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Sidmor
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29 Sep 2012, 6:10 am

Have you tried it? It's an empathy hormone, I think it made me feel more relaxed and empathetic. The oxytocin levels in the Autistic brain are lower than in NTs.

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archi ... nt/258539/



atdevel
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29 Sep 2012, 7:10 am

Yeah, I have. Made it far easier for me to enter the big bad world :D



AceX
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14 Oct 2012, 2:34 pm

Oxytoxin thought cannot pass the blood brain barrier to act on the brain.

What was the root of administration? I heard the people that inhale it have more chance to respond than those that take it itranevnously...



UnLoser
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14 Oct 2012, 5:01 pm

What, can you just buy it in a store or something?



btbnnyr
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14 Oct 2012, 5:03 pm

There is a nasal spray.



2wheels4ever
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14 Oct 2012, 5:23 pm

I was reading about MDMA on Wiki by chance before logging on

Quote:
Three neurobiological mechanisms for the therapeutic effects of MDMA have been suggested: "1) MDMA increases oxytocin levels, which may strengthen the therapeutic alliance; 2) MDMA increases ventromedial prefrontal activity and decreases amygdala activity, which may improve emotional regulation and decrease avoidance, and 3) MDMA increases norepinephrine (NE) release and circulating cortisol levels, which may facilitate emotional engagement and enhance extinction of learned fear associations."[15]


and a list of mainly positives that have me wondering if the authorities haven't 'thrown the baby out with the bathwater', given the reported properties of the compound that has potential to be therapeutic

Quote:
Subjective effects

The primary effects attributable to MDMA consumption are predictable and fairly consistent among users. In general, users report feeling effects within 30-45 minutes to an hour of consumption, hitting a peak at approximately 2 1/2 to 3 hours, reaching a plateau that lasts about 2–3 hours, followed by a comedown of a few hours. After the drug has run its course, many users report feeling fatigue; other, more long-lasting effects such as diminished mental capacity, permanent sensitivity to light, paranoia, and impaired cognitive ability have also been reported.

The most common effects reported by users include:[citation needed]

A general and subjective alteration in consciousness
A strong sense of inner peace and self-acceptance
Diminished aggression, hostility, and jealousy
Diminished fear, anxiety, and insecurity
Extreme mood lift with accompanying euphoria
Feelings of empathy, compassion, and forgiveness toward others
Feelings of intimacy and even love for others
Improved self-confidence

Nystagmus or involuntary eye movements <- this may be part of the 'eye contact' code
The ability to discuss normally anxiety-provoking topics with marked ease
An intensification of all of the bodily senses (hearing, touch, smell, vision, taste)
^ my own theory is that like stimulants are Rx'ed for ADHD, sensory issues may actually be cancelled out

Substantial enhancement of the appreciation of music quality
Mild psychedelia, consisting of mental imagery and auditory and visual distortions
Stimulation, arousal, and hyperactivity (e.g., many users get an "uncontrollable urge to dance" while under the influence)
Increased energy and endurance
Increased alertness, awareness, and wakefulness
Increased desire, drive, and motivation
Analgesia or decreased pain sensitivity


There just seems to be too many plusses not to be put into practical use. It just looks really attractive 'on paper' to me though I've never considered trying it, experienced users weigh in, please


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NewDawn
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14 Oct 2012, 5:27 pm

Oxytocin isn't the panacea to cure social unease/anxiety. It's a powerful hormone that can have all kinds of nasty side-effects. It's an abortifacient and can cause severe menstrual cramps in women. In combination with low levels of dopamine (anyone who has moderate to severe mood disorder or high stress levels), it'll make you feel worse.



2wheels4ever
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14 Oct 2012, 10:05 pm

NewDawn wrote:
Oxytocin isn't the panacea to cure social unease/anxiety. It's a powerful hormone that can have all kinds of nasty side-effects. It's an abortifacient and can cause severe menstrual cramps in women. In combination with low levels of dopamine (anyone who has moderate to severe mood disorder or high stress levels), it'll make you feel worse.


From what I observe to be the general consensus among WP residents, they are not that concerned with procreating anyway


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Callista
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14 Oct 2012, 11:12 pm

It makes you more trusting... Deadly for those of us who are already naive and prone to think the best of people.

Oxytocin is also responsible for "us-versus-them" behavior, such as cliques, racism, bullying, and nationalism. It's not really a "socializing hormone" so much as an "I need to socialize, I am not afraid to socialize, I accept my group unconditionally, I will do anything to get my group to accept me" hormone. It is associated with the way a parent loves their child. It's also associated with the obsessive love, including behaviors like stalking and jealousy.

It might be a "love hormone"... but it's got a pretty heavy dark side. More oxytocin is not better. It may be worse. I do not think autistics are deficient in oxytocin to begin with, because we are just as attached to our parents--even those of us with profoundly disabling autism.

