The Sad Truth About Serotonin | SSRIs, LSD & Depression

Summary

This script delves into the complex history and effects of serotonin and LSD on human psychology. It challenges the popular notion of serotonin as a 'happy chemical,' discussing its role in stress response, appetite suppression, and potential links to conditions like depression, violence, and Alzheimer's. The narrative explores the controversial past of LSD in CIA experiments and its current resurgence in mental health research. The script also critiques the SSRI antidepressant industry, suggesting that their benefits may come from long-term serotonin suppression or other mechanisms unrelated to serotonin increase. It concludes with a call for a more nuanced understanding of mental health and the influence of societal and pharmaceutical narratives on our perceptions.

Takeaways

• 🧪 The script discusses the complex role of serotonin and its relationship with LSD, suggesting that serotonin may be linked to negative mental states like depression and rumination.
• 💊 It highlights the historical use and effects of LSD, including its potential in treating mental illnesses and its suppression of serotonin, contrasting with the promotion of serotonin as a 'happy chemical'.
• 🚫 The CIA's MKUltra program is mentioned, illustrating the unethical experiments with LSD and the potential misuse of drugs for mind control, which raises questions about the true intentions behind the vilification of LSD.
• 🛑 The script challenges the mainstream narrative on serotonin, suggesting it might be linked to stress, lethargy, and even violent behavior, contrary to its portrayal as a feel-good hormone.
• 🧬 It delves into the pharmaceutical industry's promotion of SSRIs like Prozac, despite evidence suggesting they may have negative side effects, including increased risk of suicide and violence.
• 🧬 The potential benefits of LSD in mental health treatment are suggested, with studies indicating its effectiveness in treating conditions like anxiety and depression.
• 🐀 The 'rat park' studies are referenced to emphasize the impact of living conditions on mental health and addiction, suggesting that a fulfilling environment can significantly reduce substance use.
• 💭 The concept of 'learned helplessness' is introduced, linking it to serotonin and suggesting that it may play a role in depression, suicide, and addiction.
• 🧠 The script discusses the role of serotonin in energy production and cognitive function, proposing that inefficient energy production in the brain is linked to depressive symptoms.
• 🌡️ It points out the media's role in shaping public perception of serotonin and the potential manipulation of information regarding its effects.
• 👨‍⚕️ The importance of medical supervision when considering stopping SSRIs is emphasized, advocating for a cautious and informed approach to mental health treatment.

Q & A

What was the initial purpose of creating LSD according to the script?

LSD was initially created by Swiss chemist Albert Hoffman in 1938 while working for Sandoz Pharmaceutical with the intention of developing a respiratory and circulatory stimulant.

How did the CIA's interest in LSD begin and what was the goal?

The CIA's interest in LSD began after intelligence reports suggested that American soldiers captured during the Korean War were subjected to mind control experiments. Their goal was to create 'Manchurian Candidates,' individuals who could be made subservient to perceived control, commit acts they normally wouldn't, and have no recollection of it.

What was the outcome of the experiment where LSD was administered to a squad of soldiers?

After being administered LSD, the soldiers found it difficult to obey orders, leading to chaos. This demonstrated a significant change in behavior, with the squad leader questioning the necessity of dressing properly and the men struggling to follow commands.

What was the role of Dr. Sydney Gottlieb in the CIA's LSD experiments?

Dr. Sydney Gottlieb, an American chemist and spymaster, created Operation Bluebird, later known as MKUltra. He believed that LSD could be used to 'blast away the existing mind' as part of a two-step process for mind control.

How did the script describe the effects of serotonin on brain energy production?

The script suggests that injecting serotonin into mice has been shown to decrease brain energy production by causing a shift towards anaerobic glycolysis, which is a less efficient way of producing energy from glucose.

What is the 'rat park' study mentioned in the script and what does it illustrate about living conditions and addiction?

The 'rat park' study is a research project where rats were given a more elaborate and enriched living environment compared to the typical cages. The study illustrated that rats in the enriched environment consumed far less morphine than those in typical cages, suggesting that living conditions can significantly impact addiction behaviors.

What was the script's perspective on the role of serotonin in mental health?

The script suggests that serotonin may not be the 'happy chemical' as commonly believed. It discusses the possibility that serotonin could contribute to negative mental health outcomes such as depression, lethargy, and even violence, and that its role in mental health might have been misunderstood or misrepresented.

How does the script relate serotonin to the concept of 'learned helplessness'?

The script describes 'learned helplessness' as a condition characterized by inescapable stress and a feeling of no way out, potentially driving behaviors like addiction and suicide. It suggests that serotonin plays a role in causing learned helplessness.

What was the script's view on the use of SSRIs for treating mental health conditions?

The script questions the effectiveness of SSRIs, suggesting that they might actually increase serotonin levels, which could contribute to negative mental health outcomes. It also mentions that some benefits from SSRIs might come from a rebound effect where the drugs start to have a serotonin suppressing effect over long periods of use.

How does the script discuss the role of allopregnanolone in SSRI treatment?

The script mentions that treatment with SSRIs is known to increase brain concentrations of allopregnanolone, a steroid that promotes efficient mitochondrial energy production and new neuron creation, which are effects opposite to those of serotonin. It suggests that the benefits some people experience from SSRIs might be due to the increase in allopregnanolone rather than serotonin itself.

