MDMA Can Help Decrease Social Anxiety In Autistic Adults

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Soham
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12 Apr 2014, 1:11 am

Arcanyn wrote:
It wasn't made for us. The psychoactive chemicals in plants for the most part evolved to stop the plant from being eaten. Lab created chemicals on the other hand are specifically designed to be useful for humans, and there is at least some pressure for them to be safer - you can sue a corporation that peddles a dodgy drug, but you can't sue a plant.


Agreed, in certain aspects.

Fortunately for us...a lot of those "pesticides" that plants synthesize for themselves so happen to be remarkably similar in structure to some of our endogenous ligands. And fortunately for us, most "medicinal" plants synthesize a spectrum of psychoactive chemicals, not just one, which all work together with synergy and balance each other out. Cannabis for an example, synthetic THC in pill form (or if isolated and taken by itself) has more side-effects and less medicinal potential than the entire spectrum of cannabinoids & terepenes found in the cannabis flower. Nature is our original medicine cabinet, maybe that's not natures intention when producing these compounds, but it's been doing a damn fine job for a long while now...and it's something that we have only recently forgotten/been severed from.

I know that's the most common accepted theory why plants produce the alkaloids they do, for a pest deterrent, and I believe they are indeed produced for that reason...but what about when that pest "deterrent" actually attracts animals? Both psilocybin containing mushrooms, as well as amanita muscaria, are often ate by deer, they will often eat cannabis too. There's a whole bunch of psychoactive plants/fungi/lichen that animals will seek out.


I just think it's very interesting how similar in structure a lot of these compounds are to our own neurotransmitters, particularly when it comes to the psychedelics compounds and the experiences they tend to catalyze...



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12 Apr 2014, 1:38 am

DukeJanTheGrey wrote:
.....The only mind altering chemical that has had long term beneficial effects on me has been psilocybin and amazingly it was legal here in the UK until as recently as 2005 as long as you purchased it in fresh mushroom form. Though this is not the only substance to have helped me, LSD and (*NOPE*) i have tried have. Another long lasting novel psychedelic called Alpha-Methyltryptamine has similar beneficial after effects. I think it is because these drugs allow the user to go inside oneself, become more familiar with yourself, accepting of yourself and your place in the greater scheme of things. It helps you analyse your past and see past experiences in a different light thus giving you a different emotional response to memories long after the effects of the drug has wore off. If i was a scientist looking for a drug that could help us on the spectrum i would look into psychedelics and psychedelic based therapy first.

Its a shame laws make it very hard for studies and experimentation to happen with regards to drugs with a possible recreation uses and abuse potentials. I don't want to see people messing around with drugs and breaking the law, i want to see this happen in a professional setting. What i choose to put in my body and do with my life it totally up to me.



Yes, agreed agreed!


Though I do think there is great therapeutic potential for mdma (and most classic psychedelics).....psilocybin specifically is the one that's been the most beneficial and impactful on my life . The part of your quote I highlighted in bold pretty much encapsulates what mushrooms do for me, all psychedelics do so, but mushrooms in particular are the ones that provide me with the most inward experience and space to view my self and life with out the "I" (or "ego") in the way. Even outside of the experience itself, I feel absolutely refreshed and elated after a heavy mushroom trip, a pronounced & long lasting afterglow always lingers. Out of all the classic psychedelics (mushrooms, lsd, mescaline, dmt) and mdma, it's mushrooms that are the most therapeutic and cleansing/refreshing, not always a smooth ride, but it's good in the end.

My first experiences with these things really snapped me out of, and then put me into, my self.....Looking back, prior to my first experiences with psychedelics/mdma I felt like I was on some sort of oblivious auto-pilot. This is going to sound cliche', but I feel like I really woke up out of some oblivious haze...I was oblivious to myself, oblivious to my body, oblivious to my auto-pilot like reactions and interaction with the world/people. Some moments of deep reflection of my self and past, whilst under the influence of LSD, is what actually made me realize how "askew" I was compared to other people, and is what actually put me on the path to discovering that I was likely on the spectrum.




