Adequate exercise, meditation, sufficient sleep and a healthy diet are important in regards to relieving anxiety, these are tasks I try to achieve everyday.
That being said, I have been taking picamilon for a few days now, which when taken orally is presumably suppose to cross the BBB and then hydrolyze into GABA and niacin. The released GABA in theory would activate GABA receptors. GABA is said to promote relaxation and better mood, but when I take picamilon I become lackadaisical and this often feeds the onset of panic because my volubility and verbal fluency decline. I feel quite dumbed down and unintelligent. However, I am more in control of these panicky feelings (like myo-inostiol) and I never feel like I’m going to depersonalize or lose control, which happens occasionally when I’m clearheaded. Picamilon is a GABA receptor agonist that affects the GABA-A receptor, similar to phenibut. Nevertheless. I definitely felt a sedative effect in dosages of 200-250mg. It doesn’t hyperpolarize the cell like alcohol does but it still has a depressant like effect. Also, I’m an angry drunk.
It is said that the reduced production of GABA-A sends false information to the amygdala which regulates the body's "fight or flight response" mechanism and in return, produces the physiological symptoms that lead to panic disorder. The “fight or flight response” is something I struggle with in social situations such as when I’m situated in a classroom, this is accompanied by increased sweating, piercing sounds, muscle tension/rapid muscle movement and intrusive thoughts. I’m also unable to look others in the eyes. I feel apprehension and impending doom. I certainly do not want to feel terror again! Hence, anxiety and fear responses are partly modulated by GABA type A receptor sites. I’m just trying to figure out the connection between Picamilon and my panic. I know I’ve only been taking picamilon for a few days so I’ll continue to experiment for a few weeks.
Also, skullcap, valerian, l-theanine are GABA-A receptor Agonists. I also read that Taurine itself may have inhibitory effects, but it may also lead to increases in activity depending on administration. Also, L-Glutamine is a precursor to Glutamate, which is a precursor to GABA. So supplementing with that might help.
Phenibut is a GABAB receptor Agonist and Lemon balm, yet to try was identified as a potent inhibitor of GABA transaminase. The major compound responsible for GABA transaminase inhibition activity in lemon balm was then found to be rosemarinic acid.
Now, THC inhibits GABA, and boosts dopamine, malfunctioning in GABA signaling is associated with movement disorders (rapid muscle movement) as well as anxiety, schizophrenia, and addiction. This inhibition of GABA may be the reason cannabis consumption affects memory and movement and is therapeutic in cases such as Fibromyalgia. Now smoking strains high in THC, caused paranoia, social inhibition and panic attacks. Strains low in THC and high in CBD’s or just small inhales of 2nd hand smoke released the burden of anxiety and created a spontaneous, social, witty me. Also, after me panic induced cannabis attack I discovered that I have psoriasis throughout my hairline.
Inositol is a simple polyol precursor in a second messenger system important in brain myo-insitol, the natural isomer, which has been found to be therapeutically effective in depression, PANIC disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder in double blind controlled trials and psoriasis. Now before I started taking this I panicked around people and had difficulty in situations were I was stuck on the phone for long periods of time. In general I was very uncomfortable in situations were I felt I could not escape. Inositol made it much easier for me to go with the flow; however, it also caused brain fog and short-term memory loss. Why is this? And what is the mechanism of action?
Inositol 'disruption' may be linked to depression, but that's surely when inositol gets too low, but because “myo-inostiol lowers testosterone levels” Zero concept of risk/reward process, motivational issues, sleeping beautifully, can't kick into gear on waking, can sleep whenever regardless of sleep had. So this could be a problem.
Pure fear with absence of any other emotions is felt as impending doom - a fear without a consciously known origin, these are feelings I struggle with in social situations and so badly want them to stop.
It is said that the emotion of pure fear can be induced chemically via kappa opioid receptor agonists.
Fear and motivation with no confidence is felt as anxiety->paranoia, these are feeling accompanied when smoking high THC-strains of cannabis. Dopamine increase and a motivation felt as paranoia. This does not include when I smoke strains low in THC and high in CBD. Something I have not done in over two years.
Delta opioid network is in charge to reduce fear learning from perceived reward reduction and most probably to facilitate reward learning from perceived reward increase.
If there is enough delta opioid agonism, fear from failure to acquire predicted reward will not be learned, delta agonism will inhibit kappa opioid fear learning from reward prediction error.
“The evolutionary hypothesis based on the functional co-option of fear conditioning mechanisms into those subserving adjustment to incentive loss (Papini, 2003) requires some specificity as to the nature of those functions for the opioid system. In relation to fear conditioning, the opioid system has been suggested to play a role in modulating (1) the intensity of the shock-induced pain and signal-induced fear (Fanselow & Bolles, 1979), (2) the magnitude of the error- correction mechanism involved in fear acquisition and extinction (McNally, in press), and (3) the consolidation of the fear memory (McGaugh & Roozendaal, 2008).”
Delta opioids reduce acute frustration from reward failure - in short. They stop the induction of the current frustrated state to be analyzed and recorded by the brain as a fear cue - they stop fear cue learning that would result from reward failure.
The opioids latch onto to key nerual circuit points to recognize success in dopaminergic intent. They also latch onto noradrenaline neurons to determine failure in dopaminergic intent – which results in innate frustration before the fear response takes over. The opioids latch onto pain senses to recognize pain and numb it in response. Certainty of use is first learned for own body, moving hands and legs. Then for external objects like sword or steering wheel and in the end people as objects or even social concepts!
Fear is invoked each time certainty of action and reaction is doubted, engages the learning/challenge mode to learn the new context and remove threats, learn most effortless/painless use of reality. Learning certainty provides reward until 100% certainty is achieved after which there is no reward – this is in fact the mechanism that causes drug tolerance. After certainty is learned one can only feel fear when certainty of use comes in question. The drugs cause the user to learn more certainty than possible in reality, which causes fear-doubt depression in withdrawal. It also explains the PARANOIA created by dopaminergic drugs.
Moreover, a conditioned fear is often measured with freezing (a period of watchful immobility) or fear potentiated startle (the augmentation of the startle reflex by a fearful stimulus). Changes in heart rate, breathing and muscle responses via electromyography can also be used to measure conditioned fear.
Now, beta blockers block the action of endogenous catecholamines epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) -in particular on adrenergic beta receptors, of the sympathetic nervous system, which mediates the “fight-or-flight response.” Something I struggle with in social situations. I tense up, sweat and often want to leave the area in hopes to find solitude. I’ll also feel intense sensations of impending doom when someone asks me a question or speaks my name. This can simply be paying for groceries, (some days worse than others.)
Passionflower stops the physical panic. I heard that L-Arginine and Hawthorne, Indian Snakeroot, coleus are good substitutes for betablockers, I just want a natural, holistic medicine.
PLEASE HELP!
Edited by birthdaysuit, 15 September 2015 - 07:55 PM.