Outlines

00:00

🧪 LSD and Serotonin: A Historical Perspective

The script begins by introducing an experiment involving the administration of 100 micrograms of Lysergic Acid (LSD). It delves into the historical context of LSD, including its discovery by Albert Hoffman in 1938 and its initial use in clinical research for treating mental illnesses like alcoholism with a 50% success rate. The narrative also explores the role of serotonin, initially considered a 'normal thinking' hormone, and its relationship with cancer growth. The script highlights the controversial use of LSD by the CIA in mind control experiments under projects like MKUltra, aiming to create 'Manchurian Candidates'. It discusses the unethical practices of the CIA, including secret dosing and surveillance, and the tragic story of Frank Olsen, a CIA employee whose death was possibly linked to the LSD experiments.

05:01

🕵️‍♂️ The Dark Side of Serotonin and the MKUltra Program

This paragraph delves deeper into the CIA's MKUltra program, revealing its sinister goals of mind control and the creation of submissive individuals, known as 'Manchurian Candidates'. It discusses the program's leader, Dr. Sydney Gottlieb, and the unethical experiments conducted on unwitting subjects, including the use of LSD to 'blast away' the existing mind. The script also touches on the CIA's interest in using LSD for blackmail, as suggested by the Project Midnight Climax. The narrative then shifts to the story of Frank Olsen, whose suspicious death was later linked to LSD dosing by the CIA, suggesting a cover-up. The paragraph concludes with the eventual exposure of MKUltra and the destruction of documentation, raising questions about the full extent of the CIA's activities.

10:04

🧬 The Misunderstood Role of Serotonin and the Rise of Antidepressants

The script addresses the misconceptions about serotonin's role in the brain, challenging the 'happy chemical' narrative. It discusses the development of antidepressants like reserpine and the subsequent introduction of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac. The paragraph highlights the controversial history of Prozac, including allegations of data manipulation by its manufacturer, Eli Lilly, to downplay the risk of suicide and violence associated with the drug. It also mentions the suppression of research linking SSRIs to increased suicidal and violent tendencies, and the subsequent FDA black box warning on these potential side effects.

15:07

🏫 Serotonin's Influence on Behavior and Social Dynamics

This section explores the complex role of serotonin in behavior and social status, suggesting that increased serotonin levels may lead to decreased social dominance and increased aggression. It discusses animal studies that indicate a correlation between serotonin levels and trainability, as well as experiments showing that serotonin can reverse dominant social status in monkeys. The script also touches on the potential for serotonin to be used as a tool for population control, given its energy-conserving properties and its association with stress and depression.

20:11

🛡️ Serotonin's Connection to Stress, Depression, and Violence

The script examines serotonin's role as a stress hormone and its connection to conditions like depression, lethargy, and hypertension. It discusses how serotonin's energy-conserving properties are beneficial in certain survival situations, such as hibernation or sickness, but may be detrimental in modern society. The paragraph also explores the link between serotonin and violent behavior, including its potential role in mass shootings and its misrepresentation in the media. It highlights the controversy surrounding the reporting of studies on serotonin's effects on dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

25:12

🌡️ The Impact of Serotonin on Anhedonia and Mental Health

This section delves into the impact of serotonin on mental health, particularly anhedonia, which is the inability to feel pleasure or interest in activities. It discusses the opposing effects of serotonin and dopamine, and how increasing serotonin levels can lead to reduced dopamine signaling. The script also explores the role of serotonin in rumination and learned helplessness, which are linked to depression and addiction. It highlights the potential benefits of LSD in treating these conditions by inhibiting serotonin synthesis and promoting dopamine.

30:16

🏙️ The Societal Relevance of Serotonin and Mental Health

The script draws parallels between the living conditions of laboratory rats and the human experience, suggesting that restrictive environments may contribute to feelings of learned helplessness and addiction. It discusses the 'rat park' studies, which showed that rats living in more enriched environments consumed less morphine, indicating that environmental factors play a significant role in addiction. The paragraph also reflects on the modern societal pressures that may contribute to depression, addiction, and a sense of entrapment, and encourages individuals to live authentically and seek fulfillment.

💊 The Paradox of SSRIs and the Need for a Holistic View of Mental Health

This final section addresses the mixed effects of SSRIs, noting that some individuals may experience improvements due to the drugs' long-term serotonin-suppressing effects. It also discusses the role of allopregnanolone, a steroid increased by SSRIs that promotes neuron creation and energy production, which may be responsible for some of the benefits experienced by users. The script calls for a more functional and realistic approach to understanding psychiatric disorders, recognizing the complexity of hormonal, dietary, and pharmaceutical influences on mental health.

Keywords

💡Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)

LSD is a powerful hallucinogenic drug that alters a person's thoughts and perceptions. In the video, it is discussed in relation to its effects on mental processes and creativity, as well as its historical use in psychiatric research and unethical government experiments. The script mentions Albert Hofmann's accidental discovery of LSD and its subsequent effects on his consciousness, highlighting the drug's profound impact on perception and thought.

💡Serotonin

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in mood regulation, among other functions. The video challenges the common portrayal of serotonin as the 'happy chemical,' discussing its association with stress responses, appetite suppression, and potential links to conditions like depression and Alzheimer's. The script references historical articles and studies that considered serotonin's role in normal mental processes and its opposition to LSD's effects.

