DOSE:		oral	Smarts - Phenibut	(daily)
		smoked	Cannabis

Update on Russian Ritalin: Creeps Up on You

A while ago I was struggling with cannabis addiction, and decided to give phenibut another go. I'd abused it in the past, but when I got it I used it responsibly: 3 days on, 3 days off, at 1.5g per day (6x250mg caps). I found that low doses had a sort of 'pick-me-up' effect, gave me more energy and improved my short-term memory (sort of opposite to a benzo).

My problems began when I found a cheaper source at a higher strength - 500mg per capsule. It all started out perfectly innocently, with me taking 1g (2 caps instead of 4x250mg) in the morning and 500mg in the late afternoon. One thing led to another, and I found myself backsliding and upping the dose, chasing the amazing euphoria of this seemingly miraculous wonder-supplement.

After about 2 weeks of daily use at doses of 2-4g daily, the euphoria faded entirely and I decided to quit. The first day was a breeze, the second a little difficult and the third - the anxiety rebounded and hit me like a ton of bricks. A neighbour gave me a couple of tramadol for the headache I received. I wouldn't call it disabling, just a tad distressing, and in the end I took two tramadol and 450mg pregabalin. Online reports suggest that day three is the worst, so the opioids are a one-off and after the worst is over, I'll just take my Lyrica as prescribed. I still intend to use this substance as a replacement for alcohol in social situations, but like benzos it is best to keep the phen to once or twice a week.

I still smoke cannabis on a semi-regular basis, but it no longer rules my life and I never smoke in the daytime. I no longer smoke it with tobacco because I am mildly asthmatic and just one cigarette in the morning makes me cough and heave until I literally puke. I use a pipe now and keep it to evenings and weekends. Strangely enough, smoking hash through a pipe doesn't seem to activate my asthma.

This is not 'just' a supplement. It is a drug, a very powerful drug and when used responsibly it is definitely life-enhancing. Based on my brush with GABA rebound, I can imagine that an 8g/day habit would result in a living hell on earth when stopped suddenly.

Peace.

Exp Year: 2018	ExpID: 112009
Gender: Male
Age at time of experience: 28
Published: Jun 12, 2018	Views: 7,038
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Smarts - Phenibut (379) : Unknown Context (20), Addiction & Habituation (10), Retrospective / Summary (11)