So what do you think, can MDMA make you a better person? Drop your thoughts in this thread after watching the episode...

@michaelccopelandsr7120

12 күн бұрын

I prefer all natural, not chemical, highs. Weed, 'shrooms and alcohol but my favorites will always be LSD and Absinthe. Problem is, I don't experiment anymore. ;-P

@H4WK6969

12 күн бұрын

Not when you are coming down off it.

@29DPT

12 күн бұрын

YES

@avaleesdad

12 күн бұрын

MDMA from the late 90's has made me into a better person. It's too popular now, so it's adulterated and mostly fake. Always test your substances.

@michaelccopelandsr7120

12 күн бұрын

@@avaleesdad Back when the pills were flat and the size of quarters. Ah, good times.

Thank you so much for having me on the show! Very grateful for your interest in this topic and the opportunity to share my work.

@_negentropy_

9 күн бұрын

I have so many questions! If you do a “live” q&a or a presentation of your paper on your socials would you be willing to post it here? (On KZread…please?)

@ryanjohnwisniewski599

9 күн бұрын

Very happy to hear and see this talk.

@DaM0viestar

8 күн бұрын

Dr Braiiiiin!😂

@obaz91

5 күн бұрын

you are wonderful

@KoloheJ

4 күн бұрын

Thank you Dr Brain 🧠

Psychedelics saved me from years of uncontrollable depression, anxiety, smoking, and illicit pills addiction. Imagine carving heavy chains for over a decade and then all of a sudden that burden is gone. Believe it or not, in a couple of years they'll be all over for treatment of mental health related issues.

@WolfgangKaiser-if2wr

7 күн бұрын

Congrats on your recovery. Most people don't realize that psilocybin can be used as a miracle medication to save lives.

@DellyAlava

7 күн бұрын

To be honest, mushrooms are one of the most amazing things on the planet and it is natural, they serve in many ways not only for mental related issues.

@Tomas-tw5ju

7 күн бұрын

Can you help me with a reliable source I would really appreciate it. Many people talk about mushrooms and psychedelics but nobody talks about where to get them. It is very hard to get a reliable source here in Switzerland. Really need!

@WolfgangKaiser-if2wr

7 күн бұрын

Yes, Sporeville. I have the same experience with anxiety, depression, PTSD, and addiction... Mushrooms definitely made a huge difference to why I'm clean today.

@Hikari-xh2sq

7 күн бұрын

I wish they were readily available in my place. Microdosing was my next plan of care for my husband. He's 59 & has many mental health issues plus probably CTE & a TBI that left him in a coma 8 days. It's too late now I had to get a TPO as he's 6'6 300+ pound homicidal maniac. He's constantly talking about killing someone. He's violent. Anyone reading this Familiar w/ BPD knows if it is common for an obsession with violence.

chucks input is seriously underrated. He's not just a comedian

@odHbo

10 күн бұрын

I nearly died when Chuck did that Trump on Molly impression. 💀💀💀

Psychedelics are just an exceptional mental health breakthrough. It's quite fascinating how effective they are against depression and anxiety. Saved my life.

@Sami-cy4yj

7 күн бұрын

Can you help with the reliable source I would really appreciate it. Many people talk about mushrooms and psychedelics but nobody talks about where to get them. Very hard to get a reliable s0urce here in Australia. Really need!

@javiermarcu

7 күн бұрын

Yes, Psychehubs. I have the same experience with anxiety, depression, PTSD and addiction and Mushrooms definitely made a huge huge difference to why am clean today.

@raja-hg6hf

7 күн бұрын

Is he on instagram?

@javiermarcu

7 күн бұрын

Yes he is. Psychehubs

@HevenEsports

7 күн бұрын

I wish they were readily available in my place. Microdosing was my next plan of care for my husband. He is 59 & has so many mental health issues plus probable CTE & a TBI that left him in a coma 8 days. It's too late now I had to get a TPO as he's 6'6 300+ pound homicidal maniac. He's constantly talking about killing someone. He's violent. Anyone reading this Familiar w/ BPD know if it is common for an obsession with violence.