Oxytocin may make eye contact easier and socializing more desirable, but if you're socially clumsy and regularly get rejected, oxytocin will only make you want social contact more, make the rejection hurt more, and make you less able to defend yourself when people mistreat you. I don't think it's worth it unless you already have only a very mild case and most of your impairment comes from social anxiety rather than an actual lack of social skills. And if that's the case, wouldn't it be easier to just treat the anxiety disorder instead of messing with your hormones?


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UnLoser
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15 Oct 2012, 3:59 pm

Callista wrote:
I don't think it's worth it unless you already have only a very mild case and most of your impairment comes from social anxiety rather than an actual lack of social skills. And if that's the case, wouldn't it be easier to just treat the anxiety disorder instead of messing with your hormones?


You just described my situation, but I don't think social anxiety can be "just treated" with typical anxiety medications. Oxytocin might be more effective for that purpose. And I think most people with Autism struggle with social anxiety, anyway.

Anyway, are you sure that oxytocin does nothing to improve social awareness and skills? Have you tried it yourself?



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15 Oct 2012, 6:33 pm

I took it about 10 years ago for CFS. It was 2-4 units by injection (sub-cutaneous). The effects were so subtle that they were hard to notice. I keep reading about how powerful it is, but that wasn't my experience at all (also, the stuff has a half-life of 3 minutes).

I gather that the nasal sprays in research deliver 10-20 units, but I don't know the conversion factor for nasal vs. injected efficiency. For me, as far as anxiety, I get a much better effect with other drugs (i.e. Neurontin). Just IME -- maybe I just have a weird reaction to the stuff.

Still, I'd be careful about shelling out too much money for oxytocin -- I bet there's a lot of scammers out there now aiming for desperate parents and ASD adults. If you can get your doctor to write you a prescription for ampules you could take them to a compounding pharmacy and have them make it into a nasal spray. That way you know what you're getting isn't watered down or fake.



Callista
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15 Oct 2012, 10:12 pm

UnLoser wrote:
Callista wrote:
I don't think it's worth it unless you already have only a very mild case and most of your impairment comes from social anxiety rather than an actual lack of social skills. And if that's the case, wouldn't it be easier to just treat the anxiety disorder instead of messing with your hormones?


You just described my situation, but I don't think social anxiety can be "just treated" with typical anxiety medications. Oxytocin might be more effective for that purpose. And I think most people with Autism struggle with social anxiety, anyway.

Anyway, are you sure that oxytocin does nothing to improve social awareness and skills? Have you tried it yourself?
I'm not talking about anti-anxiety medications (those can help)--Therapy is more useful, especially the sort aimed specifically at easing you into social situations that scare you.

I haven't tried taking oxytocin from an outside source. I'm asexual, which means I don't need or want the oxytocin release that comes with sexual intercourse with another person. I have never given birth. During those times when I feel a connection to someone else--usually my cats or a friend--I am no better at socializing than I am at any other time. Oxytocin levels change during a woman's monthly cycle, but my ability to socialize does not vary with my menstrual cycle (barring the obvious desire to curl up in bed when I've got cramps).

I have very little social anxiety--but am still severely socially impaired. Anxiety and social impairment are unrelated for me. I prefer to keep my distance, but I bond closely and care deeply about others.

This isn't a matter of not being able to care about others or not being able to bond with them; it's simply a matter of not having a clue how. That's cognitive, not hormonal.


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Giygas
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16 Oct 2012, 3:44 am

I actually tried it myself and surprisingly I didn't notice much of an effect unless I took it continuously. I remember taking three doses every day and one day I had this enormous feeling of euphoria. I'm not sure if it was a result of taking oxytocin or something else entirely.

Regularly though, the changes were subtle. I think I felt a bit more relaxed in social situations when I took it. At the moment I don't use it much, but I may continue to use it when I plan to attend an upcoming social event.



patdbunny
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01 Nov 2012, 11:38 am

Just tried oxytocin last night. Sublingual drops. Gave me a raging headache at the 20 minute mark. Took some ibuprophen and knocked out the headache. At the 1 hour mark I was definitely in a nice relaxed mood and felt an overall "sensuality" and seemed a lot more sensitive to touch (in a very nice way!) Other reactions would need to go under "adult" topics.

Husband (NT) also had some. He didn't experience the sensuality or headache. He initially thought it had no effect. However, this morning we both feel exceptionally well rested and content.

Looking forward to trying it again tonight and seeing what happens.



roccoslife
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01 Nov 2012, 2:29 pm

I tried it a few months ago in nasal spray form after someone one here wrote a post singing its praises. cost £50 for a 30ml bottle including import costs. Gives you a kind of warm cuddly feeling straight afterwards, but didnt really do anything to beneift me socially, eye contact was just as uncomfortable for me and i didnt feel any more chatty/social.

Maybe different people have different reactions. I did like the warm contented feeling it gave me though so it wasnt a total bust, just didnt do what i thought it would.


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