Phenibut - A light for dark nights

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(D Z) Dhru Val, modified 9 Years ago at 6/15/15 9:50 PM
Created 9 Years ago at 6/15/15 9:49 PM

Phenibut - A light for dark nights

Posts: 346 Join Date: 9/18/11 Recent Posts
Phenibut was developed in the USSR, where it was included as part of the med kit for cosmonauts, as an anixolitic that did not hamper cognitive performance. More recently it has grown in popularity as a nootropic and a recreational drug. My interest in it is primarily as a contemplative aid.

Contemplative Uses:

1. For temporary relief if you are having bad dark night symptoms that are interfering with your life.
2. To super charge bioenergetic, theraputic, and / or insight practices, with the potential for permenant improvements.
3. If you want to investigate dukkha, may you can intentionally develop tolerence, then stop. Instant dukkha from the withdrawal.

I have experimented with it mostly for number 2. I personally take a very small amount (250 mg), the effects don't pop out at me. But are instead subtly noticable. I gave a similar amount to a few friends  to try out. They didn't notice any effects at all. So I suspect I am especially snesitive and you might need more to get some effect.

I have only tried it a few times but my experience is that anxiolytic effect the helps with helping unlocking 'stuck' areas of bodily tension. It helps investigate and let go of emotional traumas and hurts that might otherwise be too deeply held or unskilfully protected from investigation by strong patterns of aversion.

Things to keep in mind:
1.It is pretty easy to develop tolerance. Take on non-consecutive days. Max 2 days a week.
2. For some people it does nothing. Others will be very sensitive. Find your minimum effective dose.
3. If you drink alcohol with it, you wil feel the effects of alcohol a lot quicker.
4. Can have drug interactions. Ask your Doctor about GABA.

Where to buy
It is non-precription and unregulated in most countries.


For the traditional Buddhists, I will end with this quote:

To refrain from taking intoxicants is one of the primary vows that laypeople may take and that monastics have to uphold. One of the main reasons for not becoming intoxicated is that this can—and often does— lead to breaking other vows or straying from one’s integrity. Another reason for not becoming intoxicated is that for many, intoxication obscures the clarity of mind— the clarity to understand and rest in one’s true nature moment to moment. If one’s mind has stabilized in true nature to the extent that its clarity is never obscured, then it makes no difference whether one takes in substances or not.

From the point of view of the dharma training I was given, it is permissible, even having taken this vow, as a layperson, to enjoy a glass of wine occasionally. A distinction is made between intoxication, where one’s clarity is compromised, and simply enjoying partaking of a substance. I also do not feel that occasionally utilizing a substance for transformational work is an obstacle to awakening. It may be helpful—but honest discernment and consultation is needed if one engages in this way, so that one does not fool oneself and go astray.

—Lama Palden
 western female lama in the Tibetan tradition and founder of the Sukhasiddhi Foundation
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Dream Walker, modified 9 Years ago at 6/15/15 10:12 PM
Created 9 Years ago at 6/15/15 10:12 PM

RE: Phenibut - A light for dark nights

Posts: 1770 Join Date: 1/18/12 Recent Posts
I find Phenibut makes me too sleepy.
I prefer L-Theanine.
It combines with caffiene nicely to create a alert yet very relaxed calm abiding state.
Do not overuse any substances, they tend to lose their effect or you get to depend on them to reach the states you need to get to yourself....
~D
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finding-oneself ♤, modified 9 Years ago at 6/16/15 12:46 PM
Created 9 Years ago at 6/16/15 12:46 PM

RE: Phenibut - A light for dark nights

Posts: 576 Join Date: 1/7/14 Recent Posts
I like it. I take it for anxiety.

For me It definitely makes meditation different but I wouldn't say it helps me that much usually. For some reason phenibut gives me energy. There is definitely an attenuation of mental anxiety but it doesn't relax my body due to the energy. So it can help with practice, concentration or insight, if I am able to relax the body enough, which does happen sometimes but I have high energy to begin with so I normally meditate while moving on phenibut days because I don't want to sit still.

I take 250mg too. Besides helping cognitive anxiety it basically makes my personality easier to shine through in novel social situations where I would be less myself around others by default. If I take 500mg there is no increase in the anxiolytic effect just an increase in personality intensity.