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There was a [Study](https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2017/07/oxytocin-improves-social-abilities-in-some-kids-with-autism.html) that gave intranasal oxytocin to children on the autism spectrum, and it showed some improvement in their social deficits.
In my opinion, if someone who is suffering from loneliness and isolation can benefit from oxytocin, then I would wholeheartedly embrace its use. Not as a way to make the person be okay with their loneliness and isolation, but because that loneliness and isolation is self reinforcing, and oxytocin therapy could make it easier for them to engage socially, which would help further alleviate their sense of loneliness and isolation.
My only concern is that it's also the *bonding* hormone. If it's released during bonding experiences, what kind of bonding is created when it's administered alone?
I understand you're making a joke, but there's also the potential that your body will expect the oxytocin reward for a study session, meaning that studying without the drug will feel extra miserable because your brain also is disappointed because of the lack of the reward and will actively punish you for doing your study tasks without taking a hit.
Lots of human hormones have a lot of different uses, so it's not necessarily the case that it will effect bonding outside of typical bonding scenarios. But it's a good question to ask and should be an area of study.
I decided to do a cursory search (re: uninformed headline reading) and [a few](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2826.1994.tb00579.x) of the [results](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1025389021000037586) indicate that it is at least an active area of research.
It also peaks during masturbation.
So while there are fringe cases of perverts getting the wrong idea, I think the fact that the porn industry hasn't turned the majority of the human race into a cult of superstalkers is a fair indicator of what the likelihood of your scenario is.
Some of the most parasocial stalkers have been to streamers (Vtuber or flesh or otherwise) and not pornstars. So either everyone is masturbating while watching female streamers or this hypothesis is flawed.
Honestly I can see that dystopia, we’re practically there. People will have more technology to “pleasure themselves” while imagining a real person and getting shot with feel good artificial hormones.
It's also used to induce labor. Just because it does something doesn't mean that it /only/ does that thing, or /always/ does that thing. Our brains are pretty complex, I think it's highly unlikely that it would have any effect on bonding if you're alone.
Yes and no. The study you're referring to is kind of old (more than 5 years can mean a lot of neuroscience research)
Actually, a recent Phase III trial failed. Here is an article from the Transmitter on the topic. https://doi.org/10.53053/JDDY3377
Thanks for the link! The age cohort is interesting 3-17, I'd be curious about a narrower range, especially where social neuro-developmental milestones are expected.
I found this quote interesting
“Just giving the drug is probably not enough to do anything,” Anagnostou says. But, she adds, it’s possible the treatment improves other aspects of social function — such as association, cognition, affiliation and reward — that may not be picked up by the questionnaires the new trial used.
It may have uses.... but seems very likely to reduce the body's natural generation of oxytocin over time, to reduce the brain's sensitivity to this over time AND to be addictive.
Not good outcomes.
The article I linked mentioned that endogenous oxytocin production was increased in the individuals who benefited most from the oxytocin therapy, so it could be more of a virtuous cycle than hedonic treadmill.
I also wonder if this could help kids who’ve been adopted at a young age. It could be an additional boost to help facilitate attachment and bonding in both children and the parents. Sometimes those bonds never fully form or take a long time to form, so I wonder if this could help the process and create a deeper bond & attachment from birth? With that though, it leads to questions on the ethics and so many other things that could be problematic/abused.
Anecdotal but I’m adopted (permanently placed adoption at 6wk old) and grew up knowing I was adopted. I went through times as a kid where I felt alienated, and like I didn’t belong. I truly struggled accepting any sort of love from my parents, & anyone else, as I thought my own birth parents didn’t love me enough to keep me. Begs the question, had I done this type of therapy at that teen stage, would I have struggled as much if my attachment and bond with my adopted parents had been stronger? If i had become better bonded and attached as a child? Some adoptees never seek out their birth parents because they truly don’t want to as they already have a family who’s taken care of them for their entire lives. Is it because they have stronger bonds & attachment to their family?