💡Manchurian Candidate

The term 'Manchurian Candidate' is used in the script to describe a program aimed at creating individuals who are completely subservient to perceived control and capable of committing acts they normally wouldn't, without any recollection. This concept is tied to the CIA's interest in mind control and the use of substances like LSD in attempts to manipulate human behavior.

💡Operation Bluebird/MKUltra

Operation Bluebird, later renamed MKUltra, was a CIA program that conducted experiments in mind control and chemical interrogation without the knowledge or consent of the subjects. The script discusses this program in the context of the CIA's interest in using LSD to 'blast away' an individual's existing mind and potentially create subservient agents or test the resilience of US spies to such techniques.

💡Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

SSRIs are a class of antidepressant drugs that work by increasing the availability of serotonin in the brain. The video script questions the effectiveness of SSRIs and their role in promoting anhedonia and rumination, suggesting that they may not always be the best treatment for depression. It also discusses the potential for SSRIs to cause violent tendencies and suicidal thoughts, contrary to their intended purpose.

💡Anhedonia

Anhedonia refers to the inability to feel pleasure or interest in activities one usually enjoys. In the video, anhedonia is associated with increased serotonin levels and the use of SSRIs, suggesting that these drugs might contribute to the very symptoms they are meant to treat. The script uses this term to illustrate the complex relationship between neurotransmitters and mood.

💡Rumination

Rumination is the process of constantly dwelling on past events, which can be a symptom of depression. The video suggests that serotonin may promote rumination by reallocating energy away from other processes like neurogenesis. This concept is used to critique the role of serotonin in mental health and the effectiveness of SSRIs.

💡Learned Helplessness

Learned helplessness is a psychological condition where an individual feels trapped and unable to escape a stressful situation, often leading to depression or even suicidal thoughts. The script discusses this concept in relation to serotonin's role in causing helplessness and its potential link to addiction and suicide rates among those taking SSRIs.

💡Allopregnanolone

Allopregnanolone is a steroid that has been shown to have antidepressant effects and is associated with the creation of new neurons and efficient energy production. The video suggests that the benefits some people experience from SSRIs may be due to an increase in allopregnanolone rather than the intended increase in serotonin. This highlights the complexity of psychiatric treatments and the need for a more nuanced understanding of their effects.

💡Rat Park Studies

The 'rat park' studies refer to research where rats were given more enriched living conditions to see if it affected their propensity for drug use. The video uses these studies to illustrate the impact of environment on mental health and addiction, suggesting that a lack of freedom and fulfillment in life can lead to substance abuse and depression, much like the rats in typical cages.

Highlights

Experiment involving administration of 100 micrograms of Lysergic Acid (LSD).

Discussion of serotonin's role as a 'normal thinking' hormone and its association with cancer cell growth.

LSD's potential to slow cancer growth by up to 90% as demonstrated in rat studies.

LSD's effects on enhancing creativity, awareness, and challenging the establishment.

Impact of LSD on military discipline and obedience in a controlled experiment.

Albert Hoffman's accidental discovery and self-experimentation with LSD in 1938 and 1943.

Sandoz's distribution of LSD-25 for scientific research and its influence on understanding neurotransmitters.

Clinical research on LSD for treating mental illnesses, including a 50% success rate with alcoholism.

CIA's interest in mind control and the creation of the 'Manchurian Candidate' through Project Bluebird and MKUltra.

Ethically questionable experiments conducted by the CIA, including Project Midnight Climax.

The mysterious death of Frank Olsen and the subsequent revelation of his possible involvement with MKUltra.

Controversy surrounding the promotion of serotonin and the demonization of LSD for population control.

The development of SSRIs like Prozac, influenced by potentially flawed or cherry-picked studies.

Evidence of pharmaceutical companies suppressing research on SSRIs' links to suicide and violence.

Serotonin's role as a stress hormone and its effects on energy conservation and social behavior.

Links between serotonin, depression, and inefficient brain energy production.

SSRIs' potential long-term serotonin-suppressing effect as a possible explanation for their benefits.

The role of allopregnanolone, a steroid increased by SSRIs, in potentially providing antidepressant effects.

Call for a functional and realistic view of psychiatric disorders beyond the serotonin narrative.

Transcripts

We’re ready to start this experiment. I’m going to give you this cup that contains Lysergic

Acid 100 micrograms. Would you drink it?

What I’m hungry for is not this sort of thing because I wanna feed off of this feeling,

this joy, which seems to be coming from everything. But somehow I don’t seem like I’m myself.

I feel as though I’m several other people and all of them better.

A little while ago, a buddy of mine on twitter posted several screenshots of newspaper articles

from the 50s discussing what had been generally accepted as the role of serotonin. One article

was titled “ ‘Normal Thinking’ Hormone Studied”. They described how serotonin could

sedate animals, and how serotonin “is involved in the biochemistry of normal mental processes.”

One article stated “the cancer cells get serotonin... which they apparently need to

fuel their wild, uncontrollable growth.” It goes on to state “Other researchers had

found that serotonin is blocked by the drug, lysergic acid diethylamide, (LSD), which is

much used by psychiatrists to induce madness and hallucinations in human experimental work

on mental disease. Dr. Scott tried LSD on rats with rapidly growing transplanted cancers.

