Nuwer pointed out that Brendan's "seemingly spontaneous change" appears to be an exception to the norm. MDMA releases the chemical oxytocin, which our bodies naturally produce. The chemical causes animals to fiercely love their own, but also protect them from others — which can mean a disdain for outsiders may actually increase.

[–] Cube6392@beehaw.org 24 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Maybe he felt a surge to protect humans in general, and that intense feeling changed his outlook. Yeah, definitely, we should treat this as an exception not the rule, but I find myself wondering if he was already open to change, even if he didn't realize

[–] withersailor@aussie.zone 16 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I was wondering if he was already wanting to change and that's why he signed up to the study.

[–] Halvdan@sopuli.xyz 4 points 1 year ago

I think that's likely as well. It may have been the thing that gave him a push to change, but I don't think anything would have happened if he hadn't had doubts beforehand.

[–] fred@beehaw.org 14 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Interesting. I took MDMA is in college once. It wasnt a game changer or anything.

Now LSD. The one time I did that, it definitely altered the "lens" i viewed the world in, for the better. I did this with some friends to make sure it wasnt a bad trip, but mostly in solitude. Im not sure that it really changes much of my political leanings, but i did have some deep introspective thought and it did affect how I viewed others and the world, and generally in a more empathetic way.

That said, after having some friends that arguably abused it, i avoided too many more further interactions with it which was good. Because around the 4th time I did it, i was in a bad way, and had an awful trip, which turned me off to most mind altering substances for a while.

[–] SolarNialamide@slrpnk.net 3 points 1 year ago

I did xtc a few times and it profoundly changed the way I viewed myself and the world. I was very lonely and extremely depressed, and it helped me see that my intense self hate wasn't based on anything and wasn't justified. It also gave a huge boost to my empathy for other people, especially my cognitive empathy which I struggle with as an autistic person, and made it so I could actually open up to other people. The first time doing lsd it was like a nuclear bomb of empathy and understanding and perspective went off in my head. With both substances though, consequent trips were fun, but never as profound as the first (few) time(s), and I lost interest. I knew a bunch of people who did massive amounts of either or both every weekend. Can't say I understand why, they must get something different out of it then me.

Then I discovered amphetamine and had a massive struggle with that for 8 years, lol. Different brains react very differently to the same substances.