Health - Downers Without Amnesia

[El Calico Loco]

My friend B wanted me to ask about downers.

He's good friends with Jim Beam. He likes diazepam well enough. He liked alprazolam as well, but suspects that it's worse for him than other, similar chemicals.

One downside of most of these is memory loss. He doesn't like gaps in his memory.

He would like something very chill - euphoria is cool, but he plans on using them primarily for aborting friends' bad psychedelic trips and for treating occasional insomnia. Recreation would be rare, but he would like something that doesn't cause him to forget the night before, as even his good friend Jim Beam tends to do.

Any suggestions?


ECL

[Benzhead]

Originally Posted by El Calico Loco

My friend B wanted me to ask about downers.

He's good friends with Jim Beam. He likes diazepam well enough. He liked alprazolam as well, but suspects that it's worse for him than other, similar chemicals.

One downside of most of these is memory loss. He doesn't like gaps in his memory.

He would like something very chill - euphoria is cool, but he plans on using them primarily for aborting friends' bad psychedelic trips and for treating occasional insomnia. Recreation would be rare, but he would like something that doesn't cause him to forget the night before, as even his good friend Jim Beam tends to do.

Any suggestions?


ECL

Well ECL...SWIM believes that SWIB might want to try differing(LOWER!) dosages of BOTH JB and a longer-acting benzodiazepine.

SWIB isn't taking them simultaneously, is SWIB?

If this is the case, - and remember, diazepam has a very long half-life - SWIM thinks this may be SWIB's answer.

This would be due in large part to introducing TWO GABA agonists into his now very confused brain at once. One at a time. Single file, please.

Benzos are pretty much the standard bearer in assisting a person having a difficult time reassembling their psyche due to a traumatic psychedelic experience. The low likelihood of a troubling OD incident is the primary reason.

Too often, the benzos are a first line therapy for protracted insomnia. This situation is changing, albeit too slowly. There is no 'one drug' fix for SWIB's issues. A sedating antidepressant might be a better bet for moderate insomnia.

With any CNS(Central Nervous System) depressant - whatever the mode of action - memory disturbance is a possibility on a therapeutic dose, and a strong likelihood on a higher dose.

Benzo use needs to be carefully monitored, either by a 'health professional,' or by a friend of SWIB's.

SWIM can add lots of color to the above statements if SWIY thinks SWIB needs additional data.

SWIM would have suggested cannabis, but someone having a difficult time on a psychedelic might not have a good response to some strong MJ

Tell SWIB about diazepam's 20-100hr half-life..and to abstain from his friend Mr. Beam while his better friend, Mr. Liver, metabolizes the diazepam.

If SWIB doesn't feel 'euphoric' from a benzodiazepine, then maybe 'downers' aren't SWIB's bag. Different strokes...There are CNS depressants that unquestionably give nearly all users a sense of euphoria, but they present a whole new set of challenges.

[El Calico Loco]

Originally Posted by Benzhead

Well ECL...SWIM believes that SWIB might want to try differing(LOWER!) dosages of BOTH JB and a longer-acting benzodiazepine.

SWIB isn't taking them simultaneously, is SWIB?

Oh hell no. He knows better than to mix the two. He seems to remember reading something about that being the cause of most drug-related ER visits...

With any CNS(Central Nervous System) depressant - whatever the mode of action - memory disturbance is a possibility on a therapeutic dose, and a strong likelihood on a higher dose.

I suspected that was the case. Guess there's no magic bullet. Too bad - he thinks it would be nice to be able to completely zone and chill without forgetting the previous day's events.

Strangely enough, the closest he found to such was methamphetamine - he found it to be a very smooth, mellow high. But that's another hell no (he could stand to lose another ten pounds, but he likes his organs and teeth just the way they are).


ECL

[Benzhead]

Tis good to read that SWIB isn't mixing his potions.

SWIM does not know what SWIB's use history is, but there are some physiologic factors that may be of interest to SWIB.

Does SWIB have a diagnosed liver 'disease?' Has SWIB had any recent 'blood work' done?

The above is mentioned as it is possible that SWIB's body isn't metabolizing the drugs in the normal timespans.

How about head trauma/organic brain damage?

This should be self-evident. An underlying condition may only become manifest while under the spell of intoxicants.

How about depression? Depressives can have memory issues. It should be noted here that a whole host of psychiatric conditions can effect memory.

Any notable anxiety issues? Anxiety can certainly cause memory issues.

Now for some environmental factors.

Does SWIB get plenty of rest? Simply being tired can impair one's memory. Add drugs to that mix, and well, SWIY is a smart person..

Is SWIB in good physical condition? Good diet?

How about SWIB's overall environment and his relationship to it? If SWIB finds his environment to be stressful, this can certainly lead to memory impairment.

If SWIB can rule out all of these factors - and there are plenty of other things that can effect memory - then it is possible that SWIB simply has a low threshold for blackout events. Since SWIY hasn't mentioned any non-GABA CNS depressants, it could well be that SWIB's neuronal activity is dampened more than would be typical with GABA agonists.

That said, SWIB may also have a lower threshold for the physiological issues that occur with alcohol as well!

Keep SWIB safe!

And SWIM totally agrees with SWIY on the meth issue. SWIB's already got something going on; no need to amplify things by a thousandfold.

[El Calico Loco]

Nope, nothing like that. The subject in question had a recent physical and was told that he was healthy as a horse despite his years of smoking and hard drinking. He would probably be at 'athlete' level on the treadmill if not for the tobacco use.

I suppose it's good to have a healthy diet and exercise if you're going to abuse drugs.

No psychological issues. At least, not anymore. Psychedelics and dissociatives cured him. He doesn't even drink like he used to.


ECL
(Still smokes too damn much...)

[DrMuffy]

SWIM knows its dangerous, but when SWIM take benzos (mainly Klonopin, Xanax, and Ativan) with alcohol (a mildly small amount, like 4 shots over the period of two hours, SWIM is 225 lbs so that makes a big diff). The two downers mixed together (in VERY small doses can create a much better experience) But use EXTREME caution. SWIM has never blacked out from using benzos in high doses, only ambien has caused amnesia for SWIM. But SWIM wants to make it clear that he do NOT approve or condone this kind of combo, because it can be extremly dangerous.