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15 Apr 2014, 2:35 pm

MDMA is a very fascinating drug. Having "rolled" several times myself; it taught me alot. Not as much as LSD has taught me, but certainly it's had a positive effect. The comedown effect is very unpleasant, but it's worth the experience.

I warn anyone who is curious though. Don't try MDMA if you don't want regular life to seem boring as hell. That was one of the only downsides for me - it made regular happiness just not enough. Plus, at times, the euphoria from MD feels very very fake.

LSD euphoria however, feels alot more genuine and helps you feel connected to something bigger than yourself. Psychedelics aren't a force to be messed with though. They are EXTREMELY powerful teachers. And not every lesson is a nice one.

Willard wrote:
I think artificial lab-concocted chemistry is never as healthy for your brain as the ones Ma Nature made for us.

Psilocybin is natural and helps relieve anxiety and chronic depression for up to 2 years after ingestion and mushrooms have no side effects (unless you eat the wrong kind). Why dose yourself with Acid or X, when there is a natural substance that has the same effect?


Although I agree chemicals are more rough on the human body; for alot of people it's a matter of preference. Some people find the body load and dream-like effects of Psilocybin to be unpleasant. Personally I've never taken mushrooms before so I cannot really comment on how it's affected me personally; but some people like to retain a sense of lucidity within the psychedelic experience.



marshall
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16 Apr 2014, 1:50 pm

I'm not interested in getting "high", but at this point I'd try anything if I thought it might help with depression and make me feel more connected with others. I wonder if there's other drugs out there that stimulate oxytocin production without being excessively stimulating. I just want to feel normal, not manic.



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17 Apr 2014, 2:22 am

marshall wrote:
I'm not interested in getting "high", but at this point I'd try anything if I thought it might help with depression and make me feel more connected with others. I wonder if there's other drugs out there that stimulate oxytocin production without being excessively stimulating. I just want to feel normal, not manic.


Actually, MDMA has been used in lower, therapuetic doses in experimental psychiatry with good results.
Since the pure stuff is a powder (even if it often comes in capsules) you could try smaller doses fairly easily and see if you get the effect you're looking for.
Moreover, pure MDMA (Molly) won't really make you manic, just happy & whatnot.
You can be all dancy & crazy on it if you want, but it doesn't make you that way.
The compressed 'E' pills that will are cut with speed, MDA, ritalin, adderal, and other stimulants, but there's apparently a lot more of the really pure stuff around these days then there used to be back when I was in college.


Honestly, though, the best thing about actually taking a recreational dose is that it makes you feel happy, and I don't mean like a veneer of happiness anti-depressants bring, I mean you feel actually, truly happy.
The feeling of loving others & being loved is there too, and the pure physical pleasure can be intense if you do stuff on purpose to enhance it, but I've had some really nice, mellow rolls too with good people.
You don't really have to focus on the getting high/pleasure/ecstatic activity part, especially if you have good people to do it with who will support your desire to connect and feel love & happiness. :D

Not that I'm saying it's a cure-all or anything, but before it was criminalized in the '80s (yeah, it was completely legal & available for years & years & years before the government decided it was too effective & too much fun) the research being done with it showed some remarkable, long lasting results, even after a single, relatively low dose session.
Like any other powerful psychotropic substance the environment you're in, your attitude, the people you're with, and what you do while on it will ultimately determine its effects on you. 8)



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17 Apr 2014, 11:37 am

Bodyles wrote:
Actually, MDMA has been used in lower, therapuetic doses in experimental psychiatry with good results.
Since the pure stuff is a powder (even if it often comes in capsules) you could try smaller doses fairly easily and see if you get the effect you're looking for.
Moreover, pure MDMA (Molly) won't really make you manic, just happy & whatnot.
You can be all dancy & crazy on it if you want, but it doesn't make you that way.
The compressed 'E' pills that will are cut with speed, MDA, ritalin, adderal, and other stimulants, but there's apparently a lot more of the really pure stuff around these days then there used to be back when I was in college.


