Can YOU still be a firm atheist after watching these?

[Shell B]

I'd just like to say that none of the drugs you mentioned (with the exception of alcohol and caffeine) are particularly addictive.

Ecstasy isn't addictive? On what planet?

[hoppimike]

I'm kinda tempted to write to that Ian McCormack guy I'm the second video and (constructively) ask if he's sure it wasn't just the effects of DMT...

He may well have heard of it, and if not I don't want to spoil the enjoyment his faith seems to be giving him (he's been a believer because of it almost his whole life) but... this should be the search for truth after all. I don't know if DMT explains it perfectly but... it definitely suggests an alternative possibility I think O.O

[Gambit]

I'd just like to say that none of the drugs you mentioned (with the exception of alcohol and caffeine) are particularly addictive.

Ecstasy isn't addictive? On what planet?

Since when did E become addictive? It certainly isn't physically addictive. This is where the distinction between addiction and dependence comes in. You can develop a dependence on E, however, MDMA isn't addictive. You have to remember also that E is not a single drug. I bet the drug labelled as E today barely resembles those of my day, at least in chemical makeup.

[hoppimike]

I just fell asleep and had a dream before coming on here and writing that last post. DMT during my REM sleep, right? ^_^

[Shell B]

Ecstasy isn't addictive? On what planet?

Since when did E become addictive? It certainly isn't physically addictive.

Baloney. There is a physical dependence aspect. That is determined by withdrawals. There are always withdrawals from MDMA. The next few days suck. It's a drain of serotonin, if I'm not mistaken.

[Gambit]

That is not a withdrawal, Shell, that is the loss of serotonin. lol Not the same thing. I know that the last thing I wanted to see on an E comedown was more of the stuff. People do crave ecstasy but it is a dependence on the feeling, rather than a physical addiction.

[Annik]

I'd just like to say that none of the drugs you mentioned (with the exception of alcohol and caffeine) are particularly addictive.

Ecstasy isn't addictive? On what planet?

MDMA does have a slight chance of addition (as does everything, and I mean everything). However, a scale of addiction, MDMA is usually below or just above marijuana (which has no physical dependency). I'm trying to find this chart I had in my textbook, but google images is being an ass to me today.

EDIT: Just making a separate thing, since I bet this has been seen already. I feel "slight" is a poor word now that I reread my post. Please read as: MDMA does have a chance of addition.

[Shell B]

That is not a withdrawal, Shell, that is the loss of serotonin. lol Not the same thing. I know that the last thing I wanted to see on an E comedown was more of the stuff. People do crave ecstasy but it is a dependence on the feeling, rather than a physical addiction.

That's not true, Gringo. A withdrawal is a physical symptom caused by cessation of a drug. A rapid decrease in serotonin causes physical and mental symptoms, thus withdrawal. Withdrawal isn't always the shakes. Why do you think they call SSRI withdrawal withdrawal? It is precisely the same thing, a decreased amount of serotonin. By precisely, I mean exactly the same thing.

Now, all of this is irrelevant to my point that is not up to strangers to chastise adults for personal choices. Drug use =/= addiction.

ETA: I accidentally called you by a different name. Whoops.

[hoppimike]

You know... I can't actually watch these anymore lol

Because... they really, really... REALLY just sound like DMT trips...

I mean, it would be lovely to think that there was this magical spiritual world we pass into (and who knows, maybe there is!) but... with stuff like those, I can't help thinking it's just a drug high, basically >.<

The Ian McCormack one was particularly intense so I'm still open-minded to that, but I do think DMT pretty much answers the vast majority of this.

Oh and you wanna know something weird? I'm kinda looking forward to sleeping now because I know when I do I'll have a lil mini DMT trip lol

We're all druggies and we don't even know it!! ^_^ haha

[Gambit]

That is not a withdrawal, Shell, that is the loss of serotonin. lol Not the same thing. I know that the last thing I wanted to see on an E comedown was more of the stuff. People do crave ecstasy but it is a dependence on the feeling, rather than a physical addiction.

That's not true, Gringo. A withdrawal is a physical symptom caused by cessation of a drug. A rapid decrease in serotonin causes physical and mental symptoms, thus withdrawal. Withdrawal isn't always the shakes. Why do you think they call SSRI withdrawal withdrawal? It is precisely the same thing, a decreased amount of serotonin. By precisely, I mean exactly the same thing.

Now, all of this is irrelevant to my point that is not up to strangers to chastise adults for personal choices. Drug use =/= addiction.

ETA: I accidentally called you by a different name. Whoops.

Drug withdrawal is the physical symptom expressed from the cessation of drugs one is already addicted to or dependent on. The last part is important. The very first time that you take E you feel the shitty comedown; after which you may never feel a desire to take E again. That is neither addiction nor withdrawal. You're confusing the chemical imbalance caused by the use of certain drugs with withdrawal from those drugs. When those chemicals begin dropping below normal levels and the body depends on the drug to ape their affect, then it becomes an addiction or dependency. Again, and this is aimed at everyone discussing addiction: The distinction is made between addiction and dependence for a reason. If we look at every drug as being either addictive or not, then we do not allow for psychological dependence, for example.

And which name would that be?