Episode 060 - Psych & Spirit: Drugs and the Brain

🎙️ In this episode of Musings on Mysteries and the Mythical Matrix, we confront the hidden layers of addiction—where neuroscience meets the numinous.What if addiction isn’t just a brain loop... but a dimensional trap? Could the repetitive nature of cravings reflect a fracture in how we experience time—and reality itself?🧠 Topics covered:🔹 Neurobiology of addiction🔹 The CNS, dopamine, and rewired reward systems🔹 Tolerance, withdrawal, and craving loops🔹 Fourth-dimensional theories of repetitive behavior🔹 Spiritual uses of substances throughout history🔹 The fine line between transcendence and dependence🔹 Addiction as a cry for meaning🔄 Whether you're in recovery, know someone who is, or simply want to understand the mystery behind human longing, this episode explores addiction as both a biological hijack and a spiritual signal.Are we numbing ourselves—or trying to wake up? M Quad Links Support the show! https://buymeacoffee.com/m.quad.musingsDiscord server invite: https://discord.gg/yzfH3KEjY9REFERENCES Carod-Artal F. J. (2015). Hallucinogenic drugs in pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures. Neurologia (Barcelona, Spain), 30(1), 42–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nrl.2011.07.003Fletcher, A. (2022). Action potential: Generation and propagation. Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, 23(3), 183-187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mpaic.2021.11.014Gardner E. L. (2011). Addiction and brain reward and antireward pathways. Advances in psychosomatic medicine, 30, 22–60. https://doi.org/10.1159/000324065Guy-Evans, O. (2023, September 14). Brain reward system. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/brain-reward-system.htmlHou, G., Hao, M., Duan, J., & Han, M. H. (2024). The formation and function of the VTA dopamine system. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(7), 3875. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25073875Khayat, A., & Yaka, R. (2024). Activation of nucleus accumbens projections to the ventral tegmental area alters molecular signaling and neurotransmission in the reward system. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, 17, 1271654. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnmol.2024.1271654Levinthal, C. (2023). Drugs, behavior, and modern society (9th ed.). ISBN-13:9780135385340 Metzner R. (1998). Hallucinogenic drugs and plants in psychotherapy and shamanism. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 30(4), 333–341. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.1998.10399709Thau, L., Reddy, V., & Singh, P. (2022). Anatomy, central nervous system. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542179/Zhang, S., Zhornitsky, S., Angarita, G. A., & Li, C. R. (2020). Hypothalamic response to cocaine cues and cocaine addiction severity. Addiction Biology, 25(1), e12682. https://doi.org/10.1111/adb.12682