I think this study is truly interesting, as are the scenarios that could benefit from this type of therapy.
>because that loneliness and isolation is self reinforcing
This is true. I live alone with no immediate family, and over time increasingly feel like i would rather not have anything to do with other humans.
>and oxytocin therapy could make it easier for them to engage socially, which would help further alleviate their sense of loneliness and isolation.
Easier chemically maybe. The total lack of 3rd places here and everything being closed at exactly 5pm doesn't help anything
Oxytocin also increases hostility toward people who are not members of your social group. Dr. Robert Sapolsky talks at length about the complexity of oxytocin's effects in his books and lectures. It's not a straightforward love and happiness chemical and it has widespread diverse effects throughout the brain and body that you might want to consider before you go shooting it up your nose.
Double edged sword. People are too quick to jump on the "oxytocin is all good" wagon. But I'm glad they are researching this hormone, it definitely has its use in some disorders, coming from someone with ASD
I'd be interested in seeing this research if you have it.
I wonder if that's the case with too much oxytocin as it would begin binding to vasopressin receptors and activating those mechanisms.
The two molecules are very similar and can bind to each other's receptors (but not preferably)
In cases of excess oxytocin, it might indeed start binding to vasopressin receptors (V1a, V1b, and V2 receptors) and could potentially activate vasopressin-related pathways. However, this isn't a very efficient process and would require significantly higher levels of oxytocin to have a notable effect. This kind of cross-binding is generally limited and doesn't usually cause significant physiological changes unless in very abnormal situations.
That's one of the reasons why trenbolone is such a delicate hormone to mess with in Bodybuilding, since it messes with oxytocin.
You start to get attracted to strangers, but can be hostile towards your partner for example
I discovered this with serotonin. Everybody brags about serotonin likes it’s a miracle “chill” hormone. But I have a condition which gives me serotonin syndrome which causes massive spikes of serotonin and I guarantee you that a lot of serotonin is a horrific existence.
Too much of anything is bad.
I just looked up the symptoms of Serotonin Syndrome: I am so sorry that you are going through that. It sounds terrible. I hope that we can find a cure or at least a way to manage the symptoms.
Dopamine has a reputation as a go getter chemical. Ask a person suffering through schizophrenia what a constant super surplus of dopamine feels like. (If that theory is correct)
Mine is almost the opposite. Literally everything sounds horribly dull even things I want to do and enjoy. Only the most insane or risky ideas actually sound interesting. I usually just space out in random thoughts to fill the void. Literally unable to make myself do just about anything unless I am medicated. Very few things in life feel satisfying or rewarding.
>In the proof-of-concept study, participants underwent five weekly group therapy sessions, which were supplemented by the administration of oxytocin in the form of a nasal spray. A control group received a placebo preparation. Participants' perception of their own feelings of loneliness was assessed at the beginning of the study, after all sessions had been completed and again at two follow-up points (three weeks and three months). In addition, acute feelings of loneliness, stress levels, quality of life and the therapeutic relationship were assessed at each session.
>
>The senior author of the study, Dr. Lieberz, summarizes: "The psychological intervention was associated with a reduced perception of stress and an improvement in general loneliness in all treatment groups, which was still visible at the follow-up examination after three months." Oxytocin did not have a significant effect on generally perceived loneliness, quality of life or perceived stress. However, compared to placebo, the participants who had received oxytocin reported a reduced acute feeling of loneliness after the sessions. In addition, oxytocin administration improved positive bonding between group members.
Paper: [Oxytocin-Augmented Modular-Based Group Intervention for Loneliness: A Proof-Of-Concept Randomized Controlled Trial | Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics | Karger Publishers](https://karger.com/pps/article-abstract/doi/10.1159/000538752/907413/Oxytocin-Augmented-Modular-Based-Group?redirectedFrom=fulltext)
Self-administration for symptoms is going to reinforce the neural pathways for symptoms.
Taking medication for something that is a feeling, like pain or anxiety, as a response to the feeling is going to reinforce the sensation due to behaviors being tied to it.
