Opinions - herbal substitute for alcohol

[lucabrasi]

Any herbs that have effect of alcohol. I am trying not to drink anymore due to a loss of all reason while intoxicated and vicious hangovers. What can I get high on that won't be so bad? Hopefully it would be legal in the United States.

[Mescaloid]

Why don´t you just alternate your drinks with some water, juice or kind like? It minimizes the hangover (I think maybe 50% of it is caused by dehydration...) and increases your control over the drunkenness.

Drinking a cup of water/juice every 45 minutes or so in a hard drinking night just saves the day after.

[umbra1010]

Herbs will never be able to duplicate highs or drunks. Just drink in moderation.

[lucabrasi]

Originally Posted by umbra1010

Herbs will never be able to duplicate highs or drunks. Just drink in moderation.

I wish I could. My efforts at moderation seem to have failed. Its not the being drunk I dislike, I don't even mind acting foolish once in awhile. It's the hangovers that are messing me up. Thanks to everyone who responded. All your information was gratefully accepted.

Peace

Luca

[Senor Gribson]

in swim's experience, damiana tea can temporarily lower one's alcohol tolerance.
less drinking -> less hung over

[fnord]

look into kava.

Reputation Comments on this post:

	kava, valid alternative
	good call ;)

[JaWill88]

Originally Posted by fnord

look into kava.

swims never tried kava but from what swim has heard this may be the closest and best thing. swiy should try it as swim wants to as well.

[Alfa]

Kava-Kava drink or kavalactones.

[SkyHigh]

Originally Posted by lucabrasi

Any herbs that have effect of alcohol. I am trying not to drink anymore due to a loss of all reason while intoxicated and vicious hangovers. What can I get high on that won't be so bad? Hopefully it would be legal in the United States.

I don't think any herbs will help or just anything else, until you will want yourself to stop drinking. Just when you will want to drink, get busy with something. Make your head busy and you will stop thinking about drinking. You just have to be strong and find will in yourself to stop drinking.

[uba]

well if you want to stop drinking i can suggest to try alcolim , it's a natural product and had a good effect on me. now i can go whole night having only one drink and not feeling the need for more

[lucabrasi]

Thanks. All good advice is appreciated.

[Potter]

Originally Posted by uba

well if you want to stop drinking i can suggest to try alcolim , it's a natural product and had a good effect on me. now i can go whole night having only one drink and not feeling the need for more

Snake oil, patent medicine. Don't touch this garbage.

[jgarlopa]

Cowboy is a very light drinker. Sometimes he will go a few weeks without having any beer at all. This is because he travels a lot and can't always find his favourite beer wherever he is, and also because he smokes weed daily for his insomnia and does not like to mix both at the same time because he always vomits when he does this. However, there are those rare occasions when Cowboy feels the desire to get quite tipsy, and finds that eating plenty and drinking lots of water is the best remedy. Since he is also a runner, he never has any shortage of beer or rice, so he eats lots of this. He drinks plenty of water as it is, even when he's not drinking. When he finally does start downing brewskis, he drinks even more water than usual, sometimes up to 4 litres in less than 3 hours. Cowboy almost never gets hangovers when following this procedure, but he also doesn't sit around all the time and drink 30-packs like some of his friends do.

[shivakiva2112]

Kava kava is an excellent alternative because it can actually be made into a drink and definitely gives a nice buzz.

Valerian is a major contender too, it's pharmacology is roughly comparable to that of alcohol and the benzodiazepines. Skullcap is a very calming herb, as is St. John's Wort.

SWIShiva has recently been taking a tincture of skullcap and st. john's wort before bed and they find that the tincture gives a nice body glow and a feeling of deep physical and mental relaxation, sort of like what they might get from a beer (or two) without the paradoxical, slightly stimulating effect of alcohol.

And I know you asked about herbs, but I can't help but mention the wonders of Phenibut, which AFASK is one of the best 'drugs' out there because of it's easy availability and rock solid reliability. Phenibut gives the destroyer goddess everything that they want from alcohol (disinhibition, social lubrication, etc.) without any of the negative effects (intoxication, hangover, sexual side effects). Seriously, check it out, SWIY won't be disappointed.

[rawbeer]

In addition to kava, you could also try lagochulins inebrians, intoxicating mint, which is a bit bitter but fun. Also, a tea brewed with amanita muscaria can impart a nice buzz, and is great for sleep too.

[Sacred Moon]

How much skullcap and st.john's wort do you use in your tinctures? Have you ever thought about making a capsule form?

[shivakiva2112]

^No idea, it's some stuff my roommate's mom gave him for anxiety/depression and SWIM's been taking it for sleep, it's Gaia Herbs brand if that helps.

SWIM likes the tincture over pills because they take a buttload of various vitamins/dietary supps throughout the day and don't enjoy having to gulp down gelcaps with a glass of water before bed. Sometimes they get stuck in your throat, ya know? SWIM hates that feeling.

[Potter]

The folks I've talked to about tincature making all use as much herb as they can fit into a bottle, then top off with as high a proof alcohol as they can get. After it's done, they test it and dilute it to taste.