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Nicotine (2016)

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51–60 of 273 posts

Re: Nicotine (2016)

#51
post #31
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't caffeine a vasoconstrictor as well? Wouldn't that make coffee a silent killer?

Like… people do get addicted to caffeine right? I know people who drink a very large amount of coffee, who “can’t function” without it, and who generally seem to be in a pretty bad shape. The behavior of a certain segment of the population with regard to coffee looks a hell of a lot like the stereotypical addictions to drugs, including just ending up in bad shape. Totally anecdotal of course but “caffeine in large am…

Caffeine physiological addiction is very light. Withdrawal symptoms last about 2 days and are mild.

> including just ending up in bad shape

Not sure what you mean by that, I'm not aware of people ending up on the streets because of caffeine.

Re: Nicotine (2016)

#52

Modafinil is a Dave Asprey bullshit lie. It does not promote nootropic benefits or flow work or anything like that. Pretty much anything Dave Asprey says is bullshit.

I have ADHD; getting Concerta here is near impossible, so I've been using Modafinil. It's been extremely effective.

Re: Nicotine (2016)

#53
post #31
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't caffeine a vasoconstrictor as well? Wouldn't that make coffee a silent killer?

Like… people do get addicted to caffeine right? I know people who drink a very large amount of coffee, who “can’t function” without it, and who generally seem to be in a pretty bad shape. The behavior of a certain segment of the population with regard to coffee looks a hell of a lot like the stereotypical addictions to drugs, including just ending up in bad shape. Totally anecdotal of course but “caffeine in large am…

Coffee is linked with significant health benefits for most people, but it isn’t the caffeine that responsible.

Coffee has a significant amount of antioxidants and Is the most significant source of antioxidants for many people. Even decaf coffee has health benefits.

Re: Nicotine (2016)

#54
>”…and is addictive to some degree”

I stopped reading after this part. I’m sorry, but passing off decades of research as “to some degree” when it’s been found to be as addictive as heroin. [0]

So it’s completely asinine to say “to some degree”. By all means, go chew some nicotine gum, you’ll be wanting more in an hour. Next thing you know you’re eating a pack a day, for 30 years, until your arteries hardened and you block your heart. All for a pick me up in the evening. Take a nap.

[0] https://www.ucsfhealth.org/conditions/nicotine-dependence

Re: Nicotine (2016)

#55
post #32

After being on IRC for the best part of two decades (and the fringe groups who frequent the medium) I have seen the word “nootropics” banded about. The first time, I thought it was a fun idea but nothing I wanted, see; my brain is all I have so I dont much fancy experimenting with it- this is also why I avoided alcohol and coffee despite social pressures. The community that formed went away as quickly as it had been…

The best place to start is the Beginner’s Guide put together by the Nootropics subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/Nootropics/wiki/beginners/

TLDR: Your starting point is exercise, sleep and sunlight. Nothing after that really has as large of an effect.

Re: Nicotine (2016)

#56
post #32

After being on IRC for the best part of two decades (and the fringe groups who frequent the medium) I have seen the word “nootropics” banded about. The first time, I thought it was a fun idea but nothing I wanted, see; my brain is all I have so I dont much fancy experimenting with it- this is also why I avoided alcohol and coffee despite social pressures. The community that formed went away as quickly as it had been…

It might be about the nootropics, but this might also be the conditiona that people who are in IRC chatrooms about braindrugs are more prone to psychotic breaks for whatever reason.

Stimulants increase likelihood of psychosis, but that's conditional on dosage and precursor risk variables

Re: Nicotine (2016)

#57
post #41

I'm a non smoker, I never smoked. Once I decided to try a nicotine chewing gum, took one pillow and chewed it thoroughly. After about 5-10minutes I suffered some very very severe effects, including: I started sweating extremelly such that all my clothes become wet quickly and sweat was dripping down my nose, ears, and into my eyes. I felt an intense and urgent need to urinate and defecate, which luckily I could do on…

You’re supposed to chew it only until it tastes peppery then park it in your gum/cheek

Re: Nicotine (2016)

#58

I'm concerned that many might miss the nuance and subtlety of the main issue: - Nicotine IS really addictive when distributed through common uses (smoking, vaping). Yes, if the absorption is progressive and in small dosages, the addiction is less severe, but this is not useful for smokers who want to quit and presents a dangerous introduction for others

I have zero interest in cigarettes though. So like, let's say I started chewing a gum and then I became addicted to the gum. I'm assuming the downside here would be primarily withdrawal effects of not chewing the gum? It's not like it's going to be a gateway to cigarettes for me. You'll experience caffeine withdrawal too, so I'm not sure that's really a problem. From the article, > There is little evidence from the N…

The withdrawal effects are more like kicking a heroin addiction.

Re: Nicotine (2016)

#59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You mean smoking is terrible for you. As the cited studies indicate, nicotine itself (delivered by patched / gum) is fairly harmless. Not completely risk free, but nothing at all like smoking.

No, I mean nicotine as I clearly indicated in my comment. It's not harmless and its ridiculous to think a drug that constricts the vessels and blood flow in your body would be so.

> its ridiculous to think a drug that constricts the vessels and blood flow in your body would be [harmless]

Without knowing more about human physiology, this physiological description is a boogeyman. Someone could describe the physiological effects of eating lettuce while making the same claim about said effect and it would be obvious to a layperson as nonsense only because they know the topic. It’s not ridiculous to think this is possibly harmless in certain contexts.

Re: Nicotine (2016)

#60
post #9

Nicotine is just terrible for you. Smoking is linked to alzheimers and I watched my grandfather smoke his pipe and decline cognitively with that disease. Im not sure if its only proven from the toxins in smoke or the nicotine but I would assume constricting the blood vessels (with nicotine) leads to plaque buildup in the body and brain. Because of the vessel constriction is stops healing in the body as well all the w…

Isn't caffeine a vasoconstrictor as well? Wouldn't that make coffee a silent killer?

I don't get how so many people like coffee. I've tried it maybe a handful of times in my life, getting the type that my friends said is great, and I've always found it to be reminiscent of dirty water, that is, water that has been contaminated with dirt.

Why do so many people like it?

My friends say they like the taste, but I don't believe them. I think it has to do with them being coerced into liking coffee at a young age, and now they're addicted to it because of its caffeine content.

I come from a country (Macedonia, ruled over by the Ottomans for more than 500 years. The Ottomans liked their coffee) where every going out with friends is centered around coffee. So when people want to hang out, they never, ever, say stuff like "Hey, let's hang out", but always "Let's drink coffee" (I understand people in the civilized world, people say stuff like this too to hang out with friends, particularly in America (I'm not familiar with Western Europe as I haven't lived there, though I assume its similar to the US), but not like they do here, and the surrounding regions.)

And when you do go out to hang out casually with friends, it's always to a fucking cafe because they want to get their daily dose of caffeine in, because they're totally not addicted to it.

(The overwhelming majority of people here go to cafes every day to drink coffee with their friends, who also drink coffee. It's become something like a ritual for them at this point.)

When I hang out with my friends in a cafe, naturally as their sacred ritual insists, and I order anything other than coffee, which I always do, other than those 2 times, they look at me like I've just committed the mother of all sins.

I apologize for my off-topic rant, but I had to get it off my chest.

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