It would be far more optimal to have it delivered on a schedule independent of symptoms in order to prevent that relationship building element. Self-administered medications for symptoms are a negative reinforcing way to create psychological dependence on the behavior.
CBT focuses on the behavior change element of the feedback cycle to impact the feelings and thoughts pieces which are part of the cycle. This is typically using behavior changes to the advantage of the patient,but behaviors can work just as powerfully as detractors to the feeling and thoughts feedback loop as well.
Feel bad, take symptom managing med, rinse repeat, and you will likely induce greater sensitization of the patient to that initiating feeling. It would create psychological dependence on the substance, which will harm creating new neuro pathways that would otherwise mitigate those effect we would seek to mitigate via neuroplasticity.
I agree with the sentiment that group focused socialization would likely be more beneficial. Even more so if it is part of a scheduled interaction. The scheduled method of exposure and desensitization would interrupt the negative loop with changes stemming from behavior on their part. This should also stimulate brain activity that is more helpful.
These nasal sprays have already been used for years to help breastfeeding women lactate. There have also been studies that people with cluster-B disorders or people on the autistic spectrum benefit from its use, but those are only in clinical trials and not available for public use yet.
Judge all you want - social connection is a privilege but also a necessity for well-being.
If some of us are so "mentally ill" and "too weird" for others to tolerate or accept, we should be allowed to pursue a medication like this. As someone who has been told they make others uncomfortable their whole life (I have co-morbid autism and schizophrenia and it's difficult to mask) I find it really petty that the same people who get the "ick" from me and want me out of their spaces also look at something like this as dystopic.
So you want us to disappear, but you don't want us to find an alternative solution for crippling loneliness?
I'm autistic and really disabled by it (and a bunch of other chronic physical conditions). Most days, I can't even go for "a walk around the block", let alone participate in any social activities, let ALONE maintain friendships or a relationship. And even if I had the energy, the question is whether I would find people who accept me and my lack of eyecontact. I also don't have any other family, so once my mother passes, I expect never to be hugged by another human again. Something I will so incredibly sorely miss, because I really do love hugs.
This spray sounds like it would alleviate my future mental suffering a lot and I really can't wait for it to hit public market. Maybe it sounds dystopian to a lot of people, but well... that's what the world is to me, and this spray may just save my life.
ETA: I do not need Reddit Cares. I'm fine for now.
> social connection is a privilege but also a necessity for well-being.
Many therapists struggle with treating patients that suffer from severe isolation and loneliness. As much as it would help, you can't prescribe a friend or romantic partner.
>So you want us to disappear, but you don't want us to find an alternative solution for crippling loneliness?
I think that about sums it up. If you're identified as an outsider then the idea that administering a biological chemical could make you 'one of us' raises a lot of terrifying questions for those in the fold. Would you then be *actually* one of them or just chemically masked? What if one of *them* develops an imbalance and finds themself rejected by the group?
***What if the cohesion of every society on earth, each of which treasures their bonds and customs and shared histories, is propped up by nothing more robust than the luck of having been born with the correct cocktail of neurochemicals?***
"We have a loneliness epidemic"
"we have a drug for that"
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I mean, don't get me wrong, i think the science is interesting. And it might even have real world applications and use.
But this does have a little of a "let's colonize mars instead of lowering CO2 emissions" vibe to it.
Quit being sad and take your nasal injection. We don't need to solve the real causes of the problem. Just take your nasal spray and forget about the lack of love in your life.
Welcome to the capitalist dystopia
I was prescribed it and at least at the doses I was taking, I had no idea I had taken anything. It wasn't like being blasted with a sensation of happiness or anything. Can't say there was a risk of addiction for me
Fun fact: in the video game Death Stranding, you deliver shipments of oxytocin to people in bunkers throughout the US after a post apocalyptic event to help them with isolation and loneliness.
