MDMA tolerance is it all in the head?

[rocket33]

Hey people! Was just wondering whats with all this talk on tolerance is about. My ladie and myself are regular ecstasy users. Around 2 to 3 times per month, for the last 2 years now[what a wonderful 2 years i may add]. Earlier on,after about 1 year of taking E we went hard for a while, say 3-4 pills in a night, this happened only a few times, we relised how silly it was.Not only from a brain cell point of veiw but also the money side of it too. The point im trying to get to here is that we havnt built up a tolerance,infact we're rolling harder and better than ever. Now instead of having our usual 2 pill per night we're quite happy on 1-1:5 pills per night. To back my story up, we often roll with another couple.She has been rolling for around ten years,he around 2 years. Last week the issue of tolerance was brought up by me, what the fuck is tolerance they asked. I explained it to them,and they thought i was a lot of codswollop. She being an experianced user is still content on 1 pill per night. They like as are rolling better and enjoying the whole thing more than ever.Whats going onhere are we different to most people? Are there any other people that havent built up a tolerance?, or is this tolerance issue all in the head.

 

[gfresh27]

I think over the years I have learned to appreciate less MDMA often leads to a better experiance, however imo tolerance does exist. All you have to do is go out a few nights in a row on the same pills to see that you get some kind of tolerance.

 

[BigTrancer]

My opinion:

"Tolerance", meaning reduction in drug effects through redosing before your brain has sufficiently recovered, is a real effect. If you take 100mg of MDMA every day for a week, by the 7th day I'd suspect you'd probably feel very little. I think this is short-term tolerance.

"Tolerance", meaning lack of novelty and loss of the 'magic', is also quite a noticeable effect, but one that can be overcome by keeping the drug interesting, limiting ones intake, and generally learning how to use the drug more effectively. I think this is long-term 'tolerance'.

I think that a lot of the time when people feel like the pills just aren't good enough anymore, it's actually the second type of tolerance... which leads them to start redosing more frequently or at higher doses (i.e., double-dropping) in the hope of regaining the novelty and magic by peaking harder... which leads to the first type of tolerance.

I think also that by reducing one's intake, and learning to enjoy MDMA at a lower dose range, it's possible to enjoy MDMA for years on end without losing the novelty. However, the temptation to 'go hard' must be carefully avoided.

BigTrancer

 

[Elicid]

before i saw it on the net i had never heard of e tolerance, i know people who pop every 2nd to 4th day and they still get effects.

 

[Insane Platypus]

before i saw it on the net i had never heard of e tolerance, i know people who pop every 2nd to 4th day and they still get effects.

You still get effects with tolerance but it is a case of diminishing returns. Some people may choose to take more which isn't good for your wallet or your head.

 

[BigTrancer]

Of course, your dopamine system can replenish much faster than your serotonin system (i.e., a day compared to a week, give or take). Therefore it's definitely conceivable that with very frequent redosing you'd get solid rushes and feel 'effects'... but maybe not get loved-up like a lunatic hehe.

BigTrancer

 

[RobertRollie]

I think people also tend to forget about 'normal' tolerance when talking about MDMA because most people simply assume the lessening affect of frequent use is due to the lack of serotonin in the brain, but your body does also develop a normal tolerance to MDMA like any other drug, such that frequent use will require a larger dose to release the same amount of serotonin into the brain (assuming there was enuff there to release)

 

[villz]

I think tolerance exists to *some* amount, however, i've never really used regularly enough to really hit it. The brain is a wonderfully powerful thing, and if you know how to use it properly, you can work with the MDMA to create a really nice experience. After 5 or so years of use, I still only need 1 pill a night (2 if i wanna get wasted, but thats very rarely), and i find if you have the right frame of mind, that the 1 pill can take you really high. In keeping with that, having a similar frame of mind can also reduce come-downs and crashes somewhat, as I find mine quite manageble, and sometimes barely noticable (esp with a post-pill bong after I get home). There is a definate art to getting the most out of MDMA (and other drugs for that matter), and as the old addage goes "Its all in your head"

 

[Cowboy Mac]

check out this thread

 

[melancholic]

In a manner of speaking, think of 'tolerance' as 'your body defending itself'. For example, MDMA is a chemical that alters the brain chemistry and thus alien to your body. Once your body starts getting a large amount of this, it begins to develop a tolerance against it. Regardless of drugs, this is logic. The more you drink beer, the more beer you'll need to drink to get drunk, and the more you'll be able to drink in a night. This is tolerance. The difference is, with alcohol, most people usually take years and years of drinking to cause the tolerance rise.

With MDMA, the brain develops a tolerance much more quickly (I think this is because MDMA is a much more damaging chemical than alcohol, so the brain devotes more energy to reducing its effects). While I believe this is true of all people, of course everyone is different, there are always exceptions. It may well be a coincidence that both of those people you talked of are some of those lucky few who don't build up tolerance as easily. Or as BT said, are exploring the drug more, and therefore expanding its effects.

 

[Scatteredasfuck]

All very good responses so far, I'm under the impression also that there are at least 2 types of tolerance.

IMO, with a proper mind set & responsible use a very positive experience can be maintained for many years to come.