I'm glad no one has tried to censor Chuck

@jillcrowe2626

9 күн бұрын

Chuck was an integral part of this discussion. I really appreciate his explanation and don't care if it's first person or not. He's so articulate.

I am seeing Chuck in a whole different light: he is way more than a comedian. Smart, articulate, empathetic!

@jasonlow6943

12 күн бұрын

They don't call him chick NICE for nothing.

@NerdENerd

12 күн бұрын

I have come round on Chuck as well. At first I though he was a bit of a C3PO, unnecessary comedic relief for a science based show.

@markgigiel2722

12 күн бұрын

Yeah empathetic from MDMA evidently. He sounded like an expert.

@jks1311

11 күн бұрын

@@NerdENerd I think he's still annoying lol

@dr_brein

10 күн бұрын

Chuck really blew me away. He is brilliant!

Best title ever! Opened my KZread on my phone, first and only video on screen; first time I didn’t even scroll 😂

@thelimpchubby6318

12 күн бұрын

Same here😂😂😂

@gazmad

12 күн бұрын

Hey Neil i thought you didn't believe in Free Will?

@ashevillespartan

11 күн бұрын

Same!!! I am a retired military vet with a lot PTSD/TBI issues and I have been curious of this and ayahuasca-

@MissMikah420

11 күн бұрын

Wow it got a lot of us the same way 😂

@ashevillespartan

11 күн бұрын

To all the haters...MDMA and a Dark Energy lecture sprinkled with some Annunaki and let's get all these religious texts together and raise our vibrations. Let's ###ing go. The truth is out there. Don't let the powers control truth- I love these videos. Makes you 🤔

Chucks take on PTSD and effects of MDMA is spot on, I went through a bout of PTSD and a proposed treatment was Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy, which is exactly what Chuck spoke about, and I can see the benefits of MDMA through EMDR therapy. Your my hero chuck !!! On the social media banter, use safe search and it will generally filter all comments out of YT videos And just get rid off those time waster platforms

@nasababy2279

11 күн бұрын

lol I’m undergoing emdr too and it is definitely a wonderful rehabilitation process !

Gary's ability to structure and word his questions so well is very impressive

I believe MDMA saved my life. My childhood and early adult years were very traumatic. MDMA allowed me to be empathetic to myself. Taught me to love me, even if I wasn't worth it to others.

@Graycy808

12 күн бұрын

You're worth it to me!

@peterclarke6191

11 күн бұрын

Same experience here

@BariumCobaltNitrog3n

11 күн бұрын

That's not empathy, that's introspection. Self-awareness allows you to separate your identity from your experiences. You did not cause your trauma, but you wouldn't allow happiness until you were overwhelmed by euphoria and you accepted that you might be a good person. And you have to love yourself before anyone else can love you.

@toneycosmos

11 күн бұрын

Me to. Also used it to treat my adhd for a while

@InnovativeSustainableSolutions

10 күн бұрын

Same

Its amazing how articulate and intelligent Chuck is... he is able to take the complex science and break it down into entertaining and layman terms. Thank you startalk team!

Chuck is very revealing. NATURALLY transparent.🙂

MDMA can make permanent changes to your neuro chemistry. Some are often users. Some it only takes once. I would attribute it to over saturation but I can't emphasis enough that if you might have any pre-existing neurological problems be careful.

So excited for Dr. Rein and his research! Thanks for having him in the podcast.

Got to see Dr. Tyson speak in downtown Detroit last week at the fillmore and it was amazing! One of my childhood heroes and the reason I wanted to become an astronomer

MDMA can be legally prescribed in Australia for PTSD, and psilocybin (from magic mushrooms) for treatment-resistant depression

Neil, I've actually experienced something similar post military duty. As part of my job ive watched some stuff often. The year i got out of the military, I struggled with nightmares and intrusive day dreaming. Once I came to terms with it all, I now have a stronger emotional response to sad moments and happy moments that I see in life or in media

"She goes running to the shelter of her mother's little helper...What a drag it is..." --"The Rolling Stones"

Enjoyed this way more than I thought I would.

