Pramiracetam and Aniracetam: Two months on!
I. Introduction
II. Dosages
III. Memory
IV. Vision and Sound
V. Creativity
VI. Vernacular and Articulation
VII. Emotions (Anxiloytic, Confidence, Motivation)
VIII. Sleep and Dreams
IX. Cardiovascular Levels and Diet
X. Synergy
(a) Each other
(b) Alcohol
© Marijuana
(d) Caffeine
XI. Conclusions and Discussions
(a) Placebo
(b) Narcissism
© Spirituality
(d) Tolerance
XII. Future Nootropics
I. Introduction
I’ve been meaning to do this for awhile, but other commitments and not feeling like I know enough have prohibited me. But two months on, I wish to summarise some different areas I’ve felt are noteworthy in my intake of Aniracetam and Pramiracetam. Initially I was going to separate them out, but the two seem to have entwined too much that to do so would be tedious.
Been an interesting time.
II. Dosages
September 17
750mg of Aniracetam
300mg Alpha GPC
750mg Aniracetam
250mg Citicoline
September 18
750mg of Aniracetam
300mg Alpha GPC
750mg Aniracetam
250mg Citicoline
600mg of Pramiracetam
300mg Alpha GPC
600mg of Pramiracetam
September 19 – November 5
600mg Pramiracetam
300mg Alpha GPC
600mg Pramiracetam
No Choline
Note: Breaks in between during when sick. And ocassioanlly try out Ainiracetam rather than Pramiracetam but just made me sleepy.
November 5 – November 11
750mg Aniracetam
250mg Citicoline
750mg Aniracetam
No Choline
III. Memory
A suitable category to begin on – memory is touted as being the chief area that nootropics enhance. Prior to taking a racetam, my memory excelled – specifically my episodic/autobiographical memory. But, although I’m only 22, I feel it has declined in comparison to when I was a child and a teenager. For example, a week ago I was reading over some of my diary entries from when I were 14 or 15, and the sheer amount of detail I went into articulating the entire day, flowing from one sequence to another, was remarkable. And a little frightening that such minute details were considered with narcissistic importance. Somewhat egotistical. I began binge drinking at the age of 16, going weekends upon weekends with the ultimate purpose to drink until I am incoherent and disorientated – and later on for the purpose of masked confidence and, to an extent, competition with my peers. I feel this negative lifestyle has damaged a fair amount of my memory. Sure, if there is a genuine emotional attachment to the memory or information, I am able to process and store the information more efficiently, but since drinking I am rather confident it has damaged the extent I can recall an entire day in fluent transition; it seemed to be increasingly in intervals based on relevance and importance. That actually might be better, but it leaves me with a sense of discomfort knowing that when I was younger that I could recall things with greater ease. But to have a near eidetic autobiographical a good thing? I am not entirely sure. Seems to be rather double edged, largely depending on how one utilises it.
Initially, I hadn’t noticed much of an improvement with memory when taking Aniracetam on its own. The only thing that was different in regards to Aniracetam was that I became mildly more conscious of my thoughts and realise where the supposed ADHD-PI like symptoms stem from. This, in turn, gave me greater control to return to the present task at hand as opposed to being distracted by an array of other thoughts. This makes reading while on Aniracetam slightly easier. Even if I am tired, I seem to be able to absorb more information and fluently generate concepts as if I had just awoken from an adequate rest.
Since November 5, however, I can definitely see how Aniracetam memory retention works. As aforementioned, memory retention relies a lot on emotion and genuine motivation. Aniracetam with the release of the D2 receptors motivates, increases my self confident and removes the lingering voice of self doubt which too frequently becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. This initial, almost euphoric affect diminished in the subsequent days, leading me to believe that tolerance with all racetams is an underresearched area (see Tolerance).
