Hi everyone,
This is my first post here. I'd like to share my experience with the 4 ideas in the topic title. I suffered emotional blunting from taking a neuroleptic (antipsychotic) several years ago for ocd and depression. Unfortunately, this condition persisted even after discontinuing it.
Several months ago I was prescribed Provigel (modafinil) from a pretty cutting edge psychiatrist. I guess in studies it's been shown to light up the frontal lobe in PET scans and fMRI's. I mention this because I've tried to meditate for many many years without success. However, after being on this drug, I've clicked with a technique I had tried before unsuccessfully. I'm guessing that because the frontal lobe is the center of executive mental processes, it would help with anything that enhances self awareness- such as meditation. In fact, I'm kind of using my elevated awareness to look at the emotional blunting kind of as a tool in which to get a wider perspective on consciousness. It's kind of like if you leave your culture for an extended time, you come back able to see things about it that were impossible to see before because the culture is so much a part of you.
Anyways, it seems like the provigil and the meditation had such a synergistic affect, that I feel I'm actually on the path to self actualization.
I'm wondering if there are any good books related to what I'm talking about, or if someone has had a somewhat similar experience?
Steve
Full Version: Modafinil, meditation, brain damage, self actualization.
BrainMeta.com Forum > Enhancing Consciousness and Cognition > Expanding Consciousness > Meditation & Mindset
i'm interested in what you have experienced, if you'd like we could talk on icq (62875302) or skype (i62875302). i don't like "non-IM" forms of communication, like email, though.
"or if someone has had a somewhat similar experience?"
dunno, maybe you'd find mine to be similar.
message me!
"or if someone has had a somewhat similar experience?"
dunno, maybe you'd find mine to be similar.
message me!
from http://bltc.com
"...modafinil ('Provigil', 'Alertec', 'Vigicer', 'Modalert', etc) is a memory-improving and mood-brightening psychostimulant. It enhances wakefulness and vigilance, but its pharmacological profile is notably different from the amphetamines, methylphenidate (Ritalin) or cocaine. Modafinil is less likely to cause jitteriness, anxiety, or excess locomotor activity - or lead to a hypersomnolent 'rebound effect' - than traditional stimulants. Subjectively, it feels smoother and cleaner than the amphetamines too. The normal elimination half-life of modafinil in humans is between 12 - 15 hours. So it's worth fine-tuning one's dosage schedule accordingly.
Current research suggests modafinil, like its older and better-tested analogue adrafinil, is a safe, effective and well-tolerated agent. It is long-acting and doesn't tend to cause peripheral sympathetic stimulation. Yet its CNS action isn't fully understood. Modafinil induces wakefulness in part by its action in the anterior hypothalamus. Its dopamine-releasing action in the nucleus accumbens is weak and dose-dependent; the likelihood of a euphoric response ('abuse potential'), dose-escalation and tolerance is thus apparently small. Modafinil has central alpha 1-adrenergic agonist effects i.e. it directly stimulates the receptors. Modafinil inhibits the reuptake of noradrenaline by the noradrenergic terminals on sleep-promoting neurons of ventrolateral preoptic nucleus (VLPO). More significant, perhaps, is its ability to increase excitatory glutamatergic transmission. This reduces local GABAergic transmission, thereby diminishing GABA(A) receptor signalling on the mesolimbic dopamine terminals.
Modafinil is proving clinically useful in the treatment of narcolepsy, a neurological disorder marked by uncontrollable attacks of daytime sleepiness. Narcolepsy is caused by dysfunction of a family of wakefulness-promoting and sleep-suppressing peptides, the orexins. Orexin neurons are activated by modafinil. Orexinergic neurons are found exclusively in the lateral hypothalamic area. Their activation is associated with enhanced pleasure-seeking and motivation as well as arousal. Orexinergic fibers project to the entire central nervous system. Genetically modified orexin-knockout animals offer a model of human narcolepsy. Narcoleptics suffer profound disturbances in normal sleeping patterns and variable degrees of depression. These symptoms can be reversed with modafinil. Selective orexin receptor agonists of the future may prove useful both to narcoleptics and the population at large.
Experimentally, modafinil is also used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, depression, attention-deficit disorder, myotonic dystrophy, multiple sclerosis-induced fatigue, post-anaesthesia grogginess, cognitive impairment in schizophrenia, spasticity associated with cerebral palsy, age-related memory decline, idiopathic hypersomnia, jet-lag, and everyday cat-napping. Depressives who feel sleepy and fatigued on SSRIs can augment their regimen with modafinil. In September 2003, an advisory panel to the FDA endorsed its use for treating shift work sleep disorder and obstructive sleep apnea.
The US military are interested in modafinil too.
Modafanil is marketed as 'Alertec" in Canada - and over the Net. 'Alertec' is less expensive than 'Provigil'. Cheap generic modafinil should be available from 2006. But Cephalon is vigorously litigating to defend its patents.
In March 2005, Cephalon filed a New Drug Application (NDA) with the FDA for "Nuvigil" (r-modafinil, armodafinil) - a single isomer formulation of modafinil. Nuvigil will be marketed aggressively to offset the anticipated loss of revenue from Provigil.
Modafinil is increasingly used as a 'lifestyle drug' - a lucrative 'off-label' market its makers have not been unduly keen to discourage. Some prescribing physicians have reportedly been surprised at a previously hidden epidemic of narcolepsy among hard-working young professionals attending their surgeries.
"...modafinil ('Provigil', 'Alertec', 'Vigicer', 'Modalert', etc) is a memory-improving and mood-brightening psychostimulant. It enhances wakefulness and vigilance, but its pharmacological profile is notably different from the amphetamines, methylphenidate (Ritalin) or cocaine. Modafinil is less likely to cause jitteriness, anxiety, or excess locomotor activity - or lead to a hypersomnolent 'rebound effect' - than traditional stimulants. Subjectively, it feels smoother and cleaner than the amphetamines too. The normal elimination half-life of modafinil in humans is between 12 - 15 hours. So it's worth fine-tuning one's dosage schedule accordingly.