Neil’s experience is unusual and I think it enhanced his existing empathy. I can’t speak to drugs (medications) as a way to improve a person’s level of empathy. Also, a lack of empathy drifts over into narcissism, another issue all together. Excellent presentation.

Makes sense that after you see someone else experience trauma when you yourself were helpless at that time that in the future, you would find a greater incentive to help. Studies have shown that volunteering can help victims of trauma both first and second hand

As someone with ADHD and having a bad distribution of dopamine, MDMA had seriously helped me open up more

My fav video so far - do more like these

Outstanding conversation and discussion! BUT...OMG the volume of ads!! When are these advertisers going to realize that their _interruption_ of a program such as this only makes me want to *NEVER* utilize/purchase their product or service?

@rockmathias1848

10 күн бұрын

They keep pounding Febreeze onto my screen. Honesty, I’ve bought it before,,, but after all these ads ~> Never will i buy it again

Chuck is low-key the world's foremost expert on neuroscience

1:42 Dang, Chuck!.. and in the right key, too...🙂

Thanks for the recommendation, I will definitely give it a try.

Regarding to the lack of empathy for the lack of face-to-face interactions. Before email we had the telegraph and before that we had snail mail. There were no hostilities or trolling via letters. In fact, most mails were beautifully written, in all aspects including the calligraphy, grammar, narration, and packed with emotions.

Neil Degrasse Tyson. Imma fan.

This was more interesting and more fun than some of the other episodes.

This is really helpful, i had a dream i was in a mental health rehab facility and trying to escape. May is mental health awareness, we need more love more empathy, it goes a long way.if you lack emotions, empathy, you shouldn’t work in medical field

Empathy is a logical response to someone else's suffering. Anyone understanding their own experience of suffering in turn understands others' problems. It is harder to identify with someone with a mental disorder like addiction if you haven't experienced that condition themselves.

@Sonnell

12 күн бұрын

that is not true. It is explained in the video as well. There is a logical side of it, but the main part is emotional. And that is completely different, and kinda separate. You feel it, even if you do not want to. It is a feeling.

@666MaRius9991

8 күн бұрын

What you are describing is just the cognitive empathy and not the emotional empathy.

Our empathetic response to war acts in the same manner not only to those hearing about it on the news but to those involved in it. Intense emotion at first but subsiding as time goes on. It seems to me this subsiding is necessary for our well-being.

My question with regards to medication to change a person. Is to ask the CLOCK WORK ORANGE dilemma, When is it wrong, or correct that we as a society give a medication that we find would chemically change a person to what we currently perceive as being an acceptable behavior?

What a fascinating episode. Thank you for the wonderful discussion.

I am always amazed by your StarTalk episodes. The information is truly amazing. Thank you 👍

Love watching these moments. The real versions of these very real people having honest discussions on meaningful topics.😊

I'm approx 30 minutes in. What I heard MDMA does that's good for assisting PTSD is it shuts down the fight-or-flight part of the brain, and that's what allows one to process an event without emotionally reliving it. I could be wrong

Great subject Thanks Neil

It's hard to be empathetic towards someone's situation if you haven't been there yourself, so experiences are a big part of it.

The Phoenix is my favorite mythological creature. Loved this reading.

Outstanding episode and topic! Ben was a great guest.

@dr_brein

10 күн бұрын

Thank you!!

@erinhansen2110

10 күн бұрын

@@dr_brein - The item that makes Neil so popular is his ability to take complex topics and explain them in a manner in which others can easily understand it. Ben, your communication skills were amazing! You were able to do the same thing, if not better. Hopefully you'll be on the channel and I encourage you to branch out more on KZread. You could be some combo of Neil and Mark Rober. Good luck! Cheers! :)

Isn't it funny how Chuck talks like Neil when he's onto something 😂 Love the enthusiasm!