But the biggest victor here – initially, anyway – is undoubtedly Pramiracetam. Perhaps it is me making more of a conscious effort? And this may have been so on the first couple of days, testing my memory almost obsessively on an autobiographical sense. But Pramiracetam just makes past recollections so much more lucid. The clarity, given enough concentration, allows you to recall a memory of a specific and note with such precision all the fluent sequence of events like I was once able to prior to starting binge drinking. On my second day of taking it, after having 1.2g of Pramiracetam and 1.5g of Aniracetam in one day (too much), I was having a conversation with my cousin about sleep paralysis. I was ruminating in my head the number of times I’ve had this occur in my life (4), and began describing to her the first time it happened to me when I was merely 4 years old. Previously this event was somewhat like a memory of a memory: I could recall this event happened, but the introspective ability to delve deep into the actual memory had faded away a long time ago. But when I was talking it to her about it, the primal memory was coming back to me in revaluating visions, realising the specifics about that occurrence. I could nearly feel the intense fear when I was lying there, unable to move any part of my body, and trying to speak “Help” but no voice was heard.
But while episodic memory has been a regular test to see if there is any noticeable differences, the main form of explicit memory that I was attempting to improve was semantic memory. I’ve felt in the past that if I have no emotional connotation to information, I get so easily distracted and it goes in one ear and out the other. Moreover, information I attempt to process, I have a very hard time articulating verbally – the information is there, but to get the connection from the brain to a mouth is a near impossible task. Pramiracetam, and the longer I take it, the more I profoundly feel like a walking sponge – soaking in the information in one go that I deem engaging. This is for both hearing information verbally and reading it. This is not to say it requires little effort on my behalf: a part of it, perhaps it being a placebo, is the fact you are consciously making more of an effort in recalling things. It has this strange intertwinement of consciously doing it but it doing it for you. Misplacing the little things such as keys and whatnot was initially still the same as always, but that is entirely due to not emotionally invested in the information. Since I’ve worked out the extent of that power, I make a conscious note regarding where I leave things and since then there seems to be a slight improvement. But again: making that conscious effort, surely I am able to do that without the need for a nootropics? It seems to be akin to taking protein powder and attempting to build muscle: you can’t sit on the couch and expect muscles to grow for you; you need to do intense resistance training and eat at a caloric surplus. The brain is a muscle.
Addenum: As of writing this, I am on a train heading to my place of residence after a few days in my hometown. My dad just rang me to say I left my keys at home. Rather ironic and a bit embarrassing. Would I have done so before Pramiracetam? Maybe the fact I care even more little about this kind of thing is resulting in me forgetting the monotonous things.
I recall taking them out to try and find something else. I stupidly didn’t put them back in my bag. Ah. :( But at the same time I’m not overly worrying over the situation as I once would.
If I were to compare the main differences between memory retention of Aniracetam and Pramiracetam it would be this: Pramiracetam makes your brain a sponge that anything, regardless of emotion or not (although with active effort), is absorbed. Aniracetam is more of an emotionally driven motivation, with the desire to learn.
IV. Vision and Sound
With Aniracetam, the world – specifically nature – becomes so much more richer and thicker. You truly understand the concept of everything being one. It is not so much that colours itself are more luminous, but the diversity of colours itself make more ‘sense’. I find this rather hard to explain.
Pramiracetam, conversely, certainly heightens colours and contrasts. Whenever I first read accounts of colours becoming more luminous, I didn’t grasp what exactly that meant. But now I do. After an hour of ingesting Pramiracetam, the entire world around becomes so vastly more vibrant. This first occurred to me on the third day on it, when in the library. What a colourful world that place can be. Each books spine elucidated – each colour producing its own unique quality and character. An individual colour became even more profound by concurrently being one in a rainbow. Yellow. Green. Purple. Blue. Orange. Colours are beautiful without Pramiracetam, but that fact is often taken for granted – with Pramiracetam you cannot ignore it.
Another thing that I noticed was the saturation that occurs during twilight and the streetlights first come on. It has this romanticized notion, as if I’m walking around in a sepia photograph. Even without Pramiracetam, this observation hasn’t faded when the time arises.
Aniracetam seems to have the ability to deepen music, and make you more sensitive to external stimuli. Songs, especially with headphones, become so beautiful, able to recognise each individual instrument and how they go so well together. It’s almost as intricate as with marijuana, but I wouldn’t go that far.
Pramiracetam doesn’t have any noticeable affects with music.
