US could soon approve MDMA therapy • Hacker News Board

Re: US could soon approve MDMA therapy

#31

Post by mettamage » Thu, Apr 20, 2023, 1:29 PM UTC

Glench wrote: post #18

Personally, I left tech in large part to become a therapist doing psychedelic-assisted clinical work when it becomes legal. It really does seem like it can be a potent tool for relieving great suffering. You can read a little about my story here: http://glench.com/WhyIQuitTechAndBecameATherapist/

1% chance that I'd go the same route just because of your comment.

I have a bsc. in psychology, so partially already there to become a licensed clinical psychologist.

It'd be one hell of a career switch though. I guess, so was yours :)

Edit: I just read your blog post about it. Damn! This is illuminating. It'll definitely help me in my journey. Thanks!

Also, definitely envious that you got to work with Bret Victor. A few years ago, I really wanted to but given I'm from the EU and he didn't seem to be looking, I never messaged him. I think I should have.

@haswell I read your comment. I'm happy to know that as well :)

Re: US could soon approve MDMA therapy

#32

Post by Simulacra » Thu, Apr 20, 2023, 1:30 PM UTC

My husband did ketamine therapy last year and I think it saved his life. He had suffered from depression and PTSD since his time in the military, and no amount of medications and therapies could breakthrough. Ketemine saved him and we're 11 months out and he's still doing amazing.

Re: US could soon approve MDMA therapy

#33

Post by bagacrap » Thu, Apr 20, 2023, 1:30 PM UTC

lockhouse wrote: post #17

Given the reputation of MDMA, I wonder if this could also help with certain types of sexual dysfunction, such as unwanted low libido.

"it provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance" - Shakespeare, on MDMA (whether he knew it or not)

Re: US could soon approve MDMA therapy

#34

Post by Simulacra » Thu, Apr 20, 2023, 1:31 PM UTC

bluetomcat wrote: post #20

As an outsider, that American obsession with prescripted medication seems maddening. Many of these conditions are caused by underlying societal factors and are nowhere near as widespread outside the US. The American solution is to throw more pills at the problem, or ostracise the patients not willing to take that route. Even children are offered an ever larger number of pills, and are constantly challenged about thei…

underlying societal factors

I'm glad you brought that up. I always found it amusing that the best medicine for depression is to go out, meet people, engage with the world around you, but depression keeps you from doing that. American culture is very individualistic and there's very little pushing communities together, which would seem to exacerbate depression once it takes its hold..

Re: US could soon approve MDMA therapy

#35

Post by MrScruff » Thu, Apr 20, 2023, 1:32 PM UTC

lockhouse wrote: post #17

Given the reputation of MDMA, I wonder if this could also help with certain types of sexual dysfunction, such as unwanted low libido.

Not sure what reputation you're talking about? It alters your capacity for empathy, not your sex drive.

Re: US could soon approve MDMA therapy

#36

Post by cnity » Thu, Apr 20, 2023, 1:32 PM UTC

bluetomcat wrote: post #20

As an outsider, that American obsession with prescripted medication seems maddening. Many of these conditions are caused by underlying societal factors and are nowhere near as widespread outside the US. The American solution is to throw more pills at the problem, or ostracise the patients not willing to take that route. Even children are offered an ever larger number of pills, and are constantly challenged about thei…

I think it's more nuanced. If anything, MDMA therapy goes _hand in hand_ with dealing with the societal factors, because as an empathogen it enables you to deal with trauma in a loving and caring way.

This is not about "correcting" imbalances in the brain or brushing issues under the rug, it's about dealing with them directly.

Re: US could soon approve MDMA therapy

#37

Post by eimrine » Thu, Apr 20, 2023, 1:33 PM UTC

hammyhavoc wrote: post #24

hospitalJail wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Back in 2018 had just gotten a surprise extra TV from my friend for Christmas. Now we had a 48in tv and a 42in tv. I wasnt sure what to do with it, I wanted 2 TVs for my 2 monitor setup(PC + Wireless mouse and keyboard). My wife cared about appearance more than anything. This was quite contentious. We happened to take MDMA for the first time(at home) and we talked about the TV situation. We figured out a way to have…

You didn't use it in a medicinal context though. You used it recreationally and thought about a problem then arrived at a solution. There's only x ways you could have fit the TVs in, and I'm sure most people could have figured it out without taking anything, it's hardly a difficult task.

how to use mdma in medical way? does it requires obeying to some owner of some kind of medical license?

Re: US could soon approve MDMA therapy

#38

Post by timcobb » Thu, Apr 20, 2023, 1:33 PM UTC

bluetomcat wrote: post #20

As an outsider, that American obsession with prescripted medication seems maddening. Many of these conditions are caused by underlying societal factors and are nowhere near as widespread outside the US. The American solution is to throw more pills at the problem, or ostracise the patients not willing to take that route. Even children are offered an ever larger number of pills, and are constantly challenged about thei…

What you're saying may or may not be true, but it is orthogonal to the idea of exploring the role MDMA might have in improving the human condition and helping us understand existence.

Re: US could soon approve MDMA therapy

#39

Post by LapsangGuzzler » Thu, Apr 20, 2023, 1:33 PM UTC

bluetomcat wrote: post #20

As an outsider, that American obsession with prescripted medication seems maddening. Many of these conditions are caused by underlying societal factors and are nowhere near as widespread outside the US. The American solution is to throw more pills at the problem, or ostracise the patients not willing to take that route. Even children are offered an ever larger number of pills, and are constantly challenged about thei…

I generally agree with the sentiment that American culture tends to over-prescribe medication. That said, I've had a lot of incredibly positive experiences with psychedelics and I think taking a substance under the supervision of a trained therapist is different than just handing out bottles of pills.

The other great thing about psychedelics is that they're typically only used temporarily as opposed to many other kinds of prescription antidepressants, which often need to be taken for extended periods or for life. The pharma industry has tended to favor solutions that incentivize the latter and I think we desperately need alternatives that don't require long-term intervention.

Re: US could soon approve MDMA therapy

#40

Post by jonfw » Thu, Apr 20, 2023, 1:35 PM UTC

hammyhavoc wrote: post #24

hospitalJail wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Back in 2018 had just gotten a surprise extra TV from my friend for Christmas. Now we had a 48in tv and a 42in tv. I wasnt sure what to do with it, I wanted 2 TVs for my 2 monitor setup(PC + Wireless mouse and keyboard). My wife cared about appearance more than anything. This was quite contentious. We happened to take MDMA for the first time(at home) and we talked about the TV situation. We figured out a way to have…

You didn't use it in a medicinal context though. You used it recreationally and thought about a problem then arrived at a solution. There's only x ways you could have fit the TVs in, and I'm sure most people could have figured it out without taking anything, it's hardly a difficult task.

I think that designing the TV layout is not the point, the point is opening yourself to new ideas and empathy, facilitating compromise