Is Oud Addictive?

[RobertOne]

I have been Oudless now for a couple of weeks and the 'normal' Oud craving that I get usually after my morning shower has still not left me, which brings me to the title of this thread, is Oud addictive in any way?

Now, bear in mind that back in the late 80's directly after coming out my local library, I was cheesed* by a drunk driver while using a pedestrian crossing. During my stay at Le Hotel Merde NHS when I had regained conciousness I had diamorphene pumped into my thighs regularly. I soon got over my fear of needles right then and there!

When they day finally arrived that I was getting worried about being on it for so long I asked to switch to pills I was dreading the withdrawal symptoms, but to my surprise I have genuinely had stronger cravings for really good dark chocolate or the thirst for a (one) beer on a really hot day.

Since then during my time in London I was of course been offered a smorgasboard of drugs of every colour shape and content but have been completely unimpressed with them all. I seem to have been blessed with DNA that's protecting me against physical addiction, which makes me wonder, why do I crave Oud so much? Now, it's not dominating my mind every minute like addicts of Opium, Meth or Crack but every time I change a stinky nappy, Oy Veh!

Without Oud I don't seem to focus as well as I do without it, or maintain my calm. not that with enough sleep I am particularly lacking in those areas, I take the worlds's best multi as well as other suppliments to boost my cognition and mood, they really do work for me and in the past I took before and after blood and fMRI tests that objectively proved they were indeed doing something!

I think Oud might be psychologically addictive in that the more psychoactive varieties can and do enhance mental performance and stability, others are immensely calming on the scale of enormous amounts of chamomile tea that I used to consume when I first started to meditate back in the early 90's.

What say you all?


*Cheesed = Just like creamed but with more vigour and for longer.

 

[Taha]

Oh boy, if I even begin to answer that question....................

Let's just say, on a good day (i.e. a 'bad' day) I'll sometimes even use up to an entire bottle's worth of oud. And although the way I view oud is as an aromatically pleasant (i.e. perfume) substance, overall my own personal oud diary testifies to more of a medicinal application.
Just last week, I was horrified to see how little I had remaining of a future-release oud, due to how much I used it medicinally for myself. Now how do you explain missing inventory like that to the taxman..

To me, there's:
- oud that smells nice (perfume)
- oud that is super complex (an exciting/addictive hobby)
- oud that is both of the above (sometimes, e.g. some barny oils, can be super interesting but 'weird' as a perfume)
- and finally, oud that is therapeutic.

Within the fourth category, there are two sub-categories: those that spiral me up, and those that drown me in. I use both of these types for different purposes, and hope to touch on this in more detail in the Let's Talk Oud thread. I hope others will benefit from reading about it, and perhaps even see their own collection of oils in a new light.

 

[Oudamberlove]

Oh boy, if I even begin to answer that question....................

Let's just say, on a good day (i.e. a 'bad' day) I'll sometimes even use up to an entire bottle's worth of oud. And although the way I view oud is as an aromatically pleasant (i.e. perfume) substance, overall my own personal oud diary testifies to more of a medicinal application.
Just last week, I was horrified to see how little I had remaining of a future-release oud, due to how much I used it medicinally for myself. Now how do you explain missing inventory like that to the taxman..

To me, there's:
- oud that smells nice (perfume)
- oud that is super complex (an exciting/addictive hobby)
- oud that is both of the above (sometimes, e.g. some barny oils, can be super interesting but 'weird' as a perfume)
- and finally, oud that is therapeutic.

Within the fourth category, there are two sub-categories: those that spiral me up, and those that drown me in. I use both of these types for different purposes, and hope to touch on this in more detail in the Let's Talk Oud thread. I hope others will benefit from reading about it, and perhaps even see their own collection of oils in a new light.

@Taha
I love University of Oudh.
There's so much to learn in this Fine Art.
I'm so glad that you contribute so much.
There's a lot of good material in the forums, if distilled skillfully, will yield a wonderful bottle of Ouducation

 

[Ensar Oud]

I'm only speculating, but I'd say the different species of agarwood have different effects on different genetic make-ups. Just like foods or supplements, or anything else. Genetic predisposition to addiction must also play a role. So, an addictive personality might be more prone to getting hooked than someone less prone to addiction.

