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Comment by isoprophlex | Hacker News Reader

> Recently, attention has turned to the possibility that semaglutide may have broader applications, including its potential impact on addictive behaviors such as reducing drug craving and alcohol consumption.

Makes sense when your consider over-eating as addictive behavior. Considering there is a strong correlation between psychological trauma and addictive behavior as a coping mechanism, I wonder what happens to such people on Semaglutide.

Will they find alternative coping mechanisms? Or does the physiological effect of of Semaglutide somehow soften the impact of the trauma underlying addictive behaviors? If these drugs cure trauma-derived addictive behaviors, that's just so extremely interesting, mechanistically. Really curious to know if this is true, and if we'll ever find out in which direction the causality goes.

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> If these drugs cure trauma-derived addictive behaviors, that's just so extremely interesting, mechanistically.

So much this. I think going off semaglutide makes the weight come back, so it would seem that semaglutide doesn't change the circuits of trauma and addiction permanently, but it does something to them. The theory that obesity is a result of food addiction is pretty revolutionary, and now having alcoholism confirmed to respond to the same drug really supports the theory. Additionaly, if both are caused by childhood or development traumas, that opens other treatment options, and maybe some forms of change in how we as a society look at addictions. But maybe I'm going too far.

Statistically going off makes some of the weight to come back on average. I.e. some people can keep the weight off when they are thin, and others need to take maintenance dose of semiglutide forever.

I was forced off of dulaglutide after the supply ran out in my country and have put back on all the weight I lost, but slower than expected.

They're modified hormones. Normal glutide made by the body has a 5 minute half life and makes you feel full. Semaglutide has a 1 week half life.

It's amazing how much hormones control our minds.

If we're measuring the duration of effect of hormones, shouldn't we measure the duration of whatever it signals/triggers the action of or release of, rather than the molecule/peptide itself?

If whatever it signals has a shorter half-life, then yeah, the duration of effect is going to depend on the hormone's half life, but not if whatever it signals has a longer half-life of effect.

I think there is also a simpler explanation: “I’m paying for this expensive drug to get better, and I’m getting better, so I’m eating and drinking healthier”. Basically reduced alcohol consumption could be a by-product of adherence to the healthier food diet.

It definitely is a more mechanistic effect, from experience and from a large sample of people I know addictive behaviors that were rooted for years and were unknown to be even addressed by the drug are dramatically nerfed, nearly universally. Just doesn't happen by wishful thinking.

Also it's not just food related - gambling, smoking, nail biting even.

I’m taking it, and while I definitely feel it for food, I would say it does nothing for compulsive video watching or doom scrolling (as proved by this late comment).

That would have shown up in trials vs placebo

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