V. Creativity
When on Pramiracetam, there is a distinct shift from creativity/emotion to logic based. The desire to create dwindles as the desire to learn augments. But, having said that, Aniracetam seems to spark the creative juices; and coupled with Pramiracetam (which has only been a few occasions), seems to enforce some logic driven creativity so to speak. I get the urge to continue on a creative story I’ve been procrastinating for a year, or learn and improve on a song on the piano.
Unfortunately, this requires direct motivation and either racetam doesn't cater to this directly. When you successfully get motivated, the racetams seem to amplify that motivation; but they are not the seed to motivation.
Aniracetam greatly help in lateral thinking. Ideas which are too frequently only half fulfilled reach a satisfied culmination. Everything links much more fluently. Inspiration is everywhere.
If coming up with theories is a creative venture, then that has definitely increased. However, to imply that it is exclusive of the racetam doings is premature: coming up with theories of the world has been a fluctuating past time of mine, depending on a multitude of factors such as motivation and inspiration; these things cannot be achieved directly through racetams.
Creativity is dependent on inspiration and motivation – something of which racetams cannot achieve on their own, but certainly do help.
VI. Vernacular and Articulation
I’ve always prided myself on my ability to write and articulate my thoughts and emotions effortlessly. Prior to racetams, and specifically Pramiracetam, this was more based on feeling and emotion. However, especially when on Pramiracetam, I find myself ruminating on the correct word to use – perhaps wasting too much time on doing so. It’s like that my decisions were based on how I ‘feel’, and with that side of me redundant, to make the most simplest choices is now becoming more of an unnecessary intellectual pursuit.
How does this affect my writing in the future? Well, I feel if I wish to dabble in creative writing specifically, I don’t think Pramiracetam is the most useful nootropics. Conversely, writing essays which pride itself on logic, I feel that the deeper contemplation on words and structure would be of benefit. I think I have the capacity to catch myself when I’ve gone from careful consideration to wasted ruminating.
Although, despite my aforementioned boasting, I am prone to writers block – this stemming from too much self consciousness. I think since taking a racetam, when I get into the process of writing, words and structure are coming more fluently as I focus more directly on the act of writing rather than worrying about what to write.
Verbal articulation, especially from Pramiracetam, seems to have mildly improved. Like I’m more confidently willing to use words I’d usually use in writing. I have a hard time being as articulate verbally as I am in the written word. It is not as if I have magically expanded my vernacular, but I’m more motivated to communicate to the best of my abilities as opposed to restrain my abilities so I can ‘fit’ in more to the average mind. Hell, prior to racetams I’d actually get a bit socially anxious if I began talking a bit ‘smart’ for the usual mind. This feeling has all but vanished.
I notice when tolerance starts to develop, this verbal articulation and confidence does diminish, and the “too good to be true” feelings that initially surfaced fade.
VII. Emotions (Anxiloytic, Confidence, Motivation)
The first day I took 750mg of Aniracetam, I noticed after ~20 minutes I felt a sense of serenity. With the aura of spring rising, I recall observing nature do its thing in sheer harmonisation with one another: what was happening all around was right. It was meant to be as it is. I am not implying that this was a completely new revelation: my prior experience with marijuana a couple of years ago gave me a new sense for learning, philosophy, spirituality and nature – but there was an internal anxioltic affect that was fairly new to me. As stated before, I’ve read a fair number of anecdotes regarding everyone’s experience on Longecity, so there was this lingering doubt and observer of all of these feelings that wondered if it was merely a placebo based on read anecdotes.
It appeared my dysthymia (mild depression) and anxiety seemed to have faded away. I was no longer automatically fretting about the future. Moreover my confidence – a natural, true confidence – seemed to emerge, and a mild-moderate social anxiety which I endure on an oscillating basis seemed also to have faded away significantly. Stressful times and obligations were still in awareness, but I felt I had complete control and knew that worrying would only make things worse.
With Pramiracetam, emotion itself does not go away; rather, you are able to easier channel your emotion with logic. After having a couple of drinks following taking Pramiracetam, the usual anxiety about approaching a girl – unless I get really drunk – was rationalized: I can think ‘this’ way which will result in ‘these’ emotions, or I can think ‘that’ way which will result in ‘those’ emotions. It was like a lot of the Buddhist philosophy and CBT I have previously learnt making perfect sense.
