According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), MDMA is a synthetic, psychoactive (affects the mind) drug with similarities to both the hallucinogen mescaline, and the stimulant amphetamine. Commonly known as Ecstasy or E, and more recently, Molly, MDMA users report the drug produces feelings of euphoria, increased energy, distortions in time and sensory perception, and feelings of emotional warmth and empathy towards other people.
About MDMA
MDMA is taken orally, usually in capsule or tablet form. Molly is slang for “molecular”, referring to the pure crystalline MDMA powder commonly sold in capsules. Effects of MDMA last about 3 to 6 hours, and users frequently take another dose of the drug as effects from the first dose diminish. MDMA is commonly used in combination with other drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine, GHB, and ketamine for a for a “multiple-drug experience”.
On a physical level, MDMA affects the neurotransmitters (chemicals released from a nerve cell which act to transmit an impulse from a nerve cell to another nerve, organ, muscle, other body tissue) nor-epinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin.
Serotonin is commonly referred to as the “feed good” hormone, and triggers the release of other hormones. The characteristic feelings of empathy and emotional closeness experienced by MDMA users may stem from the increased level of hormones released into the body.
However, the MDMA-caused surge of serotonin depletes the natural and important body stores of serotonin, causing the negative after effects of:
- Sleep problems.
- Drug cravings.
According to NIDA, these negative after effects can occur soon after using MDMA, or in the days or even weeks following the use of the drug.
NIDA also cites the following adverse effects experienced by some heavy MDMA users, noting that some effects may be attributed to combination drug use, especially marijuana:
- Long-lasting confusion.
- Sleep abnormalities.
- Problems with attention.
- Problems with memory.
According to NIDA, research to-date finds varying results on the addictive properties of MDMA, but it is known that some users experience symptoms of dependency, including continuing to use MDMA despite knowledge of psychological or physical harm, MDMA tolerance, and withdrawal.
MDMA Therapy
In commenting on the issue of MDMA Therapy, and whether or not it has any value, NIDA notes that the drug was first used as an aid in psychotherapy in the 1970s—without FDA approval and without clinical trial research support.
In 1985, MDMA was labeled a Schedule I substance by the Drug Enforcement Agency. A Schedule I substance is a drug with no recognized medicinal use, and with high abuse potential.
As of 2013, some researchers remained interested in the “potential therapeutic value” of MDMA, and current clinical trials on its use as “a possible pharmacotherapy aid” in the treatment of anxiety in terminal cancer patients and in treating PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) were begun.
According to a recent online Huff Post SCIENCE article, a just-published study in the Journal of Psychopharmacology analyzed MDMA “prosocial effects” on users. A University of Southern California professor of preventative medicine, Matthew Kirkpatrick, said that MDMA gets “really increased feelings” of closeness with others, and sociability; and “less reactive to negative emotional stimuli.”
Based on that, Kirkpatrick thinks MDMA “could be quite useful” for counseling couples, as they would “feel closer to one another”, and “engage in longer conversations” on deeper topics.
The small study was based on 35 healthy participants who had previous MDMA experience. Done in two sessions—one under the influence of MDMA and one with a placebo—participants were asked to talk freely on the subject of a close relationship.
As an interesting aside, The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies has forked over $20 million dollars to get MDMA an FDA approval as a prescription medication by the year 2020.
A Lack of Understanding
Man sorely lacks a true understanding of his nature—who he really is, and how his mind actually functions. Psychoactive substances that affect the mind, whether it is MDMA, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, alcohol—the list goes on and on—are not a solution to Man’s ills or his personal failings or problems.
Using drugs to “solve” a problem in interpersonal relationships begets new problems associated with drug use. Drug-induced thoughts and emotions are just that—drug-induced. A person’s real thoughts and true emotions do not stem from a chemical substance.
A healthy body and a well-functioning mind undamaged by psychoactive chemical substances are requisite to living life fully, finding self-satisfaction, and experiencing rewarding interpersonal relationships. In truth, there is no chemical substitute for living life.