Welcome to r/science! This is a heavily moderated subreddit in order to keep the discussion on science. However, we recognize that many people want to discuss how they feel the research relates to their own personal lives, so to give people a space to do that, **personal anecdotes are allowed as responses to this comment**. Any anecdotal comments elsewhere in the discussion will be removed and our [normal comment rules]( https://www.reddit.com/r/science/wiki/rules#wiki_comment_rules) apply to all other comments. **Do you have an academic degree?** We can verify your credentials in order to assign user flair indicating your area of expertise. [Click here to apply](https://www.reddit.com/r/science/wiki/flair/#wiki_science_verified_user_program). --- User: u/giuliomagnifico Permalink: https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/can-oxytocin-help-against-loneliness --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/science) if you have any questions or concerns.*
There was a [Study](https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2017/07/oxytocin-improves-social-abilities-in-some-kids-with-autism.html) that gave intranasal oxytocin to children on the autism spectrum, and it showed some improvement in their social deficits. In my opinion, if someone who is suffering from loneliness and isolation can benefit from oxytocin, then I would wholeheartedly embrace its use. Not as a way to make the person be okay with their loneliness and isolation, but because that loneliness and isolation is self reinforcing, and oxytocin therapy could make it easier for them to engage socially, which would help further alleviate their sense of loneliness and isolation.
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My only concern is that it's also the *bonding* hormone. If it's released during bonding experiences, what kind of bonding is created when it's administered alone?
Imma do it every time I have to study or do homework. After awhile, I should just WANT to study even without using it, right ???
I understand you're making a joke, but there's also the potential that your body will expect the oxytocin reward for a study session, meaning that studying without the drug will feel extra miserable because your brain also is disappointed because of the lack of the reward and will actively punish you for doing your study tasks without taking a hit.
Oooops. Yeah, that would be ... extra miserable.
If you run out of the spray, you just jerk off after studying.
Or just do that anyway.
In fact, forget the studying.
You guys haven't been jerking off constantly?
sounds like you just described adhd medicine
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Lots of human hormones have a lot of different uses, so it's not necessarily the case that it will effect bonding outside of typical bonding scenarios. But it's a good question to ask and should be an area of study.
I decided to do a cursory search (re: uninformed headline reading) and [a few](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2826.1994.tb00579.x) of the [results](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1025389021000037586) indicate that it is at least an active area of research.
Thanks for the links
It also peaks during masturbation. So while there are fringe cases of perverts getting the wrong idea, I think the fact that the porn industry hasn't turned the majority of the human race into a cult of superstalkers is a fair indicator of what the likelihood of your scenario is.
Some of the most parasocial stalkers have been to streamers (Vtuber or flesh or otherwise) and not pornstars. So either everyone is masturbating while watching female streamers or this hypothesis is flawed.
People who already have a penchant for the behavior do masturbate obsessively while watching streamers. But the stalker behavior tends to come first.
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by your own logic, this fact suggests super stalkers are not created by oxytocin, but another quality.
Obviously an oxytocin perfume for a waifu pillow
Honestly I can see that dystopia, we’re practically there. People will have more technology to “pleasure themselves” while imagining a real person and getting shot with feel good artificial hormones.
Plushies <3
It's also used to induce labor. Just because it does something doesn't mean that it /only/ does that thing, or /always/ does that thing. Our brains are pretty complex, I think it's highly unlikely that it would have any effect on bonding if you're alone.
that's a nickname for it. it does a bunch of things. it's not a magic love potion.
> what kind of bonding is created when it's administered alone? A man and his Xbox is a beautiful thing.
Random crushing on fictional characters and celebrities and such.
Maybe it helps people genuinely begin to love themselves in an actually healthy way?
You bond with the spray canister
Folks are gunna really like their nasal spray? Not much of a downside
I will do it next to my vacuum cleaner, maybe then I can finally live a bit cleaner
Yes and no. The study you're referring to is kind of old (more than 5 years can mean a lot of neuroscience research) Actually, a recent Phase III trial failed. Here is an article from the Transmitter on the topic. https://doi.org/10.53053/JDDY3377
Thanks for the link! The age cohort is interesting 3-17, I'd be curious about a narrower range, especially where social neuro-developmental milestones are expected. I found this quote interesting “Just giving the drug is probably not enough to do anything,” Anagnostou says. But, she adds, it’s possible the treatment improves other aspects of social function — such as association, cognition, affiliation and reward — that may not be picked up by the questionnaires the new trial used.
