australians take antidepressants daily – one of the highest rates of use in the world, and one which has doubled since 2000. At the same time, the effectiveness of the drugs has dropped. It seems the most commonly prescribed medications are hardly more effective than a sugary placebo.  

It’s no wonder then that people are seeking out alternative mood boosters. Increasingly, these options have been coming in the form of psychedelics: lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), magic mushrooms, ayahuasca and MDMA, to name just a few.  

For almost 40 years, researchers barely mentioned psychedelics. But things are shifting. In a huge breakthrough in 2015, researchers at Imperial College London gave volunteers LSD, placed them in MRI machines and saw their brains spark a wealth of new connections, often between parts of the brain that do not typically communicate.  

Progress has been slower in Australia, with our research and political climate notoriously conservative on the issue of drugs, especially when you consider the delay on medicinal cannabis.  

 

GHB 

1ml of pure GBL is equivalent to 1.6 grams of GHB (roughly) 

GBL = is a chemical and metabolic precursor to GHB. The taste is distinctly chemical. 

GHB = tastes more like seawater or liquorice.  

IF YOU’RE TAKING GHB REGARDLESS OF ITS CONCENTRATION, HERE’S A LITTLE METHOD WHICH ALTHOUGH TIME CONSUMING, MAY SAVE YOU A HOSPITAL VISIT. START WITH A SINGLE DOSE OF ONLY 1 OR 2MLS. IT MIGHT SOUND LIKE PITTANCE BUT REMEMBER THAT IT’S POSSIBLE FOR THIS TINY AMOUNT OF LIQUID TO CONTAIN MORE THAN A STANDARD GHB DOSAGE. IF YOUR ORIGINAL DOSE DID NOT HAVE THE DESIRED EFFECTS, WAIT AN HOUR OR TWO (MORE THAN ONE AT LEAST) AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. IF NECESSARY, RE-DOSE (NO MORE THAN 1ML HIGHER THAN YOUR PREVIOUS DOSE) UNTIL THE DESIRED EFFECTS ARE REACHED. 

Dosage measurements for GHB, taken from ‘Erowid.’ 

Light –> 0.5 – 1.5 g
Common –> 1 – 2.5 g
Strong –> 2 – 3.5 g
Can induce heavy sleep –> 3 – 5 g
Overdose –> 5 – 10 g
Poisoning (Risk of Death)–> 10+ g 

 

METHAMPHETAMINES-from the kids in America 

In low, pharmaceutical-grade doses, methamphetamine may actually repair and protect the brain in certain circumstances. But stigma against the drug could be harming patients and holding back research. 

Historically, meth has been used to reverse barbiturate overdoses and even raise blood pressure during surgery. Some preliminary research suggests that low, pharmaceutical-grade doses of meth can be neuroprotective against stroke and traumatic brain injury, even stimulating the growth of brain cells. 

And as recent research has shown, we are still uncovering some of the potential therapeutic benefits of methamphetamine. Confronting the stigma associated with meth and highlighting its benefits can better inform drug policy and addiction treatment. 


References: 

https://www.vogue.com.au/beauty/wellbeing/should-you-ditch-modern-medicine-for-a-microdose-of-magic-mushrooms/news-story/1b9bfcd262b0413a9582f97320183309  

https://brokeassstuart.com/2017/03/30/how-to-responsibly-dose-ghb-or-gbl/  

https://psmag.com/social-justice/the-many-surprising-health-benefits-of-meth