Tag: mdma

Hope for a Psychedelic Renaissance
Opinion

Hope for a Psychedelic Renaissance

By DANIEL VELASCO Drugs are always controversial. Any substance that has any effect on the brain has been often been scrutinized through a controlling eye. In the book “Peyote: the Divine Cactus,” Edward F. Anderson describes psychedelics as “a horror to the Catholic mind.” He claims that “Spanish Conquistadores saw mind-altering drugs of the Aztecs as “pestiferous and wicked.” In another book, “Shamans Through Time” by Jeremy Narby and Francis Huxley, it is claimed that the Spanish navigator and natural historian Fernandez de Oveido called indigenous tobacco use “devil worship.” Because of this stigma, ancient knowledge that was once held sacred has since been looked down upon. Because of this, the world as we know it today is both stunted by its perception of psychedelics, and dist...
MDMA offers potential to help PTSD
Features

MDMA offers potential to help PTSD

  By DANIEL VELASCO MDMA, Ecstasy or Molly is a synthetic stimulant that causes hallucinogenic effects. Initially synthesized by the chemist Anton Kollisch in 1912, MDMA has become a popular party drug among youth. MDMA affects three neurotransmitters within the brain: serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. Serotonin has an array of different effects such as sleep, pain and hunger. However, it’s most famous for its effect on mood. Someone with healthy levels of serotonin can experience a balanced mood with considerably less anxiety and depression. Dopamine helps regulate the brain’s emotional response. It also controls our brain’s relationship with rewards. When you accomplish something, the feeling you have afterward involves a boost of dopamine within your brain. Norepine...