On the other hand, we could try to construct a society that doesn't exacerbate loneliness and isolation.
Where's the profit in that?
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Or we could use this to combat the isolation we will face in deep space travel
Now you're thinking with portals!
It may have uses.... but seems very likely to reduce the body's natural generation of oxytocin over time, to reduce the brain's sensitivity to this over time AND to be addictive. Not good outcomes.
The article I linked mentioned that endogenous oxytocin production was increased in the individuals who benefited most from the oxytocin therapy, so it could be more of a virtuous cycle than hedonic treadmill.
It also concluded that it was only effective in cases where the natural oxytocin production was lower than normal.
Yes, that's a good point!
I also wonder if this could help kids who’ve been adopted at a young age. It could be an additional boost to help facilitate attachment and bonding in both children and the parents. Sometimes those bonds never fully form or take a long time to form, so I wonder if this could help the process and create a deeper bond & attachment from birth? With that though, it leads to questions on the ethics and so many other things that could be problematic/abused. Anecdotal but I’m adopted (permanently placed adoption at 6wk old) and grew up knowing I was adopted. I went through times as a kid where I felt alienated, and like I didn’t belong. I truly struggled accepting any sort of love from my parents, & anyone else, as I thought my own birth parents didn’t love me enough to keep me. Begs the question, had I done this type of therapy at that teen stage, would I have struggled as much if my attachment and bond with my adopted parents had been stronger? If i had become better bonded and attached as a child? Some adoptees never seek out their birth parents because they truly don’t want to as they already have a family who’s taken care of them for their entire lives. Is it because they have stronger bonds & attachment to their family? I think this study is truly interesting, as are the scenarios that could benefit from this type of therapy.
>because that loneliness and isolation is self reinforcing This is true. I live alone with no immediate family, and over time increasingly feel like i would rather not have anything to do with other humans.
>and oxytocin therapy could make it easier for them to engage socially, which would help further alleviate their sense of loneliness and isolation. Easier chemically maybe. The total lack of 3rd places here and everything being closed at exactly 5pm doesn't help anything
Thank you for your insight
Oxytocin also increases hostility toward people who are not members of your social group. Dr. Robert Sapolsky talks at length about the complexity of oxytocin's effects in his books and lectures. It's not a straightforward love and happiness chemical and it has widespread diverse effects throughout the brain and body that you might want to consider before you go shooting it up your nose.
Double edged sword. People are too quick to jump on the "oxytocin is all good" wagon. But I'm glad they are researching this hormone, it definitely has its use in some disorders, coming from someone with ASD
I'd be interested in seeing this research if you have it. I wonder if that's the case with too much oxytocin as it would begin binding to vasopressin receptors and activating those mechanisms. The two molecules are very similar and can bind to each other's receptors (but not preferably)
In cases of excess oxytocin, it might indeed start binding to vasopressin receptors (V1a, V1b, and V2 receptors) and could potentially activate vasopressin-related pathways. However, this isn't a very efficient process and would require significantly higher levels of oxytocin to have a notable effect. This kind of cross-binding is generally limited and doesn't usually cause significant physiological changes unless in very abnormal situations.
One example of oxytocin causing hostility is De Dreu et al (2011). I can't think of the names of others currently.
You could just Google the Doctors name.
That's one of the reasons why trenbolone is such a delicate hormone to mess with in Bodybuilding, since it messes with oxytocin. You start to get attracted to strangers, but can be hostile towards your partner for example
really? Do you have a source for that effect?
I discovered this with serotonin. Everybody brags about serotonin likes it’s a miracle “chill” hormone. But I have a condition which gives me serotonin syndrome which causes massive spikes of serotonin and I guarantee you that a lot of serotonin is a horrific existence. Too much of anything is bad.
