

Free of One’s Melancholy Self: A History of the Quaalude - Hooke
http://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2014/01/28/free-of-ones-melancholy-self/

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peteretep
Man, I wish I got the claimed euphoric effects from Ambien, rather than just
mild hallucinations, slight confusion, and a bit of amnesia.

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willstepp
Those effects exist. Trust me. I've said and done some truly insane things
when staying awake on Ambien. Not on purpose either, just didn't fall asleep
for whatever reason, and when those euphoric effects kick in you don't have
the critical reasoning to stay in bed. I've had to apologize to many people
the day after for writing disturbingly surreal emails and facebook posts.
Helluva drug. I refuse to take it anymore.

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peteretep
That's not what "euphoria" means.

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willstepp
What are you talking about? The euphoric feelings (a sense of uncontrollable
excitement and happiness) led to me saying and doing strange things.

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peteretep
Euphoria and saying and doing strange things are not the same thing, and a
drug that is simply euphoric doesn't cause you to act in the confused, manic
state that Ambien does. Heroin users are not known for their fugue states.

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willstepp
The combination of euphoria with the other side effects of Ambien is what
leads to the behavior I described, but I can see this is really about you
being right at all costs. Lighten the hell up.

~~~
peteretep
This reminds me of:

[http://blog.everydayscientist.com/wp-
content/uploads/feynman...](http://blog.everydayscientist.com/wp-
content/uploads/feynman-paint.pdf)