It slowed the malignant growth by as much as 80 to 90 percent and in some cases stopped

it entirely.

Wait hold up. So not only is serotonin causative of cancer growth, but it was also being touted

as the ‘normal thinking hormone’ when it opposes the effects of LSD. LSD makes you

more creative, spontaneous and notoriously anti-establishment. Makes you more aware…

more… considerate. Thinking about more possibilities, I mean that’s what people call paranoia.

A typical drill sergeant orders his men to fall in. The squad composed of volunteers

for the test responded like well trained soldiers– immediately and without question. Two hours

later, the squad, all except the drill sergeant now drugged with LSD, again was ordered to

fall in. The response was not the same. The squad leader thought it was not necessary

for him to dress right. After a few minutes, the men found it difficult to obey orders

and soon the results were chaos.

To get a better understanding of serotonin, it helps to learn about the powerful serotonin

antagonist, LSD. In 1938, Swiss chemist Albert Hoffman was working for Sandoz Pharmaceutical

to create a respiratory and circulatory stimulant and on November 16th, he unknowingly created

LSD. However, it wasn’t until five years later in 1943 that he accidentally absorbed

his creation. It made him feel restless and dizzy. He described the feeling as being a

not unpleasant intoxicated like condition. For the next two hours, he was between an

incredible imagination and a dreamlike state with an uninterrupted stream of amazing pictures,

shapes, and colors. Three days later, he purposefully dosed himself with 250 micrograms of the acid.

An hour later, he began to freak out and he wanted to go home. Because of wartime restrictions,

he was forced to take his bike home. On this stressful bike ride, he felt as though he

was motionless until the drug’s effects reached a climax. He then said “Now, little

by little I could begin to enjoy the unprecedented colors and plays of shapes that persisted

behind my closed eyes. Kaleidoscopic, fantastic images surged in on me, alternating, variegated,

opening and then closing themselves in circles and spirals, exploding in colored fountains,

rearranging and hybridizing themselves in constant flux.”

Sandoz, the company Hoffman worked for, provided LSD-25 for free to scientists around the world.

They basically unleashed this open source research effort where they offered huge amounts

of it to any researcher basically with a nice piece of stationary. I could feel with my

eyes. It was LSD that cattalized our understanding of neurotransmitters and receptors and also

the development of other psychiatric drugs. Clinical researchers investigated LSD as a

treatment for a wide range of mental illnesses. They looked at obsession, anxiety, depression;

they looked especially at alcoholism and had a 50% success rate which is quite remarkable.

Psychedelics became a standard tool in psychotherapy. It would help people speed the process of

bringing their subconscious to where you can discuss it with your therapist. There was

a lot of this going on in the 50s.

While well-intentioned research was being conducted in the following decades, groups

with more nefarious intentions began to show interest in LSD. After the second world war,

the United States Government was intent on beating their adversaries in the Soviet Union

and resorted to many questionable and outright unethical psychological experiments. Upon

receiving intelligence that during the Korean War, captured American soldiers were subjected

to mind control experiments and then killed, US interest was sparked to one up the communists’

mind control abilities. Their stated goal was to make a person completely subservient

to a perceived control and commit acts that they otherwise wouldn't have committed and

then have no recollection of it. This individual would be known as a “Manchurian Candidate.”

The CIA wanted to see if they could create Manchurian Candidates or see how US spies

would hold up if mind control techniques were used against them. Dr. Sydney Gottlieb, an

American Chemist and spymaster, created Operation Bluebird, later known as MKUltra. Although

the Nuremburg Code prevented experimentation on human subjects without their consent, MKUltra

conducted many experiments in secrecy on how biological and chemical materials can alter

human behavior. Thousands of people participated in some 162 separate projects having no idea

what they were getting into. Gottleib’s idea of mind control involved two steps. “First,

you had to blast away the existing mind. Second, you had to find a way to insert a new mind

into that existing void.” He believed the best way to blast away the existing mind was

LSD. In the early 1950s, the CIA bought the world's entire known supply of LSD. Although

Gottleib technically had supervisors, they didn't want to know the details of what was

going on, so he pretty much had free reign to do whatever he wanted without reporting

it.

The CIA was up to all kinds of shenanigans. They were experimenting on psychiatric patients,

soldiers, and prostitutes and even secretly dosing each other with acid. One specific

project was Project Midnight Climax. Unsuspected men throughout the United States were lured

into prostitution and supposedly dosed with LSD. There would be a two-way mirror in which

the exchange was to go on. This means in the room, there was what seemed to be a mirror,

but on the other side, there were CIA agents watching and filming what was going on. This

went on for an estimated ten years. It seems rather odd, especially that LSD is not really

an aphrodisiac, that CIA agents were watching guys pay for sex. What seems to be more likely

is that this is a coverup. Maybe the male participants were high profile people that

the CIA could blackmail with these incriminating tapes. Was acid really involved or was it

just a smokescreen?