I could be completely wrong, of course, and oud use might be subconsciously medically motivated. Or artistically motivated. Some people appreciate art more than others, some can't live without music playing 24/7. Others have what they call a "sweet tooth". Sugar has been proven to be a more powerful stimulant of the dopamine receptors in the brain than cocaine. I must obviously have something wrong with my receptors, because I just don't 'get' sugar. When I see Kruger in front of a dessert buffet, it's like watching a comedy. I simply don't get the appeal chocolate and brownies and all the rest have on him. Put me in front of a roasted lamb, on the other hand, and you'll be watching "Zorba the Greek".

Same with ouds... I'd take a Vietnam or Hainan over anything else, any day. I know folks who say the same about Hindis... Borneos... all varieties. I know someone who's sworn off anything except Marokes... I think it has to do with the different chemical make-up of the various species and the way these interact with our genetic constitutions.

The same thing must influence the amount different people use. I can't even comprehend how Taha can use up a whole bottle in a day. I can't finish a bottle in a year if I tried. (I have to give it to him though, the guy smells like a walking censer. Had me wondering how he can pull that kind of sillage!) Give me more than a modest swipe, and the effect is overwhelming. Of course, there are exceptions.

 

[RobertOne]

I think both your answers make perfect sense.

Oud is both art and therapy and and and of course what a self-selected and self medicating bunch we are.

Of all the scent using people in the entire western world without the tradition of appreciating great perfumes, how many ever will:

1. Use a fine or niche fragrance?
2. From using a niche frangrance, use one with genuine Oud such as Killian and Montale?
3. From using a real Oud fragrance, buy Oud
4. Finally, fall deeping in crave with it?

Probably 10%, 10%,5% and 1%, with the probability resetting to 100% each step, of course.

In the past Amouage Epic was a fragrance that I viewed as a extremely costly indulgence, the very worthy Roja Dove I could not even contemplate buying but a couple of months ago, after trying the EO UOS, I chanced upon a little Creed consession stand at a branch of Dillards and tried what they had as I had read glowing reviews of their produce at Basenotes.

I was, let us say, underwhelmed.

All I could think of while trying the 7th bottle was "omg for the cost of these bottles of rug fresheners I could buy one spectacular Oud"

Those are not the thoughts of an entirely rational man.

 

[5MeO]

Well, from a purely neurobiologal standpoint, the current thinking among many in the western medical world is that any substance or behavior can be addictive if repeated use creates certain neurobiological changes - downregulation of brain receptors, changes in neurotransmitter functionality (particularly dopamine), "re-wiring" of the brain leading to changes in motivational hierarchies, interconnections between regions to do with memory, behavior, impulse control, etc.. So, the short answer is that yes, oud use could certainly meet the criteria for addiction if these brain changes occur, and I suspect that they do..

However, as a researcher in the fields of neurobiology, addiction, and developmental psychology, I take considerable issue with the neurobiology-centric understanding of addiction that dominates here in the USA - I think there are major flaws in it, flaws which are inherent in trying to understand a complex mind/body/spirit phenomena like addiction as something fundamentally neurobiological.. As it pertains to something like oud (or yoga, or meditation, or religious devotion, or love, or hobbies, etc) - the line becomes pretty blurry, and I think it doesn't do to try and characterize it simply as "addictive" or "non-addictive."

 

[Taha]

@Taha
I love University of Oudh.
There's so much to learn in this Fine Art.
I'm so glad that you contribute so much.
There's a lot of good material in the forums, if distilled skillfully, will yield a wonderful bottle of Ouducation

Thanks Oudamberlove! You're quite crazy yourself, and I'm sure after I (get the time to) expand on the points I mentioned its gonna elicit no more than a "well yeah, duh" from you!
PS: loving the ouducation pun!

 

[Adam]

oh boy… qadeem is soo addictive…
hahaha…
sorry! just kidding!

