Comment · Mon, January 20, 2014
If doctors could prescribe illegal drugs. What illegal drugs would be prescribed for what problems?
What they were answering
mykhathasnotail · 29 points
MDMA is NOT an effective treatment for depression! People need to stop saying this. Yes, it increases Serotonin levels while you're on it, but that results in decreased Serotonin levels, for up to over a week, after you're off of it. In addition, using it regularly will result in Serotonin Syndrome, making it, essentially, impossible to achieve high levels of happiness.
u/MisterYouAreSoDumb
Not all depression is the same, so not all treatment options end in the same results. While your general premise is correct, MDMA can be useful in some cases of depression. It definitely changed my life, and helped me come out of a depression. It helped me to realize that I can separate my feelings from my logic, and that there did not always need to be a reason to be happy. I didn't even take it for another year after my first time. A single night was all it took to show me what I had been missing my entire life.
Also, contrary to popular belief, most MDMA sessions only deplete serotonin stores 10-20%. It's the reduction in tryptophan hydroxylase that leads to stores falling the week after. Pair that with the receptor down-regulation, and that is where the Tuesday blues comes from.
However, I support the message you are trying to get across. Regular use of MDMA is a bad idea for anyone, much less someone suffering from depression. It should never be used as a crutch.