What drugs and supplements help temper emotions for better decision making? Escaping the lizard brain

Insomniac

When the world is falling apart, instead of seeing danger someone would see opportunity. That's the idea anyway. But maybe nothing like that exists.

Fear probably drives more bad decisions than anything else but all emotions cloud judgement.

I was wondering if estrogen involved in excess emotion?

Dr. Spock isn't going through a 4th divorce or managing a drug and gambling problem because he's not using his lizard brain

Serotoninskeptic

@Insomniac Thyroid and caffeine can both influence better decision making. Estrogen likely does play a role so aromotase inhibitors like androsterone or DHT could help.

Insomniac

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Insomniac

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Serotoninskeptic

@Insomniac for a calm focused state i would recommend pregnenelone. Maybe magnesium

Insomniac

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@Insomniac Good sleep and digital detox. You want to discipline the reception of all the overly excited signals that excess estrogen/cortisol/low GABA will send. You do that by removing investment in the regular sources of brain burnout, like replacing time spent on screens with time spent with people and nature (e.g. plants, animals, the elements).

Serotoninskeptic

@jwayne For sure, maybe replace LED lights with incandescents too

Insomniac

@jwayne said in What drugs and supplements help temper emotions for better decision making and clear thinking?:

@Insomniac Good sleep and digital detox. You want to discipline the reception of all the overly excited signals that excess estrogen/cortisol/low GABA will send. You do that by removing investment in the regular sources of brain burnout, like replacing time spent on screens with time spent with people and nature (e.g. plants, animals, the elements).

Permanent lifestyle changes are incredibly difficult but I know you're right and that trying things like digital detox make sense.

Most people have terrible sleep habits. When I work on my sleep habits I can increase my sleep time by 70-80%.

Insomniac

@Serotoninskeptic Pregnenolone isn't powerful enough even at 1gram/daily. My blood pressure still goes up 30pts from mildly stressful stuff. I really wanted it to work.

It might be time for a beta blocker.

laoa

@Insomniac Im trialing propranolol 10mg with great succes for now. The main two things it helped was maintaining calm and structured thought and action in stressful, high stakes situations and it mostly eliminated the red face blushing I would get in such situations. Both helped with self confidence even though I already trusted myself in such situations. I even genuinely enjoyed those moments now. I do take pregnenolone, t3 with cola and theanine at the same time but adding in the propranolol gave the biggest change. Aside from being a beta antagonist, it's also a kind of weak but still significant serotonin antagonist on several receptors. I still wouldn't like taking it daily for other potential sides and I'm hoping, maybe foolishly, that taking it for a while with thyroid will make some kind of more permanent change to how my body deals with stress, tipping the favor to thyroid instead of adrenaline.

Corngold

@Insomniac

All the typical Peat things. Lots of calcium, good sugar/carbs, nasal breathing, fruit, sunlight. I think overnight "fasting" is ideal... maybe earlier dinner and being hungry when waking. I don't take supplements but aspirin always helps pain/inflammation and the attendant stress and mental anger/depression that accompanies physical pain.

Insomniac

@laoa said in What drugs and supplements help temper emotions for better decision making? Escaping the lizard brain:

@Insomniac I'm hoping, maybe foolishly, that taking it for a while with thyroid will make some kind of more permanent change to how my body deals with stress, tipping the favor to thyroid instead of adrenaline.

I do remember reading it can make some permanent improvements.
"A single pill may be the key to overcoming many paralyzing fears"
https://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/features/a-single-pill-may-be-the-key-to-overcoming-many-paralyzing-fears

The 10mg dose is very low. If it works at such a low dose than maybe it's a really good option.

The main issue with beta blockers generally is that they lower resting metabolic rate and tend to cause weight gain over time. Propranolol in particular has a history of being used to treat hyperthyroidism. It would be interesting to know if thyroid supplementation prevents the metabolic slowing completely.

Thanks for your story. I hope it works out.

Insomniac

@Corngold said in What drugs and supplements help temper emotions for better decision making? Escaping the lizard brain:

@Insomniac

All the typical Peat things. Lots of calcium, good sugar/carbs, nasal breathing, fruit, sunlight. I think overnight "fasting" is ideal... maybe earlier dinner and being hungry when waking. I don't take supplements but aspirin always helps pain/inflammation and the attendant stress and mental anger/depression that accompanies physical pain.

These are all good ideas. I don't that think they could completely stop panicked thinking for people inclined. For someone fairly even already it might be enough. Or maybe in the long term it could get someone to that place. It's worth trying.

Kvirion

Try Noopept if you are brave enough...

Noopept boosts Alpha and Beta brain wave activity. You become calmer and more creative. It’s easier to go into a flow state. And you are prone to making innovative and resourceful decisions.

Insomniac

@Kvirion said in What drugs and supplements help temper emotions for better decision making? Escaping the lizard brain:

if you are brave enough

Thanks, I'm looking into it now. Everything's safer fear driven decisions.