^^ Good post, interesting stuff. I agree that if you have a healthy lifestyle, MDMA is better tolerated. Wouldn't you agree that actually trying, I don't mean popping a pill, but I mean ACTUALLY trying to get out of your depression in a natural way (working on your social life in example) is the way to go compared to the slippery slope that is messing with your brain chemistry?
Oh absolutely.. and I am also a firm believer that most forms of depression can definitely be solved that way. Especially if the subject is willing to put the effort forth to maintain the lifestyle/state-of-mind. I watched my mom go in and out of depression for years because once she felt "happy", she slowly gave up on doing all of the things that got her there. Natrual cures are always the best. Definitely require more effort on the patient's part, but if you really want true, long-lasting happiness and contentment then yes I am with you - natural all the way.
The only reason I am so interested in neuropathy and the use of chemicals to battle illnesses like depression is for the subset of the depressed and mentally ill who simply CAN'T do it without some sort of drug therapy. Ergo - I like the idea behind MDMA assisted Psychotherapy because the idea behind it is to use the drug very cautiously and very sparingly to assist in figuring out the route of the problem, and then go from there with a primarily wholistic approach.
The other example I often give people is the idea of teaching a dog or any pet a particular trick. Haha.. I know it sounds cheesy but hear me out:
If you teach a puppy a trick you make them repeat it over and over and use positive reinforcement to build that specific neurological connection. Over time the repetition solidifies the connection by strengthening the myelin sheath around those particular nerves/neurotransmitters and it becomes automatic.
Now take that same pet and say the owner loses it and it is living in the wild for 4 years. If the owner were to find the dog and use the same command to try and elicit the old trick, the dog most likely wouldn't respond because over time that specific connection in its brain would have grown weaker and possibly even "broken".
BUT.. use the same positive reinforcement a few times and BAM it's as if the dog never forgot the trick at all. This is the concept of "re-awakening" a dormant neuro-connection.
Here's the point I'm getting at:
We were all little kids once. We all remember the elation and constant excitement that came along with being a child. Things like riding roller coasters, playing hide-and-go-seek, opening Christmas presents. Don't get me wrong, all of that stuff is great no matter how old you are... but man when you're a little kid it is like rolling times 100!!
Now.. this being said, that means that at some point in our lives those specific connections existed in our brains, and our brains were more than capable of releasing those chemicals in immense quantities, and therefore we were incredibly happy.
It's my argument that as we grow older and the stresses and unfortunate realities of the world; I.E. evil people, loss... MONEy... all of these things lead to the old neuropathways in our brains growing weaker and weaker, and in many cases to simply shut off.
I am a firm believer that MDMA, used properly, may have the potential to help people re-spark those old series of neuro-pathways that once allowed us to be so happy on such a regular basis; to the point where we didn't even have the ability to percieve depression because it didn't even seem possible.
Now.. it's our responsibility after the fact to help ourselves keep those same pathways active and make them stronger and stronger after they are "woken up".. but if MDMA can help us turn them back on, then I think it is foolish to not at least consider it as a viable option.
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