With that background, we can talk about the story of Frank Olsen. He was a bacteriologist

who worked on developing top secret bioweapons for the US army and then later became a CIA

employee. In another part of the world, while the Korean War was coming to an end, reports

began to come out that the US had been involved in using germ warfare in North Korea. According

to reports, Olsen also witnessed CIA interrogations in which they committed murder with biological

weapons that he created. He became very conflicted with his work and whether or not what he was

doing was moral. He knew that his life would be in danger if he blew the whistle, so he

requested to be let go from the program. After being evaluated and profiled by a staff psychiatrist,

the agency was growing concerned that he would spill the secrets of his involvement in the

creation of bioweapons. On November 28th, 1953, Olsen plummeted to his death from the

10th story of the Statler Hotel in New York City. The police report stated that he threw

himself out of the window. In 1975, the Rockefeller Commission uncovered some of the CIA’s MKultra

activities and the government came out and said that Olsen was dosed with LSD 9 days

before and it may have led him to kill himself. The government paid out the family $750,000

in settlement but his son, Eric Olsen was not convinced of the official story. Eric

later had the body exhumed and another autopsy conducted. Upon investigation of the body,

Frank Olsen had a blunt trauma injury on his head and a large injury on his chest. Most

of the autopsy team concluded that these traumas were not a result of the fall, leading to

a compelling theory that Olsen was instead murdered because he was at risk of disclosing

classified information. It seems as though the use of LSD was yet another smokescreen

for heinous behavior from the Feds.

In 1963, the CIA inspector general learned of the program and he called it distasteful

and unethical and MKUltra was scaled down. After a while, Gottleib believed that mind

control was not possible with LSD and in 1973, the CIA director ordered all documentation

of the project to be destroyed. The existing information comes from the 8,000 financial

documents and many witness testimonies that were not destroyed. With all this evidence

destroyed, could MKUltra just be the tip of the iceberg? On another note, journalist John

Greenwald obtained Freedom of Information Requests that the CIA was able to implant

devices into the brains of dogs to remotely control their behaviors. Was LSD just a coverup

for more abominable experiments? As we will see, LSD seems to have the opposite effect

of mind control.

While LSD was wrongfully getting vilified by shady government operations, more research

was being done on the hormone that LSD opposes, serotonin. A drug called reserpine was found

to deplete a class of neurotransmitters called the monoamines, and cause lethargy, which

in animals looked very similar to depression we see in humans. This was the birth of the

hypothesis that a deficiency in certain brain chemicals could cause depression. Keyword

there being hypothesis. Apparently, it was ignored that the only long term clinical trial

using reserpine actually showed that it had an antidepressant effect. Researchers and

historians alike have since realized that the reserpine induced depression model is

essentially a myth. Nonetheless, this borned the era of drugs aimed to up the concentrations

of these neurotransmitters. First were the monoamine oxidase inhibitors, then once the

“value” of serotonin was realized, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or

SSRI. That “value” was in the form of a handful of studies showing that some people

who committed suicide had lower levels of serotonin. I guess it was also ignored that

several studies have either shown no difference or actually more serotonin in depressed patients.

There was no time to consider that since pharmaceutical conglomerate Lilly had cherry picked their

studies and went to work on the first SSRIs.

It’s the hottest psychiatric drug in history. Prozac. Prozac. Prozac. The wonder drug that

works wonders.

A 2000 Boston Globe review of some of Lilly’s internal documents states: “Three years

before Prozac received approval by the US Food and Drug Administration in late 1987,

the German BGA, that country's FDA equivalent, had such serious reservations about Prozac's

safety that it refused to approve the antidepressant based on Lilly's studies showing that previously

nonsuicidal patients who took the drug had a fivefold higher rate of suicides and suicide

attempts than those on older antidepressants, and a threefold higher rate than those taking

placebos.” “Internal documents show that in 1990, Lilly scientists were pressured by

corporate executives to alter records on physician experiences with Prozac, changing mentions

of suicide attempt to ‘overdose’ and suicidal thoughts to ‘depression.’”

But even with the latest medical technology and the best circumstances, we don’t know

what chemical pellet is right. We’re basically throwing what we think are darts in a pitch

black room at a target that only maybe exists. But I’m hoping that if I show you a bottle

of these brain chemicals near pleasant things, you’ll learn to associate my chemicals with

pleasant feelings.

One 2006 Law review cites multiple incidents of conglomerates like Lilly and GSK going

out of their way to suppress research showing their SSRIs caused more suicides and violent

tendencies.

The review states:

“Harvard psychiatrist Martin H. Teicher's 1990 report on Prozac was one of the first

reports addressing how SSRIs could cause suicidal or homicidal tendencies. Teicher studied six

depressed patients, who prior to their first dosage of Prozac did not exhibit suicidal

or violent behavior. Teicher was amazed at the results of the study. All of his patients

developed violent tendencies after twenty six days of taking Prozac. Teicher explained

that "two patients... tried to conceal their suicidal feelings and impulses and to continue

[Prozac] treatment, believing that the drug would eventually enable them to successfully

kill themselves!”

Well, with today’s pharmacology, no one needs to suffer with feelings of exhaustion

and depression. Here we go, here comes the Prozac.

These companies were fully aware of the implications the hidden data would have on the public,

but kept them on the market and continued to push their agenda. The original goal of

these legal accusations was to pull these drugs completely off the market, but they

had to settle for an FDA blackbox warning of these potential side effects.