Honestly, though, the best thing about actually taking a recreational dose is that it makes you feel happy, and I don't mean like a veneer of happiness anti-depressants bring, I mean you feel actually, truly happy.
The feeling of loving others & being loved is there too, and the pure physical pleasure can be intense if you do stuff on purpose to enhance it, but I've had some really nice, mellow rolls too with good people.
You don't really have to focus on the getting high/pleasure/ecstatic activity part, especially if you have good people to do it with who will support your desire to connect and feel love & happiness. :D

Not that I'm saying it's a cure-all or anything, but before it was criminalized in the '80s (yeah, it was completely legal & available for years & years & years before the government decided it was too effective & too much fun) the research being done with it showed some remarkable, long lasting results, even after a single, relatively low dose session.
Like any other powerful psychotropic substance the environment you're in, your attitude, the people you're with, and what you do while on it will ultimately determine its effects on you. 8)


Unfortunately I'm not working and financially dependent on my overprotective parents. Nevermind that I'm not really interested in getting "high". I'm actually afraid of experiencing too much artificial happiness. I don't really want to know what I can't possibly achieve naturally. The idea is scary. I just want to be able to have some normal happiness. Otherwise my life is pretty much over. At some point enough is enough. People who have not experienced long term depression just don't get it. I'm not interested in their opinions anymore. I'm not interested in staying alive for others sake either. Normal "happy" people don't have to.



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17 Apr 2014, 11:50 am

Unless you know the chemist,no telling what you'll get.It could be stepped on.There is environmental damage happening to the forests where it's extracted.See the documentary Forests Of Ecstasy.
http://www.dancesafe.org/product/coompl ... ening-kit/


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17 Apr 2014, 12:38 pm

Misslizard wrote:
Unless you know the chemist,no telling what you'll get.It could be stepped on.There is environmental damage happening to the forests where it's extracted.See the documentary Forests Of Ecstasy.
http://www.dancesafe.org/product/coompl ... ening-kit/


Completely true, both parts.
The environmental damage is unfortunately horrendous, as with many substances which have been criminalized and so are produced outside the normal bounds of business & law.
Saw the documentary, it was pretty awful.

In terms of purity, there's some fairly good, detailed information on the drug forums on simple, straightforwards ways to purify it.

marshall wrote:
Unfortunately I'm not working and financially dependent on my overprotective parents. Nevermind that I'm not really interested in getting "high". I'm actually afraid of experiencing too much artificial happiness. I don't really want to know what I can't possibly achieve naturally. The idea is scary. I just want to be able to have some normal happiness. Otherwise my life is pretty much over. At some point enough is enough. People who have not experienced long term depression just don't get it. I'm not interested in their opinions anymore. I'm not interested in staying alive for others sake either. Normal "happy" people don't have to.


I was depressed for years.
Eventually I had panic attacks and was put on SSRIs.
I was happy, but I hated it because there was no reason behind it, and I sort of hated myself that way so I had to stop.
It was, as you say, artificial, and I sort of wanted to kill myself because of that.

MDMA isn't anything like that.
When used therapuetically, it can allow you to open up again, get past things that are holding you back from being happy in general and let go and allow yourself to take joy from the simple things in your life that give it meaning and make it worth living.
These effects can be lasting because while the lift & openess the MDMA temporarily provides fades, the psychological revelations and changes are real and lasting.

Again, not necessarily a cure-all.
I'm not advocating it, especially not for someone who's afriad of it like you are.
I just want you to understand that it's not necessarily what the media has portrayed it to be, and that people don't just take substances like this & LSD just to get 'high', they sometimes do it as a way to overcome otherwise insurmountable psychological issues.
The reason this works if done properly is because these substances allow the users to, for a short time, look at their thoughts, actions, beliefs, behaviors, and emotions from a freer, more objective & less judgemental perspective and with a degree of flexibility that allows deep understandings to be reached and changes to be made to these things not normally possible without years of intensive therapy, if at all.

I'm not saying these things are for you, and given your attitude towards them they probably aren't.
I'm merely pointing out that they've been startlingly effective for all sorts of people in making changes they never thought possible which were lasting and real results of the short term freeing of perspective & expansion of mental flexibility the drugs provided them with.
To assume you know what powerful psychotropic substances are like & what effects they would have on you without experience of them seems like a blind person assuming they know what color is like because they've heard descriptions of it.

