An extended nondrug MDMA-like experience evoked through posthypnotic suggestion

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Psychopharmacology

Background:

• Psychoactive drugs like methylenedioxy methamphetamine (MDMA) induce unique subjective mind-body states.
• Understanding the subjective effects of drugs is crucial for therapeutic applications.
• Exploring non-pharmacological methods to mimic these states is of significant interest.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if hypnotic suggestion can replicate the subjective experience of MDMA.
• To phenomenologically describe the mind-body condition induced by hypnotic suggestion.
• To identify factors correlating with the strength of the induced hypnotic state.

Main Methods:

• Twelve participants received posthypnotic suggestions to re-experience an MDMA-like state.
• Subjective experiences were assessed using three self-report measures and qualitative reports.
• The Tellegen Absorption Scale was used to measure individual differences in absorption.

Main Results:

• Posthypnotic suggestion successfully mimicked an MDMA-like subjective experience for one hour.
• Participant ratings indicated 36% to 100% similarity to a drug-induced state.
• Higher scores on the Tellegen Absorption Scale correlated significantly with the strength of the hypnotic condition (Spearman rho .87, p = .0003).

Conclusions:

• Hypnotic suggestion offers a viable method for inducing MDMA-like subjective experiences.
• The induced state allowed for intentional activities such as self-reflection and creative expression.
• This technique holds potential as an adjunct to therapeutic and health treatments.