Love, sex and MDMA: Could the party drug be used for couple’s therapy?
“Relationship partners who take MDMA together enter a “bubble” where they feel free to express their deepest emotions…A study into the use of the illegal drug by couples has suggested it can help them discuss their issues “free of fear” – talking about everything from sexual fantasies and infidelity to difficult memories, according to Katie Anderson, a doctoral researcher in applied sciences at London Southbank University….Within what Anderson calls the “MDMA bubble”, couples reported that otherwise difficult conversations felt “organic” and “natural”, and that they understood their partner on a deeper level.”
“We were not two people, we were one person,” a couple told her. Another pair described taking MDMA in the bath and how “the dimly lit, watery surroundings seem to precipitate a fluidity of selves. It felt like we were fused together. Like one piece.” Both male and female participants reported that men were more emotionally vulnerable and open on the drug. The feelings of the “bubble” lingered after the drug wore off, too, explains Anderson, as they were reminded of their experiences. The drug created a “nice clean slate”, one pair said. While some were worried that they were “developing a chemical romance”, they found that the feelings of closeness remained.
Original Article (Independent):
Love, sex and MDMA: Could the party drug be used for couple’s therapy?
Artwork Fair Use: By Dinesh Valke