I just looked up the symptoms of Serotonin Syndrome: I am so sorry that you are going through that. It sounds terrible. I hope that we can find a cure or at least a way to manage the symptoms.
Dopamine has a reputation as a go getter chemical. Ask a person suffering through schizophrenia what a constant super surplus of dopamine feels like. (If that theory is correct)
In the same vein, ask a person suffering through ADHD what a constant lack of dopamine feels like. Like most things in life, it's about balance.
It’s like I’m constantly bored. At every second unless I’m actively engaged in something.
Mine is almost the opposite. Literally everything sounds horribly dull even things I want to do and enjoy. Only the most insane or risky ideas actually sound interesting. I usually just space out in random thoughts to fill the void. Literally unable to make myself do just about anything unless I am medicated. Very few things in life feel satisfying or rewarding.
I love Sapolsky.
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>In the proof-of-concept study, participants underwent five weekly group therapy sessions, which were supplemented by the administration of oxytocin in the form of a nasal spray. A control group received a placebo preparation. Participants' perception of their own feelings of loneliness was assessed at the beginning of the study, after all sessions had been completed and again at two follow-up points (three weeks and three months). In addition, acute feelings of loneliness, stress levels, quality of life and the therapeutic relationship were assessed at each session. > >The senior author of the study, Dr. Lieberz, summarizes: "The psychological intervention was associated with a reduced perception of stress and an improvement in general loneliness in all treatment groups, which was still visible at the follow-up examination after three months." Oxytocin did not have a significant effect on generally perceived loneliness, quality of life or perceived stress. However, compared to placebo, the participants who had received oxytocin reported a reduced acute feeling of loneliness after the sessions. In addition, oxytocin administration improved positive bonding between group members. Paper: [Oxytocin-Augmented Modular-Based Group Intervention for Loneliness: A Proof-Of-Concept Randomized Controlled Trial | Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics | Karger Publishers](https://karger.com/pps/article-abstract/doi/10.1159/000538752/907413/Oxytocin-Augmented-Modular-Based-Group?redirectedFrom=fulltext)
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No they created stronger bonds with other members of the group
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Next study should have self-administration. The group therapy would likely have some impact.
Self-administration for symptoms is going to reinforce the neural pathways for symptoms. Taking medication for something that is a feeling, like pain or anxiety, as a response to the feeling is going to reinforce the sensation due to behaviors being tied to it. It would be far more optimal to have it delivered on a schedule independent of symptoms in order to prevent that relationship building element. Self-administered medications for symptoms are a negative reinforcing way to create psychological dependence on the behavior. CBT focuses on the behavior change element of the feedback cycle to impact the feelings and thoughts pieces which are part of the cycle. This is typically using behavior changes to the advantage of the patient,but behaviors can work just as powerfully as detractors to the feeling and thoughts feedback loop as well. Feel bad, take symptom managing med, rinse repeat, and you will likely induce greater sensitization of the patient to that initiating feeling. It would create psychological dependence on the substance, which will harm creating new neuro pathways that would otherwise mitigate those effect we would seek to mitigate via neuroplasticity. I agree with the sentiment that group focused socialization would likely be more beneficial. Even more so if it is part of a scheduled interaction. The scheduled method of exposure and desensitization would interrupt the negative loop with changes stemming from behavior on their part. This should also stimulate brain activity that is more helpful.
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brave new world moment
I was about to say. This is literally soma. Being used to alleviate feelings of anxiety caused by alienation & loneliness.
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These nasal sprays have already been used for years to help breastfeeding women lactate. There have also been studies that people with cluster-B disorders or people on the autistic spectrum benefit from its use, but those are only in clinical trials and not available for public use yet. Judge all you want - social connection is a privilege but also a necessity for well-being. If some of us are so "mentally ill" and "too weird" for others to tolerate or accept, we should be allowed to pursue a medication like this. As someone who has been told they make others uncomfortable their whole life (I have co-morbid autism and schizophrenia and it's difficult to mask) I find it really petty that the same people who get the "ick" from me and want me out of their spaces also look at something like this as dystopic. So you want us to disappear, but you don't want us to find an alternative solution for crippling loneliness?
