Your favorite anti-anxiety drug is poison
and we're not surprised
Hey there, happy Tuesday!
We’re back in your inbox to start your day with one weird story, a dash of history, and a reality check from the internet’s strange medicine cabinet.
Let’s rewind for a second…
📌 Houston, we have a chill pill
Back in the 1960s, Soviet scientists whipped up a little something for their space travelers.
Phenibut, a chemical compound that mimics GABA (a neurotransmitter that chills your brain out), was packed into cosmonaut kits to help them stay level-headed under the literal pressure of space.
It wasn’t just about beating anxiety. This pill promised clear thinking, better sleep, less panic, even a euphoric high.
Fast forward to now: It’s still sold over-the-counter in Russia, under brand names like Noofen and Anvifen. Some call it “Xanax without the addiction.” Others call it “Russian roulette for your brain.”
📌 But the drug is sketchy
In the U.S., phenibut isn’t FDA-approved. You can still buy it online (often marketed as a “dietary supplement”) for as little as $50, but the red flags are waving hard.
Writer Delynn Willis gave it a try, thinking it would be safer than benzos like Xanax or Valium. A friend swore it was dependence-free.
Spoiler: It wasn’t.
After just a few weeks, she needed higher doses for the same effect. Then came withdrawal: sky-high anxiety, dizzy spells, a temper flare-up, and all the symptoms that scream addiction.
As psychiatrist Edward Jouney put it:
“The drug has very potent psychoactive properties… there’s evidence it can cause addiction.”
📌 There are also legal gray zones
While Alabama and Utah have already classified phenibut as a controlled substance (Schedule II and I, respectively), in many U.S. states, it’s still technically legal.
Which means a teen, a college student, or a stressed-out remote worker could buy it online, no questions asked.
And that’s exactly what worries experts.
Since 2015, U.S. poison control centers have been flooded with phenibut-related calls, some cases ending in hospitalization, confusion, and even coma.
Even at low doses (under 1 gram), side effects can include:
Vomiting
Insomnia
Depression
Tremors
Hallucinations
Difficulty breathing
And yes, even death.
Pharmacologists Janet Cheung and Jonathan Penm summed it up best:
“Those extra marks [from focus-enhancing supplements] aren’t worth it after all.”
That’s it for today. If you found this edition interesting and entertaining, please drop a like and follow us for more!
See ya👋
