The shaman and the rave party: social pharmacology of ecstasy.
Substance Use & Misuse 2002 DOI: 10.1081/ja-120004159 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | MDMA |
| Citations | 17 |
| Key points | Argues that the hedonistic potential of psychoactive drugs emerged only after the development of a profane setting, contrasting with archaic supernatural use. |
Abstract
Current psychobiological models of drug addiction are focused on the capability of drugs to cause a pathological exploitation of the neural rewarding system. This approach has emphasized the role of hedonistic factors in the etiology of drug addiction. Comparing primitive and modern settings of intoxication, such as shamanic rituals and rave parties, it is possible to confute this assumption. The archaic way of perceiving and elaborating drug effects mainly determined their use as being for supernatural purposes and excluded recreational purposes. Only after a completely profane setting of drug use was developed, did psychoactive drugs express all their hedonistic potentialities. This development, however, has been a slow process.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on MDMA, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Differences Between the Mechanism of Action of MDMA, MBDB, and the Classic Hallucinogens. Identification of a New Therapeutic Class: Entactogens | 1986 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Background and Chemistry of MDMA | 1986 | Historical analysis | |
| The origin of MDMA (ecstasy) revisited: the true story reconstructed from the original documents* Original documents in Merck's historical archive in Darmstadt, Germany, years 1900–1960 | 2006 | Historical analysis | |
| Distinct neural mechanisms for the prosocial and rewarding properties of MDMA | 2019 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How could MDMA (ecstasy) help anxiety disorders? A neurobiological rationale | 2009 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- A thalamic reticular networking model of consciousness Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling March 30, 2010
- "Rollin' on E": a qualitative analysis of ecstasy use among inner city adolescents and young adults. Journal of ethnicity in substance abuse 2005
- Plant based assisted therapy for the treatment of substance use disorders part 2 : beyond blurred boundaries. Cultura y Droga July 1, 2019
- Assessing the relationship between neural entrainment and altered states of consciousness induced by electronic music bioRxiv Preprint Server January 16, 2024
- AVPR1a and SLC6A4 gene polymorphisms are associated with creative dance performance. PLoS Genetics June 14, 2016
and 1 more in the library
Cites 5
- Dose-Response Study of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine in Humans Archives of General Psychiatry February 1, 1994
- The pharmacology and clinical pharmacology of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy"). Pharmacological Reviews September 2003
- Review of the pharmacology and clinical pharmacology of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "Ecstasy"). Psychopharmacology June 1995
- Drugs, music, and ideology: a social pharmacological interpretation of the Acid House Movement. International Journal of the Addictions October 1, 1992
- Toxicity and deaths from 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine ("ecstasy"). The Lancet August 15, 1992