What would the consequences of abusing my fictional drug be? [closed]

Question

In this world there exists a potent psychogenic drug named Soma(lifted from Brave New World because I like the name and vibe).

The effects of the drug are thus.

1. In small doses the drug ‘softens’ the brain and improves neuroplasticity. For example, if you took a dose you would be able to better memorize something you were studying, practicing a skill while on soma allows you to absorb it better. Soma candy is rather popular among highschool and college students to say the least.

The drug is also a key element in helping people adjust to mind-machine implants.

2. Medically however, in larger doses, Soma is a popular antidepressant and when paired alongside certain therapies is incredibly effective at treating addiction. Inducing a sense of euphoria, similar to MDMA, that afterwards acts as a soft reset to a person's reward system. Sensitizing them if they've been desensitized or overstimulated by drugs like heroin or MDMA.

So fairly miraculous. But my question, given the effects, what would a bad case of Soma addiction look like? Why couldn't my fictional college students live off the stuff entirely?

Answer 1

The typical response of the brain to any neuroactive drug is to reduce sensitivity to the drug and whatever natural compound it is an analogue of. So, if we have a drug that increases neuroplasticity and induces euphoria, it is a logical consequence that its abuse would decrease neuroplasticity and cause depression.

So, someone who abused Soma would become less able than usual to learn, taking longer to pick up skills and would be less able to lay down either short term or long-term memories. They would seem forgetful, and would likely dwell on incidents which happened before they began abusing Soma. They would also seem depressed, and would likely dwell on negative incidents from their pre-Soma past, since any old pre-soma-abuse events would also be slow to fade from their memory.

All in all, suicide would be more likely for Soma abusers, especially when in withdrawal.

Answer 2

First thing that comes to mind is Soma abuse could lead to impossibility to forget.

This may seem a bonus, but brain is a strange beast and may chose to loop display bad experiences (those are usually the ones with higher emotional implications) and thus drive the subject in a nightmarish experience.

Answer 3

There's an old phrase:

"Keep an open mind, but not so open that your brains fall out"

The key effects are neuroplasticity and helping learn new things. I feel that abusing the drug could be that your brain becomes so plastic that you will learn anything new - essentially becoming extremely gullible.

They would have an extremely hard time discriminating between bits of information - bonus points if in extreme cases of abuse, even when it's obvious to the average person - e.g. you tell someone who is a long-time abuser that the Sky is pink, they go outside, look at a lovely blue sky - and their brain is so plastic that they believe both to be true and can't tell the lie from the truth (even though it's starring them in the face).

Answer 4

what would a bad case of Soma addiction look like?

Whatever you want them to be. There's a couple of effects you control.

Firstly side effects, loss of libido, rotting teeth, loss of eyesight, the sky is the limit.

Secondly cost. If it's expensive then the whole slippery slope of crime, shady dealings with thugs to get it and all the rest.

A heroin addict once told me that there's no problem with heroin, he was fine so long as he had it. The problem was getting it and paying for it.

Answer 5

Simple: person feels himself dump, stupid, slow and depressive without this drug - also making your brain artificially more "soft" and faster will prevent it learning naturally. You cannot remember things without dose of soma. To cope this feeling person need to increase dose of soma. Which is expensive.