Interestingly, a book on ways to make army performance better on the battlefield details

why they should be lowering their serotonin. They speak of how dopamine, providing elevated

mood, motivation, and energy, would be critical for doing well in war, and that “increases

in serotonin and adenosine play roles in decreasing dopamine levels.” They go on to talk about

how higher blood sugar “attenuates the increase in brain serotonin that is typically associated

with tiredness, lethargy, depression, and low arousal.” “Heritable factors such

as allelic variants of the gene for the serotonin transporter, which inactivates serotonin at

the synapse, can render individuals more vulnerable to stress early in life and at greater risk

for depression in adulthood”

So the government and its associated bodies clearly have a much different view on serotonin

than the “happy chemical” moniker we’ve all been fed would suggest. Animal experiments

seem to corroborate this. This study examining horses, found that the higher the serotonin,

the more trainable and less dominant the horses would be. Now, correlation doesn’t imply

causation, but you know what does? Causation. One experiment simply titled Serotonin reverses

dominant social status is pretty much exactly what you would expect. Monkeys, when given

drugs that increase serotonin availability, experienced increased aggressiveness and decreased

social dominance. Sounds pretty much like the perfect combination to control the population

if you ask me.

With all of this considered, it has to be questioned if the glorification of serotonin

and demonization of LSD were done maliciously to make population control easier.

It’s important to understand what serotonin’s role in nature is to understand why the reputation

it has now is totally misguided.

Serotonin is a part of the symphony of stress hormones along with cortisol, adrenaline and

noradrenaline just to name a few. In fact, noradrenaline and adrenaline, the fight or

flight hormones, are both increased in animals who cannot synthesize serotonin, suggesting

they are substituting in for the absence of serotonin. These animals were also significantly

leaner than normal mice. Consistent with the stress response, serotonin also suppresses

appetite, yet it still seems to promote fat gain, one of the potential reasons for why

those who take SSRIs may put on some weight. Going along with this, it is interesting to

see that cortisol, the hormone typically associated with chronic stress, increases brain serotonin

levels. The effect seems to go both ways too, as there are case reports of serotonin receptor

antagonists putting cushing’s disease into remission. Cushing’s disease is the release

of massive quantities of cortisol due to an adrenal tumor. Interestingly, the levels of

cortisol in cushing’s disease are correlated directly with the incidence and severity of

depression. It has also been estimated that around 90 percent of all cases of depression

are initiated by a stressful event.

As mentioned in the last video, animals are known to have an upregulation of serotonin

in order to initiate hibernation. With everything we know about the actions of serotonin on

the body, it makes perfect sense. Serotonin slows down metabolism, promotes the storage

of energy, suppresses appetite and causes lethargy. These properties would make serotonin

useful to ensure you make it through the winter. Fasting is a trigger to release more serotonin,

since it is the signal of scarcity.

One of serotonin’s physiological functions is to be a vasoconstrictor in response to

inflammation. Platelet serotonin transporters are responsible for pulling serotonin out

of the blood and using it to produce coagulants, which impedes blood flow by thickening the

blood. It should then come as no surprise that serotonin is directly related to hypertension,

and that drugs that block serotonin have been found to improve blood pressure. Again, serotonin’s

energy conserving properties would be advantageous if you were sick, since you’d want to devote

it to the immune response.

It needs to be understood that this is the role of serotonin. It is an evolutionary signal

that you are in a state of stress and energy must be conserved for only vital processes.

That stress could be sickness, a lack of food, or something else, but the signal is that

using extra energy for other activities must be slowed to ensure survival. Things like

socializing, problem solving, exercising and the like are discouraged since they are considered

non-essential. Reproducing is also looked at as something you wouldn’t want to do

at the moment. One study claims “Dopamine is generally facilitative to male sexual behavior;

however, [serotonin] is regarded as inhibitory. Antidepressants of the selective serotonin

reuptake inhibitor class (SSRIs, including Prozac and Zoloft) impair ejaculatory/orgasmic

function and frequently inhibit erectile function and sexual interest as well. Microinjection

of large doses of [serotonin] into the [genitals] impaired male sexual behavior in rats.”

Think about the last time you were tired. You were probably cranky, maybe you’d snap

at someone prematurely, and you'd probably be much less willing to consider new ideas that threaten your current worldview.

You also more than likely weren't in the mood to get in the sack.

This is the state of low energy– the state in which serotonin is meant to promote.

Injecting serotonin into mice has been shown to decrease brain energy production by causing

a shift towards anaerobic glycolysis, a far less efficient way of producing energy from

glucose. This is of particular interest because not only does the brain use proportionally,

by far the most energy of any organ and is, uh, pretty important to be able to live at

all, but brain energy production plays an absolutely critical role in your day to day

quality of life. There is a direct correlation between depressive symptom severity and inefficient

energy production, and agents that can restore proper energy production also act as antidepressants.

Our minds, our happiness, our ability to think clearly and about complex subjects, depend

on good energy production from the brain. Our sophisticated metabolism is what makes

us sophisticated, makes us human.

It should then come as no surprise that things that damper this property facilitate more

inhumane type behavior.

The 1999 attack at Columbine High School opened a new chapter in Amerca’s modern history

of mass murder. 13 people shot to death, two dozen wounded by two highschool boys. The

media linked the shooting to violent video games. Buried beneath the Washington Post’s

headlines, Eric Harris’s treatment with the antidepressant, Luvox. 14 years later,

claims of a link between antidepressants and violence have grown louder if not really clearer.