 

[Adam]

well… jokes aside… to me the process of art is more addictive then its results… perhaps that what makes me to do what i do...
often it may be nearly equal (the joy from the process and the result ) and then you are up there … flying…

 

[5MeO]

All jokes aside indeed - I'm afraid I am the bearer of some very bad news:

A rumor has been started (by someone on one of the oud forums), that Taha's wife only married him because he smelled so great. It was the love of the scent, not of the man, is what people are saying.. Now, obviously this rumor is directly related to Taha's admission, right here on this very thread, that he "sometimes" (often? usually??) applies an entire bottle of oud in a day. So, in one sense, he has only himself to blame - but that doesn't make it right what people are saying..

 

[Taha]

Uh oh, the cat's out of the bag!
I better make sure my wife doesn't learn about this forum and read this. Shame on you 5MeO for not thinking of the risk you put me in!

As a side note- back when I worked at PwC, I once overheard some folks talking, and they were commenting on how the 23rd floor - where my office was - 'always smells like incense'. I think that even though we all know oud is strong, none of us really realize just how potent oud is.

 

[Royal Bengal Oud]

anything in this world can be addictive ,moderation is the way to go, using Scent is Sunnah like Miswak before ablution , Hence if I don't use both I feel an unbalance, it's mind over matter , But I do feel that I am in love with Oud ,not Addicted to Oud , chasing that smell like chasing the dragon. Oud helps me sleep and before I work I swipe some on and the Journey begins, and work is enjoyable , anything in this world can be addicted , once it does it is the path to destruction , moderation is the way to go , ( met some brothers who don't use scent during fasting periods , I asked many scholars , and they gave me proof we can wear scent while we fast , but may be there is sense behind it to stay away from Oud during fasting to give us patience ) , Moderation way to go ,

 

[kesiro]

Moderation? What's that?

 

[RobertOne]

Moderation? What's that?

When it comes to Oud, moderation in moderation!

 

[Simla House]

All I could think of while trying the 7th bottle was "omg for the cost of these bottles of rug fresheners I could buy one spectacular Oud"
Those are not the thoughts of an entirely rational man.

Indeed. I'm with you.
Redirect all the funds into oudh.
"I can live on rice and dal for years" (Looks nervously around for items to put on eBay)

 

[Steel Hyaena]

Addictive? No; but then, you are talking to someone that willingly goes through life at level 5 pain on the 1-10 scale because she can't write on opiates. I know physical dependency; I was dependent on morphine and oxycodone for a few years when my issues started. They didn't help the pain enough to make it worth losing my writing, they made my depression worse and they caused other problems as well. So, one fine day in August 2013, I smashed the ^%$%^#ing things up with my leather mallet, mixed them into dirty cat litter, dumped dish soap in that whole mess and threw 'em away. I have hydromorphone at the lowest dose for when I have a pain flare, and mostly, they sit in my bathroom cabinet gathering dust.

... especially now that I have oud.

I don't seem to have an addiction to anything other than words and cat hair. But I do have a deep affinity for oud, and it is highly psychoactive for me. it also seems to do something that opens up the creative parts of my mind. When I smell it, the words come forth in a great flooding mass, and the writing is good. Because I have been having a hard time, i have been a little extravagant with the two I have in larger than sample size: Dhul Q and Yusuf. My dearest hope is that these two oils will draw out words good enough to inspire people to spend money, which... guess what that'll get spent on!

 

[kesiro]

@Steel Hyaena Very, very, interesting perspective and I could not agree more. I have posted before that I believe oud helps my job performance and I truly believe it. I am not a writer but I do also believe that it helps with creative thinking to solve problems.
I salute you on your dedication to staying off the drugs. Since I am in the spine business, I am all to familiar with such situations. All the best to you and have a great Oud day!!

 

[Steel Hyaena]

You as well, Kesiro! Heh... you should have heard the convo. Doc called me for something unrelated. I said 'Oh, so you know, I'm 31 hours into cold-turkeying these (insert about sixteen swear words) opiates.' Him: 'What the—?! If you're doing that, I want you to do it in the hospital!' 'Aaaaare ya.... gonna let me bring my cats?' 'Uh—' 'There's your answer. negative. I have Requip already, and I know what Benadryl, Pedialyte and Imodium are for. If I lose the turgor in my hands, then I'll come in for IV fluids. I'll be fine. Opiate withdrawal isn't life threatening unless you've been doing a lot more, a lot longer than I have.'

96ish hours later, I was writing... and clear-headed. Haven't turned back. i only need the hydromorphone when it rains.