I used to get drunk when I was 25 and go out with a trash stick picking up litter. My thought while drunk was, "Being nice is fun when you're happy." I haven't had a drink in 15 years and I kept that sentiment with me. Kant's moral philosophy abstracts from *any* empathy-affecting neurological condition. It therefore applies even to the most mentally incapacitated individuals, inasmuch as they are still capable of reason according to a presumption of free will. It is here that a distinction between empathy, on one hand, and morality, on another, can be made.

Brilliant discussion! To put these particular brilliant people together to have this discussion really opened my mind. Thank you so much.

I love you Neil! You fascinate me!

Magic water for me. And yes. It intensifies the energy of the music. I don’t sense empathy or feelings though. At least not in the 4-6hrs of usage. But i am generally empathetic by choice.

It is true, we are all born with a very precise percentage of this empathy, when a soul becomes humbled by one way or another this feeling of emaphy thing we all have it encoded in our dna, just release it individually no matter what! The whole world needs this to improve the world of equal human people

With my hyperactive self, too much stimulus for me, glad I recognized that and left it alone. 😊

@vtksolid9127

12 күн бұрын

Fair enough but that’s what they were saying about being open minded the stimulus might help u in ways u haven’t thought of.

@Ryan88881

12 күн бұрын

MDMA is both an amphetamine and a TAAR1 receptor agonist like Adderall. It literally helps to treat attention deficit hyperactivity...

Iguess a second episode with Dr. Rein would be important. With many kids into the autistic spectrum empathy is a real challenge from their perspective. Many of this kids have problems identifiying other people's emotions or behaves. If MDMA could help some of this kids to interact with the rest of us would be amazing. Could Dr. Rein have something to say about the subject? Cheers!

@katrinat6314

6 күн бұрын

Yes some autistics seem like jerks socially because the lack of empathy- maybe I’m autistic for saying that

Thank you for elaborating how empathy works. I've felt high in empathy most of my life, and this gives me better knowledge on how to handle it.

@mrstevo32100

6 күн бұрын

You should put yourself in my shoes, I still have no idea how it works!

100%, it can get you intouch with parts of yourself that you may not of otherwise been able to access given your upbringing or suroundings etc.

Yes it definitely can; it's clear to see. Although it is not a universal panacea for all people, all different personalities it definitely can help you become a better person than you were by moving you to a better place than you were before. I have experienced this first hand and seen it first hand in many friends.

33:33 also with social media some people can be anonymous, so they can say whatever they want and not face any consequences.

Helps with ptsd and depression

I love you guys.Thank you for making this video.

bless topic, ndt and crew - bless

I really like the new Intro! twinkling sounds

Chuck was on fire with this episode :)

StarTalk is THE best !

I feel empathy for people on this show without nice fireplaces for a background.

@seanstephenson4029

7 күн бұрын

Facts. But probably for a different reason. My empathy is for the flames on that fireplace They were not good . dark yellow and wicky at the top. That means there’s too much oxygen not enough gas bad mixture probably causing soot

This new StarTalk intro is really Cosmic. It fills your heart with wonder, more so than before. 🥂

So great. So interesting!

Best Episode Ever gonna Smoke A Blunt for yah to celebrate 🙌 how awesome this show just dropped on this episode 🔥

Yip Yip and YIP. Brilliant shared conversation indeed. Particularly the trauma aspects. Oh and the wee laughs too!😀 Truly grateful. 💜

Really enjoyable... astrophysacist, comedian and sports commentator talk molly with a specialist :) Gotta say Chuck showed some great qualities on this one :)

Topics like this need to be talked about more! so drug rehabilitation science can continue to help all sorts of people! Shot Neil! 🎉

Great episode, I really enjoyed the content. I have one question, that has nothing to do with the content. Neil, what is the "Globe" on the desk behind you, and where can I get one. It seems so interesting that it almost distracted me from that content.

Get it Chuck! Show what ya know! ❤

I bought your book STARRY MESSENGER at Las Vegas McCarran airport store. Ansver to page 93 complain. I love your book!

We need more conversations like this, as health experts know the benifits of narcotics outweigh any pitfalls, but they won't admit it!

