Has the day finally come when people can virtually experience the use of drugs, alcohol, and sexual stimulations without any negative side effects? People of all ages have been expressing their “high” stories from the use of iDoser online, by displaying their reactions and opinions of the audio drug on blogs, reviews, and YouTube. But what exactly is iDoser, how does it work, and is it safe? iDoser is an online company selling audio tracks that claim to get people high. Its promoters assure customers the products deliver similar real-life effects of the many recreational drugs iDoser offers, such as Cocaine, Marijuana, Opium, Peyote, and Ecstasy—using only a pair of headphones. A boost of confidence, stress relief, sense enhancement, and even the feeling of an orgasm are additional stimulations available on the iDoser website. The company defines the term I-Dosing as, “The use of auditory tones in attempt to alter consciousness in ways that create a stimulated mood or experience … Using a technique that involves playing two different tones simultaneously to produce a perceived tone inside the head, in order to alter brainwaves.” Although iDoser has failed scientific studies proving the digital drug does not produce a high, it has been proven to alter consciousness by acting as a stress reliever and sleep aid.
During a recent interview with Nick Ashton, the twenty-three year old founder of iDoser stated, “iDoser offers the most modern and advanced implementation of binaural technology. Each audio track available on the iDoser website is created and tested by iDoser Binaural Beat Experts.” In response to a question pertaining to the qualities, experiences, and/or education he requires his IBB experts to posses, Ashton claimed, “The experts consider themselves advanced in both the experiences needed to quality assure a dose, and on binaural technology in general.” He also added, “iDoser effects are examined by peer reviews, both written and verbal, double-blind studies, and EEG tests. It can take us years to research, develop, QA, and release some of our most popular doses.” The iDoser website states that their products are 100 percent safe. However, since studies involving its long-term effects are not yet available precautions should still be taken. People who are epileptic should take extreme caution or even ask a doctor before using iDoser. The audio tracks can cause seizures, although not many have been reported. iDoser products should also not be used while operating vehicles or heavy machinery. Lastly, listening to multiple tracks daily can cause server headaches. iDoser suggests lying still on your back in a dark quite room with your eyes closed (or blindfolded), and using a pair of headphones to listen to the desired dose for maximum results.
The binaural beat delivered is composed of two tones ranging in different frequencies. Generally, binaural beats contain white or pink noise played in one ear and instrumental music in the other. This creates activity within the left temporal lobe—due to the frequencies that converge from the left and right ear—which then interact with the central auditory brainstem pathways. Once the brain is in sync with the binaural beats it produces brainwaves of that frequency, altering the listener's state of mind. Many studies have been conducted pertaining to the effects of auditory tones on the brain. In a particular study of Binaural Beat Technology in Humans, lead by Helen Wahbeh, was a controlled experiment conducted on thirty human subjects using different binaural beats at various frequencies, thirty minutes a day for sixty days. As the listeners perceived Binaural Beats, Electrograph Doctors were determining if a steady-state entrainment of electroencephalographic activity in relation to the binaural beats occurred when subjects were exposed to a specific beat frequency. Electroencephalographic data was collected before, during, and after listening to the binaural beats; Neuropsychological, which measures traits of anxiety, oral word association, and coherence on an EEG, and blood pressure data were collected before and after the experimentations. The results showed no drastic differences between experimental and controlled conditions (music with Binaural Beats vs. regular music) in any of the EEG measures. However, an increase by .02 of mood depression and a decrease in immediate verbal memory recall by .03 in the experimental group was found relative to the control group.
