[sokolov91]

It's spring and I am feeling awesome.
 
The winters are long here and I eventually feel terrible at some point despite having a good social-life, a job, and going to school. Same call it SAD, I call it living in a place with winters that are way too long.
 
This weekend I took a powerful 5HT agonist, have had a few nicotine gum pieces ( 4mg, I am a non-smoker although I have used tobacco products in the past) and I am feeling human once more. The gum pieces are really more of a indulgence/celebration than anything else they are not part of my regular diet .
 
The sun is out, the birds and chirping, the air is fresh... everything is coming back to life.
 
How this relates to head-fi...
 
 
I also notice my headphones are sounding MUCH better. Amazing in fact. Separation and imaging have increased, my sensitivity to high frequencies is stronger (I generally dislike bright headphones now anyways) and things sound like I remember hearing them as a kid. that and my sinuses have cleared out and my right ear is hearing evenly (I sleep on the right side of my face so this is not real hearing loss just being chronically stuff up more on the right side). It could just be the sinus I suppose but who here isn't used to their hearing fluctuating a little bit (or a lot) with the season and colds etc, but I am talking since about November.
 
As far as cost and effect goes I have spent:
 
1) Spring and sunlight : Free
2) 8 nicotine 4 mg gum pieces over 3 days (~4$) (Friday, Saturday)
3) 5-HT2a agonist (12$) (name omitted due to differing legal status in various countries) (Friday)
 
So for 16 bucks I now have my sound system better than ever and I have been sober for over 24 hrs... not bad if you ask me.
 
 
  ***bear in mind nicotine is extremely addictive, and although non-cancerous in smoke-free form it can cause problems with people with hypertension and/or arrhythmia similar to caffeine and that its use should not be taken lightly.***
                                          ***Research shows nicotine has many positive effects on the brain including increased concentration, memory performance, and the delayed onset/stopped onset of Alzheimer's.***
 
So I am wondering if people have any thoughts as to why this happens or if they have any similar experiences at similar or different times of year.
 
A quick google search has conflicting information about serotonin positively and negatively effecting our capacity to hear.
 
Tinnitus is thought to be caused by abnormally low levels of serotonin, but SSRI class anti-depressants are said potentially cause hearing loss.
 
It's the sound science forum and our brain is the final frontier for acoustics so hopefully there can be some interesting discussion.
 
I will post anything relevant I find on ProQuest and Ebscohost when I have the time.

 

[MrQ]

Alcohol and hearing.
 
http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/brain/a/blacer040314.htm?p=1

 

[sokolov91]

Quote:

Alcohol and hearing.
 
http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/brain/a/blacer040314.htm?p=1

Very interesting, thanks for the post.
 
Although it seems to be more alcoholism and hearing, so I don't know how well it applies to someone who has a glass of wine or scotch to relax and enjoy some tunes. But as a depressant I find alcohol makes it harder to concentrate on music and therefore appreciate it.
 
Alcohol supposedly increases serotonin output though so it is no consistent with other drugs, say psychedelics that have a very high serotonin affinity, which greatly increase audio perception.
 
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro00/web1/Kim.html
 
could be the gaba ends up in the wrong places like that source suggests and the increased serotonin does not enhance hearing and the gaba ruins it if they really do swap roles when alcohol enters the body.
 

 

[MrQ]

I was just thinking about the use of empathogen-enactogen drugs. Such as 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine.
 
People talk about feeling and connecting with music. Since these drugs can induce feelings of empathy, it follows that ones perception of music will be enhanced not just on an emotional level.
 
It's like going to an art gallery and focusing on a picture and getting so caught up in it that every thing else seems to fade around you. The same can happen with music.
 
Some may say that they can do this without chemical aids. Others need to be in a particular environment. Some may be happy with a cup of tea or something stronger to get them into that 'frame of mind'.
 
The problem I see is when you rely on what ever it is to be able to listen to, let alone enjoy music.

 

[sokolov91]

Quote:

I was just thinking about the use of empathogen-enactogen drugs. Such as 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine.
 
People talk about feeling and connecting with music. Since these drugs can induce feelings of empathy, it follows that ones perception of music will be enhanced not just on an emotional level.
 
It's like going to an art gallery and focusing on a picture and getting so caught up in it that every thing else seems to fade around you. The same can happen with music.
 
Some may say that they can do this without chemical aids. Others need to be in a particular environment. Some may be happy with a cup of tea or something stronger to get them into that 'frame of mind'.
 
The problem I see is when you rely on what ever it is to be able to listen to, let alone enjoy music.

Well I mean people will always have better listening sessions and worse ones but at the end of the day it has to be caused by neurotransmitters in the brain be it natural or artificial - right?
 
Just day to day, depending on how tired I am ETC the "quality" of the listening session can vary quite a bit. I think anyone has the possibility for naturally occurring listening sessions that are downright awesome but we don't always have the right circumstances.
 
Lots of people like to listen to music when they are stressed, and studies show that it can can the release of dopamine... which kind of makes sense. Sometimes if I am really stressed and I just close my eyes and listen, I get particularly involved maybe 20 mins in and would like to listen for long periods of time. I find the first track is generally never the most satisfying if we are talking dedicated listening sessions. So if it really does release clinically significant levels of dopamine it would make sense it takes a bit of time to kick in and make the following tracks more enjoyable. I have experienced some nights where I just can't get into the mood for good listening sessions even when I have managed to set time aside.
 
However I highly doubt any individual could naturally achieve stimulation of the brain that would mimic true entheogens. Just doesn't make sense as some entheogens antagonize receptor sites as much as 8X + their natural capacity. If anyone claimed they could do this I would want to see a brain scan.
 
There are many many different entheogens that  could be discussed but I think it is prohibited here, although perhaps there is an exception if it is purely scientific/pondering and not promoting usage. I guess I should check with a mod.
 
That being said there are many unscheduled entheogens that have similar effects to scheduled ones that should  be ok to discuss so long as it is in good taste.
 
Either way, like you said, you would never want to have to rely on such things, but you do only live once and life is about experiences.
 
Generally speaking though, entheogens are non-addictive and are the strongest known cessation aids.