It would've been nice if you guys acknowledged mdmas neurotoxicity or explored the research of that. This could have also provided some education on how to prevent neurotoxicity either through ingestion of say antioxidants or discussing that maybe it only becomes neurotoxic above a certain dose threshold. This is really useful, prevalent information that alot of users either don't have or have inaccurate information about.

@dr_brein

10 күн бұрын

I hope in the future if I'm invited back on the show we can discuss this in greater detail!

I've done Molly several times in my life, at social events and night clubs. It's extremely fun. It's like being in love but with everyone and you feel amazing on it. HOWEVER, the come-down is horrendous. You will have the worst night's sleep of your life (if you even sleep at all that night), and the following day you feel horrible. Like, depressed horrible. Is it worth it? It's up to you.

@dennissmith7214

12 күн бұрын

Thanks for the first hand testimony😳……………I’ll pass based on the second part of said testimony! 😂😂🤷🏽‍♂️

@ExTern-nl4ov

7 күн бұрын

If you try to limit the use to like half of a normal Dose, its pretty handable.

@duudnivek409

3 күн бұрын

That’s if you don’t know how to properly prepare for a come down LMAOO

@HelpMeFindTheseSongs

3 күн бұрын

@@duudnivek409 Okay cool guy 👍

I've had some of the best nights of my life on ecstasy. It connected me to myself and those around me in a way I'd never expected or experienced before. It makes me sad for today's young adults that fentyal has ruined this incredible experience that generations before them have experienced.

Maybe without evidence Chuck Nice was added to this channel way back when, but I have grown in science knowledge along with him, and I love his questions that don't waste time like another comic's would.

So much talk about "Free Will", unlike the previous Vid.

this is incredible

4:55 - I AM

I loved this ❤❤❤❤❤

It is a very relevant topic. There are cases where some individuals are asking for help, due to PTSD and deep depression, in Canada. I know of one case where an individual suffers from PTSD and keeps reliving some bad experiences. That individual had several appointments with several different phycologist to get referrals to point them in the right direction. Possibly for referrals to physiatrists. But in the end, no one helped, for some unexplained reasons. So that person suffers silently, internally. One positive aspect is that they realised that alcohol and heavy drugs only made thing worse and stopped. But still.

@Sammasambuddha

12 күн бұрын

A "friend"....right? 😂

Great Content

Great video! 👏

man i love chuck

I like how nice we all are to each other in the comments. 😊 Wish everyone can just get along.

There's a Buddhist meditation, Metta meditation. It really seems to enhance empathy. It's very easy: You start with persons which are close to you and repeat a few times "May you be happy. May you feel peace. May your life be fulfilled." Then you do that with aquaintances, then with people you don't like so much, then with yourself. I found the effects amazing. To MDMA: 30 y ago I tried it with a friend. No a party setting. It was a beautiful summers day and we were sitting in a beer garden (Bavaria!) in the countryside. And then came this feeling of complete compassion with the world - we still knew about the many problems, nothing was supressed. It was like what spiritual traditions call enlightenment. The effect faded somewhat in time. But there was some permanent change which we still can feel today, 30 years after the trial.

chuck really did his homework!!

Great show ❤❤... and btw as an introvert, I always prefer to text rather than call people on the phone lol...

I have a high degree of empathy and I can only speculate about where it came from. In fact, I sometimes feel I'm figuratively drowning in it!

@Keyspoet27

11 күн бұрын

Right there with you. I'm a lifelong empath, and though mostly it's a positive mindset, it's not beneficial when I have to be in crowded areas and can work against my own mental health in those situations. Why I left the city for a more pastoral region.

MDMA : the only time I THOUGHT I could dance well . Thanks Molly , and Neil , and Gary and mr.b.rain , and chucky baby . ❤from🇨🇦

On my experience with MDMA it is amazing; you feel good and you love everything and everyone until... the good effects wear off, and you are hit with all of that but in reverse.