Last July 20th, police say James Holmes walked into a midnight showing of the latest Batman

movie in Aurora, Colorado and opened fire, killing 12, wounding 58. The Denver Post reported

Holmes was taking generic Zoloft, an SSRI. According to the New York Times, after Jared

Loughner pleaded guilty to killing 6 and wounding 9 in the 2011 Attack in Tucson that severely

injured congresswoman Gabby Giffords, he told his doctor he wished he had taken the antidepressants

he’d been prescribed long before the shootings. In May 1998, 15 year old Kip Kinkel murdered

his parents and two classmates as well as injuring 25 others after engaging in a shooting

spree that ended up in his school’s cafeteria. In the investigation, it emerged that he had

been taking popular antidepressant medication – Prozac – since the summer of the previous

year. In December, 2000, Michael McDermot went on a shooting rampage at his workplace,

Edgewater Technologies, killing 7 of his coworkers. During his trial, the court heard testimony

that in the weeks before the shooting, McDermot had tripled the dose of his antidepressant

medication, Prozac, from 70mg per day to 210mg. In March, 2005, 16 year old Jeff Weiss shot

and killed 9 people including 5 students at Red Lake Senior High School in Minnesota before

turning the gun on himself. It was later revealed he had been undergoing treatment for depression

and had been on Prozac at the time. In September, 2008, Finnish post-secondary student Matti

Saari shot and killed 10 other students on campus before killing himself. The official

Finnish government report on the incident revealed that he had been taking an SSRI medication

at the time of the shooting.

Last time, we talked about how lactic acid, something that impairs the ability to efficiently

burn energy, caused intense rage in people who commit domestic violence. Serotonin, known

to generate lactic acid in the brain, also has been seen to have similar properties.

For example, animals administered with anti-serotonergic drugs have seen reductions in perceived anger,

with the authors claiming “In support of this conclusion was the observed potentiation

of anti aggressive effects by blocking [serotonin] receptors.”

One study even found a link between serotonin and violent crimes. As the temperature outside

increases, fewer serotonin transporters are created, meaning more is left available in

the blood. The concentrations of these platelet serotonin transporters were inversely correlated

with more violent crimes. Of course, when the media found out about this, the narrative

became about how global warming is a contributor to crime, instead of pointing out how serotonin

may play a major role. The media has done an extraordinary job at making sure that serotonin’s

name does not get stained, no matter the consequences.

About a year ago, I posted a study on the forum, probably even two years ago, that showed

that dementia, Alzheimer’s dementia, is actually driven by serotonin excess and the

way this was reported in the popular press was really diabolical, really nefarious. They

actually said that serotonin deficiency is what causes Alzheimer’s disease, but if

you look at the actual study, it wasn't serotonin deficiency, it was a deficiency of the serotonin

transporter protein, known as SERT (S-E-R-T). That is the protein that deactivates serotonin,

so if you have a deficiency of SERT, you’re going to have an excess of extracellular serotonin.

The SERT protein is the exact protein that the SSRI drugs target, they inhibit. An actual

excess of extracellular serotonin was found to be a possible cause of dementia/Alzheimers.

And now this study comes along and it was reported the exact same way in the popular

press. I looked at the study and it was the exact same thing. It was by different authors,

and actually I emailed the authors because I got really, really infuriated. I’m like,

“why would you”– Because even the authors in the popular press article, because they

got interviewed, they said it was a dysfunction of the serotonin system, and I’m like what

a cheap way to– Why don’t you just say it’s not a – yes, technically it’s true

it’s a dysfunction of the serotonin system. But, if it was something related to dopamine

or thyroid or testosterone, you have no problem saying a deficiency of something, right, or

an excess of something. I sent a mass email to all of the authors of the study and then

only one of them responded. She’s like “we were pretty explicit that this means serotonin

excess,” she’s like “I don’t know why this thing got left out in the final version

of the interview.” Who paid you to use these political words, like it’s clearly obvious

what your study found.

If you know someone on SSRIs, and I’m sure you do, you might’ve heard them say something

along the lines of “I think I feel a little better, everything is just so bland.” They

feel numb, like life around them is just happening and they have no real interest or drive to

do anything, even things they normally enjoy. This is referred to as anhedonia, and is often

associated with a lack of dopamine, the neurotransmitter that promotes motivation and reward. Dopamine

and serotonin have well known opposing effects, increasing one typically results in a decrease

in signaling of the other. Knowing all of this, it’s reasonable to believe that serotonin

is responsible for anhedonia. In fact, one study using an animal model found that there

was a direct relationship between the amount of the enzyme that produces serotonin and

anhedonic symptoms.

Another classical depressive symptom is rumination, constantly dwelling on past events and not

looking at the future. Re-analyzing old events intensely is thought to be quite an energy

demanding process, and that the brain may actually be re-allocating energetic funds

away from other processes, like creating new neurons. This goes hand in hand with anhedonia,

as doing pleasurable things typically requires more energy that is being devoted to rumination,

so it is discouraged. Serotonin, being a compound that reduces energy efficiency, also promotes

many processes that are involved in rumination, and acute SSRI treatment exacerbates these

symptoms.

These mental effects of serotonin really demonstrate why LSD might have significant value when

it comes to mental health. LSD is thought to inhibit the synthesis of serotonin and

the firing of these serotonergic neurons, as well as potentially promoting dopamine.