Current research suggests modafinil, like its older and better-tested analogue adrafinil, is a safe, effective and well-tolerated agent. It is long-acting and doesn't tend to cause peripheral sympathetic stimulation. Yet its CNS action isn't fully understood. Modafinil induces wakefulness in part by its action in the anterior hypothalamus. Its dopamine-releasing action in the nucleus accumbens is weak and dose-dependent; the likelihood of a euphoric response ('abuse potential'), dose-escalation and tolerance is thus apparently small. Modafinil has central alpha 1-adrenergic agonist effects i.e. it directly stimulates the receptors. Modafinil inhibits the reuptake of noradrenaline by the noradrenergic terminals on sleep-promoting neurons of ventrolateral preoptic nucleus (VLPO). More significant, perhaps, is its ability to increase excitatory glutamatergic transmission. This reduces local GABAergic transmission, thereby diminishing GABA(A) receptor signalling on the mesolimbic dopamine terminals.
Modafinil is proving clinically useful in the treatment of narcolepsy, a neurological disorder marked by uncontrollable attacks of daytime sleepiness. Narcolepsy is caused by dysfunction of a family of wakefulness-promoting and sleep-suppressing peptides, the orexins. Orexin neurons are activated by modafinil. Orexinergic neurons are found exclusively in the lateral hypothalamic area. Their activation is associated with enhanced pleasure-seeking and motivation as well as arousal. Orexinergic fibers project to the entire central nervous system. Genetically modified orexin-knockout animals offer a model of human narcolepsy. Narcoleptics suffer profound disturbances in normal sleeping patterns and variable degrees of depression. These symptoms can be reversed with modafinil. Selective orexin receptor agonists of the future may prove useful both to narcoleptics and the population at large.
Experimentally, modafinil is also used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, depression, attention-deficit disorder, myotonic dystrophy, multiple sclerosis-induced fatigue, post-anaesthesia grogginess, cognitive impairment in schizophrenia, spasticity associated with cerebral palsy, age-related memory decline, idiopathic hypersomnia, jet-lag, and everyday cat-napping. Depressives who feel sleepy and fatigued on SSRIs can augment their regimen with modafinil. In September 2003, an advisory panel to the FDA endorsed its use for treating shift work sleep disorder and obstructive sleep apnea.
The US military are interested in modafinil too.
Modafanil is marketed as 'Alertec" in Canada - and over the Net. 'Alertec' is less expensive than 'Provigil'. Cheap generic modafinil should be available from 2006. But Cephalon is vigorously litigating to defend its patents.
In March 2005, Cephalon filed a New Drug Application (NDA) with the FDA for "Nuvigil" (r-modafinil, armodafinil) - a single isomer formulation of modafinil. Nuvigil will be marketed aggressively to offset the anticipated loss of revenue from Provigil.
Modafinil is increasingly used as a 'lifestyle drug' - a lucrative 'off-label' market its makers have not been unduly keen to discourage. Some prescribing physicians have reportedly been surprised at a previously hidden epidemic of narcolepsy among hard-working young professionals attending their surgeries.
Hi Steve,
I have been prescribed Provigil for narcolepsy. Since then, I've noticed an increased frequency and duration of "mindfulness," which I suppose could be considered "walking meditation." (Mindfulness is also one form of passive meditation.) I think of mindfulness as sort of an awake and aware state. While we are always thinking, mindfulness is when you know about your own thinking during the moment at hand. I prefer mindfulness over the alternative. Not only does my productivity go up, but it's almost impossible to get depressed or bored. Even the most mundane activities become interesting. I'm not 100% sure whether my improvement is due to the Provigil, but it makes sense, considering how the drug works and what it does.
I have been prescribed Provigil for narcolepsy. Since then, I've noticed an increased frequency and duration of "mindfulness," which I suppose could be considered "walking meditation." (Mindfulness is also one form of passive meditation.) I think of mindfulness as sort of an awake and aware state. While we are always thinking, mindfulness is when you know about your own thinking during the moment at hand. I prefer mindfulness over the alternative. Not only does my productivity go up, but it's almost impossible to get depressed or bored. Even the most mundane activities become interesting. I'm not 100% sure whether my improvement is due to the Provigil, but it makes sense, considering how the drug works and what it does.
QUOTE(cerebral @ Feb 05, 02:10 PM) 
Some prescribing physicians have reportedly been surprised at a previously hidden epidemic of narcolepsy among hard-working young professionals attending their surgeries.
kind of makes me regret not getting an MD.
I think I have narcolepsy since I sleep 9 hrs or more per day. The average is 6-8? I do believe there's a hidden epidemic of narcolepsy out there.
QUOTE(lucid_dream @ Feb 05, 2006, 10:09 PM)
QUOTE(cerebral @ Feb 05, 02:10 PM)
Some prescribing physicians have reportedly been surprised at a previously hidden epidemic of narcolepsy among hard-working young professionals attending their surgeries.
kind of makes me regret not getting an MD.
I think I have narcolepsy since I sleep 9 hrs or more per day. The average is 6-8? I do believe there's a hidden epidemic of narcolepsy out there.
I beleive narcolepsy is a condition where the sufferer fall sleep at any given moment without been able to help it, I think 9 hours of sleep are still pretty normal, well that is what my doc explained...A lot of people wish they could actually get 9 hours of sleep...narcolepsy is more like not been able to stay awake or falling sleep uncontollable any where any time...correct me if I am mistaken....
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