I Feel Love
MDMA and the Quest for Connection in a Fractured World
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I Feel Love
Narrated by:
Jennifer Cole
Buy Now for £16.54
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Narrated by:
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Jennifer Cole
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By:
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Rachel Nuwer
"Riveting."—Bessel van der Kolk, MD, author of The Body Keeps the Score
The unlikely story of how the psychedelic drug MDMA emerged from the shadows to the forefront of a medical revolution—and the potential it may hold to help us thrive.
Few drugs in history have generated as much controversy as MDMA—or held as much promise. Once vilified as a Schedule I substance that would supposedly eat holes in users’ brains, MDMA (also known as Molly or Ecstasy) is now being hailed as a therapeutic agent that could transform the field of mental health and outpace psilocybin and ketamine as the first psychedelic approved for widespread clinical use. In I Feel Love, science journalist Rachel Nuwer separates fact from fantasy, hope from hype, in the drug’s contested history and still-evolving future. Evidence from scientific trials suggests MDMA, properly administered, can be startlingly effective at relieving the effects of trauma. Results from other studies point to its usefulness for individual and couples therapy; for treating depression, alcohol addiction, and eating disorders; and for cultivating personal growth. Yet scientists are still racing to discover how MDMA achieves these outcomes, a mystery that is taking them into the inner recesses of the brain and the deep history of evolution. With its power to dismantle psychological defenses and induce feelings of empathy, self-compassion, and love, MDMA may answer profound questions about how we became human, and how to heal our broken social bonds.
From cutting-edge labs to pulsing club floors to the intimacy of the therapist’s couch, Nuwer guides readers through a cultural and scientific upheaval that is rewriting our understanding of our brains, our selves, and the space between.
Please note: this recording has been updated to correct some mispronunciations of chemical names.©2023 Rachel Nuwer (P)2023 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
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Critic reviews
Covers the often-ignored history of MDMA with breathtaking depth . . . Nuwer’s sober assessment of MDMA’s promise and limitations, written in incisive but generous prose, steers away from the quackery and sentimentality that pervade the field of psychedelic research. Relentless and erudite in her journalistic commitments, unafraid of self-disclosure and unwilling to feign complete detachment, Nuwer searches for healing, and makes painfully obvious the terrifying uselessness and destructive consequences of the past half-century’s drug policies.
Excellently researched … The compelling narrative, woven from emotional testimonials and clinical studies, makes a convincing argument for MDMA's potential as a therapeutic supplement, especially for those working through trauma.
Nuwer argues that the effort to recontextualize MDMA as a treatment for trauma is both ‘the latest installment in a long history of hype that’s surrounded this unique molecule’ and a return to the drug’s roots . . . One of Nuwer’s important contributions is dissecting two seriously flawed studies of MDMA that have been corrected in the scientific literature but have nonetheless shaped public opinion.
Exhaustively chronicles MDMA's journey from a therapeutic tool to an underground party pill and back to therapy … Nuwer does an excellent job of breaking down the scientific studies of ecstasy and how exactly it works on the brain.
I FEEL LOVE details the complex and fascinating saga of how MDMA, a once obscure chemical, went on to become a beloved party drug, a controversial therapy tool, and a powerful symbol of the human desire for connection … As regulatory approval nears – the need for an improved understanding and public awareness of the drug’s potential effects on the brain has never been more urgent.
A sobering and eye-opening look at the psychedelic drug MDMA and how people’s quest for healing persists through the generations … An illuminating, myth-free exploration of mental health from a unique perspective.
Heavily researched ... [I Feel Love] examines [MDMA's] history, which goes back to 1912, and its applications ranging from therapeutic to recreational. Viewing MDMA through multiple lenses (culture, politics, science, and society), Nuwer debunks common myths and cites numerous MDMA studies, particularly recent research indicating that MDMA can relieve the effects of trauma, depression, eating disorders, and more.
A thorough overview of MDMA and its place in contemporary psychedelic drug use and research … Nuwer provides vivid snapshots of those for whom the drug was miraculous—helping some, for instance, to rediscover previously suppressed memories or more fully experience emotions—and those for whom it was deadly … [I Feel Love] will enrich the cultural, legal, and medical conversation around drugs.
Great listen - good content with great narration
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