I wish you luck in your pursuit of happiness, it's a worthy goal. :D



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17 Apr 2014, 1:56 pm

I never said I hadn't tried it. :D
I prefer what Mother Nature has to offer,I know it's pure.


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17 Apr 2014, 4:56 pm

I've been on SSRIs so long they don't do much for me anymore. I can only take so much and I get nauseous and fuzzy headed. It's never a "happy" feeling, just a slight flattening of the lows. I only really notice the effect an SSRI is having when I try to quit taking one. I'm on 225mg of Effexor and if I miss one day it feels like the world is ending. Imagine everyone you've ever known suddenly being gone forever. That's what missing a dose of Effexor feels like. It is SCARY. Understandably I'm pretty damn afraid of withdrawals. I don't have much faith in the medical profession to fix me. I'm sick of being told "it gets better" when it doesn't.



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18 Apr 2014, 3:46 am

marshall wrote:
I've been on SSRIs so long they don't do much for me anymore. I can only take so much and I get nauseous and fuzzy headed. It's never a "happy" feeling, just a slight flattening of the lows. I only really notice the effect an SSRI is having when I try to quit taking one. I'm on 225mg of Effexor and if I miss one day it feels like the world is ending. Imagine everyone you've ever known suddenly being gone forever. That's what missing a dose of Effexor feels like. It is SCARY. Understandably I'm pretty damn afraid of withdrawals. I don't have much faith in the medical profession to fix me. I'm sick of being told "it gets better" when it doesn't.


I hated Effexor, and quitting it cold turkey sucked.



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22 Apr 2014, 7:52 pm

Bodyles wrote:
marshall wrote:
I've been on SSRIs so long they don't do much for me anymore. I can only take so much and I get nauseous and fuzzy headed. It's never a "happy" feeling, just a slight flattening of the lows. I only really notice the effect an SSRI is having when I try to quit taking one. I'm on 225mg of Effexor and if I miss one day it feels like the world is ending. Imagine everyone you've ever known suddenly being gone forever. That's what missing a dose of Effexor feels like. It is SCARY. Understandably I'm pretty damn afraid of withdrawals. I don't have much faith in the medical profession to fix me. I'm sick of being told "it gets better" when it doesn't.


I hated Effexor, and quitting it cold turkey sucked.


You're lucky then. I'm pretty sure I would be dead if I tried to quit Effexor cold turkey. It can't physically kill you, but it can make you so depressed you can't think of anything but killing yourself. It starts with getting these weird buzzings behind my eyes, then chills like I have a flu, then it progresses to constant crying and having the urge to jump in front of cars for no reason. I really want to switch to something else. Klonopin was another drug I was on for while that had nasty withdrawals if I missed one day and was a complete b***h to get off. It never made me quite as suicidal as Effexor though.



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22 Apr 2014, 8:57 pm

I'm not surprised. I was once reading about the effects of MDMA and I instantly thought "hey, this stuff could fix me!", but then I remembered the negative side effects of it and now the idea of using it doesn't appeal so much to me.



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22 Apr 2014, 10:57 pm

What particular negative side effects are you speaking about, or you just talking side effects in general? It does come with it's potential side effects, but they're minimal in my experience and seem to only come about if taking high doses or frequently using the stuff (neither of which I do).

I've taken it once to twice a year for several years now, and personally I haven't experienced much of the side effects that some people claim to. The only side effects I've experienced are some of the physical ones while under the influence of it, such as difficulty urinating, a bit of tension in the jaw muscles, some nystagmus .

I feel fine the days after a night of taking mdma, the same couldn't be said after a night of drinking when I was younger (I don't really drink at all anymore, I think alcohol is a silly drug that doesn't offer much) .

I think a lot of the side-effects with this drug are drastically over exaggerated (If it is taken responsibly and in moderation of course, if abused then it can indeed have detrimental affects)....What I think contributes to this exaggeration of negative side-effects is people take what they think is mdma, but it is actually some other drug being passed off as mdma which so happens to come along with much more negative side effects, bad come down, etc, and they lack the "magic" that real mdma is known for.

Making sure one has actual mdma is crucial, there's nothing else like the real deal.



