Conscious awareness versus optimistic beliefs in recreational Ecstasy/MDMA users
Advances in Consciousness Research October 28, 2010 DOI: 10.1075/aicr.79.30par (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key points | Argues that an unconscious optimism bias may underlie recreational Ecstasy/MDMA use, and that an unpublished study of four subgroups of users showed MDMA's efficacy declines over time while distress increases, leading to reduced use and eventual quitting. Proposes that experienced users' knowledge could improve drug education. |
Abstract
The willingness of humans to take psychoactive drugs may reflect an unconscious optimism bias, where users focus on desired aims rather than actual consequences. A series of in-depth interviews will illustrate the experiences and explicit knowledge of recreational Ecstasy/MDMA users. Next an unpublished empirical study will be described, where four subgroups of Ecstasy users reported that MDMA loses its efficacy over time, while drug-related distress increased. As this cost-benefit ratio deteriorates, users take MDMA less frequently, before quitting permanently. The in-depth personal knowledge of experienced Ecstasy users might be useful for drugs education packages, since it could replace unconscious optimism with greater conscious awareness.
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
- Human psychobiology of MDMA or ‘Ecstasy’: an overview of 25 years of empirical research Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental July 1, 2013
- The Potential Dangers of Using MDMA for Psychotherapy Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 2014
- MDMA, cortisol, and heightened stress in recreational ecstasy users Behavioural Pharmacology July 11, 2014
- Are ecstasy induced serotonergic alterations overestimated for the majority of users? Journal of Psychopharmacology May 7, 2018
- Of mice and men on MDMA: a translational comparison of the neuropsychobiological effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine ('Ecstasy'). Brain Research November 14, 2019
and 1 more in the library