MDMA Benefits


The use of MDMA in therapy has many potential benefits. Not only does MDMA enhance the feeling of calmness and trust, it also decreases the amygdala, the part of the brain that triggers fear and anxiety. This can be beneficial for patients with PTSD and other life-threatening illnesses. One study found that MDMA reduced depressive symptoms in 40 individuals, but more research is needed to fully confirm these benefits.

A Recent Phase III Trial

Researchers are now testing the therapeutic use of MDMA. Clinical trials are ongoing to determine if MDMA can treat a variety of mental health conditions. In a recent phase III trial, Adagio Therapeutics dosed its first patient with a monoclonal antibody called ADG20. Results of the study showed that two-thirds of participants were no longer classified as having PTSD. Nonetheless, the findings are encouraging.

MDMA Helps Treat Trauma

One of the most interesting benefits of MDMA is its ability to help treat trauma. Substance abuse is often an attempt to escape the pain of past traumas. Treatment for substance abuse is notoriously difficult and up to 90% of patients relapse. Using MDMA as a therapeutic tool in therapy may be safe and effective, reducing the relapse rate significantly. The drug is still being studied, but early studies indicate that MDMA benefits are already evident.

MDMA Helps Treat PTSD

The use of MDMA in psychotherapy has also been shown to be beneficial for those with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Since MDMA depletes serotonin, people who take the drug may experience depression afterward. The results of this study were promising, but further studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of this treatment in humans. For example, a study conducted at Johns Hopkins University involved 51 patients with cancer. The researchers found that 80% of the patients reported clinically significant decreases in anxiety and mood, and that 60% had their symptoms return to normal.

Despite the many potential benefits, it is likely that Australians will not have access to legal therapeutic MDMA anytime soon. For now, the drug’s potential as a PTSD treatment has been well-documented and its legality has been questioned by the Royal College of Psychiatrists and medical authorities in various countries. While the use of this substance is still illegal in Australia, its use has been embraced by creative professionals in Silicon Valley.

However, this drug has not been studied extensively. It has been used for therapeutic purposes in small studies. The TGA’s Advisory Committee on Medicines Scheduling met on November 3 and will make a decision by the first week of December. As such, the benefits of MDMA may be limited, but there is no scientific evidence to back up its claims. The use of this drug in psychotherapy has also increased acceptance in the medical community.

Helps Treat Depression

In the case of MDMA, the drug has several potential benefits. It is a potent tranquilizer that is commonly used in horses. It has also been used as a depression treatment in people. Although the research into the drug is impressive, it is also prone to misuse and exploitation. As a result, many people have not received medical training and are taking it into their own hands. They report that it improves their lives and helps them cope with stressful situations.

Microdosing Benefits

Microdosing is a common method of consuming psychedelic drugs. Most common recreational doses result in hallucinations, altered perception of time, and expanded consciousness. While the effects are temporary, the drug is believed to improve overall wellbeing. For this reason, it is a popular recreational drug among those with a variety of different medical conditions. This drug is also commonly used for medical research and has become a popular way to treat mental health problems.

LSD is not an addictive drug, but it is not recommended for people with severe mood disorders or other health issues. It can be dangerous for people with environmental stress, genetic risk or untreated mood disorders. In one trial, it was combined with therapy and microdoses of LSD to help participants overcome their anxiety. Additionally, the drug can trigger psychosis and make other psychological conditions worse. In addition, too much LSD can trigger schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders.

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New Study Suggests Psychedelics Can Reduce Opioid Addiction

We should be concerned about the rising opioid epidemic. In the United States, enough opioids are prescribed for every adult to have a bottle of pills. Opioid painkillers can come with some severe side effects, including addiction. It’s estimated that a total of between 26.4 million and 30 million people worldwide suffer from opioid dependence. A new study suggests a radical new approach to opioid addiction: psychedelic therapy.

Can Psychedelics Reduce Opioid Addiction?

Of all of the psychedelic plants and fungi out there, it’s safe to say that cannabis is relatively mild. Research has shown that cannabis has potent pain-fighting properties, and several studies have shown that patients choose cannabis as an alternative to prescription painkillers, like opioids.

But what about other psychedelics? The substances have been taboo and frowned upon for decades, but mind-bending compounds are getting another chance at fame with some impressive recent research. Over the past two years, reports have come out which suggest that using psychedelics sometime in your life is associated with:

  • Reduced risk of domestic violence
  • Reduced psychological distress and suicidal thinking
  • Fewer prescriptions for psychiatric medications 
  • Reduced outpatient treatments for mental health issues 

The idea that a psychedelic substance can improve mental health may sound just a little too radical for some. Still, a recent study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology suggests that the mind-bending compounds may be beneficial in another surprising therapeutic area to curb opioid addiction.

The study found that consuming LSD or psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms is associated with a decreased risk of illegal opioid abuse.

The study found that psychedelic consumption was associated with a 27% reduction in opioid dependence over the past year. The substances were also associated with a whopping 40% reduction in opioid addiction.

