this (and the other links from this dude) are particularly good and unbiased – written and researched by someone who appears to have served in his countrys Forces and citing real Professors and healthcare professionals; not pro-drug activists with classic liberal rather than social democratic views (the difference between the first is these liberals believe anything that makes money should be sold with minimal taxation and regulation – social democrats prefer businesses that operate within and do not deliberately or unintentionally disrupt existing structures of demmocracy and society even if that reduces the opportunity for short term profilt making.
I’ve had a fair amount of personal experience with MDMA and alas, mild PTSD as well and agree that psilocybin is likely to be better.
I’ve never served in HM Forces though; both were through the rave scene especially unlicensed events! the PTSD was brought on in part due to the constant conflict between my lifestyle; the desires of my parents and dodging the authorities.
Although there may not be heavy weapons or violence involved psychologicalliy it is is actually like being at war and worse with people you don’t even want to fight with (the worst was when I had a legit job in the Civil Service) – leading a double life is extremely difficult.
Its is likely the real reason a lot of MI5/6 and GCHQ officers go down from mental illness or even commit suicide; not any sketchy conspiracies – if someone really wanted these people dead it would be more likely for them to get run over/involved in a road collision (a “deliberate ” rather than an “accident”) or stabbed by some scally who wanted to nick their electronic devices as this happens so often to normal people it would be seen as “just another incident”
What I found hard to cope with was witnessing multiple acts of completely unneeded and sketchy violence at both underground and licensed rave events (including best friends attacking one another and blood being spilled) and that was when there were ample good quality supplies of MDMA and many other drugs and the cops were losing the battle trying to stop their rampant dealing and use.
I also saw friends and acquaintances who had served in HM Forces (at the time several active regiments guarded the nuclear installlations in SE England) who got PTSD after discharge when they started working the doors at town nightclubs for the same reason.
A soldier can easily grasp the concept of a known enemy but witnessing normal middle class humans attack each other on what was intended to be an enjoyable social occasion remains psychologically demanding.
I still do not think MDMA should be controlled as hard but it is not a cure all for any sort of mental health issue and can make things worse. Its true that everyone might tolerate one another better at the peak of the high but on the comedown and the effects of sleep deprivation which last two or three days all the tensions, angst and anger come flying back into peoples minds 10 times over.
This leads to family conflict, domestic violence and even fatal road traffic collsions (in EA what killed quite a few ravers wasn’t crashing on the long drive back but the Monday morning drive to work where they were overtired and crashed on the fast roads (A12/A14 etc).
Although those negative consequences can be minimised it requires self-discipline amongst the users. Its not a coincidence that in nations like NL and even SG/MY where MDMA use seems to cause less issues (to the point the two Asian nations suspended the death penalty for it 10 years ago) there are very strong and social family values and ethics; stronger than in the UK or USA.
