10 March 2026 14:48
Topic starter
2
Can an MDMA session help when your life mostly feels like a to-do list and everything seems to revolve around achievements?
I notice that my life mainly consists of achieving goals and accomplishing things. Everything often feels like a task that needs to be completed. When I achieve a goal, a new one immediately appears. Because of this, it sometimes feels like I am never truly satisfied.
I also notice that my self-worth is often dependent on achievements or the appreciation of others. Additionally, I sometimes suffer from obsessive thoughts and a lot of self-criticism.
Can an MDMA session help you look at yourself and life differently?
1 Answer
1
10 March 2026 14:53
Yes, these kinds of themes regularly come up during the preparation for and during the psychedelic sessions. MDMA can enhance a sense of safety, openness, and self-compassion. As a result, it often becomes easier to look honestly at yourself and your patterns without immediately falling into self-criticism or shame.
A common pattern among people experiencing performance pressure is that their lives are heavily driven by goals and achievements. This is related to the dopamine system in the brain, which stimulates motivation and the pursuit of goals. The problem is that this system can cause a new goal to immediately arise as soon as a goal is achieved. This can create the feeling that you are never truly finished or can never be satisfied.
During an MDMA session, many people actually experience more peace and contentment. This is partly due to the strong increase in serotonin and oxytocin, substances that enhance connection, safety, and satisfaction. As a result, the insight sometimes arises that happiness does not have to come solely from achievements or reaching goals, but also from experiencing the moment itself.
During such a session, some people realize that their life resembles a long to-do list, whereas it might also be meant to be lived and experienced. This insight can help make goals more realistic and create more space for fulfilling activities without the need to achieve anything.
Obsessive thoughts or compulsive patterns can also sometimes be better understood during an MDMA session. Because shame and fear temporarily diminish, it becomes easier to explore where certain thoughts or behaviors originate. With some help from us or your own psychologist, these insights can lead to new behavior.