This research is supported by an earlier review of a different substance, alcohol. In 2012, a meta-analysis of the available literature suggested that LSD may benefit those with alcohol addiction. The review looked at six studies in total, which featured 536 participants. The most exciting part, just a single dose of LSD was associated with a decrease in alcohol misuse!

While the cannabis plant is often touted as a safer alternative to opioids, these psychedelic drugs seem to tackle addiction differently. Cannabis has direct pain-relieving effects and can improve mood and your quality of life. Psychedelics like LSD and magic mushrooms, on the other hand, cause euphoric and spiritual experiences.

Is Psychedelic Therapy Safe?

Unfortunately, the safety of psychedelics is a bit questionable. For one, there is no way to be 100% sure about what you’re getting from psychedelics that aren’t administered in a clinic. Yet, there is a growing amount of research on psychedelic therapy that is quite promising.

Thus far, recent clinical trials of psilocybin have been found effective and well-tolerated in treating the anxiety and depression associated with a cancer diagnosis.

Additional tests of a typical party drug, MDMA, found early success in reducing treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. However, MDMA given to patients in trials is a far cry from what is commonly sold on the street. In the clinic, pharmaceutical-grade materials are used, not random materials acquired from an unknown source.

Thus far, trials have been conducted in a very comfortable, safe, and relaxed environment with trusted professionals close at hand. Without professional help, consumers can face some risks when experimenting with these illicit substances in the home.

For example, one early case reports that eight consumers snorted an abnormally large dose of LSD and had to be hospitalized. The consumers experienced hallucinations, hyperactivity, hypothermia, vomiting, bleeding, and physical collapse. Symptoms started within 15 minutes of snorting more than two lines of white powder, which they thought contained cocaine. It was unclear what the second line of random white powder was. When blood tested, the patients tested positive for LSD. Was that the sole cause of the extreme side effects? Who knows.

MDMA’s Side Effects

The Side Effects of Pure MDMA

The side effects of MDMA include: 

  • Difficulty Concentrating
  • Feeling Cold
  • Anxiety
  • Dry Mouth
  • Heavy Legs
  • Lack of Appetite
  • Jaw Clenching
  • Impaired Balance
  • Perspiration
  • Restless Legs
  • Thirst

However, not all users experience these side effects. 

Desirable Effects Of MDMA

These effects last around 3-4 hours:

  • Everything is perfect 
  • Extreme Euphoria
  • Empathy
  • More Authentic

When taken in a positive environment and with trusted friends, users feel an intense euphoria, a sense of connectedness, enhanced touch and bodily sensations, enhanced empathy, and enhanced sensitivity to bright colors. The people and the world around you seem perfect and conversations with people are deeper and more empathetic. 

Short Term Risks

Consuming a substance that is not pure MDMA can cause a risk to your health. Many tablets and powders are impure and adultered with other drugs. 

MDMA can cause heat stroke or serotonin syndrome. Due to its effect on the Hypothalamus MDMA increases heat stroke. 

MDMA can cause Hyponatremia. This is caused by drinking too much water. Since MDMA causes water retention, dancing in hot environments can cause dehydration. Drinking too much water can be fatal. 

Long Term Side Effects

Long term use of MDMA can have serious risks on the user. MDMA can cause neuronal damage. In very high single doses and excessive moderate doses have demonstrated damaging effects on serotonergic neurons in higher brain regions like the neocortex of animals such as rats and primates.

Neuronal changes due to long term MDMA abuse include these unpleasant side effects:

  • Lower Libido
  • Depression
  • Decreased Appetite
  • Sleep Problems
  • Anxiety

Research has also found cognitive performance deficits in long term users.

Risk of Overdose

If you begin taking MDMA on a regular basis, you’ll notice that you will need more of the drug to produce the desired effects it once did. 

This can cause you to take MDMA in larger amounts which can put you at greater risk for an overdose of MDMA.

The warning signs of MDMA overdose include:

  • Loss of Consciousness
  • Seizures
  • Hyperthermia
  • Faintness
  • Panic Attacks
  • High Blood Pressure

Another potentially lethal medical crisis that can arise with heavy use of MDMA is called serotonin syndrome, where the brain is flooded with dangerous amounts of serotonin.

These symptoms include:

  • Seizures
  • Restlessness
  • Vomiting
  • Agitation
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea
  • Tremors
  • Rapid Heartrate
  • High Body Temperature
  • High Blood Pressure
  • Sweating
  • Hallucinations
  • Loss of Coordination
  • Flushed Appearance to Skin
  • Hyperactive Reflexes

The Side Effects of Impure MDMA

Many users put their life at risk by consuming impure MDMA. Your “MDMA,” “molly,” or “ecstasy” is probably not pure MDMA. 

WIM Scientific Laboratories, an MDMA testing kit company, found that 61% of ecstasy tablets contained other drugs and 46% contained 0% of MDMA. 

Between 2009 and 2013, the DEA analyzed 87% of “molly” and found 0% of pure MDMA, instead most of them contained bath salts.  

These adultered drugs can cause worse side effects than pure MDMA. So getting impure MDMA can have serious risks in your health. Given that MDMA is illegal and unregulated, impure MDMA is a frequent risk among users.