Psychedelics

MDMA falls into the Phenethylamine class of psychedelics also to include mescaline, and 2C family. This compound is structurally similar to amphetamine and catecholamines. It is known to be "entactogenic" and "empathogenic", meaning it helps with emotional oneness, relatedness, communion, and openness.

Effects of MDMA:

- Increased serotonin to improve mood, creativity, and memory; increased brain plasticity, increased adaptability, decreased rigid thinking, decreased pessimism

- Increased dopamine, norepinephrine and cortisol to increase motivation and focus

MDMA has a balancing effect to produce an "optimal arousal" zone which is determined to be the ideal mental state for exploring negative thoughts, difficult experiences, holding patterns, and defense mechanisms.

- Increased oxytocin to increase trust and bonding

- works on the amygdala to decrease "fight or flight"

Current Clinical Indications for MDMA:

- PTSD

- Social anxiety in adults on the autism spectrum

- Couples therapy

- Anxiety in life threatening illness