4 ms·

> I overdid it. A lot of people over did it Growing up in a poor neighborhood I had friends who were going to parties at like 13/14. MDMA, speed, LSD. Still g

> I overdid it. A lot of people over did it Growing up in a poor neighborhood I had friends who were going to parties at like 13/14. MDMA, speed, LSD. Still good friends with some of them and they are mostly ashamed of that period, and you can see severe permanent effects of abuse on some (again we knew each other since childhood). I tried what I could get my hands on because I was curious, and I would go out with this crowd occasionally. It's far from roses and rainbows - getting emotionally unstable people riled up - I've seen/heard scary shit. You can draw parallels to alcohol - drinking can be great for socialisation - and alcohol can ruin people, so I guess you could say it's unfair that one is illegal. But I don't share the sentiment either way - "I wish alcohol/drugs were available to more people" is not something I'd like to see in practice.

naasking 3y ago
Alcohol is not life changing like MDMA. Has alcohol ever received any kind of therapeutic recognition, or emergency use authorization to treat PTSD like MDMA? This is a poor analogy IMO.
- jobs_throwaway 3y ago
  > Has alcohol ever received any kind of therapeutic recognition, or emergency use authorization to treat PTSD like MDMA? The regulatory status is irrelevant IMO. Personally, I know that many of the most profound experiences of my life have been mediated by alcohol. My life has certainly been changed by it.
- theobromananda 3y ago
  As someone who has used a larger number of psychedelics, MDMA, ayahuasca and so on - yes, alcohol at 16 for a few years was absolutely life changing for many of the same reasons: increased sociability and being able to talk to people uninhibitely about many things. I didn't overdo it and haven't drunken alcohol in years.
  - naasking 3y ago
    Alcohol can be life changing, but I said "not life changing like MDMA". All of the sociability benefits you received from alcohol are achievable via other means that don't require the use of drugs, like CBT and plain old practice/experience. That is simply NOT the case for MDMA and depression and PTSD. If you think so, then show me examples of alcohol making someone relieved, normal and happy in 30 mins after literally years of depression and suicide attempts. They just aren't in the same league.
- korse 3y ago
  I'm pretty sure alcohol's benefits have just been acknowledged since antiquity. Social lubrication/chemical courage and delaying pain... both of which can help immensely with the bottom-most tiers in Maslow's hierarchy (physiological and safety). MDMA arguably assists with achieving some of the higher tiers, however it seems like a relatively niche solution that many people do not handle well.
mistermann 3y ago
> You can draw parallels to alcohol Fossil fuels, etc. > But I don't share the sentiment either way - "I wish alcohol/drugs were available to more people" is not something I'd like to see in practice. Fits the fossil fuels (and modern culture?) analogy nicely!
fragmede 3y ago
empath-nivana's life was saved through illicit MDMA usage. They didn't shoot up a school or music concert, didn't send out mysogynistic screeds to women online, didn't abuse or kill a sex worker, didn't commit suicide, or any other number of awful things going on in the world committed by emotionally blunted individuals. I wish the emotional revitalization that comes from MDMA, the healing, being able to step away from the trauma, the openness, the vulnerability - I wish that on everybody. I wish people were well-adjusted and have fulfilling and happy lives. If it takes broadly available MDMA to get there, then so be it.
- jstarfish 3y ago
  > I wish the emotional revitalization that comes from MDMA, the healing, being able to step away from the trauma, the openness, the vulnerability - I wish that on everybody [...] If it takes broadly available MDMA to get there, then so be it. > Completely unable to relate to other human beings, afraid of being touched, never had a girl friend or any kind of real friendship. I'm convinced that most people identifying with this don't know how to articulate what their problem is. The magic words: you're struggling with intimacy. Where MDMA isn't an option, intimacy coaches (not prostitutes-by-another-name, and not sexual surrogacy) specialize in this domain and can help you navigate these very issues.

naasking 3y ago

Alcohol is not life changing like MDMA. Has alcohol ever received any kind of therapeutic recognition, or emergency use authorization to treat PTSD like MDMA? This is a poor analogy IMO.

jobs_throwaway 3y ago
> Has alcohol ever received any kind of therapeutic recognition, or emergency use authorization to treat PTSD like MDMA? The regulatory status is irrelevant IMO. Personally, I know that many of the most profound experiences of my life have been mediated by alcohol. My life has certainly been changed by it.
theobromananda 3y ago
As someone who has used a larger number of psychedelics, MDMA, ayahuasca and so on - yes, alcohol at 16 for a few years was absolutely life changing for many of the same reasons: increased sociability and being able to talk to people uninhibitely about many things. I didn't overdo it and haven't drunken alcohol in years.
- naasking 3y ago
  Alcohol can be life changing, but I said "not life changing like MDMA". All of the sociability benefits you received from alcohol are achievable via other means that don't require the use of drugs, like CBT and plain old practice/experience. That is simply NOT the case for MDMA and depression and PTSD. If you think so, then show me examples of alcohol making someone relieved, normal and happy in 30 mins after literally years of depression and suicide attempts. They just aren't in the same league.
korse 3y ago
I'm pretty sure alcohol's benefits have just been acknowledged since antiquity. Social lubrication/chemical courage and delaying pain... both of which can help immensely with the bottom-most tiers in Maslow's hierarchy (physiological and safety). MDMA arguably assists with achieving some of the higher tiers, however it seems like a relatively niche solution that many people do not handle well.

mistermann 3y ago

> You can draw parallels to alcohol Fossil fuels, etc. > But I don't share the sentiment either way - "I wish alcohol/drugs were available to more people" is not something I'd like to see in practice. Fits the fossil fuels (and modern culture?) analogy nicely!

fragmede 3y ago

empath-nivana's life was saved through illicit MDMA usage. They didn't shoot up a school or music concert, didn't send out mysogynistic screeds to women online, didn't abuse or kill a sex worker, didn't commit suicide, or any other number of awful things going on in the world committed by emotionally blunted individuals. I wish the emotional revitalization that comes from MDMA, the healing, being able to step away from the trauma, the openness, the vulnerability - I wish that on everybody. I wish people were well-adjusted and have fulfilling and happy lives. If it takes broadly available MDMA to get there, then so be it.

jstarfish 3y ago
> I wish the emotional revitalization that comes from MDMA, the healing, being able to step away from the trauma, the openness, the vulnerability - I wish that on everybody [...] If it takes broadly available MDMA to get there, then so be it. > Completely unable to relate to other human beings, afraid of being touched, never had a girl friend or any kind of real friendship. I'm convinced that most people identifying with this don't know how to articulate what their problem is. The magic words: you're struggling with intimacy. Where MDMA isn't an option, intimacy coaches (not prostitutes-by-another-name, and not sexual surrogacy) specialize in this domain and can help you navigate these very issues.