@Ryan88881

12 күн бұрын

Love is a strong word. I see what you mean but I wouldn't call it "love"

@andrewj3966

10 күн бұрын

I agree! I took it once and had that same experience for a few hours, and the come-down was really unpleasant.

I'm a retired firefighter/paramedic, I can't speak for all of us but most us do probably do have a higher than normal level of empathy than average . And a whole lot of patience, like when an otherwise healthy adult male calls 911 because he hasn't had a bowel movement in three days!! As for as fires, we get paid to sit at the station and wait for fires, we fight them because we love it!!!!

Some studies have shown that reading novels can increase empathy, so drugs are not necessarily necessary, but it's interesting to consider that we can increase empathy with either fiction or conscious therapy.

@vtksolid9127

12 күн бұрын

Empathy I think is a learned trait through each individuals life experiences also like reading a book

@Pluralofvinylisvinyls

12 күн бұрын

I read every single day and I hate people.

@Ryan88881

12 күн бұрын

Alright but you're missing the point. Lots of things can and will enhance empathy, but that's not even remotely abnormal or special. Just like how one should already have a decent stratum of empathy naturally. The point outlined here however is that drug compounds are obviously going to do it *much* more powerfully than any other practical method. A drug would be the 'nuclear option' here, not the necessarily the first. With that said though, there are much much more effective compounds for creating/enhancing "empathy" than MDMA.

@Pluralofvinylisvinyls

12 күн бұрын

@@Ryan88881 I tried but I cannot think of any other drug that causes as much empathy as MDMA. I once confessed my love to a janitor for whole minutes while on MDMA.

@Keyspoet27

11 күн бұрын

​@Pluralofvinylisvinyls Which is more a funtion of what you are reading, rather than the act of reading itself.

for me, all psychedelic drugs promote empathy not only during but after experiences are over. but, also for me, i may need to have several psilocybin or LSD experiences to get to the place where MDMA reliably brings me mainly without fail. i think classic psychedelics require a bit more intention, work & reflection where drugs like MDMA, ketamine (& oral DMT in the form of huasca) kind of force you to get to a helpful place where there is less noise than with the classics. but obviously to maximize the therapeutic value of any experience will require intention, work & reflection just like anything else in life. i'm not trying to downplay the advantages of the classics, because they have the potential to go even farther than things like MDMA or ketamine but the reflection may generally be quite a bit more intense.

@Ryan88881

12 күн бұрын

Is this a joke or something? It's clearly the other way around lol. Especially the statement in your 3rd sentence.. That assertion is quite literally, and specifically; completely backwards. If anything, true psychedelics are what "force" this kind of stuff. MDMA and ketamine absolutely do not though, especially MDMA. They're literally known for that too.

@davidletarte214

11 күн бұрын

@@Ryan88881 i agree with that, so i think maybe i didn't explain it well enough. what i will add is that classic psychs will require a lot more integration after the experience to maximize benefits. & to generally elucidate my point i'll say that MDMA & ket will reliably bring me to a headspace where therapeutic work is relatively easy whereas classics are far more dependent on external factors to create therapeutic environment. summary: MDMA, ket, DMT will relaiably bring me to their respective zones, & classics depend on environment more to bring me to a therapeutic zone, does that make sense?

Its also a lot of fun

Taking bets on the title of the book on the top shelf... go!

Yes it definitely can

I have never tried Molly but I’ve heard it makes you love everyone!

It can certainly make a WSP concert a life changing experience!

MDMA has shown, other a well and consistent possibility to heal PTSD and other “traumatic files” we have to live and deal with everyday, also a way to cure Acufene. Definitely a compound with a great potential but, with an high level of neurotoxicity if abused. Should be used as a healing substance instead of a “party drug” (which mostly ends up in a regular use). Shulgin himself said he take it sporadically and move on to other phenethylamines. To me, it’s been a great tool to explore old memories and understand/let go some old traumatic events.

@mykodemgrzybodem

6 күн бұрын

2CB is probably the future

@wario8855

5 күн бұрын

@@mykodemgrzybodem ❤️