There is a lot of notions online that say Pramiracetam kills your emotions; this wasn’t so for me. On Pramiracetam, I am still able to laugh, feel empathy, anger, and sometimes my anxiety and mild depression rise from a latent state, but the emotions (non cognitive emotions?) that have no logical foundation all but vanish.
Aniracetam, despite the initial anxiloytic affects, can have the adverse affect of heightened anxiety. The fifth day I took 1.5g of Aniracetam throughout the day, and the serenity resulted in a form of lethargic apathy that made me feel more anxious as my words became more dull-witted rather than better articulation. This was like a meta anxiety in a way. For me, it took awhile to channel the positive affects – both in memory and emotions – of Aniracetam; this appears to not be entirely unusual.
VIII. Sleep and Dreams
The first night I took purely Aniracetam, and then had about six beers (I’ll get to that later). But the subsequent sleep produced one of the most vivid dreams I’ve ever had. I only slept about 5 hours, but I was able to recall every minute detail, as if when nodding off to sleep, I emerged in another world and was alert and conscious in a dream state for another 5 hours.
Two months on, nothing of the sort has reoccurred, but dreams have become more vivid and abstract. Since middle 2009, I’ve made a habit of writing down my dreams – I have periods in my life where dreams are vague and dull, and other times full of insights and adventures.
Aniracetam is the instigator here; if I’ve just purely had Pramiracetam then they seem to lose this magic and have more of a mundane element to it, making me susceptible to forget them if I don’t make a conscious effort due to nothing of noteworthy had occurred.
IX. Cardiovascular Levels and Diet
I’m not insinuating that racetams play a part on cardiovascular levels, but I’m currently at my peak since beginning exercise almost four years ago. The fact I have more of a conscious control of my thoughts, I have been able to increase my endurance due to a more positive self-talk. Slowing down or stopping has been based on the conscious awareness that my body was being worked, and “giving up”. Now, I’ve been continually pushing myself to always outdo myself.
I’ve always had a pretty healthy diet, but it’s remarkably evident how nutrition has a baring on both your cognitive abilities and emotional well being. I was aware of this prior to racetams, but it’s unprecedentedly apparent.
X. Synergy
(a) Each other
When I first started, I was Pramiracetam dominant and felt whenever I would supplement Aniracetam instead of Pramiracetam, it would diminish the Pramiracetam affects and make me sluggish and sleepy. Since starting to feel more positive effects from the Aniracetam, I haven’t combined the two since the main reason I stopped taking Pramiracetam was due to presumed tolerance. I did this today, however, and Pramiracetam seems to have been most prominent again, allowing me to recall my day with vivid detail. I don’t think there really is much benefit to combine the two; Pramiracetam, if tolerance is down, seems to always reign.
(b) Alcohol
I used to binge drink pretty regularly, but this year have cut down significantly. From June to September I partook in the Hello Sunday Morning initiative, quitting drinking completely for 3 months. Great learning experience.
The first day that I had Aniracetam, I went out for drinks. I was observing with more acute awareness the affects each drink had on my cognition, and by the third beer I developed a horrendous headache. I hadn’t taken any choline source, and I believe this has been the only time I’ve ever had a headache stemming from choline depletion.
Two weeks into my Pramiracetam experience, I went out and had a few drinks. As discussed before, I was experiencing the heightened confidence alcohol can yield, concurrent with a lucidity that usually alcohol would weaken. I was not intending to get entirely drunk, tipsy at most, and this was hitherto the best experience I’ve had combining alcohol with racetam. I was confident and sharp, able to take in the stimulating environment without the usual mild to moderate social anxiety.
I tried this again a few weeks back, but this was actually a scary experience: firstly, I drank far too much this time. I was drunk but still had the awareness, creating a cognitive dissonance. It was almost like a depersonalization experience, something only formerly experienced from smoking too much marijuana. This experience has reaffirmed my growing resentment of alcohol.
© Marijuana
I’ve had an on and off experience with marijuana over the past four years, and quit completely since anxiety was becoming the main affect and the once positive effects were completely gone.