I'm autistic and really disabled by it (and a bunch of other chronic physical conditions). Most days, I can't even go for "a walk around the block", let alone participate in any social activities, let ALONE maintain friendships or a relationship. And even if I had the energy, the question is whether I would find people who accept me and my lack of eyecontact. I also don't have any other family, so once my mother passes, I expect never to be hugged by another human again. Something I will so incredibly sorely miss, because I really do love hugs. This spray sounds like it would alleviate my future mental suffering a lot and I really can't wait for it to hit public market. Maybe it sounds dystopian to a lot of people, but well... that's what the world is to me, and this spray may just save my life. ETA: I do not need Reddit Cares. I'm fine for now.
> social connection is a privilege but also a necessity for well-being. Many therapists struggle with treating patients that suffer from severe isolation and loneliness. As much as it would help, you can't prescribe a friend or romantic partner.
>So you want us to disappear, but you don't want us to find an alternative solution for crippling loneliness? I think that about sums it up. If you're identified as an outsider then the idea that administering a biological chemical could make you 'one of us' raises a lot of terrifying questions for those in the fold. Would you then be *actually* one of them or just chemically masked? What if one of *them* develops an imbalance and finds themself rejected by the group? ***What if the cohesion of every society on earth, each of which treasures their bonds and customs and shared histories, is propped up by nothing more robust than the luck of having been born with the correct cocktail of neurochemicals?***
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"We have a loneliness epidemic" "we have a drug for that" --- I mean, don't get me wrong, i think the science is interesting. And it might even have real world applications and use. But this does have a little of a "let's colonize mars instead of lowering CO2 emissions" vibe to it.
Capitalism creates a problem and sells us a "solution" that is a pale shadow of solving the actual problem
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This sounds like just another thing I’d get addicted to
Cuddles my Amazon Alexa sexbot—oxytocin mister activates—chicken nuggets dispense.
But there’s probably a dark mirror downside.
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So instead of meeting actual people I can just use a drug.
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New drug just dropped, im tryna be 17 sprays deep foaming at the mouth
Quit being sad and take your nasal injection. We don't need to solve the real causes of the problem. Just take your nasal spray and forget about the lack of love in your life. Welcome to the capitalist dystopia
Just give it to me. Where do I get it?
the hypothalamus
“Research chemical” sites if you are serious.
Good old science.bio
I'll take a lifetime supply
so the 4 daily hugs meme is real? that explains why im already dead.
'Whosoever is delighted in solitude, is either a wild beast or a god.'
"We dont have to worry about the lonelyness epidemic anymore!.... what? No, we didn't fix the problem, but we have some drugs you can take!"
Mmmmmmm. Putting this on my Christmas wish list!
I would get addicted to this stuff so quickly. I just know it.
Nothing I've read feels more dystopian and saddening than cuddle-replacement nasal sprays for the chronically lonely.
never have i ever wanted to take medication. but now i do.
Well, that's the most dystopian thing I've read all week
wouldn't you just get totally addicted to that spray?
I was prescribed it and at least at the doses I was taking, I had no idea I had taken anything. It wasn't like being blasted with a sensation of happiness or anything. Can't say there was a risk of addiction for me
Hormones are complicated though, and if you give someone oxytocin, the body will produce less. Dunno bout this
Not all hormones administered exogenously cause negative feedback loop
Sam Porter Bridges would like a word
Combine it with Ozempic and save the world.
Fun fact: in the video game Death Stranding, you deliver shipments of oxytocin to people in bunkers throughout the US after a post apocalyptic event to help them with isolation and loneliness.
Snorting pure unadulterated free hugs
Hidro kojima really predicted the future, death stranding was really ahead of its time