Of course, there are a lot of things that are pro-dopamine and anti-serotonin and don’t

make you trip balls, and there’s still a lot we don’t know about how the drug works.

Still, it illustrates the point. For example, one study showed LSD has profound anti-rumination

effects. It makes people think about themselves in the current moment and about the opportunities

to come in their lives. Due to this, research on LSD in helping psychiatric disorders has

looked promising, with it showing effectiveness in both anxiety and depression trials.

A similar condition, coined “learned helplessness,” is used in the literature to describe a depressed

animal model, characterized by inescapable stress, the feeling that there is no way out.

In mice, this is basically them giving up on keeping their head above water, and allowing

themselves to drown. In humans, it’s reasonable to believe this is a driver of suicide, believing

the only way out of the stress is to end life altogether. Serotonin has been recognized

as an important player in the pathogenesis of learned helplessness. In fact, it causes

learned helplessness. This could be a reason why those on SSRIs actually have a higher

incidence of suicide. Learned helplessness and serotonin also seem to be involved in

drug addiction, as addicts score higher on the learned helplessness questionnaires, and

serotonin receptor blockers decrease impulsivity and make animals significantly less likely

to self administer cocaine.

To really illustrate why this is all relevant in today’s society are the “rat park”

studies. The researchers, interested in addiction, hypothesized that the living conditions that

lab rodents typically live in may drive them to use the drugs. These areas are dark, crowded,

and don’t have a lot of room for fun. The researchers constructed a different habitat

for the rats to live, this one much more elaborate, with open spaces, toys, basically rat heaven.

They got to run around, mate, and basically do whatever the hell they wanted without being

restricted to the typical cages. The rats from rat utopia consumed far less morphine

than the caged up ones, with the males consuming about sixteen times less! Even with the horrible

withdrawal symptoms that come with morphine addiction, they still didn’t go back.

So knowing all of this, the picture starts to become clear. The rats in the typical cages

probably had some level of learned helplessness, which we know is caused by excess serotonin

and plays a role in addiction. On the other hand, the rats with freedom probably did not.

By the way, the strongest data on LSD is in it’s treatment for alcoholism. Is it any

wonder why we are where we are in terms of mental health? More people are depressed,

addicted, and willing to give up than ever before. People are locked into jobs they don’t

like, with bosses they don’t like, with little agency in either moving up or to an

occupation they enjoy. Many are in relationships with people they don’t even like, but have

to be with because of children. Especially recently, people are forced to stay inside

all day in front of a screen, doing whatever the job demands of them as they perceive their

work as having little to no real impact. Whether it’s your boss, your spouse, your teacher,

your TV screen, we’re constantly being told what to do, and being told how to think. In

social situations you can’t say or do what you really want for fear of being ostracized

and labeled as weird. Our inner creativity, our true passions and our identities are being

stripped away. How many of us feel like there is no way out of the lives we live, and wish

we could live a freer, more fulfilling one? How different are we than rats in cages?

So stay true to yourself. Live your life the way you want to live it. It might just save

your life.

With all of that being said, it cannot be denied that some people do have improvement

on SSRIs. Ironically, this could be because over long periods of use, the drugs begin

to have a serotonin suppressing effect. Due to the ability of the drugs to increase extracellular

serotonin acutely, the body will compensate by synthesizing less. One study showed that

chronic administration of the SSRI citalopram resulted in lower levels of serotonin in every

brain region studied! Since people rarely benefit from SSRIs without a delay period,

it’s likely that the benefit comes from this rebound effect. Yes, a drug that only

works when it does the opposite of what it is supposed to do. Are you even surprised

at this point?

Another way by which SSRIs may provide benefit in certain cases actually has nothing to do

with serotonin itself, but opposes its actions. Treatment with SSRIs is known to increase

brain concentrations of a steroid known as allopregnanolone. Allopregnanolone is pumped

out in great quantities before birth and in early age, declining over time. This is because

it is critical for the creation of new neurons and promotes efficient mitochondrial energy

production. Those are pretty much the exact opposite of what serotonin does, conserves

energy for survival and little else. It seems like this may be the primary reason some improve

on SSRIs, as levels of allopregnanolone correlate with symptom severity. In animals, blocking

the receptor for allopregnanolone reverses all improvement from SSRIs, even though the

serotonin increase remained the same. In 2019, the FDA approved allopregnanolone as an official

treatment for postpartum depression.

It’s time for a more functional, realistic view of psychiatric disorders. It’s so easy

to sell the idea that one chemical is all you need to unlock something greater in your

life, but that’s just not how the world works. Considering different antidepressants

can be pro serotonin, have no effect, or even be anti-serotonin, clearly there’s more

to the picture. It's unfortunate that serotonin has such an untouchable name in the mainstream,

since it seems like in today’s world, the last thing people need is more of it. Most

of all, the story of serotonin should unequivocally demonstrate that the collective consciousness

of hormones, foods, and drugs is entirely determined by the powers that be, and that

they never have your best interests.

So, you cannot quit these cold-turkey, you have to go to your doctor and say, “Hey,

I know that I’ve been mindlessly asking for these for the last few years, and you’ve

been mindlessly prescribing them to me for the last few years, but I’m really afraid

that these are affecting my judgement and clouding my thinking and I want you to help

me wean these down and get off these.”

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