I decided impromptu to try it with Aniracetam and Pramiracetam, and since September have tried four times. Short term memory loss has lessened, and if I really try I can recall what I usually would have forgotten. But marijuana my thoughts are still living in the present moment, and the stream of consciousness feels like a rollercoaster, going from one abstract thought to another. The anxiety has diminished, albeit not gone completely (perhaps this is from the acceptance that with marijuana I can be prone to anxiety, rather than getting frustrated and anxious about my anxious thoughts, which is like trying to put out a fire with gasoline). Either way, marijuana experiences on racetam have been far more pleasant and inspiring. If it were to become a daily habit, however, then I’m certain that feeling would swiftly go.
I’ve been trying to meditate on a more regular basis, and the last time I smoked marijuana with anirecatam, it produced such a spiritual and primal interconnectiveness with everything. For how long I don’t know, for the concept of time seemed to have transcended. I felt this primal emptiness in my head which in turn allowed me to be connected to everything around me. Out of my head and into my senses. Concurrently, I was seeing these abstract visions that were very psychedelic in nature. I felt I was on the verge of ego death, what people frequently describe on LSD, like I was leaving my body but there was this glass barrier between my soul and the stars, and I just couldn’t quite grasp it. Words cannot describe it. It just is.
I know that it sounds foreign, idealistic or hippy like, but I can't forget it.
(d) Caffeine
I am not trying to become too heavily reliant on coffee, much preferring green tea, but I find some Pramiracetam and a cup of coffee makes me a memory absorbing machine. I only have about 3-4 coffees a week; I don’t want to become dependent on it. The problem is, however, the come down of the coffee, leaving me feeling tired for what's left of the day.
XI. Conclusions and Discussions
(a) Placebo
The notion that this is all but a placebo has been a lingering thought forever. The entire concept of a placebo intrigues me. I can subsequently argue that thinking it is a placebo rather than yielding genuine affects will, in turn, result in no affects since I have made the placebo that it is a placebo.
But I know intuitively of the differences that were previously discussed. I still wonder that the initial few days were a placebo, especially since I was making a conscious affect for it to work. If this is so, then one is capable of doing these things without the need for a racetam. Will power and motivation, ultimately, are solely up to you.
(b) Narcissism
To become more interested in your own mind – how it has improved, how it differs, how much it can recollect may hinder these actual affects, as you become so self-immersed. I’ve had fears of becoming like Isochroma, and at times, especially at the beginning, I think I had too much and experienced hypomanic symptoms. The most evident time would be the first week, when I consumed all up 1.2g of Pramiracetam and 1.5g of Aniracetam.
To avoid becoming self-obsessed, focus on other things: learning, exercise, creative outlets and socialization.
© Spirituality
I wouldn’t call myself religious per se, but I’ve had a genuine affinity for Buddhist and, to a lesser extent, Hinduism concepts; this is prior to racetams, mind you. Inspired by the likes of Alan Watts, I’ve dabbled in an alternative perspective of reality.
I find my desire to meditate has increased since taking nootropics, as I appreciate other areas on what improves your cognition and well being – diet, exercise, meditation, stimulation et al.
(d) Tolerance
There is no doubt that a Pramiracetam tolerance built up in my system. I read accounts of people taking only 100mg or so a day; I was taking, on average, 1.2g a day! I think if I wish to garner the benefits of Pramiracetam without increasing my tolerance, I need to limit my doses and have one day of nootropics free. Pramiracetam is the least researched and I have some fears regarding some adverse affects.
Aniracetam tolerance seems to be in the fact that the initial anti-anxiolytic and anti-depressive affects aren’t as noticeable. Perhaps it’s because I haven’t returned to that state of mind to notice a switch? Once again, I think a nootropic free day – or even a weekend – would only benefit me.
XII. Future Nootropics
I’m very interested in dabbling in 5-HTP, Melatonin, Oxiracetam, Noopept, Rhodiola Rosea and St John of Worts. Piracetam would be intriguing, but it’s a Schedule 4 drug in Australia and I’m not sure if I want to risk the importation.
There’s an array of nootropics on these boards, and ones I wish to focus on: confidence, anxi-anxiolytic, motivation and memory retention.
After experience with Pramiracetam and Aniracetam, it’ll be interesting to see the differences that other nootropics have on me.
Peace.
Edited by Geovicsha, 17 November 2011 - 01:39 PM.