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22 Apr 2014, 11:22 pm

Soham wrote:
What particular negative side effects are you speaking about, or you just talking side effects in general? It does come with it's potential side effects, but they're minimal in my experience and seem to only come about if taking high doses or frequently using the stuff (neither of which I do).

I've taken it once to twice a year for several years now, and personally I haven't experienced much of the side effects that some people claim to. The only side effects I've experienced are some of the physical ones while under the influence of it, such as difficulty urinating, a bit of tension in the jaw muscles, some nystagmus .

I feel fine the days after a night of taking mdma, the same couldn't be said after a night of drinking when I was younger (I don't really drink at all anymore, I think alcohol is a silly drug that doesn't offer much) .

I think a lot of the side-effects with this drug are drastically over exaggerated (If it is taken responsibly and in moderation of course, if abused then it can indeed have detrimental affects)....What I think contributes to this exaggeration of negative side-effects is people take what they think is mdma, but it is actually some other drug being passed off as mdma which so happens to come along with much more negative side effects, bad come down, etc, and they lack the "magic" that real mdma is known for.

Making sure one has actual mdma is crucial, there's nothing else like the real deal.


I didn't quite literally mean side effects, but more so things like the fact that it's hard to tell what you're actually getting when you buy it, the fact that it's flat out ILLEGAL, and just other things like that. As well, don't a lot of MDMA users experience problems with teeth grinding and sometimes-fatal dehydration?



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23 Apr 2014, 7:54 am

mr_bigmouth_502 wrote:

I didn't quite literally mean side effects, but more so things like the fact that it's hard to tell what you're actually getting when you buy it, the fact that it's flat out ILLEGAL, and just other things like that.



True. I mean you can get simple test kits to verify if what you have is MDMA or MDA or something else entirely, which is a responsible way to go about things like this. And the whole illegal part is quite an understandable reason not to try such a thing. I'm willing to take the risk, I think such a thing shouldn't be illegal in the first place, but one of my biggest fears is getting arrested or caught up for possession of such a thing....but I rarely have it in my possession, other than a few hours out of the year between the time I acquire it and eat it, all I ever really have on me is a small personal amount of cannabis





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As well, don't a lot of MDMA users experience problems with teeth grinding and sometimes-fatal dehydration?


High doses of mdma can indeed cause bruxism, which is tension in the jaw muscles, and/or excessive teeth grinding & jaw clenching (usually unconsciously). With more sensible/practical mild to moderate doses, which I take, I still feel a bit of tension in the jaw muscles but this can be dealt with by chewing gum or simply stretching the jaw muscles. I've noticed this effect is more pronounced in some people than others. The couple times I have taken moderately high doses this side-effect was quite pronounced, my jaw did want to involuntary clench and move about, but I was conscious of it and didn't grind my teeth or chew on my tongue like some people have when taking a bit too much. This can be avoided by simply not taking a big dose, which shouldn't be taken anyways, but it will likely be mildly present even with smaller amounts, nothing intense though.


The dehydration thing.....This comes from people taking mdma (and/or other drugs are not out of the question) and dancing for hours non-stop, in a place that's hot and with high humidity from everyone else in the place that's dancing and sweating. Sweating cools the body down by evaporation, if you're in a place with such high humidity the sweat can not evaporate off your skin regardless of how hot it is in the place. So the body becomes drenched in sweat but does not cool down, it continues to pour out sweat (crucial dehydration) and the body temperature continues to elevate....Potentially resulting in lethal over-heating and/or dehydration.

So. This same exact thing can happen with out mdma involved. It's not so much the mdma itself, but rather people taking mdma in a very hot and humid environment, dancing heavily, not drinking enough water, and not taking a break somewhere to allow their body to cool off. Even then, this is quite rare to happen.

If it's taken in a chill setting, like just hanging out at home and not dancing at a rave all night :lol: , I'd say there's virtually zero risk for fatal dehydration. When I take it it's usually just a couple friends and I at someones house, even in a setting like that there is a noticeable increase in body temperature (or sensitivity to cool/warm temperature in general), but it's not enough to make me sweat or anything lol , My body usually just feels a bit warmer, and is more sensitive/aware to temperature change.





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