User talk:Courtlee214/sandbox

Psychiatrists began using empathogens as psychotherapy tools in the 1970s despite the lack of clinical trials.[3] In recent years, the scientific community has been revisiting the possible therapeutic uses of empathogens. Therapeutic models using MDMA have been studied because of its empathogenic properties.[2] This type of therapy would applicable for treating a patient who was experiencing psychological trauma such as PTSD. Traumatic memories can be linked to fear in the patients which makes engaging with these memories difficult. Administration of an empathogen such as MDMA allows the patient to disconnect from the fear associated with the traumatic memories and engage in therapy.[2] MDMA acts by targeting body's stress response in order to cause this therapeutic effect. As told by Michael Winkelman, MDMA "reduces anxiety-provoking feelings, conditioned fear responses, and avoidance of feelings..."[2] Patients are then able trust themselves and their therapist and engage with traumatic memories under the influence of MDMA.

Although the therapeutic effects of empathogens may be promising, drugs such as MDMA have the potential for negative effects that are counter productive in a therapy setting. For example, MDMA may make negative cognition worse. This means that a positive experience is not a guarantee and can be contingent on aspects like the setting and the patient's expectations.[4] Additionally there is no clear model of the psychopharmalogical means for a positive or negative experience. [4]

I changed some words to maybe improve the flow. I don't really have any suggestions for the content. I think it is really good so far. Btravers (talk) 01:24, 23 February 2017 (UTC)